What is "radioglaciology"

n. (context geology English) The study of glaciers and ice sheets using radar.

Radioglaciology is the study of glaciers and ice sheets using radar. It employs a geophysical method similar to ground-penetrating radar that operates at frequencies in the MF, HF and VHF portions of the radio spectrum. Radioglaciology is sometimes referred to as "ice-penetrating radar" or "radio-echo sounding".

Glaciers are well suited to investigation by radar because the imaginary part of the permittivity of ice is small relative to its real part; this ratio is called the loss tangent. The conductivity of ice is small at radio frequencies, so its dielectric absorption is also small.