b'IndustryNewsNext generation of magnetic resonance toolsReaders of Preview who work with groundwater may be interested in two next generation Magnetic Resonance (MR) tools. These are Vista Clara products, so, in the spirit of full disclosure, I should say that I have been working as Vista Claras sales and equipment representative in Australia since 2017. Vista Clara is a uS-based company exclusively focussed on MR instrumentation for geophysical applications. Among the many advantages of the MR technique are non-invasive measurements, and direct measurement of the presence of water in the subsurface.The new tools are 1) The GMRFlex, a new, more compact, surface NMR systemFigure 1.The full FlexGMR system, including transmitter, laptop, connectors and transmitter cables. Also (Figure 1), and 2) the Javelin Slim ashown are the optional DC Capacitor expansion module and tuning expansion module.new integrated borehole wireline tool (Figure 2). Both of these tools represent the next generation of smaller, and easier to use tools that will be of use on many groundwater investigations that were not possible previously.The GMRFlex uses a combined transmitter-receiver loop (similar to an exploration-style TEM survey) that produces a data sounding providing information on both water content and porosity distribution from near the surface down to about 75 m or so with the new compact system. If you have used or seen Vista Claras workhorse GMR system, you will realise that whatFigure 2.The Javelin Wireline Slim probe including surface unit and both the 2.38 and 3.5 inch sensors. it makes up for in increased depth-of- The system shown is also able to collect natural gamma delta data.investigation, is traded off against ease of use and portability. The new GMRFlexon a standard four-core winch cable,which probes are used. Being modular system is quite capable of being runremoving the need for the special winch,the probe can be built on the hole by with only the transmitter unit, a laptop,making borehole NMR accessible to moreone or two people without the need for a pair of 12V batteries and transmitterusers. The probe is separated into twoan overhead winch. As an option, these cables. This means that it can be runparts: the top half houses the electronicsprobes can be set up to read natural from smaller vehicles - even a quad bikeand power supply, while the bottom halfgamma simultaneously with the NMR. equipped with a small trailer. is the sensor part of the probe. The topLike the GMRFlex surface system they comes in two sizes, either a 2.38 (60 mm)are available for purchase or hire, and The Slim is a more compact version ofSlim version, or a 3.5 (90 mm) Maxare offered with a full suite of processing the original Javelin wireline system. Theversion. The Slim can be paired both withsoftware as well as support from Vista original Javelin system is built with the2.38 (60 mm) or 3.5 (90 mm) sensors.Clara to help with training, processing, high-powered transmitting electronicsThe Max can be paired with both 3.5and interpretation.on the surface, using a specialised winch(90 mm) and 5.25 (135 mm) sensors. (requiring non-standard winch cable)In either case the entire probe weighs to carry the high-current transmitterbetween 30 and 45 kg for the Slim (upMike Hatch signal to the probe. The new system runsto 85 kg for the Max), depending onmikehatch@vista-clara.comJuNE 2020 PREVIEW 12'