Unwanted air reflections

Description of problem
The objective of GPR surveys is to achieve information on subsurface objects or structures. However,
unwanted air reflections from objects in the surroundings can sometimes interfere and create ambiguous
results. These air reflections are caused by radar energy leaking out into the air instead of being trans-
mitted into the subsurface, and are reflected back by surrounding objects like buildings, poles, cars, wires,
trees etc.
Air reflections can mask real but weaker subsurface signals, or they can create anomalies that can, falsely,
be interpreted as real targets.
Air reflections are usually more pronounced when working with unshielded antennas, although they may as
well be visible and disturbing when shielded antennas are used. Furthermore, they are often more pro-
nounced on an electrically conductive ground (e.g. clayish soil) than on a non-conducting ground (e.g.
sand).
In many cases it is easy to identify air reflections, but sometimes it is not trivial. In this Application Note
some examples are presented, where a feature in the radargram easily could be mistakenly interpreted as
a subsurface structure.

Examples of data
In the following five different cases is presented, where unwanted air reflections have created different
types of signatures in the resulting radargram. The examples originate from various types of geological
surroundings, and differ both in measurement setup and purpose.

The first example is measured with a shielded antenna,

along a road, where the purpose was to map the asphalt
thickness.
The high frequency radar antenna was placed below the
car (marked with a red circle in the picture), on the side
closest to a metallic fence, which extended along large
parts of the road. See picture at right.
The air reflections in this case are due to this metallic
fence, situated quite close to the roadside and extending
throughout the whole line of investigation. During the
survey the antenna were kept between one and two
meters from the fence.
The reflection from the fence (indicated by an arrow) can
be misinterpreted as a layer interface underneath the
asphalt layer (red curve in the radargram below).

Antenna: MALÅ 1.6 GHz shielded antenna.

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The second example is measured on the bottom of an opencast coalmine. The radar data indicates a very
clear layer interface in the depth range 15 to 24m. This layer interface is however not a geological feature,
but is caused by air reflections from the steep walls on the side of the quarry. The varying “depth” to this
layer is due to the varying distance to the walls. To get a proper understanding of the distance to the quarry
wall the velocity in the radargram must be changed to 0.3 m/ns (velocity of air) and this gives a true
distance of 45 to 72meter to the wall. The two hyperbolic signatures at coordinates 255 and 370 are both
air reflections from obstacles in the mine. By applying hyperbola fitting it is easy to identify such air
reflections. In this case the penetration depth was in fact limited to only a few meters, thus giving very little
information of the subsurface conditions. This example - showing a “clean” radargram with only a few sig-
natures - is typical for measurements on an electrically conductive subsurface.

Antenna: MALÅ Unshielded 50 MHz antenna, Samples: 650, Sampling frequency: 1015, Trace Interval: 25cm

The third example is from a geological

mapping project along a road in a fine-
grained environment. This profile started
close to a metallic road signpost (marked
in the picture) and continued along the
snow-covered ditch.
This air reflection (yellow arrow) from the
metallic signpost is clearly seen as a
straight line in the radargram below. The
line has a slope corresponding to the air
velocity of radar waves, 0.3 m/ns.

Antenna: MALÅ 250 MHz shielded antenna, Samples: 560, Sampling frequency: 2710, Time window: 207, Trace Interval: 5cm

The fourth example comes from a geological mapping project in an unexploited area with thin layers of
overburden. The structures seen in the radargram (next page) all originates from fractures in the bedrock,
except the one marked with a red dashed line. The slope of this reflection corresponds to the air velocity of
radar waves, 0.3 m/ns, and it is caused by a nearby telephone pole. Most often the extent of this type of air
reflections is larger in conductive environments, as in this case, where the overburden comprises till with a
large extent of clayey material. The other structures seen in the radargram represent the undulating
bedrock interface and single larger objects, most likely boulders.

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 Antenna: MALÅ 50 MHz inline unshielded, Samples: 408, Sampling frequency: 702, Time window: 581, Trace Interval: 10 cm

The fifth and final example is measured with a MALÅ 100 MHz shielded antennas in an urban environment,
where the purpose was to look at the subsurface conditions above a larger sewage tunnel. A number of
hyperbolas can easily be identified, and may mistakenly be interpreted as utilities, objects etc. However,
after applying hyperbola fitting the velocity was estimated to 0.3 m/ns, indicating that almost all hyperbolas
are due to air reflections. The ground conductivity conditions are in this case most unsuitable for radar
investigations.

Antenna: MALÅ 100 MHz unshielded antenna, Samples: 348, Sampling frequency: 1949, Time window: 178, Trace Interval: 25cm

Conclusions
The amount of air reflections occurring depends primarily on two factors: the electrical conductivity of the
ground and the type of antenna in use (shielded or unshielded). Air reflections may be present at any site,
but as long as the ground conditions are suitable for radar, they will not dominate and are often not even
seen, regardless of the type of antenna in use.
To avoid misinterpretation of results, the following should be noticed while the survey is carried out and
afterwards, during interpretation:
• Note possible sources of air reflectors while doing your field survey. If you measure towards or away
from a large structure you may observe air reflections while gathering the data. This should awake
your awareness for the problem.
• Be especially aware of large metal objects, debris, cable bundles or poles. These often form strong
reflectors.
• Check the velocities of hyperbolas or slopes in the resulting radargram. Note that hyperbola fitting
only works if the radar measurement is trigged by distance.
With experience from different types of surveys and an awareness of air reflections, misinterpretation can
quite easily be avoided. Even though the pattern and amplitude of the air reflections can vary considerably
depending on the object, the position, the antenna polarization etc., it is often an easy task to identify them.

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