Large airborne time-domain electromagnetic transmitter coil system and apparatus
AssigneeGeotech Airborne Limited
InventorsPetr Valentinovich Kuzmin, Edward Beverly Morrison
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An airborne time domain electromagnetic survey system is provided. The system and apparatus of the present invention are able to address the interest in exploring base metals and uranium deposits at depths approaching 1 kilometer. It encompasses a transmitter coil having a large magnetic dipole moment, flight stability, which is light weight, compatible with small helicopters, and can be transported, setup and repaired in the field. It is of a semi-rigid modular structure that can decrease the incidence of damage or breakage during take-off or landing in rough terrain.
Claims40
An airborne time domain electromagnetic surveying system comprising:
- (a) a tow assembly for connection to an aircraft, the tow assembly including:
- (i) a support frame including;
- (A) a transmitter section including a transmitter means, the transmitter section including generally semi-rigid modular support structure for supporting the transmitter means;
- and
- (B) a receiver section including a receiver support frame and a sensor means.
An airborne time domain electromagnetic surveying transmitter coil comprising:
- (a) a transmitter section including:
- (i) a transmitter coil;
- and
- (ii) a semi-rigid modular support structure;
- wherein for the semi-rigid modular support structure supports the transmitter coil;
- and
- (b) a tow assembly for connection to an aircraft including a support frame;
- and
- wherein the transmitter section is included in the support frame;
- and
- wherein the structure of the support frame enables the positioning of the support frame in a substantially horizontal position in flight and the augmentation of the magnetic dipole moment.
A suspension net apparatus for suspending an electromagnetic surveying transmitter coil comprising:
- (a) a suspension net having a tow rope connection operable to attach to an aircraft, the suspension net having a plurality of ropes attached to a semi-rigid modular structure by way of a plurality of attachment points between the plurality of ropes;
- and
- (b) a transmitter coil for acquiring surveying data, the transmitter coil being attached to the suspension net at the tow rope connection;
- wherein the distance between the attachment points and the length of the ropes is defined so as to provide substantially horizontal positioning of the transmitter coil in flight;
- and
- wherein the semi-rigid modular structure includes a transmitter support frame supporting the transmitter coil and having a plurality of transmitter support frame sections interconnected so that each transmitter support frame section may rotate relative to the adjacent sections about its axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.