Near Surface Geophysics

General Information:

Cutting edge geophysical imaging tools are available within the Department of Geology and Geophysics. The UW Near Surface Geophysics Instrumentation Center (UWNSG), housed in the Bill Nye Warehouse, is one of the nation’s most comprehensive field geophysical instrumentation collections and is a “core facility” at the University of Wyoming. Geophysical equipment is available for rental by research professionals and technical support is obtainable on an inquiry basis. 

Near Surface Geophysics Personnel:

Dr. Brad Carr: bcarr1@uwyo.edu

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Near Surface Geophysics Instrumentation Center (UWNSG):

The UWNSG is a UW Dept. of Geology and Geophysics cost center that consists of near-surface, exploration, hydrogeophysical and geotechnical surface geophysical equipment (surface, marine, and borehole) and data analysis processing software. In addition to a wide array of geophysical instrumentation and software, the UWNSG has capabilities for subsurface push sampling/coring/drilling/in situ property measurements and monitor well installation with a Geoprobe® 7822. The facility houses a broad array of near-surface/hydrogeophysical/exploration and geotechnical geophysical instrumentation.

The UWNSG provides the following services:

♦Rental of geophysical, coring, surveying and related equipment to both academic and private sector researchers.

♦Training in the use of the geophysical instrumentation and software.

♦Field operation of instrumentation by center staff.

♦Temporary rental of software licenses for data analysis.

♦Data acquisition and analysis services. 

Geophysical equipment and software capabilities include:

-Seismic Refraction, Reflection, Surface Wave and Passive Source

* 240 channel capability (10 Geometrics Geodes), truck and manual impact sources, 4.5Hz/10Hz/40Hz geophones, 2 – 24 channel borehole/marine hydrophone arrays

-Ground Penetrating Radar

* 3 – systems (Mala ProEx, S&S Noggin) with 100MHz/250MHz/500MHz and 800MHz antennae

-DC Resistivity/Induced Polarization/Self-Potential

* 6 – systems with ~ 56 electrode capability, 60 Non-Polarizable electrodes, 2 – 56 electrode borehole/marine cables, 10 KW High

* Power transmitter and 28 High Power Nodes, 3.2 Km deployment capability (AGI SuperSting R8/IP/SP and MPT DAS-1)

-Electromagnetics (shallow and deep)

* Surface loop EM system (WalkTEM), 2 – handheld soil conductivity meters (DualEM and GEM2)

-Magnetics

* Proton Precession Base Station (G856) and Cesium Vapor Gradiometer (G858)

-Magnetotellurics

* CSAMT - Geometrics StrataGEM

-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

* Surface (GMR) and Borehole (Javelin & Dart)

-Gravity

* CG-5 microgravimeter

-Borehole Geophysical Logging (slimhole)

* Mount Sopris Matrix 500 m winch, Caliper, Optical Televiewer, Acoustic Televiewer, Natural Gamma, Fluid Temperature/ Fluid Conductivity, Spectral Gamma, Impeller Flowmeter, Heat Pulse Flowmeter, Electromagnetic, Magnetic Susceptibility, Full Waveform Sonic (3 receiver), Resistivity (normal 8”,16”, 32”, 64”)/Induced Polarization and Self-Potential, and Fluid Sampler.

-Direct Push Sampling with the Geoprobe 7822DT/Rotary Coring/Hollow Stem Augering/HPT-EC Direct Imaging (80 to 200 ft. depth capability depending on the method)

Support equipment is also available including: pickup trucks, cargo trailers, survey grade RTK GPS, tape measures, stadia rods, tents, etc. Equipment pictures, equipment availability, equipment reservations & checkout, equipment and software training schedules and equipment and software usage costs may be obtained by directly contacting Dr. Brad Carr: bcarr1@uwyo.edu or by filling out our Equipment Request Form.

For laboratory geophysical sample analysis, visit the Hydrogeophysical Material Properties Laboratory.

UWNSG equipment can also be viewed and accessed through Wyoming EPSCoR's NSF funded Facility for Imaging the Near-and Sub-surface Environment (FINSE) and the FINSE rental form.

 

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