Scanning mode application of neutron-induced gamma analysis for soil carbon mapping

A method for analyzing an elemental content of a surface area of a geographic area, the method comprising:

• dividing, by a processor, the surface area into a plurality of locations;
• scanning, by a gamma detector communicatively coupled to the processor, at least a portion of each location of the plurality of locations of the surface area of the geographic area to detect a gamma ray spectrum of a surface layer of the at least a portion;
• associating, by the processor communicatively coupled to the gamma detector, the detected gamma ray spectrum with geographic coordinates of a portion of that detected gamma ray spectrum;
• calculating, by the processor, based on the detected gamma ray spectrum at the portion, an amount of at least one element at the portion of the respective location of the plurality of locations of the surface area of the geographic area;
• and
• generating, by the processor, a map indicating a concentration of the at least one element within the surface area of the geographic area.

A system for analyzing an elemental content of a surface layer of a geographic area, the system comprising:

• a plurality of gamma detectors, each gamma detector configured to detect gamma spectra of a predefined portion of the surface layer of the geographic area,
• wherein each gamma detector scans the surface layer of the geometric area while being movably transferred over the surface layer of the geometric area, and
• wherein at least one gamma detector of the plurality of gamma detectors corrects an energy of the gamma spectra;
• a geographic positioning device configured to receive geographic coordinates of the predefined portion of the surface layer of the geometric area;
• and
• a processor communicatively coupled to the plurality of gamma detectors and the geographic positioning device, the processor configured to:
• associate the corrected gamma spectra having the corrected energy of the predefined portion of the surface layer of the geometric area with the geographic coordinates of the predefined portion of the surface layer of the geometric area,
• calculate, based on a life time of a gamma spectrum, a weight percent of an element within the predefined portion of the surface layer of the geometric area,
• wherein the life time of the gamma spectrum is an average of life times of each gamma detector of the plurality of gamma detectors, and
• generate a map indicating a concentration of the element within the predefined portion of the surface layer of the geographic area based on the calculated weight percent of the element within the predefined portion of the surface layer of the geographic area,
• wherein each gamma detector corrects the energy of the gamma spectra based on a predefined value determined via a spectra-shifting and weight-percent calculation executed by each gamma detector or the processor.