Gravity Gradiometry – Today and Tomorrow

Gravity gradiometry is coming of age as a standard exploration process. The acceptance and scope of airborne surveys is on the rise, with success stories published and documented. A renewed interest in marine surveys for hydrocarbons is also occurring. New sensor and system developments are nearing a point where they may be ready for field tests and commercial deployment. It is accurate to say that the state of gravity gradiometry is healthy in today’s commercial marketplace. As good as this is, there remain a number of challenges and opportunities for full utilization of gravity gradiometry as a tool for the explorationist. A number of questions and concerns need to be addressed ranging from sensor performance to operational efficiency to data handling to educating users. While these challenges might seem daunting, the future looks bright for gradiometry as innovation and acceptance continue to grow. In fact, the time seems right to ask some thought-provoking “What if” questions: Is the era of gradiometry just beginning to dawn? How will the future unfold for this capability? What is the optimal exploration system? What if multiple gravity components could be measured at the same time (i.e. scalar gravity, 2nd order tensors, and 3rd order tensors)? Are the physical limits of measurement already being met? What if data were available without limits throughout the world?