ABSTRACT. Peculiarities of radio echo-sounding of mountain glaciers and ice fields between nunataks from terrestrial vehicles and from helicopters are considered in this paper. The possibility of using comparatively high frequencies (of up to 865 MHz) for sounding such glaciers is demonstrated on the basis of experimental data. Results of airborne radio echo-sounding of Svalbard glaciers of various types, dimensions, and regime obtained with the help of the 620 M Hz airborne equipment of high resolution are shown. Returns from the glacier bed have been obtained on the majority of glaciers under investigation. The firn regions of ice fields with temperate regimes flowing between nunataks are, mostly, an exception. Depression in the glacier bed with the ice thickness up to 540 m, as well as internal reflecting boundaries have been detected in some glaciers. Ice volumes of glaciers have been determined from the airborne radio echo-sounding data with the use of a parabolic approximation to the cross-section glacier profiles. Good correlational dependence between ice volume and surface area of glaciers has been established and is used to estimate the ice and water resources in Svalbard glaciers. RESUME. Sondages par echo-radio des glaciers du Sualbard. Dans cet article on examine les particularites des sondages par echo-radio de glaciers de type de montagne ou de piedmont depuis des vehicules terrestres ou par helicoptere. Sur la base des donnees experimentales on montre une possibilite d'utiliser a titre de comparaison des hautes frequences (jusqu 'a 865 MHz) pour sonder de tels glaciers. On donne et on discute les resultats de sondages aeriens par echo-radio des glaciers du Svalbard de type montagne, piedmont et calotte, avec des appareils de 620 MHz a gran de capacite de resolution spatiale. Des signaux rI:flechis sur le lit du glacier ont ete recueillis sur la majorite des glaciers sondes. Les zones de neves des glaciers de type piedmont avec des regimes thermiques " chauds" (glaciers temperes) sont, la plupart du temps , une exception. On a decouvert sur une serie de glaciers des depressions du fond du lit avec des valeurs de l'epaisseur de glace allant jusqu' a 540 m, ainsi que des pi ages de reflexion interne. A partir de sondages par echo-radio en utilisant une approximation parabolique pour les profils des sections transversales d'un glacier on a pu determiner les volumes des glaciers et etablir une bonne correlation avec la surface englacee. On en a tire une estimation des ressources en glace et en eau des glaciers du Svalbard.
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