Glaciological challenges for IP, SP, and seismoelectrics in the 21st century

The near-surface geophysical community has so far paid little attention to glaciological problems, although many exciting and timely opportunities and challenges for IP, SP, and seismoelectric research urgently await consideration. I initially review current understanding of the low-frequency electrical properties of ice, firn, snow, and frozen and unfrozen glacial sediments, and present several recent and pertinent case studies demonstrating the usefulness of state-of-the-science IP, SP, and seismoelectric techniques in glaciology. Subsequently I outline future research opportunities and challenges which should exploit more rigorously state- of-the-science IP, SP, and seismoelectric techniques in the field and laboratory, and develop or adapt from other areas of electrical geophysics novel mathematical and statistical concepts for joint data inversion and integration, for glaciological purposes such as e.g. [a] ice core logging; [b] glacier dynamics and fracturing; [c] glacier hydrology; and [d] exploration of life on Mars. I conclude that lower-frequency electrical techniques such as IP, SP, and seismoelectrics have unduly been neglected in glaciology as compared with higher- frequency radar techniques over the past few decades, arguing for a revival of concerted research efforts into these techniques.