Geophysical Assessment of Frozen Ground Distributions in Mountain Road Areas of Tierra del Fuego, Chilean Patagonia: Integration of Field Surveys and Laboratory Simulations

This thesis explores whether frozen ground, including possible patches of permafrost, exists along a remote mountain road in Tierra del Fuego, Chilean Patagonia. The landscape reveals a different story, despite the common belief that permafrost does not exist this far south. At elevations above 650 meters, we discovered surface features shaped by freeze-thaw cycles, indicating that frozen ground may still be involved. We used a combination of geophysical techniques (electrical resistivity and sonic tests) and laboratory experiments that recreated the Patagonian soil conditions to conduct our investigation. We were able to directly compare those findings with field measurements by carefully freezing and thawing sediment samples, which helped us get a better idea of what's below the surface. These findings matter not just for understanding southern mountain permafrost, but also for planning safe and resilient infrastructure in places where the ground might not be as stable as it looks, and emphasizing the effectiveness of non invasive geophysical techniques in previously unstudied areas.