SIGMA - Study of Industrial Gravity Measurement Applications

This project is a collaboration between RSK and the University of Birmingham (UoB) to carry out a feasibility study identifying the potential of Quantum Technology (QT) gravity sensors in geophysical surveys for environmental and engineering applications such as locating buried objects and finding voids. These QT sensors currently do not exist, but are the focus of many research activities in UK universities such as the GG-TOP project at the UoB developing a gravity gradient sensors with many more sensor developments planned as part of the UoB led QT Hub, if funded. For the QT sensors to achieve an accelerated commercialization, it is vital to ensure that they meet user needs. Therefore, this project will assess the current geophysical sensing technologies, establish their limitations and also operational parameters. This will provide a quantitative assessment matrix against which the QT sensors can be judged. It will further provide those developing the QT sensors with a specification of capability to strive for.