Microprocessor-Based Data-Acquisition System for a Borehole Radar

An efficient microprocessor-based system has been implemented that permits real-time acquisition, stacking, and digital recording of data generated by a borehole radar system. Although the system digitizes, stacks, and records independently of a computer, it is interfaced to a desktop computer for program control over system parameters such as sampling interval, number of samples, number of times the data are stacked prior to recording on nine-track tape, and for graphics display of the digitized data. The data can be transferred to the desktop computer during recording, or played back from a tape at a later time. Using the desktop computer, the operator can observe results while recording data and generate hard-copy graphics in the field. Thus, the radar operator can immediately evaluate the quality of data being obtained, modify system parameters, study the radar logs before leaving the field, and re-run borehole logs if necessary. The system has proven to be reliable in the field and has increased productivity both in the field and in the laboratory.