Ultrawideband Propagation Experiment Through the Antartica Firn at the Concordia Station in the 0.4 - 2 GHz Frequency Range

In recent years, special attention has been paid, in microwave remote sensing from space, to extend observations to low frequencies (i.e lower than L band). Active mission at P-band (i.e. the ESA's Biomass mission based on SAR) will be launched in 2022 and missions based on low frequency microwave radiometer are proposed to both ESA and NASA. Because of the high penetration depth in ice, these sensors are particularly suitable for investigating parameters of the cryosphere. Nevertheless, in order to properly derive information on such geophysical parameters, there is the need to improve our knowledge of the interaction of electromagnetic waves and the different media. In this paper we present and discuss a first series of results obtained during a propagation measurement campaign carried out at the French–Italian Concordia research station during the summer campaign 2019-2020 in Antarctica in order to investigate on the electromagnetic properties of the Antarctic's firn in the frequency range 0.4-2 GHz. Specific instrumentation has been designed and assembled, essentially consisting of a transmitting unit and a receiving one, to be let down into two boreholes in the firn. Preliminary measurement results are presented and discussed.