Detection of Magnetic Material in Soil Subsurface Using Electromagnetic Induction Method Based on Fluxgate Sensor

Abstract

An instrument based on electromagnetic induction method for detecting magnetic material in soil subsurface has been developed. The instrument consists of a signal generator, an amplifier, a transmitter, receivers, detectors and a display. A coil is used as transmitter. As receiver and also detector is used a three dimensional self-developed fluxgate sensor. The fluxgate sensor consists of two pick-up coils, four excitation coils, and a ferromagnetic core. The output voltage of the sensor is processed using an analog signal processing circuit. The sensor’s capability in detecting magnetic material in the soil subsurface was observed by placing a sample of magnetic material in the subsurface, and then detected using fluxgate sensor in the direction of the x, y and z (3D). We found that the developed instrument is capable to detect two different objects that is separated at minimum distance around 10 cm with the maximum shallow depth of the target material is 10 cm.