Ice thickness estimation of the Greenland Ice Sheet using passive seismic horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR)

This study explores the novel use of the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) technique to estimate glacial ice thickness across the southern region of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS). We analysed ambient noise records across 25 stations, calculated ice thicknesses, and correlated these with depth-to-bedrock measurements from ice-penetrating radar data. Where data was good, two prominent resonance peaks were present which may suggest two ice layers above bedrock. The lowest frequencies (~0.2 Hz) translate to an ice thickness reaching 2 km near the glacier centre. HVSR has been applied in many geological environments but rarely in a glacial ice sheet setting where this technique’s efficacy is highlighted.