An Open-Resonator Sensor for Measuring the Dielectric Properties of Antarctic Ice

• Published in: Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 19; no. 9; p. 2099
• Main Authors: Olmi, Roberto, Priori, Saverio, Toccafondi, Alberto, Puggelli, Federico
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 07-05-2019; MDPI
• Subjects: Antarctic firn; Climate change; Complex permittivity; complex permittivity measurement; Conflicts of interest; Coring; dielectric measurement; Dielectric properties; dielectric spectroscopy; Ice; Microwave sensors; Permittivity; Remote sensing; Sensors; United States > US; Italy; Antarctica; complex permittivity measurement; dielectric measurement; Antarctic firn; dielectric spectroscopy
• ISSN: 1424-8220; 1424-8220
• DOI: 10.3390/s19092099

In this paper, the theory behind the design of a microwave sensor for the accurate measurement of firn complex permittivity is presented. This class of microwave sensors, based on the open-coaxial re-entrant cavity method, is specifically designed to measure, by means of a simple and quick procedure, the complex permittivity profile of low loss materials. A calibration procedure is introduced to derive the complex permittivity of the material under measurement (MUM). Two specimens of this class of microwave sensors have been realized to sample the complex permittivity profile of a 106-m long ice core drilled from the Antarctic plateau at Concordia Station. The preliminary results of the on site measurement campaign are reported, showing very good agreement with theoretical models available in the literature.