INTEGRATING GROUND-PENETRATING RADAR, FIELD DATA, AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR PALEOFLOOD STUDIES ALONG LYTLE CREEK, MURFREESBORO, TENNESSEE

Abstract

A geophysical investigation involving ground-penetrating radar (GPR) with soil probing was carried out on the floodplain of Lytle Creek, Murfreesboro, to understand the flood depositions and their subsurface lithology. Information was used to determine the watershed boundaries. A 350 MHz and 900 MHz Geophysical Survey Systems Inc. (GSSI) equipment was used for GPR data acquisition, and major interpretation procedures involving dewowing, filtering, and applying automatic gain were carried out. The GPR surveys in this study revealed significant sub-surface stratigraphy of depositional materials along the river channel. Three main characteristic radar facies were identified through the floodplain and bank exposure investigation. The majority of the profiles were noted to have horizontal, wavy, and hyperbolic reflections. The resulting floodplain structure was delineated and found to extend throughout the river channel and having fine-grained deposits (silty loam and silty clay). GPR proved to be a reliable tool in delineating subsurface stratigraphy non-invasively for this study.