The Most Effective Magnetic Measurement
Airborne magnetic data acquisition has a number of advantages over land and marine-based surveys. Rapid speed of acquisition is critical when dealing with the time-variations of the magnetic field. The survey height of an airplane has the advantage of moving the measurement point away from the influence of near surface magnetic disturbances that are usually not of exploration interest.
Measure & Record Total Intensity
As the aircraft flies, the magnetometer measures and records the total intensity of the magnetic field at the sensor. The total intensity is a combination of the desired magnetic field generated in the Earth as well as tiny variations due to the temporal effects of the constantly varying solar wind and the magnetic field of the survey aircraft. By subtracting the solar, regional, and aircraft effects, the resulting aeromagnetic map shows the spatial distribution and relative abundance of magnetic minerals (most commonly the iron oxide mineral magnetite) in the upper levels of the Earth’s crust.
Multiple Applications
Because different rock types differ in their content of magnetic minerals, the magnetic map allows a visualization of the geological structure of the upper crust in the subsurface, particularly the spatial geometry of bodies of rock and the presence of faults and folds. This is particularly useful where bedrock is obscured by surface sand, soil or water. Applications include geologic mapping, mineral exploration, unexploded ordinance (UXO), and petroleum exploration.
Visit our partner, Geometrics, for more information on magnetometers.
Instrumentation
EDCON-PRJ uses a Cesium Magnetometer manufactured by Geometrics. The system’s high performance and multi-function capability are excellent for mapping geologic structure, for mining, oil and gas exploration and the detection of buried drums for environmental surveys.