iXblue introduces a new commercial quantum sensor for accurate underground mapping

With its high sensitivity and unreported stability, iXblue compact gravity gradiometer offers new perspectives for near-surface geophysics, civil engineering, and gravity-aided navigation.

The new industrial prototype of DQG developed and validated by iXblue Quantum Sensors division can measure simultaneously the absolute values of both gravitational acceleration g, and its vertical gradient Γzz. On the one hand, the gradient is more sensitive to mass anomalies at close vicinity of the sensor, while its immunity to vibrations makes it more sensitive to smaller objects. On the other hand, gravity is more sensitive to bigger objects, further away. The DQG offers the best of both worlds and the fusion of the two datasets promises to remove the ambiguity between the determination of the mass of the gravity anomaly and its location.

“The prototype developed by iXblue is the first industrial solution in the world to offer this simultaneous measurement. Its resolution better than 1 Eotvos* makes it capable of detecting very small anomalies while being non-invasive and not requiring a precise knowledge of the terrain’s topography.” explains Camille Janvier, quantum physicist at iXblue, adding that “our DQG can detect a 40cm diameter pipe almost 2m under the ground.”