Field Ready Absolute Quantum Gravimetry (ABGRAV)

Underground surveying is a rapidly growing sector ($5bn, 11% CAGR), driven by the construction industry needing to identify existing utilities such as sewers, electric cables, telecoms cables, gas and water mains prior to invasive excavating, drilling and tunnelling. Without these workers can easily strike pipes and cables, that risks lives, cost money and cause havoc for residents and road-users. It is estimated to cost the UK's economy £1.2bn p.a., and dissuades re-development of brown field sites. Concurrently, geophysical surveying is widely used in the mining industry, to locate oil reserves or mineral deposits, and for environmental monitoring of water tables and ice sheets.Cold atom gravimetry offers a potential step change in sensitivity to underground surveying, and a dramatic increase in capability to these industries.MSL's quantum gravimeter has already reached significant milestones in its development path within a commercial setting, being demonstrated in 2018 at a national showcase, and recently taking measurements on a barge in London. A key issue with the system is its susceptibility to environmental noise, a limitation of all quantum sensors. With this project MSL aim to comprehensively address these issues with a range of noise compensation subsystems.The output of this project will enable quantum sensors to make leaps forward in sensitivity within field settings, enabling faster commercialisation, and faster return on investment for the benefit of the consortium and UK plc.