Description: A general introduction to airborne magnetic surveys, survey design, and benefits they provide.
sensors (1030) mining exploration (18) magnetic fields (9) magnetometers (8) geological mapping (7) aeromagnetic (6) airborne magnetic surveys (3) aeromag (3) helimag (2) regional surveys (1)
Airborne magnetic surveys are an important geophysical prospecting tool for many applications. These surveys make it possible to gather detailed information about the presence of various magnetic and non-magnetic materials in the Earth’s crust over large geographical areas. This type of survey is cost-effective, safe and time efficient because of the large areas of land that can be quickly covered.
Magnetometers are installed in fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters, and a grid of pre-planned survey lines are flown over the project area. The magnetic data acquired is a measure of the total intensity of the Earth's magnetic field at each recorded data point in flight. Each data point is a combination of the regional magnetic field generated in the Earth as well as tiny variations due to constantly changing solar wind, the magnetic effects of the aircraft, and magnetic features on the ground and subsurfac
Regional surveys are flown at higher altitudes and at wider line spacing intervals. These surveys provide more general magnetic information over larger survey areas, and can provide clues about which areas may require more detailed investigation. More detailed surveys are flown at lower altitudes with closer line spacing intervals in order to acquire higher resolution data for a more in depth analysis of the project area.