US 2025/0147200 A1 · OPTICAL PROBE AND METHOD FOR IN SITU SOIL ANALYSIS

Abstract

An optical probe and method for analysing a soil located in an underground area are provided. The optical probe includes a probe head insertable into the underground area, the probe head including a transparent wall defining a hollow chamber within the probe head; a light source mounted in the hollow chamber, configured to generate an illumination beam towards the soil, the illumination beam passing through the transparent wall to irradiate the soil, thereby producing a resulting light emanating from the soil, a portion of the resulting light returning towards the probe head and being guided in the transparent wall by total internal reflection along the optical path; a detector configured to receive the portion of the resulting light and outputting an output signal representative of characteristic(s) of the soil; and an optical element guiding the portion of the resulting light from the transparent wall to the detector.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An optical probe for determining at least one property of a soil, the optical probe comprising:

a probe head having a helicoidal end, the helicoidal end being configured to penetrate the soil when being pushed towards the soil and rotated about a rotation axis of the probe head, the probe head comprising a transparent wall;
a light source optically coupled with the probe head, the light source being configured to generate an illumination beam towards the soil, the illumination beam passing through the transparent wall to irradiate the soil, thereby producing a resulting light emanating from the soil, a portion of the resulting light returning towards the probe head;
an optical element configured for guiding the portion of the resulting light received by the transparent wall;
and
a detector optically coupled with the optical element to receive the portion of the resulting light therefrom, the detector being configured to provide data representative of the at least one property of the soil.

2 more elements

A method for mapping a soil at different geographical locations, the method comprising:

at a first geographical location:
inserting a probe head of an optical probe in the soil, the probe head comprising a transparent wall;
projecting an illuminating beam towards the soil and through the transparent wall to irradiate the soil, thereby producing a resulting light emanating from the soil and returning towards the probe head;
guiding a portion of the resulting light with an optical element of the optical probe towards a detector;
and
detecting the portion of the resulting light guided by the optical element to obtain data representative of at least one property of the soil at the first geographical location;
at a different geographical location:
inserting the probe head of the optical probe in the soil;
projecting a subsequent illuminating beam towards the soil and through the transparent wall to irradiate the soil, thereby producing a subsequent resulting light emanating from the soil and returning towards the probe head;
guiding a portion of the subsequent resulting light with the optical element of the optical probe towards the detector;
and
detecting the portion of the subsequent resulting light guided by the optical element to obtain data representative of at least one property of the soil at the different geographical location;
and
providing a representation of the soil, based on a collection of data obtained at the different geographical locations.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Optical probe and method for in situ soil analysis

Life of this patent

Optical probe and method for in situ soil analysis

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20