A new repository of electrical resistivity tomography and ground-penetrating radar data from summer 2022 near Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard

Abstract

We present the geophysical data set acquired in summer 2022 close to Ny-Ålesund (western Svalbard, Brøggerhalvøya Peninsula, Norway) as part of the project ICEtoFLUX. The aim of the investigation is to characterize the role of groundwater flow through the active layer as well as through and/or below the permafrost. The data set is composed of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys, which are well-known geophysical techniques for the characterization of glacial and hydrological processes and features. Overall, 18 ERT profiles and 10 GPR lines were acquired, for a total surveyed length of 9.3 km. The data have been organized in a consistent repository that includes both raw and processed (filtered) data. Some representative examples of 2D models of the subsurface are provided, that is, 2D sections of electrical resistivity (from ERT) and 2D radargrams (from GPR). The resistivity models revealed deep resistive structures, probably related to the heterogeneous permafrost, which are often interrupted by electrically conductive regions that may relate to aquifers and/or faults. The interpretation of these data can support the identification of the active layer, the occurrence of spatial variation in soil conditions at depth, and the presence of groundwater flow through the permafrost. To a large extent, the data set can provide new insight into the hydrological dynamics and polar and climate change studies of the Ny-Ålesund area. The data set is of major relevance because there are few geophysical data published about the Ny-Ålesund area. Moreover, these geophysical data can foster multidisciplinary scientific collaborations in the fields of hydrology, glaciology, climate, geology, and geomorphology, etc. The geophysical data are provided in a free repository and can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10260056 (Pace et al., 2023).