| P number: | P001383 |
|---|---|
| Old photograph number: | TS05021 |
| Caption: | Sparker system sitting on the deck of a survey vessel during exploration by the British Geological Survey. |
| Description: | Sparker system sitting on the deck of a survey vessel during exploration by the British Geological Survey. The subsea bed can be mapped remotely using acoustical methods. A device sends a pulse of sound into the sea bed and the echoes are recorded. From this, an image of the geology can be derived. This particular device is called a sparker. It consists of many short wires, like some sort of brush. It was towed behind the ship and was connected to a high voltage power source containing banks of capacitors. The capicitors were discharged at regular intervals sending a large current to the electrodes being towed just beneath the surface of the sea. The discharge of current vaporised to water immediately surrounding the electrodes creating a sharp acoustical pulse. Seismic surveying is a very cost-effective method for the remote surveying of the geology beneath the sea bed. It is used routinely by the oil industry using a variety of acoustic sources. |
| Photographer: | Unknown |
| Copyright statement: | NERC |
| Acknowledgment: | This image was digitized with grant-in-aid from SCRAN the Scottish Cultural Resources Access Network |
| Orientation: | Landscape |
| Size: | 235.12 KB; 1000 x 650 pixels; 85 x 55 mm (print at 300 DPI); 265 x 172 mm (screen at 96 DPI); |
| Average Rating: | Not yet rated |
| Categories: | Unsorted Images |
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