Anti-saturation system for surface nuclear magnetic resonance in efficient groundwater detection

Compared to other geophysical techniques, the surface nuclear magnetic resonance (SNMR) method could provide unique insights into the hydrologic properties of groundwater in the subsurface. However, the SNMR signal is in the order of nanovolts (10^-9 V), and the complex environmental noise, i.e., the spike and the harmony noise (10^-4 V), can reach up to 10⁵ times the signal amplitude. Saturation of the amplifier is therefore a serious problem in current SNMR systems. In this study, we propose an anti-saturation method based on an instantaneous floating-point amplifier. The gain of a programmable amplifier is controlled by the value of the input signal. A regulating speed of 50 kS/s is thus achieved to satisfy the self-adaptive adjustment of the real-time SNMR system, which replaces the original man-made setting gain. A large dynamic range of 192.65 dB with a 24-bit high speed analog-digital converter module is then implemented. Compared to traditional SNMR instruments, whose magnification factor is fixed during the experiment, our system can effectively inhibit the distortion of the SNMR signal in both laboratory and field settings. Furthermore, an improved SNR, which is realized by the real-time SNMR system, enables the accurate inversion of the aquifer. Our study broadens the applicability of SNMR systems to use in and around developed areas.