Method and device for mechanized geophone deployment

A mechanized system for deploying plural geophones underground for collecting seismic data, the mechanized system comprising:

• a vehicle configured to travel above ground;
• a digging mechanism attached to the vehicle and configured to enter into the ground when actuated;
• a clamping mechanism attached to the vehicle and configured to hold a geophone behind the digging mechanism relative to a traveling direction (X) of the vehicle;
• an actuation mechanism connected to the digging mechanism and configured to lower or raise the digging mechanism for forming tunnels at desired positions;
• and
• a controller connected to the actuation mechanism and the clamping mechanism and configured to control when to start the tunnel, when to release the geophone into the tunnel and when to end the tunnel,
• wherein the controller is configured to instruct the actuation mechanism and the clamping mechanism to dig multiple tunnels and to release multiple geophones, at least one per tunnel.

A method for deploying plural geophones underground for collecting seismic data, the method comprising:

• driving a vehicle above ground, the vehicle having a storage area that stores the plural geophones;
• digging a trench with a digging mechanism attached to the vehicle;
• and
• releasing a geophone from a clamping mechanism attached to the vehicle, wherein the clamping mechanism is configured to hold the geophone behind the digging mechanism relative to a traveling direction (X) of the vehicle,
• wherein the clamping mechanism is configured to adjust a vertical position of the geophone in synchronism with a vertical position of the digging mechanism.