Useful Geophysical Instruments

A geophysical instrument at AGI is going to be very accurate as it helps you map out an image of the underground layers of soil and rock, but that does not mean that you are never going to get faulty readings. When you do, you have to be able to identify them very quickly so that you get the problem sorted out. The incorrect reading could be due to equipment that has been set up in the wrong manner, human error on your end, damage that the equipment sustained at some point, or even factory defects that were there when the equipment was brand new. The tips that follow can help you decide if a reading is faulty or not.

Photo not mine

1. Look for things that do not make sense.
You should study the area before doing your survey to see what types of things you should expect to encounter. Learn about the different types of soil and rock, the known underground waterways, and things of that nature. Then, when you are taking your readings, just look for anything that does not add up, that does not make sense. You might have uncovered something unexpected, but you might be getting a faulty reading. Either way, looking into the situation more closely can help you understand what is going on.

2. Read about other surveys taken in the area.
While researching the area, it is a good idea to see if any other surveys have been done nearby in the past. Look for surveys that were carried out with similar equipment. Familiarize yourself with the results that they got. Any time that your results seem wildly different than what they found, you need to take a closer look. Again, this does not mean that the equipment is malfunctioning, but it could be an indicator that it is.

3. Always do multiple readings when you can.
There are some jobs that may not give you time to do multiple readings, but, if you do have the time, you should certainly do a number of them. If you get vastly different results every time, you know that something is not working correctly. The readings should be fairly close to the same. You can then check on the sensors and the equipment to see if you can find a problem that could be causing you to get all of these results that seem so erratic.

comments