Multiple reflection signal polarity in GPR surveys

Abstract

Signal polarity is a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) signal attribute that can be analyzed to determine the nature of the relative permittivity contrast causing signal reflections and, in some cases, to infer the nature of the investigated materials, provided that sufficient background information is available. Its visual analysis may also be useful to determine whether the signal pattern is related to multiple reflections. In this paper, a theoretical analysis of the transmission and reflection coefficients for perpendicular and parallel polarizations of the electric field is presented along with applications in a simple context supported by numerical modelling and a real radargram.