How to choose a water detectors? What is the differences compared with other brands?

Before choosing a suitable detectors, we need to know two main measuring methods applied in shallow surface exploration

As to the shallow surface exploration, we divide it into two main methods according to field source, they are active source method and passive source method.Active source method is the general name of geophysical exploration method which measures the geophysical field formed by the artificial field source as the excitation source. While the passive source method is the general name of natural field source .

The main exploration method of active source includes: resistivity, induced polarization, ”mise-a -la-masse”, electromagnetic, multi-electrode electrical and so on; The corresponding method of passive source includes: Self-potential ( SP), magnetotelluric ( MT) sounding, very low frequency ( VLF) and so on. Even there are some other method can also be applied in this field, like Airborne electromagnetic, controlled source audio-frequency magnetotelluric ( CSAMT), Ground -penetrating radar ( GPR), marine electrical, seismoelectric and etc.

 As we can see, shallow surface has been a rather mature filed, and there are so many methods can be carried out. But what is the exact method we should use in different project? It is not the main content of this article, I will introduce some widely used methods taken in the detecting equipment of ours and many other brands on the market.

All of our underground detecting machine are base on active source. There area methods taken in our device: resistivity, induced polarization, DC electrical, multi-electrode electrical and electromagnetic.

As to the resistivity method, it has the advantages of quick and accurate. As to the working principle is to testing ground resistance, usually it is widely applied in underground water detection. Besides, because of the data type is 1d, the measurement work may be huge if the measured area is large;

     

The working principle of induced polarization is to test the earth induced electric effect, it is excellent in finding underground water and metals. Besides, it also have the features of predicting the amount of water inflow ore size compared with resistivity method;

   

DC electrical method is based on the electrical conductivity difference of coal and rock strata. It is developed from resistivity method, but it is applied in coal mine more;

     

Multi-electrode electrical method integrate with electric profiling method and vertical electric sounding method, it is developed from resistivity method. But compared with traditional resistivity method, it has some extremely perfect advantages like saving power, suppress interference, enhancing effective signals and so on. It is widely in used in all kinds of city engineering construction projects;

     

In a simple word, the electromagnetic method is base on electromagnetic induction principle. It is of very high efficiency, and it is not influenced by terrain. Besides, the out put data is easy to recognize and of high resolution. Also, it can carry out electrical profiling and vertical electrical sounding at the same time, much more information will be displayed. It is widely applied in underground water, metal and shallow surface faultage detection.

   

Besides the active source method, what can passive method achieve? And what is its advantages and disadvantages? As to the self-potential ( SP) method, it do not need supplying power the the ground and the of high efficiency, so the cost is very low. But it always influenced by non-ore anomaly( such as mountain electric field, carbonaceous shale electric field) and interference( Industrial stray current). So it is better to be used in rather pure environment, but we all know it it very hard; As to the magnetotelluric ( MT) sounding method, I don’t think it is a feasible for underground resource detection, because it only work better in horizontal exploration. The the longitudinal resolution decreases rapidly with increasing depth; At last, the The very low frequency ( VLF) is base on electromagnetic method as well, and it has the advantages of efficient, low cost, light and convenient. It can be applied in detecting Solid minerals, karst, underground river, fault, water-bearing fracture zone, rock boundary and so on. But we also need to face to the same problem, accuracy! It also can be influenced by the environment.

Now there are both active source method detectors, such as ours, ABEM, Syscal and etc; and also passive source method detectors such as PQWT, ADMT and so on. For those who are fully prepare to drill a borehole, I recommend to use active source method detectors. Would spend more money in better detecting devices, rather than waste both time and money on nothing. Otherwise, the loss outweights the gain. But if you’re just interested in exploration, and never mean to drill, passive method detectors are really a good choice for amateurs.

All in all, just choose the suitable device for you depending on your demand and budget. Up to now, finding underground resources is not a very easy to go. But I believe, every one can attend in this filed easily as the development of technology!