Search

Electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensors have been utilized in the past by the United States Army Corps of Engineers as a method of detecting unexploded ordnance (UXO). Recently, an EMI instrument was constructed that extended the traditional EMI frequency range from 100 kHz to 15 MHz to aid in the detection of nonmetallic ordnance, landmines, and improvised explosive devices. Building on this research, the iFROST mapper project aims to use the same high-frequency (HF) EMI technique to characterize arctic soil and subsurface permafrost deposits. Based on a device used by the US Army for UXO detection, an HF EMI instrument was created to study soil characteristics in arctic environments simulated by thermal chambers capable of creating internal temperatures as cold as -75°C. In parallel, a land-mobile HF EMI system was designed to complete three-dimensional nondestructive subsurface soil studies beneath existing infrastructure in arctic areas of interest. This thesis covers the design, fabrication, and initial testing of the HF EMI system for laboratory experiments in simulated environments. Additionally, this thesis presents the system architecture, hardware and software design, and component-level testing of the iFROST mapper, a land-mobile arctic regions HF EMI instrument.