Earth is pretty much mapped out, so you’d think there’s not much else left to do, right? Not exactly. Magnetic surveying is a geophysical method of mapping out the terrain, used both on land and in marine archaeology. These surveys detect spatial variations in the Earth’s magnetic field. Typically, this is accomplished on foot while carrying the necessary magnetic sensors in a backpack. Surveyors can usually cover between 10 and 12 kilometers (6.21-7.45 miles) per day. However, many surveyors get tuckered after 2-3 kilometers. Sounds time-consuming, right? Creating maps of subsurface magnetism involves detecting the distribution of magma pools and other magnetic features residing below the surface of the earth. When combined with other data, advanced modeling of variations in lateral stress and seismic wave propagation in the subsurface becomes possible.¹ The process to avoid trekking about with a heavy backpack involves a few different methods. A cart holding the sensors can be dragged behind a remote-controlled or autonomously programmed vehicle. Aerial surveying is possible but the technology to accomplish this is expensive and usually unavailable to developing nations who would need it. What can be done to simplify this process? Two-Tired to Walk? While walking with a sensor is a cheap method, a bicycle with a sensor is faster, more efficient, and better maintains the quality of the data. A team of researchers at the University of Haifa and the Geological Survey of Israel have crafted just such a bicycle. The first attempt to use a mountain bike utilized the All-Terrain Bicycle Geomagnetic Mapping System (ATBGMS) created by researchers at the University of South Florida. The ATBGMS includes a magnetic sensor affixed to a pole extended out in front of the bike’s handlebars, allowing the sensor to be turned with a flip of a switch while riding. While more effective than traversing the land on foot, the bike wasn’t durable enough to carry out the surveys. A New Method for New Terrain Dr. Uri Schattner of the University of Haifa knew there was a better way. With the help of his neighbors, Schattner was able to construct a sturdier framework which has been named Bike-Mag. The sensor no longer moves with the handlebars, instead staying fixed in the direction of movement. This allows the bike to be maneuvered easily and allows the bike to be sturdier. Using the Bike-Mag, Dr. Schattner and his team have been able to cover over 620 miles, 60 more than they were able to cover in the past two decades. Tests were conducted to determine if there were any discrepancies between the two test methods (on foot and the Bike-Mag). The results from both tests were almost identical! However, the spikes in data from the Bike-Mag were smaller than those of the test on foot due to the greater distance between sampling points. Mapping the rest of Israel is the first task on Dr. Schattner and his team’s list. After that? They plan to combine their data with data already collected to map other regions across the globe. Keep your eyes on our News & How-Tos blog for more global magnet news updates. Have any compelling questions? Pose them on Facebook and Twitter and we’ll do our best to answer them.