(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Starting this week, those who live or work along the Illinois River Basin can expect to see something a bit unusual in the skies.
It’s not a bird, but it is a type of plane — along with something that looks like a massive hula hoop.
“The helicopter is towing an airborne, electromagnetic sensor,” said Burke Minsley, a research geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey.
U.S. Geological Survey officials said the project will support studies of groundwater in the Illinois River Basin.
“The sensor sends small, electrical signals into the ground,” Minsley said. “We can measure those responses to tell us about how well different parts of the ground conduct electricity, and that tells us a lot about geology,” he said.
He compared the technology to a massive metal detector.
“Instead of looking for things like buried treasure, we’re looking to understand the below-ground geology,” said Minsley.
Jim Duncker, a hydrologist with the Geological Survey, said the measurements pose no threat to humans but can startle cattle or other livestock.
“We’re coming at this with new technology and more data to build better predictive models,” he said. “We can try to predict how blooms and nutrients will be impacted by changes in climate, land use and population in the basin, things like that.”
The survey will last three to four weeks, officials with the U.S. Geological Survey said.
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