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US 6,275,645 B1Granted
Method of and apparatus for subsurface exploration
AssigneeForschungszentrum Julich GmbH
InventorsHarry Vereecken, Jürgen Höltkemeier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and probe for subterranean determination of the concentration of a substance has a light-conducting optical fiber running from above the ground to a measurement cell below the ground. The system can be used effectively for fluorescent markers to track the ground water flow.
Claims11
A subsurface exploration method which comprises the steps of:
- (a) In a bore hole extending from ground level to a below-ground location, delimiting a chamber in the bore hole between upper and lower packers;
- (b) providing in said chamber a substance capable of excitation by a certain electromagnetic energy to cause re-emission of electromagnetic energy to cause re-emission of electromagnetic energy by the substance;
- (c) coupling said certain electromagnetic energy into said chamber between said upper and lower packers, thereby causing said substance to re-emit electromagnetic energy in said chamber;
- (d) coupling re-emitted electromagnetic energy out of said chamber to a measurement location;
- (e) guiding electromagnetic energy at least partway between said chamber and said measurement location and at least in a vicinity of said chamber with at least one electromagnetic energy waveguide;
- and
- (f) determining the concentration of said substance in said chamber from re-emitted electromagnetic radiation therefrom.
4 more elements
A subsurface exploration apparatus for a bore hole extending from ground level to a below ground region comprising:
- upper and lower packers in said bore hole delimiting a chamber therein containing a substance capable of excitation by a certain electromagnetic energy to cause re-emission of electromagnetic energy by said substance;
- means for coupling electromagnetic energy into said chamber to excite said substance and cause said substance to re-emit electromagnetic energy;
- means for coupling re-emitted electromagnetic energy out of said chamber to a measurement location, at least one of said means including a light-conducting fiber forming a waveguide for guiding electromagnetic energy at least partway between said chamber and said measurement location and at least in a vicinity of said chamber;
- and
- means connected with said waveguide for determining a concentration of said substance in said chamber from re-emitted electromagnetic radiation from said substance.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.