Can Quantum Technology gravity be combined with other (non QT) geophysical instrumentation to set constraints for gravity inversion?

Understanding what is buried in the ground and what is the condition of the ground (soft areas, low density) is vitally important to deliver safe and in budget construction projects,such as HS2 and Crossrail, and reduce the risk due to buried hazards such as mineshafts. Several different technologies exist to see through the ground, but many of these rely on transmitting an electromagnetic wave through the ground which is then reflected off a buried object, with the reflected signal received at the ground surface. However, the ground, especially wet clay, can make it really difficult to see anything deeper than a few centimetres. Therefore, an alternative technology such as micro-gravity needs to be utilised. This technology measures the gravitational field of the subsurface by measuring density variations, but existing sensors are affected by the density of surrounding buildings or features, vibration from traffic and wind and ocean tides, to name but a few.

This project will investigate the use of multiple sensors including resistivity and/or seismic to constrain inversion techniques, thereby increasing the confidence in the results. The focus will be on assessing the benefits other geophysical technologies can provide for gravity inversion. The project will combine computer modelling with field trials (or large-scale laboratory trials) to assess the benefits of the multi-sensor approach. The work will include working closely with the geophysics industry as well as the British Geological Survey. There will also be close collaboration with the QT Hub in Sensors and Metrology (http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/generic/quantum/index.aspx) led by Birmingham who are developing a novel Quantum Technology Sensor, which promises to have a higher resolution and stability compared with traditional gravity sensors.