Method and apparatus for passively detecting the depth and location of a spatial or temporal anomaly by monitoring a time varying signal emanating from the earths surface

• US 5,148,110 A
• Filed: 03/02/1990
• Issued: 09/15/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ronald L. Helms
• Original Assignee: Strategic Subsurface Imaging, Inc.
• Inventors: Helms, Ronald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Snow, Walter E.
• Application Number:
  US07/487,127
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 324/323, 324/326, 324/334, 324/335, 324/344-349, 340/621, 73/170 R
• US Class Current: 324/323
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/001 Acoustic presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/082 operating with fields produced by spontaneous potentials, e.g. electrochemical or produced by telluric currents G01V3/26 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and apparatus for passively determining the depth of an anomaly using means for monitoring a broad spectrum of frequencies and analyzing the amplitude and modulation of a time and/or location varying signal within discrete bands of frequencies to determine the depth of a spatial or temporal anomaly. A means for recording and mapping substerranean features based on an ascending or descending sequence of frequency measurements is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of passively determining the depth of a spatial or temporal anomaly occurring beneath the terrain or water surface of the earth and in the vicinity of a location of interest, comprising the steps of:

passively monitoring a time-varying signal from a source emanating from the earth;

measuring the amplitude or modulation changes in said time-varying signal in the form of a broad spectrum of frequency data for variations indicative of a spatial or temporal anomaly;

recording said data in a recording medium;

processing said data to produce a sequential frequency spectra of said time-varying signals within a frequency band of interest, wherein each frequency spectra is representative of a particular depth; and

identifying the location of said spatial or temporal anomaly with said processed data.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of measuring amplitude and modulation characteristics of said time-varying signal;

and wherein said step of processing further comprises comparing said recorded amplitude and modulation characteristics with empirically determined data to identify the location of said anomaly.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of measuring comprises detecting said time-varying signals with an antenna.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of measuring further comprises amplifying and filtering a signal from said antenna.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of recording further comprises the steps of digitizing said signal and recording the digitized data.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said step of processing comprises processing in a CPU to generate a digitized power spectra from said digitized data.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said anomaly comprises a subsurface seismic event.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of measuring further comprises measuring within discrete frequency bands variations which occur in said frequency data.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of measuring further comprising measuring variations which occur in an amplitude and modulation of a generally vertical current emanating from the earth within said discrete frequency bands.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of measuring further comprises measuring local variations which occur in an amplitude and modulation of a generally vertical current emanating from the earth.

11. A method of locating a temporal or spatial anomaly comprising:

receiving, with an antenna, signals originating from a source emanating from the earth indicative of an alternating component of a generally vertical current emanating from the earth;

filtering said signals into a plurality of frequency bands, each indicative of a characteristic depth of an anomaly; and

processing said filtered signals with data corresponding to said phenomenon to thereby indicate the location and depth of said anomaly.

12. An apparatus for passively detecting the location and depth of a spatial or temporal anomaly comprising:

means for receiving a broad spectrum frequency emanating from the earth;

means connected to said receiving means for separating said signal into a plurality of signals corresponding to a plurality of frequency bands;

means connected to said separating means for recording the signals in each of said frequency bands; and

means connected to said recording means for processing the plurality of frequency signals with data correlating said frequency information to depth to thereby indicate the depth of the anomaly.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said receiving means comprises an antenna.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said receiving means further comprises means for amplifying said signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said separating means comprises a plurality of band-pass filters corresponding to said plurality of frequency bands.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said processing means further comprise an analog to digital converter connected to a rectifier means, and a digital computer connected to receive input signals from said analog to digital converter and programmed to determine a depth from the frequency band of said input signals.

17. An apparatus for passively detecting the depth of a spatial or temporal anomaly comprising:

means for receiving a broad spectrum frequency emanating from the earth;

means connected to said receiving means for amplifying and filtering said signal;

means connected to said amplifying and filtering means for recording said signal; and

means connected to said recording means for processing said signals to correlate said frequency information to depth to thereby indicate the depth of said anomaly.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said receiving means comprises an antenna.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising means for digitizing said signals and for starting said signal in digitized form.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said processing means further comprise a digital computer connected to receive said digitized signals and programmed to determine a depth from the frequency information of said signal.

21. A method of passively monitoring onset and depth of a temporal anomaly occurring between the terrain or water surface of the earth and in the vicinity of a location of interest, comprising the steps of:

measuring a time-varying signal emanating from the earth in the form of a broad spectrum of frequency data for variations indicative of the depth of said spatial or temporal anomaly;

recording said data in a recording medium;

processing said data to produce a normal sequential spectra of time-varying signals within a frequency band of interest, wherein each spectra is representative of a particular depth;

monitoring said time-varying signals over time;

comparing the monitored signals with said normal spectra of time-varying signals; and

generating a signal when the amplitude or modulation of said time-varying signals change over time.