Category: MALA GroundExplorer
Published: Monday, 25 January 2016 12:52
Written by Master
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 Introducing MALA GroundExplorer

 

The MALA GroundExplorer (GX) is the latest addition to MALA’s versatile product range of ground penetrating radar solutions. They represent a leap forward in GPR technology and are based on MALA’s innovative and patent-pending HDR technology.

 

HDR technology explained 

High Dynamic Range (HDR) is based on modern real-time sampling technology and provides the MALA GX solutions with significantly faster data acquisition rates, greater signal to noise ratio, and increased bandwidth. In practice, MALA GX solutions will deliver higher resolution data and better depth penetration than conventional GPR systems.

Typical conventional single channel GPR system (see below) 
- normal noise level, normal bandwidth:

 

HDR based MALA GX antenna( see below)

 - lower noise level, increased bandwidth:


MALA GroundExplorer solutions deliver unprecedented dynamic range and resolution.
The HDR technology delivers a wide signal bandwidth that is further increased by the exceptional low noise floor.

 

 

MALÅ GroundExplorer results

 


Data from a conventional GPR system (top) compared to MALA GroundExplorer (below).

 

The center-frequency of the two systems is similar. Both datasets above are collected at the same site, along the same path and at the same time. The datasets are presented as ‘raw data’ using exactly the same gain settings. Please note the increased detail and penetration depth in the MALA GroundExplorer data.

 

MALA GroundExplorer solutions

 

There are currently four different MALA GroundExplorer solutions; the GX80, GX160, GX450 and the GX750.  Every MALÅ GX solution contains two separate components, the GX Controller and the GX antenna, connected through a single cable.


The MALA GX Controller delivers excellent performance and out-door visibility. The GX Controller is built around a fast 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor and using a high-resolution 1024x768 pixel display to present the 32-bit data. Its easy-to-use interface is based on the appreciated MALÅ XV Monitor GUI, but with improved performance and functionality. The GX Controller has also a built in battery to simplify handling in the field and to reduce cables.
 
As the GX Controller, the MALA GroundExplorer antennas have an integrated design. To optimize data quality and performance, each antenna has built-in and perfectly matched antenna electronics. As standard, the MALA GX series of antennas has a built-in DGPS system for accurate positioning but the solution (through the GX Controller) also supports 
the use of an external GPS. 

Furthermore, the MALA GX solutions support a wide range of distance encoders, including a standard wheel encoder, spring-loaded wheel and string encoder.

 


The MALA GX antennas (all but GX80) are perfectly compatible with the MALÅ Rough Terrain Cart and to further simplify data acquisition in dense terrain there is also a ‘Forest Kit’ option.