GEOPHYSICAL MEASUREMENT DEVICE FOR NATURAL SOIL RESOURCE EXPLORATION IN AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT

• US 20110031973A1
• Filed: 01/09/2007
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique, Universite de Bretagne Occidentale
• Original Assignee: Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique, Universite de Bretagne Occidentale
• Inventors: Dubreule, Alain, Cairns, Graeme, Tarits, Pascal, D'eu, Jean-François, Jegen-Kulcsar, Marion
• Granted Patent: US 8,269,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/345
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/15 specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat

Abstract

A geophysical measurement device is provided for exploration of natural resources of the floor in an aquatic domain. The device includes a frame designed to rest in a stable manner on the floor of the aquatic environment, at least one buoyancy caisson resting on the frame, measurement instruments. The measurement instruments including: at least one sensor making it possible to measure locally at least one of the components of the magnetic field; an analogue and/or digital data acquisition and processing device; and a source of energy supply of the sensor and of the data acquisition and processing device. The at least one sensor is contained inside the buoyancy caisson.

Claims

1. Geophysical measurement device for the exploration of the natural resources of soil in an aquatic environment, comprising:

a supporting frame intended to rest in a stable manner on said soil of said aquatic environment;

at least one floatability caisson resting on the supporting frame; and

means forming measurement instruments comprising;

at least one sensor used to measure locally at least one of the components of the magnetic field;

means forming an analog and/or digital data acquisition and processing device; and

means forming a power supply source for the sensor and for the means forming a data acquisition and processing device;

wherein the at least one sensor is contained inside the floatability caisson.

2. Geophysical measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises means to measure the three components of the magnetic field.

3. Geophysical measurement device according to any of claims 1 and 2, comprising a single floatability caisson.

4. Geophysical measurement device according to claim 3, wherein the means forming a data acquisition and processing device and the means forming a power supply source are comprised in the single floatability caisson.

5. Geophysical measurement device according to any of claims 1 and 2, comprising at least two floatability caissons, the sensor, the means forming a data acquisition and processing device and the means forming a power supply source being comprised in one of the at least two caissons.

6. Geophysical measurement device according to any of claims 1 and 2, comprising at least two floatability caissons, the sensor, the means forming a data acquisition and processing device and the means forming a power supply being distributed in at least two of the caissons.

7. Geophysical measurement device according to any of claims 1 to 6, comprising an inclinometer firmly attached to the at least one sensor.

8. Geophysical measurement device according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the caisson is obtained from at least one amorphous material.

9. Geophysical measurement device according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the means forming an analog and/or digital data acquisition and processing device include induction vector component determination means.

10. Geophysical measurement device according to claim 9, comprising transmission means of the data and the components of the induction vector to a remote receiver.

11. Geophysical measurement device according to any of claims 9 and 10, wherein the induction vector components are determined for at least two separate frequencies.

12. Geophysical measurement device according to any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the internal volume of the caisson(s) containing the means forming measurement instruments is substantially equal to the volume of the means forming measurement instruments.