December 2012Eric Rops, a third year Western University Geophysics student was selected for their Science Internship program and ended up half way around the world in Tanzania working on a survey Sander Geophysics is flying for the government of Tanzania. Eric is looking forward to his next tour which begins in the new year and will keep him busy in the country processing data for another two months. SGL is pleased to have been able to offer employment and training to Eric and many other co-op and intern students, several of whom have gone on to become full-time Sander Geophysics employees. Turning an Internship into a Once in a Lifetime Experience Western Science (uwo.ca), December, 2012 |
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October 2012Sander Geophysics is pleased to once again to be working on NASA's Operation IceBridge project collecting data with SGL's AIRGrav system over Antarctica. Survey flying began on October 15 and will continue through mid-November. According to NASA, this season IceBridge will survey previously unmeasured areas of land and sea ice and gather further data on rapidly changing areas like the Pine Island Glacier. NASA (www.nasa.gov), October-November, 2012 |
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September 2012As Sander Geophysics prepares for another season of surveying in Antarctica with Columbia University and NASA, some questions are answered. Ken Jezek and Michael Studinger of Operation IceBridge discuss the challenges of providing accurate polar region data and the importance of such information to prepare for climate change. The state-of-the-art technology used for the project is also revealed, including SGL's AIRGrav system which helps scientists understand what is occurring beneath the ice shelves. ResearchMediaLtd (www.research-europe.com), August 30, 2012 |
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August 2012Data are now available from the Gippsland Basin Nearshore Airborne Gravity survey, Victoria, Australia conducted by Sander Geophysics. This AIRGrav survey is part of the CarbonNet Project for the Department of Primary Industries to gain a greater understanding of on-shore, near-shore and immediate off-shore of the Gippsland Basin. The enhanced knowledge of the geology will assist the CarbonNet team identify and evaluate potential carbon storage sites. Gippsland Nearshore Airborne Gravity Survey Department of Primary Industries, Victoria, Australia (www.dpi.vic.gov.au), August 16, 2012 |
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July 2012Sander Geophysics has completed the airborne survey component of the Tellus Border Survey in Ireland. Funded by the European Union and managed by scientists from the Geological Surveys of Ireland and Northern Ireland, this world-class survey will provide scientists with increased knowledge of the soil, rocks, water and natural resources. The survey involved collecting almost 60,000 km of high resolution airborne magnetic, radiometric and electromagnetic data, all recorded simultaneously using SGL's specially equipped Twin Otter aircraft. This unique survey platform, which can also be configured for airborne gravity using AIRGrav, is now available for surveying worldwide. Tellus Border Airborne Survey Touches Down for Final Time Tellus Border News Release, July 23, 2012 |
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July 2012Sander Geophysics has been flying a combined magnetic, radiometric and electromagnetic survey in Ireland as part of the multi-disciplinary Tellus Border mapping project (www.tellusborder.eu). According to scientists from the Geological Survey of Ireland, the data gathered by SGL´s highly sophisticated instruments will significantly enhanced the knowledge of the geology in the area. TV news coverage from Ireland discusses the project, and shows the SGL aircraft and crew in action.
RTE News, www.rte.ie, July 25, 2012 |
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July 2012Sander Geophysics has started flying a combined gravity, magnetic and radiometric survey in Virginia to help the USGS study the underground faults that caused the region's earthquake in August 2011. This earthquake was among the largest in history along the US eastern seaboard and caused extensive damage. The survey is being flown using SGL's unique AIRGrav system, and according to the USGS this is the first time that airborne gravity is being used to map seismic hazards in the US. Low-Flying Airplane Mapping Virginia´s Underground Faults Next 11 Days USGS, www.usgs.gov, July 10, 2012 Technology flies overhead to detect earthquake activity below NBC12, www.nbc12.com, July 12, 2012 Flights Take Off to Find 2011 East Coast Quake Fault OurAmazingPlanet, www.ouramazingplanet.com, July 13, 2012 |
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April 2012SGL has taken delivery of a second Eurocopter AS350 B3 helicopter to support the continued high demand for its airborne geophysical services. The Eurocopter AS350 B3 is a modern high performance light helicopter with a reliable and powerful turbine engine. With its unrivaled safety record, high altitude and long endurance capabilities it is well suited for survey flying. SGL´s geophysical survey fleet now includes 17 company-owned, extensively modified aircraft. Sander Geophysics Acquires Another B3 Helicopter Sander Geophysics Press Release, Ottawa, Canada, April 24, 2012 |
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March 2012LNG Energy announces positive prospects in its recent work in Papua New Guinea, PPL 319. The results of a combined aeromagnetic and gravity (AIRGrav) survey flown by Sander Geophysics in 2010 have been confirmed by a recent 2D seismic survey. The AIRGrav and seismic surveys imaged a structure that is identified as the Tuyuwopi prospect. LNG believes this structure has characteristics that are representative of a proven hydrocarbon trend. LNG Energy Completes 2D Seismic on Papua New Guinea PPL 319 Licence and Identifies Tuyuwopi Prospect LNG Energy Ltd., Vancouver, British Columbia, March 29, 2012 |
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February 2012Sander Geophysics is flying a combined magnetic, radiometric and electromagnetic survey in Ireland as part of the multi-disciplinary Tellus Border mapping project (www.tellusborder.eu). The enhanced airborne geophysical data will be made available to researchers and local policy makers, among others and according to the project leaders these data will aid in environmental management and the development of natural resources including geothermal energy. In previous Tellus surveys (between 2004-2010) in Northern Ireland, the geophysical data were used to select suitable areas for Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). Deep geothermal resources of Ireland: Implications from the Tellus and Tellus Border projects The Geothermal Association of Ireland, Newsletter No. 20, February 2012 |
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January 2012Sander Geophysics is very pleased to be part of the multi-disciplinary Tellus Border mapping program, covering a large area in Ireland near the border with Northern Ireland. SGL is responsible for the airborne geophysics component, which involves surveying with sophisticated instruments measuring electrical conductivity, magnetic field and natural radioactivity of soil, rocks and groundwater. These instruments are flown in a specially equipped aircraft at low altitude. Steps have been taken to mitigate any affects of the low flying aircraft including informing landowners and coordinating closely with animal owners in the agricultural community. The Tellus Border project is a partnership between several groups, who report that all the new data will be combined with existing data across Northern Ireland to provide such things as improved geological mapping, enhanced knowledge of radon levels and allow the modelling of peat depth. For more information about this project including the latest flight schedules and the survey progress visit www.tellusborder.eu Tellus Border — Geophysical Survey Tellus Border News, Issue 2, Autumn/Winter 2011-12 |
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December 2011A recent news item mentions Sander Geophysics´ participation in a project to study glaciers in the Patagonian ice fields of Chile and the fjords of western Greenland. The article describes how this helicopter-borne survey using SGL´s AIRGrav system and other instruments will allow for high resolution glacial mapping. UCI professor awarded $2.2 million for continued research OCMETRO (www.ocmetro.com), November 29, 2011 |
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November 2011Gravity data acquired with SGL's AIRGrav system during the Operation IceBridge project have provided scientists with a new bathymetric model revealing important characteristics about the ice flow around Thwaites Glacier. While the glacier is pinned to the east on a prominent ridge, it lost contact to the west approximately 55 to 150 years ago, scientists have determined, based on current thinning. The gravity-derived bathymetric data have revealed an undulating offshore ridge that has been a hindrance to floating ice and the circulation of sea water, thus providing more stability to the Thwaites Glacier. Insight into the future retreat of the glacier has also been revealed by AIRGrav data. Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 38, L20503, October 2011 |
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November 2011The Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains buried under the East Antarctic Ice Sheet have been a subject of great interest for researchers, who have had difficulty explaining their high elevation and youthful Alpine topography in spite of their considerable age. Data collected during the International Polar Year project of 1989-1990 to study Antarctica's Gamburtsev Province (AGAP) have revealed in-depth information about the crustal architecture and uplift mechanisms of these mountains, as reported in the journal Nature (see link below). Sander Geophysics participated in the AGAP project that led to solving this mystery, providing an AIRGrav system and personnel to acquire and process airborne gravity data under contract to Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (see 2009 news items below). East Antarctic rifting triggers uplift of the Gamburtsev Mountains nature (www.nature.com), November 17, 2011 Gamburtsev 'ghost mountains mystery solved' BBC (www.bbc.co.uk), November 17, 2011 |
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November 2011Sander Geophysics again returns to Antarctica with NASA's IceBridge project collecting data with its AIRGrav system. AIRGrav is one among a number of instruments that IceBridge utilizes in its airborne campaigns to measure the thickness of ice in Earth's polar regions. The use of the term "bridge" refers to the gathering of data using aircraft to fill the gap between NASA's now defunct Icesat laser altimeter spacecraft and the future Icesat-2 mission due to come into operation later this decade. Recently, NASA's Operation IceBridge flew a mission to gather more detailed data regarding the process of an iceberg calving, after satellite imagery showed a growing crack on the Pine Island Glacier in Antarctica in early October. The crack is almost 30 km (20 miles) across and 60 m (200 ft) deep and it is growing daily. Pine Island Glacier is one of the largest and fastest-moving tongues of ice, and NASA researchers' expect the eventual iceberg will be approximately 880 sq km in areal extent. A Crack in the Pine Island Glacier Ice Shelf NASA Blogs (blogs.nasa.gov), October 26, 2011
NASA (www.nasa.gov), October 2011 Huge Iceberg Forms in Antarctica BBC (www.bbc.co.uk), November 2, 2011 |
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October 2011Sander Geophysics is flying an airborne magnetic, radiometric and EM survey in the border region around Northern Ireland. The aim of the project includes improving geological mapping, encouraging mineral exploration and providing an increased ability to manage the resources within the area.
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August 2011Final results from the gravity and magnetic survey that SGL flew for Saturn Minerals in June, over their properties in eastern Saskatchewan and western Manitoba, will soon be available. The helicopter survey was flown with tight line spacing (120-150 metres) permitting enhanced modeling of the potential accumulations for coal, hydrocarbons and other minerals.
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June 2011Sander Geophysics is flying a helicopter gravity and magnetic survey for Saturn Minerals in eastern Saskatchewan and western Manitoba, Canada. Saturn Minerals says that this survey will greatly increase the company's geophysical database and provide the tools to help define the potential for coal and other minerals. Saturn Minerals believes that accurate acquisition and interpretation is an important part of success in exploration and that the data Sander provides will be an integral part of refining their exploration model.
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May 2011NASA´s IceBridge Arctic 2011 project, including the gathering of data using SGL´s AIRGrav system is now complete for another year. More than 75,000 miles of survey data were collected which is equal to about three times around the earth at the equator. The final flights took the P-3 over the Greenland ice sheet and the Barnes Ice Cap on Baffin Island in Canada´s north.
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May 2011One of the reasons Sander Geophysics' AIRGrav (Airborne Inertially Referenced Gravimeter) is part of Operation IceBridge is that it compliments radar systems which are unable to penetrate liquid water. Gravity data can help determine bathymetry beneath floating ice, either offshore or onshore in sub-glacial lakes. This in turn enables the creation of water circulation models and thus helps to predict the melting of ice from underneath the ice sheet. A number of elements are required to gather accurate gravity data from a moving aircraft including very accurate acceleration sensors and GPS data.
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May 2011With the SGL head office as the backdrop, a new program
for Carleton University students is unveiled. Carleton
University, Ottawa Aviation Services and B-Con Engineering
have teamed up to offer aerospace engineering students the
chance to learn how to fly in a new co-op program.
Teaching students what to do in the cockpit will result in
safer aircraft in the future. Sander Geophysics is
involved with aeronautical engineering students at
Carleton University supporting research into UAV
technology for geophysical surveying. For more details
click here.
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March 2011NASA's IceBridge — Arctic 2011 has begun. Sander Geophysics is again involved in the project with its AIRGrav system. The AIRGrav system is well suited to the task as it measures density and can reveal the variation between water, ice and rock. Monitoring how the Arctic polar ice is changing including the depth of snow and sea ice provides a better understanding of the effects of climate change. Survey flights this spring will include trips from Thule, Greenland, over the north of Ellesmere Island, in Canada to Russian airspace and also north of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.
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March 2011Scientists working with data from Antarctica's Gamburtsev Province Project (AGAP) have discovered that the liquid water locked underneath the continent´s coat of ice is thawing and refreezing to the bottom. Ice sheets build up from the top but scientists have known little about the processes underneath. In some places accumulation has been shown to be greater at the bottom than the top. These discoveries are part of understanding how the ice forms and deforms which is critical to comprehend its response to climate change. Sander Geophysics participated in AGAP in 2008-2009. This International Polar Year project involved flying at low-altitude in a grid pattern over the Antarctic ice sheet to determine what lay beneath and determine how the mountain peaks, ice sheet, and subglacial lakes interact with one another.
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March 2011NunaMinerals identified 14 copper-gold targets in Inglefield Land in Greenland. Sander Geophysics conducted a gravity and magnetic survey over this area in the spring of 2010. The interpretation of this data along with historic geochemical and EM data pinpointed a number of targets. NunaMinerals has applied for enlargement of its exclusive exploration license that includes the majority of the copper-gold prospective ground.
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January 2011Scientists working on NASA´s Operation IceBridge data from 2009 have made a new discovery. A deepwater channel under the Pine Island Glacier was found through the mapping of water depth and seafloor topography. While laser and radar instruments can measure the elevation of the ice surface and the bedrock below they cannot penetrate the water. Sander Geophysics' AIRGrav allows ice, water and rock to be identified due to their difference in density. The thickness of these materials can then be estimated. This discovery may help to explain the nature of the recent changes in the glacier and thus be able to better predict the changes to come.
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December 2010With the completion of NASA´s IceBridge campaign for another year, mission scientists are eager to compile all the data gathered over the 115 hours of survey flying. Sander Geophysics´ is in the midst of processing all the AIRGrav data collected. The IceBridge research team has found definite changes since the last mission flown in October and November 2009. The initial data is showing bottom crevasses that could be hundreds of meters tall, starting at the bottom of the ice shelves. Continuous measurements over the years to come will reveal the responses of glaciers and ice sheets to the changing climate.
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November 2010NASA´s IceBridge campaign which employs Sander Geophysics´ AIRGrav have completed another successful year collecting data over Antarctica. Adverse weather hindered progress this season although NASA was able to fly 10 successful missions making use of 84% of the allocated science flight hours. Every ICESat orbit ever completed has been flown with the DC-8 around the South Pole. The next mission will be over the Arctic Ocean with NASA´s P-3B aircraft in March 2011.
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October 2010Sander Geophysics´ AIRGrav returns to Antarctica. NASA´s Operation IceBridge mission is set to begin its second year with scientists returning to the Southern Hemisphere this week, to continue airborne surveys over Antarctica. The mission involves monitoring the region´s changing sea ice, ice sheets and glaciers. The flights will again be made from Punta Arenas, Chile, on NASA´s DC-8, a 157-foot airborne laboratory equipped with a suite of seven instruments, including an AIRGrav system to record the gravity field. According to NASA, the focus of the project is to re-survey areas that are undergoing rapid change and fly some new lines in other areas of interest.
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October 2010A program of drilling and concurrent ground geophysical surveys is underway on the mineral concession and prospecting permits held by Darnley Bay Resources Limited (DBR) in the Paulatuk NWT area. DBR reports that the ground gravity surveys have confirmed the targets located from the AIRGrav airborne gravity survey flown by Sander Geophysics. According to DBR, the focus is on locating deposits related to the mafic/ultramafic intrusion interpreted to be the source of the 132 mGal Darnley Bay gravity anomaly.
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August 2010Darnley Bay's exploration and drill targets for base metals, were prepared from analysis and modelling of the recently completed gravity, electromagnetic and magnetic surveys flown over a large portion of its properties near Paulatuk, NT. In order to make 3D models from the data, to ascertain the shape of the anomaly source at depths of economic interest, higher resolution gravity data were required. SGL's AIRGrav data provided the improved resolution and detail necessary to target the drilling program.
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August 2010Geoscience BC´s QUEST-South project builds on the successful QUEST and QUEST-West exploration projects. QUEST-South is focused on the Quesnel Terrane, south of Williams Lake. Phase 1 of the QUEST-South project involved regional geochemical and airborne gravity surveys over the area. The airborne gravity survey was undertaken by Sander Geophysics using their airborne inertially referenced gravimeter (AIRGrav). Phase 2 of the project involves adding value to the regional datasets, integrating all available data for the QUEST-South area and, where necessary, the acquisition of additional new data. This phase of the project may include geophysical and geochemical modelling, deposit specific studies, data compilations, mapping and other research oriented studies all aimed at providing industry with new geoscience information to help target exploration efforts.
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July 2010During March-April 2010 NunaMinerals conducted a 3,955 line-kilometre combined magnetic and radiometric survey within the company´s Tikiusaaq licence. The helicopter-borne surveys were flown by Sander Geophysics with a line spacing of 100 metres. The magnetic survey confirms the extent of the carbonatite core. Thorium anomalies reveal the prospectivity for Rare Earth Elements (REEs) associated with the Tikiusaaq carbonatite.
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June 2010Sander Geophysics has taken delivery of a de Havilland DHC-6 300 Twin Otter survey aircraft to support continued high demand for SGL´s airborne geophysical services. Formerly operated by the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) and the British Geological Survey (BGS), the aircraft comes equipped with a frequency-domain electromagnetic system, a stinger mounted magnetometer, and a radiometric system. This 3-in-1 system has been used extensively in Europe and Africa to produce excellent quality very high resolution geophysical data. The addition of SGL's industry leading AIRGrav airborne gravity system will provide a unique suite of geophysical survey systems for mineral and petroleum exploration. The aircraft is especially well suited to harsh environments where a twin turbine aircraft is preferable, such as offshore arctic surveys.
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April 2010Sander Geophysics is very pleased to have been selected once again to operate the AIRGrav system for NASA's Operation IceBridge (http://www.espo.nasa.gov/oib/). Designed to monitor ice at the Earth's poles, IceBridge has moved to the northern hemisphere this spring for flights over Greenland and the Arctic Ocean. SGL's AIRGrav is working alongside laser scanner, ice and snow radar science teams. The flights this spring will be split between the NASA DC-8 from the Dryden Airborne Operations Facility and the P-3 from the Wallops Flight Facility. Missions are being flown from Thule and Kangerlussuaq in Greenland in March, April, and May.
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April 2010Darnely Bay Resources Limited unveils preliminary data gathered this spring over and around the Darnley Bay Anomaly. Sander Geophysics completed the helicopter-borne AIRGrav and magnetic survey of the block on April 3rd. The airborne gravity data reveals considerable improvement in resolution over the previously collected ground gravity data. While the data is preliminary and more work will be done to improve data resolution and remove topographic effects a new wealth of geological information is apparent. These data sources will greatly aid in selecting drill targets and also sample sites for mineralized zones on the surface. When the data is finalized further analysis and modeling will take place.
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April 2010Sander Geophysics has been awarded a contract by LNG Energy Ltd. to conduct a high resolution gravity and magnetic fixed-wing survey totalling over 25,000 lkm of flying. This project encompasses LNG Energy's licenses in southern and northern Papua New Guinea.
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March 2010Sander Geophysics' helicopter helps rescue three polar bear hunters trapped on an ice floe east of Paulatuk, NT, in the Canadian Arctic. The hunters were stranded all night when the ice pan they were on broke free several kilometres from shore resulting in one of their snowmobiles falling off the edge of the ice. A SPOT satellite GPS device was used to send a 911 call to a dispatch centre, which then notified the local police. Sander Geophysics currently has a helicopter based in Paulatuk, conducting an airborne geophysical survey for Darnley Bay Resources (see http://www.sgl.com/news/Darnley_Bay-230210.pdf). SGL's helicopter pilot Brian Simms was awoken by a knock at the door at 2 am requesting his assistance in rescuing the stranded hunters. After preparing for the flight and fueling SGL's Eurocopter B3 helicopter, Brian Simms and another pilot in a second helicopter safely rescued the hunters from the ice.
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March 2010NunaMinerals has extended its exclusive exploration license from 247 km² to 1,342 km² covering the most prospective ground for iron around the magnetic high at Inglefield Land, northern Greenland. Sander Geophysics has been awarded the combined gravity and magnetic survey of approximately 10,000 line kilometers over the area. The data gathered will provide a better estimate of the potential of the Minturn magnetite body. The survey will be conducted from a base in the town of Qaanaaq (formerly Thule) situated 100 km south of Inglefield Land.
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March 2010Sander Geophysics supports University research into UAV technology for geophysical surveying.
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February 2010Sander Geophysics has been awarded a contract by Darnley Bay Resources Limited to fly a 5,980 line km airborne gravity and magnetic survey over the Darnley Bay Gravity Anomaly. The purpose of the survey is to significantly improve the resolution of the previous ground gravity surveys over the area and to locate targets for drilling.
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January 2010Geoscience BC released the final data set for the QUEST-South airborne gravity survey that was flown by Sander Geophysics in the fall of 2009. The airborne gravity digital data, grids and final technical report can be downloaded at Geoscience BC QUEST Project Data Releases. This gravity survey involved more than 25,000 line kilometers of data at a 2 km line spacing.
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December 2009Rugged mountains buried beneath the ice of Antarctica have been imaged with the help of Sander Geophysics' AIRGrav airborne gravity system. During December 2008 and January 2009 over 50,000 km of airborne gravity data were collected by one of SGL's AIRGrav systems mounted in a Twin Otter aircraft as part of Antarctica's Gamburtsev Province Project (AGAP). Dr Michael Studinger from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) of Columbia University, New York, presented preliminary results from the AGAP survey at the 2009 American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting in San Francisco.
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December 2009The 2009 ICE Bridge project over Antarctica has wrapped up successfully. Designed to provide vital information about ice at the poles, ICE Bridge is a NASA project to bridge the gap between the retirement of ICESat I (2009) and the launch of ICESat II (expected in 2014-15). The project used a specially modified NASA DC-8 mounted with various pieces of equipment from multiple agencies, including Sander Geophysics' AIRGrav system. This season, 21 missions were flown over Antarctica from a base in southern Chile, totalling 155,000 km and 227 flight hours. This exceeded the original plan of a 17 flight mission, with some of those additional flights designed specifically to take advantage of the high resolution and accuracy of Sander Geophysics' AIRGrav system. Highlights include the acquisition of detailed gravity maps covering the floating ice shelves associated with major West Antarctic outlet glaciers, which is expected to contribute to a better understanding of ice sheet mass balance and its relation to the changes in the polar climate.
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November 2009To demonstrate the capability of AIRGrav for marine gravity applications Sander Geophysics performed a marine gravity survey on Lake Ontario in October, 2009. Preliminary results from the survey are excellent, and the data will be publicly released once final processing has been completed. Sander Geophysics has been acquiring and processing high resolution airborne gravity data for over 10 years using the company´s 12 AIRGrav systems. AIRGrav is now the industry standard for high resolution airborne gravity, with over 2 million lkm of airborne gravity surveys flown worldwide. Designed specifically for the unique characteristics of the airborne environment, AIRGrav is the highest resolution gravimeter available. The data quality is not affected by the air turbulence normally encountered on airborne surveys, even in hot and windy environments. The stability of the AIRGrav system also allows surveys to be flown under normal daytime survey conditions. Until now AIRGrav has been used exclusively for airborne surveys, but AIRGrav´s ability to operate in the harsh airborne environment makes it ideally suited to marine use, where it can be used in conjunction with seismic or as a standalone survey - AIRGrav is essentially over-engineered for the less harsh environment of marine surveys, where vibration and vessel acceleration is much lower than in an aircraft.
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October 2009Sander Geophysics is proud to be participating in NASA's ICE Bridge project in Antarctica. Having previously supplied an AIRGrav airborne gravimeter for last year's highly successful AGAP survey in Antarctica, SGL was the obvious choice to supply a reliable, high resolution, gravity system in support of NASA's current project. The ICE Bridge project is designed to provide vital information about the ice sheet at the poles, and will bridge the gap between the retirement of ICESat I (expected in 2009) and the launch of ICESat II (expected in 2014-15). During this period, NASA plans to acquire data using a DC-8 aircraft mounted with various pieces of equipment from multiple agencies, including Sander Geophysics' AIRGrav system, which is being provided through an agreement with Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University. Missions will be flown over Antarctica from a base in southern Chile starting in October, 2009.
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August 2009Sander Geophysics will fly a new airborne geophysical survey project under contract to Geoscience BC. The survey, called QUEST-South, is designed to encourage exploration and create much needed jobs in BC's southern interior. While the region has significant potential for copper-gold and copper-molybdenum deposits, parts of the area are obscured by young volcanic rock making exploration more challenging. Sander Geophysics will use its unique AIRGrav airborne gravity technology to gather information about the subsurface. The survey area is the size of England, so a vast area is being covered.
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August 2009Sander Geophysics is pleased to have been selected by Geoscience BC to fly a new airborne gravity survey in British Columbia, Canada. This survey, called QUEST-South, will be Sander Geophysics third airborne gravity survey funded by Geoscience BC in this region. Sander Geophysics will use its unique AIRGrav airborne gravity technology to fly an area of approximately 45,000 square kilometers between Williams Lake and the US border. The new public information gathered for the mineral exploration industry is intended to encourage exploration investment and job opportunities in BC's southern interior. The datasets from the previously flown Geoscience BC surveys called QUEST (2007) and QUEST-West (2008) are already publicly available, and they will be combined with the new QUEST-South dataset which is expected to be released in early 2010.
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July 2009Sander Geophysics' AIRGrav system was chosen for Antarctica's Gamburtsev Province Project over competing airborne gravimeters due to AIRGrav's superior performance. Before being chosen for the demanding Antarctic survey test flights were flown over the Rocky Mountains, west of Calgary, and from Ellesmere Island in Nunavut to demonstrate the system's capabilities at high latitudes over the North Pole, and over Greenland's ice sheet. The system then headed for Antarctica. The AIRGrav system accurately gathers gravity data while compensating for aircraft motion due to turbulence, and aircraft vibrations, allowing for the removal of these effects from the final data during processing, using very accurate GPS.
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April 2009The AIRGrav survey flown by SGL in the Nechako Basin was part of a project funded by the Government of Canada, through Natural Resources Canada�s Mountain Pine Beetle Program. This stimulation to mineral and energy exploration could help diversify the economy in areas recovering from mountain pine beetle infestation. Potential oil and gas deposits can be detected by identifying the varied densities of rock revealed by the airborne gravity survey.
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March 2009Sander Geophysics (SGL) successfully completed its participation in the data acquisition phase of Antarctica's Gamburtsev Province Project (AGAP) which is part of the International Polar Year. During December and January, over 50,000 km of airborne gravity data were collected by the AIRGrav system mounted in the survey Twin Otter aircraft. The gravity map revealed the peaks and valleys of the Gamburtsev mountains hidden beneath the featureless surface of the ice sheet. Data is currently in Ottawa being analyzed.
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February 2009Sander Geophysics completes successful Antarctic AIRGrav survey as part of Antarctica's Gamburtsev Province Project (AGAP). The airborne gravity survey exposed the area's markedly rugged terrain with sharp mountain peaks and well defined valleys under ice more than four kilometres thick.
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January 2009Sander Geophysics completed an airborne geophysical survey for Australian explorer Tap Oil over onshore Brunei Darussalam. The airborne survey is the first phase of an exploration program that also involves seismic acquisition, for Block M, an area that includes the Belait oil and gas field. The results of SGL's airborne gravity and magnetic survey will help determine the plan for further exploration in the area.
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November 2008Scientists from Sander Geophysics are taking one of the company's AIRGrav systems to Antarctica, as part of International Polar Year, to unveil the mystery of the massive Gamburtsev mountain range which is buried under ice four kilometres thick. Sander Geophysics' AIRGrav instrument will reveal the distribution of materials with varied densities. The airborne survey flown in a grid pattern will take about a month.
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November 2008Sander Geophysics has earned the privilege of participating in the Antarctica's Gamburtsev Province Project (AGAP) which is part of the fourth International Polar Year (IPY) taking place during the 2008-2009 season. The AGAP team selected AIRGrav over other gravimeters for this demanding Antarctic survey.
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October 2008Sander Geophysics is flying an AIRGrav and magnetic survey in the western part of Brunei as part of Brunei National Petroleum's (PetroleumBRUNEI) onshore Block M project with TAP Energy. The government endeavours to open up exploration in an untouched area in a quest to locate more oil and gas in Brunei.
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August 23, 2008With great sadness we announce the passing of George Wolfgang Sander. The founder and chairman of Sander Geophysics, and a pioneer and innovator in the field of airborne geophysics will be missed.
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August 2008Sander Geophysics' 160 employees move into newly expanded office facilities, at our existing location, at the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport. The addition is equipped with many environmental initiatives. Contact information remains the same.
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June 2008Sander Geophysics is pleased to be flying the new QUEST-West survey for Geoscience BC in the Bulkley-Nechako Region of central BC. The contract involves acquiring over 23,000 line kilometres of airborne gravity data over the main QUEST-West area plus the Babine-Takla lakes area extension. With the increased investment and exploration generated by the initial project Geoscience BC was eager to launch a new program in an area deeply affected by the pine beetle epidemic and a downturn in the forestry industry.
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June 2008Geoscience BC released the final data set for the QUEST airborne gravity survey that was flown by Sander Geophysics in the winter of 2007-08. The airborne gravity digital data, grids and final technical report can be downloaded at Geoscience BC QUEST Project Data Releases. This gravity survey involved more than 27,000 line kilometres of data at a 2 km line spacing.
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December 2007Sander Geophysics has begun flying the QUEST airborne gravity survey for Geoscience BC, and is currently based in Prince George. As of Monday, December 12th the gravity survey is over 20% complete. The QUEST Project is a geoscience initiative designed by Geoscience BC to attract mineral exploration interest and investment to central British Columbia.
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Fall 2007SGL has asked Carleton University students to design an unmanned air vehicle (UAV) for challenging survey missions close to the ground. This airborne vehicle must be modular, robust, low-cost, and only require a two-person ground crew for launch, recovery and control.
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Summer 2007Steady growth continues at Sander Geophysics. Three Diamond Aircraft DA42 Twin Stars are new additions to the fleet. AIRGrav is the system of choice for superior high resolution airborne gravity surveys and Sander has a new scanning LiDAR system, SGLas which produces high resolution digital elevation models.
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June 2006Sander Geophysics has taken delivery of two new survey aircraft to support continued high demand for SGL's airborne geophysical services.
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2006Sander Geophysics is proud to announce that 2006 marks our 50th year of operations! Sander Geophysics has grown to be the largest independently owned airborne survey company in the world.
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July 2005Sander Geophysics completes a magnetic and gravity survey in Papua New Guinea that assists in the location and interpretation of seismic. New prospective areas for acquiring additional seismic data have been identified.
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Summer 2005Cessna Caravan celebrates 20 years with the delivery of the 1,500th Caravan.
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June 2005SGL is part of a new exploration campaign in Mauritania, flying an aeromagnetic survey over Block 11 of the coastal basin.
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December 2004SGL conducts an airborne gravity survey in Saudi Arabia's Empty Quarter.
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Summer 2004SGL has been growing rapidly; now employing over 100 people and acquiring three new aircraft, in the past year. Very positive results have been realized with SGL's purpose built AIRGrav system.
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December 2003Sander Geophysics has started flying an airborne gravity survey near Timmins, Ontario for Discover Abitibi. The survey is being flown with Sander Geophysics' proprietary AIRGrav system, and it is intended to aid in the mapping of regional geology within this important mining belt. The survey was originally planned as a ground survey, but SGL successfully demonstrated that a fixed-wing AIRGrav survey can match the accuracy and resolution of a ground gravity survey and can deliver significant cost and time savings. Additional information about the survey is available on the Discover Abitibi website.
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October 2003Sander Geophysics now has an aircraft in Brazil ready for surveying. With our Brazilian partner, AeroSat we have licensed and registered a specially modified geophysical aircraft for work in Brazil. The aircraft was brought from Canada and registered in Brazil, and now carries the registration PT-MGX. The aircraft is equipped to conduct airborne gravity, magnetic, and gamma ray spectrometer surveys. Airborne gravity surveys are conducted with SGL's proprietary AIRGrav system which is a purpose built airborne gravimeter. This system has flown gravity surveys in North and South America, Africa and the Middle East.
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October 2003SGL has recently acquired three new aircraft for geophysical surveying, including two fixed-wing aircraft and a helicopter. The company now has a total of ten modern survey aircraft, including six turbine engine Cessna 208B Grand Caravans and a Eurocopter AS 350 B3 helicopter. All SGL aircraft have been extensively modified to reduce their magnetic effect. |
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September 2003SGL flew an AIRGrav test survey just north of the town of Timmins, which includes the airport and the Kidd Creek mine site. AIRGrav test survey data set is now available on the Discover Abitibi website or it can be obtained from SGL directly. The data set contains the AIRGrav data, ground gravity data and the survey report. |
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July 2003SGL has recently completed and tested a second AIRGrav system. This system is a purpose built gravimeter designed for the rigors of the airborne environment, and suitable for fixed-wing or helicopter surveying. Fixed-wing AIRGrav surveys typically result in airborne gravity data with an accuracy of 0.2 mGal over a two kilometer half sine wave anomaly. |
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June 2003A number of employees at SGL are now licensed under the new Professional Geoscientists Act of Ontario, allowing them to use the professional designation P.Geo. The license is administered by the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (APGO). |
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April/May 2003Airborne gravity technologies have advanced rapidly in the last decade with the precision of differential GPS and laser survey devices.
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January 2003Sander Geophysics called in to help locate radioactive device in northern Alberta.
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January 2002Sander Geophysics and the Geological Survey of Finland Sign Cooperative Agreement. |
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July 2001Sander Geophysics conducts a mineral exploration survey for Tri Origin Exploration using AIRGrav.
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June 2001With continuing growth at Sander Geophysics a new aircraft is purchased. SGL´s aircraft fleet increases to eight with the addition of a fifth turbine Cessna Grand Caravan.
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May/June 1999SGL in Wings magazine.
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February 1999SGL recipient of the Roland Groome Award presented each year by Transport Canada to the aircraft maintenance organization that has "demonstrated that its day to day operations are of an exceptionally high standard".
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