US 12,031,928 B2
Scanning mode application of neutron-induced gamma analysis for soil carbon mapping
Bryan A. Chin, Auburn, AL (US); Henry Allen Torbert, III, Opelika, AL (US); Galina N. Yakubova, Auburn, AL (US); Aleksandr Kavetskiy, Auburn, AL (US); and Nikolay Sargsyan, Auburn, AL (US)
Assigned to AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Auburn, AL (US); and THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE, Washington, DC (US)
Filed by AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Auburn, AL (US); and THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE, Washington, DC (US)
Filed on Jun. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/841,952.
Application 17/841,952 is a continuation of application No. 16/706,013, filed on Dec. 6, 2019, granted, now 11,397,277.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/776,822, filed on Dec. 7, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0326408 A1, Oct. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 23/221 (2006.01); A01C 21/00 (2006.01); G01N 23/22 (2018.01); G01N 23/222 (2006.01); G01N 23/223 (2006.01); G01V 5/02 (2006.01); G01V 5/22 (2024.01)
CPC G01N 23/222 (2013.01) [A01C 21/007 (2013.01); G01N 23/22 (2013.01); G01N 23/221 (2013.01); G01N 23/223 (2013.01); G01V 5/22 (2024.01); G01V 5/232 (2024.01); G01V 5/234 (2024.01); G01N 2223/0745 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for analyzing an elemental content of a surface layer of a geographic area, the system comprising:
a plurality of gamma detectors, each gamma detector being configured to detect at least one gamma ray spectrum at each of a plurality of locations of the geographic area; and
a processor communicatively coupled to each of the plurality of gamma detectors, the processor configured to:
in response to receiving the detected at least one gamma ray spectrum, associate the detected at least one gamma ray spectrum with geographic coordinates of a location of the plurality of locations of the geographic area of the detected at least one gamma ray spectrum,
determine an amount of at least one element at each location of the plurality of locations based on a life time of the detected at least one gamma ray spectrum at the respective location,
wherein the life time of the detected at least one gamma ray spectrum is an average of life times of each gamma detector of the plurality of gamma detectors, and
generate a concentration of the at least one element within the surface layer of the geographic area based on the amount of the at least one element at each of the plurality of locations.