Radio Propagation in a Coal Seam and the Inverse Problem

The longwall method of mining in underground coal seams is very efficient in uniform seams, but coal seam anomalies can make the method unprofitable and unsafe. This paper describes the theoretical basis for detection of coal seam anomalies using medium frequency (MF) radio transmission over paths on the order of 200 m in length. The key to the method is the sensitivity of the attenuation rate of the coal seam mode of propagation to changes in the coal seam parameters, such as height or electrical conductivity. From a large number of transmission paths, the principles of tomography can be used to reconstruct an image of the seam.