GPR Structure of the Parana Delta (Argentina) - Preliminary Results

An important research object when studying river deltas is predicting their internal structure, stratigraphy, lithofacies, depositional history and volume of sand or gravel accumulated. Until recently, prediction was based on morphologic-depositional models developed by comparing surface sediment texture and morphology with subsurface structure in carved exposures and/or drill cores. While this approach is commonly used to make a first approximation about delta structure and processes, ground-penetrating radar now provides a more accurate alternative, at low cost and without disturbance to the ground. <br>Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) was used to image the internal structure of the Paraná River Delta (Argentina). The topographically low parts of some deltas are unsuitable for ground penetrating radar method because the existence of marine conditions and fine-grained sediments deposited in restricted environments, creating an electrically conductive medium unfavorable for the penetration of radar waves. Then, the second aim was test the ability of GPR to acquire enough subsurface information for radar-facies imaging of the complete structure. <br>