Investigation of buried karst sinkholes under a bog using ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT)

Active evaporite karst processes in the Baltic states are associated with a few relatively small regions where gypsum rocks can be found close to the Earth's surface. One of these areas lies in the vicinity of the Pandu bog. However, such a possibly active karst region, which is covered by peat and in which the mapping of karst formations is complex, has not been previously investigated. In this study, we present a buried and peat-filled karst cover-collapse sinkhole mapping approach that involves a combination of ground-penetrating radar (GPR), electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and conventional boreholes. A detailed map of the bog's substratum topography was constructed from a geophysical surveying dataset. It reveals 15 distinctly expressed sinkholes with diameters of several tens of metres. Overall, 140 potential sinkholes were also mapped using remote sensing data in the vicinity of the bog. Higher electrical resistivity anomalies were identified inside the peat; they coincide with scatter-free zones in GPR data and water layers in boreholes. Highly disturbed internal peat layering was also detected in these sinkholes. It is suggested that these water layers and disturbed peat layering may have formed due to the subsidence of the lower peat layers, and thus they represent relatively younger sinkholes. This is also supported by evidence from orthophoto maps, which showed the formation and disappearance of surficial lakes and depressions on the bog surface. Our results revealed the presence of active and widespread karst processes under the bog that have not been previously noticed despite the fact that they have implications for the assessment of geohazards in this area.

Automated summary

This study investigates possibly active karst regions near the Baltic states using a combination of ground-penetrating radar, electrical resistivity tomography, and conventional boreholes. The results reveal the presence of 15 sinkholes and 140 potential sinkholes under the bog, with higher electrical resistivity anomalies and disturbed peat layering indicating relatively younger sinkholes. These findings highlight the importance of assessing geohazards in this area, which have not been previously noticed despite their activity and widespread karst processes.