Comparing Antennae Frequencies (225, 450 and 900 MHz) of a Windblown Dune, Kuršių Nerija National Park, Lithuania

Abstract

The Kuršių Nerija National Park is one of five national parks in Lithuania. The Park was established in 1991 to protect the unique environments of the Curonian Spit and Curonian Lagoon and is also recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. Within the Park, the natural landscapes are dominated by coastal and windblown geomorphic processes. To test the applicability of ground penetrating radar (GPR) to image windblown dunes on the Curonian Spit, a collaborative project with Vilnius University focused on comparing a variety of antennae frequencies to compare the “range vs. resolution” question within the dunes. GPR, a non-destructive geophysical imaging methodology, allows one to use lower antennae frequencies to provide deeper imaging into the subsurface versus higher antennae frequencies which allow greater resolution of the sedimentary patterns. Data was collected using a pulseEKKO 1000 GPR system with three antennae frequencies (antennae separation/step size): 225 MHz (0.5 m/0.1m), 450 MHz (0.25m/0.05m) and 900 MHz (0.17m/0.02/m). To geometrically correct the data, a topographic survey was conducted using along each transect using a TopCon RL-H3CL laser level. The results highlight the importance in understanding the “range vs resolution” question when investigating sedimentary environments.