Name
Geophysical investigation of subsurface structures and glacial erosion patterns
Date & Time
Monday, May 25, 2026, 10:45 AM - 11:00 AM
Description
Glacierized catchments are critical components of freshwater systems in Northern and Western Canada. While research has largely focused on clean-ice glaciers, the interactions between permafrost, buried glacier ice, and meltwater pathways remains poorly constrained. Debris-covered ice, massive ice buried beneath rock and sediment, can act as an impermeable barrier to groundwater flow, influencing meltwater routing and the erosion of glacier morphology. However, quantifying and mapping such features remains challenging, even with modern remote sensing techniques. Geophysical methods, including electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) with induced polarization (IP), ground-penetrating radar (GPR), and active seismic refraction (SRT), provide complementary insights into subsurface cryosphere structure. While ERT and IP distinguish ice from sediments and rock debris with high confidence and SRT can be employed to identify the glacier bed topography, they are time-intensive for catchment-scale surveys. Drone-based GPR allows for denser measurements and access to steep or unstable terrain. Surface nuclear magnetic resonance (sNMR), uniquely sensitive to liquid water, identifies groundwater constrained by buried ice. Our research presentation demonstrates the integration of these methods at a Northern glaciated Alpine watershed and validates interpretations through a synthetic model of the subsurface, enabling a critical comparison of observed geophysical data against expected structures. The methodology not only reveals subsurface heterogeneity but also provides insights into glacier morphology, water pathways, and erosion patterns under conditions of glacier retreat. Our findings highlight that a multi-method, model-informed framework is essential to characterize the complex interactions between ice, debris, and meltwater, offering a more nuanced understanding of glacier-driven geomorphological evolution.
Location Name
DSU 224
Full Address
Dalhousie University
Halifax NS
Canada
Session Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract ID
109
Speaker Organization
McGill University
Session Name
IAH-13
Co-authors
Bastien Charonnat1, Adam Tjoelker3,4, Michel Baraer1, Adrien Dimech1, Janie Masse-Dufresne1, Jessy Richard5, Pierre-Allain Duvillard5, Jeffrey M. McKenzie2 1Hydrology, Climate and Climate Change laboratory – École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), Montreal, Quebec, Canada ; 2 Department of Earth and Planetary Science – McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; 3 Department of Geography, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; 4 Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; 5 Naga Geophysic, Technolac, 73370 Le Bourget du Lac, France.[
Presenting Author
Eole Valence, McGill University