A comparison of 1D vertical models of biogenic gas content within a northern peatland from common mid-point and cross-borehole GPR

Surface-based ground penetrating radar surveys are non-invasive and fast while cross-borehole methods have the potential to be more accurate and repeatable, though time consuming. In order to assess the variation between common mid-point and cross-borehole surveys as a tool for estimating free-phase gas volume in peat soils, we compared the modeled gas content results from surface-based multiple-offset data to down-hole zero-offset profiles. Accuracy of each method was also evaluated using reciprocal measurements and statistical methods. Both common mid-point and cross-borehole methods yielded repeatable measurements and resulted in a similar range of gas content estimates. Variations in gas content estimates ranged from <;1% - 16%, though the common mid-point measurements underestimated the gas content compared to the cross borehole measurements.