×

Geological tomography using cosmic rays

  • US 7,488,934 B2
  • Filed: 02/17/2006
  • Issued: 02/10/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2005
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method for mapping subterranean densities in a survey region comprising:

  • positioning a plurality of muon detectors at a plurality of subterranean locations adjacent to a test region, at least one of the plurality of muon detectors having a drift region and a voltage plane;

    generating an electric field with the voltage plane to drift ionization electrons along a longitudinal axis of the muon detector away from the voltage plane toward an end of the drift region, the ionization electrons produced by one or more muons traversing the drift region;

    detecting the ionization electrons;

    collecting muon detection data from the plurality of muon detectors for a plurality of intersecting trajectories; and

    processing the collected muon detection data to form a density map of the test region.

View all claims
  • 2 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×