Jeffrey L Wynn

US Patent:

62362119, May 22, 2001

Filed:

Jun 18, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/099149

Inventors:

Jeffrey C. Wynn - Sterling VA

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the United States Secretary
of the Interior - Washington DC

International Classification:

G01V 302

US Classification:

324365

Abstract:

A method is provided for detecting minerals and metal-containing materials which are located in sediment deposits on the sea floor and which exhibit an induced polarization response. In this method, a streamer cable is towed in the sea behind a ship. The cable has transmitters and receivers at the free end thereof and the cable is towed such that this free end is close to or trenches into the sea floor. The transmitters are used to transmit a square wave electrical current into the sediment of the sea floor while the receivers are used detect to any secondary signals produced by an induced polarization source located on or in the sea floor in response to the electrical current. The secondary signals are processed to determine measurement parameters characteristic of the source of the secondary signals so as to identify the source and using simultaneously acquired global positional data, to determine the location of the source.

US Patent:

62362127, May 22, 2001

Filed:

Jun 22, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/102281

Inventors:

Jeffrey C. Wynn - Sterling VA

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the
Interior - Washington DC

International Classification:

G01V 302

US Classification:

324365

Abstract:

A system is provided for detecting minerals and metal-containing materials which are located in sediment deposits on the sea floor and which exhibit an induced polarization response. A streamer cable, which, in use, is towed in the sea behind a ship, includes a series of transmitters and receivers at the free end thereof. The cable is towed such that the free end is in contact with to the sea floor and the transmitters are used to transmit a square wave electrical current into the sediment there. The receivers are used to detect any secondary signals produced by an induced polarization source located on or beneath the sea floor in response to electrical current. Pre-amplifiers connected to the receivers provide noise rejection. On-board electronics process the secondary signals to determine measurement parameters characteristic of the source thereof so as to identify the source. A computer uses this information, together with simultaneously acquired global position data, to determine the location of the source.