Radiofrequency ice properties measurements at Taylor Dome, Antarctica, in support of the ANITA experiment

Radiowave detection of the Cherenkov radiation produced by neutrino-ice collisions requires an understanding of the radiofrequency (RF) response of cold polar ice. We herein report on a series of radioglaciological measurements performed approximately 10 km north of Taylor Dome Station, Antarctica from Dec. 6, 2006 - Dec. 16, 2006. Using RF signals broadcast from a dual-polarization horn antenna on the surface transmitting signals which reflect off the underlying bed and back up to a dual polarization surface horn receiver, we have made time-domain estimates of both the real (index-of-refraction "n") and imaginary (attenuation length "L_atten") components of the complex ice dielectric constant (ε = ε′ +iε′ ′). We have also measured the uniformity of ice response along two orthogonal axes in the horizontal plane. We observe an apparent wavespeed asymmetry of order 0.1%, between two orthogonal linear polarizations projected into the horizontal plane, consistent with some previous measurements, but somewhat lower than others.