The transient electromagnetic (TEM) method is a non-invasive geophysical tool well-suited for subsurface imaging in cold and polar regions, where common targets are associated with strong contrasts in electrical resistivity. By imaging the electrical properties of the subsurface, the TEM methods can discriminate between geological units such as frozen ground (permafrost), fresh/saline groundwater systems, and bedrock/glacier ice. In this study, we compare TEM data acquired with ground-based and airborne TEM systems. We demonstrate the mapping capabilities of these two approaches in high latitude polar environments with datasets from Taylor Glacier, Lake Vanda, and Canada Glacier in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica. The results show a high consistency between the airborne and ground-based TEM data, both with a high resolution and a deep penetration depth down to hundreds of meters due to the resistive background material, which makes both approaches capable of mapping hydrological systems and identifying the base of glaciers. The airborne TEM approach offers an unmatched spatial data coverage in difficult terrain and a far improved lateral resolution compared to the static ground-based system. The ground-based TEM system offers the possibility for using larger transmitter coils and longer stacking times and therefore has potential for reaching deeper penetration depths. The ground-based TEM approach is hence a valuable tool that can provide consistent imaging results while also being far more accessible in terms of cost and field logistics compared to an airborne TEM campaign.

瞬态电磁 (TEM) 方法是一种非侵入性地球物理工具，非常适用于寒冷和极地地区的地下成像，这些地区的常见目标与电阻率的强烈对比有关。通过对地下的电气特性进行成像，TEM 方法可以区分地质单元，例如冻土（永久冻土）、淡水/咸水地下水系统和基岩/冰川冰。在这项研究中，我们比较了使用地面和机载 TEM 系统获取的 TEM 数据。我们使用来自南极洲麦克默多干谷的泰勒冰川、万达湖和加拿大冰川的数据集展示了这两种方法在高纬度极地环境中的制图能力。结果表明，机载和地面 TEM 数据具有高度一致性，由于电阻性背景材料，这两种方法都具有高分辨率和低至数百米的深度穿透深度，这使得这两种方法都能够绘制水文系统图和识别冰川底部。与静态地面系统相比，机载 TEM 方法在困难地形中提供了无与伦比的空间数据覆盖范围，并大大提高了横向分辨率。基于地面的 TEM 系统为使用更大的发射器线圈和更长的堆叠时间提供了可能性，因此有可能达到更深的穿透深度。因此，与机载 TEM 活动相比，基于地面的 TEM 方法是一种有价值的工具，它可以提供一致的成像结果，同时在成本和现场物流方面也更容易获得。