What Is Ground-Penetrating Radar?

There are all kinds of structures that are hidden underground. Even if you have a good idea as to where some of those structures are, it doesn't mean that you know exactly where everything is. That can turn into a real problem when it comes to things like construction, because you run into the risk of destroying something underground, like utility pipes. There are ways to figure out where precisely all those underground structures are, other than looking at a variety of maps and trying to combine all the information and put it all into the real world. One way is to use ground-penetrating radar (GPR). 

Ground-Penetrating Radar

RADAR stands for radio detection and ranging. The radar device sends out radio waves, and they bounce back when they hit something. The receiver picks up those returned radio waves and gives an image of whatever the object is. The person using the radar can interpret the readings and tell the distance and size of the object. Most people think of flying or the weather when they think about radar, but it can actually be used underwater and against the ground. Ground-penetrating radar is used in a lot of fields. 

Archaeology

One of the fields that uses GPR is archaeology. The goal of any archaeologist is to find historical objects and treasures under the ground. In the past, that meant digging exploratory trenches in areas where there are suspected sites. However, using GPR makes the archaeologist's job much easier. They can work with a GPR service, and the service will scan the site. The radar operator will be able to mark anything that they find on the scans so that archaeological digs can be placed over that area. The operator should be able to have a good idea as to the size and shape of the object as well as how far down it is. No one is going to have to waste a lot of time digging a lot of exploratory trenches since the radar will pinpoint the best places to dig. 

Radar has been indispensable since it was developed. It gets used in all kinds of professional fields and for all kinds of reasons. Ground-penetrating radar makes it easier for builders to do their job without destroying utility lines, and for archaeologists to find and study history, as well as many other things. 

For more information, contact a GPR scanning service.