Airborne EM surveys applied to environmental mapping in the UK

The first high resolution airborne electromagnetic surveys to address specific environmental issues in the UK were carried out jointly by BGS and GTK in 1999. The dual frequency, fixed wing EM system operated by GTK was used in a series of trials to acquire detailed (low elevation, small flight separation) EM data sets in addition to magnetic gradiometer and radiometric information. Targets for the surveys included colliery spoil tips and domestic and industrial landfills (both active and closed). This paper discusses the ability of the EM data to provide reliable environmental diagnostics from airborne data obtained across populated areas.