Infared vs Thermotography

grizzly bare

Hero Member
Aug 30, 2005
589
26
Warrenton, VA
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Garrett CX II/Sovereign SX-2a Pro/Quattro
dawg,
You got me on this one. I honestly never heard of thermotography. Hopefully some of the "techs" on here can help you.

grizzly bare
 

Nov 8, 2004
14,582
11,941
Alamos,Sonora,Mexico
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=grizzly bare
dawg,
You got me on this one. I honestly never heard of thermotography. Hopefully some of the "techs" on here can help you.

grizzly bare
*************

Q) why not?? I need that information also

Till Eulenspeigle
 

SomeGuy

Hero Member
Jun 26, 2005
510
6
Basically, when discussing infrared, it is often broken down into 2 sections, "near infrared" is that portion of the infrared spectrum closest to the visible spectrum, frequencies just below the color red. This is the wavelength that is typically used in infrared photography and 1st generation night vision scopes. It is light that is reflected from the subject, but outside the range of human vision.

"Far infrared" has longer wavelength (lower frequency) and is the radiant heat given off by warm bodies. This is the light used in thermography. If you've seen those cop shows where the helicopter is following the glowing suspect through the bushes at night, this is far infrared. It requires no illuminating source, the light is emitted from the target. This equipment is much more expensive.

I believe both can be useful to the THer, but especially thermography.
 

grizzly bare

Hero Member
Aug 30, 2005
589
26
Warrenton, VA
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Garrett CX II/Sovereign SX-2a Pro/Quattro
Okay,
I think I understand a bit. Question. Given the heat differential in a cave and surrounding soil, would either technique detect the difference at the mouth of a cave that had been blown shut? I vaguely remember this question being answered once before, but please give an opinion.

grizzly bare
Jim Johnson
 

charlesc

Greenie
Jun 27, 2006
10
0
For useing infrared, there is a device called the aimshot heatseeker. It will detect temperature differences but I doubt it could be used to see through rocks and earth to find caves or anything like that. check out the website
 

wreckdiver1715

Bronze Member
May 20, 2004
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Having used IR imagery in both Hot on Cold, and Cold on Hot modes I find it less than useful in treasure hunting unless there is actually a temperature variation between the target and the surrounding landscape.

Tom
 

mannings

Full Member
Feb 4, 2006
145
16
So does anyone know whether (in certain months) a large deposit of gold and/or silver would absorb and hold heat/cold moreso than the surrounding soil/rock?
 

Peg Leg

Bronze Member
May 29, 2006
1,520
5
In oder to locate a cave you must have the use of an aircraft. The best time to fly over the spot you are interested in checking out is a little after sundown before the cave starts to cool down or if the temp is cold outside one must remember that a cave will be much warmer and will show radient heat when scanned at any time.
This get very involved and requires some knowldege of the equipment and the area you are interested in. I have been involved in this type of research when looking for caves in the Branson MO. area and there are MANY MANY MANY very large caves. I did this type of research during the summer months when it was hot outside and the caves were cool.
If you are looking for silver or gold deposits FORGET IT UNLESS YOU HAVE TONS OF MONEY that you do not need.
Peg Leg
 

Functional

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Feb 16, 2007
512
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Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
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A Compass Magnum 420 recently brought back to life. And an untested "in the wild" Teknetics.
mannings said:
So does anyone know whether (in certain months) a large deposit of gold and/or silver would absorb and hold heat/cold moreso than the surrounding soil/rock?

I would guess that in summer months, (or whenever its warm enough for an old fart like me to be out stumbling around in the bush), would be a good enought time.

Your referring to the metals thermal conductivity, which varies based on temperature, but they change proportionate to one another.
See: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/tables/thrcn.html#c1
"Ratio of the thermal conductivity to the electrical conductivity of a metal is proportional to the temperature."
A likely temperature would be Fahrenheit: 80.6 , Celsius: 27 , Kelvin: 300.

If you want to use infrared for your search, keep in mind that a cave in summer is likely going to be cool and you are not looking for a heat source. Infrared detectors don't see heat, they see infrared light. There are cheap IR viewers out there if your willing to wield as screwdriver and invest a few bucks. See my posts in this thread: http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,68167.0.html

Some of the links I posted in the above thread relating to DIY IR Camera modifications leave out the various optional lenses available that can allow you to see color infrared images, which should make it easier to destinguish differences in surfaces as they provide more of a gradient in the light sources. If you don't already have an LED IR light, you might want to build one mentioned in the links on that same page. You can still use a flashlight after dark while using an IR digital camera viewer, since it doesn't see visible light anyway.

Good Luck!

F.
 

Hoss KGC

Full Member
May 30, 2003
220
83
USA
"Infrared detectors don't see heat, they see infrared light."

This is not quite a true statement. Infrared sensors that see in the near infrared range see infrared light. Light that you can't see but the infrared camera and your dog can see. Infrared sensors that see in the far infrared range or mid infrared range "see" heat. If thermal infrared has any use in treasure hunting, then it would be the far infrared range (8-12micron range) that would be required. I got interested and researched this subject back in 1997. There was a report on the internet but I don't recall which company had it on their website. They were doing a test for the military to see if they could use thermal infrared (thermography in the 8-12micron range) to see if they could see ordnance in an ordnance dump site where stuff was buried that might need to be relocated. They took a camera up in a helicopter. The report stated that pieces of metal as small as 6inches could be seen 2 feet deep with the camera. That made me think it was hopeful and wanted to try it. I searched for years for something cheap enough to buy to give it a try. These were thousands for a cheap, used unit. I finally found one that a leasing company got back from a chiropracter and sold it to me for $500. When I got it, it turned out to be a mid range camera (3-5micron) and it would not do the job. I ended up selling it on ebay for $2400. I since lost interest because I doubt it would pick up what I'm looking for at the depths I need.
Good luck,
Boattow
 

Functional

Hero Member
Feb 16, 2007
512
3
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Detector(s) used
A Compass Magnum 420 recently brought back to life. And an untested "in the wild" Teknetics.
boattow said:
"Infrared detectors don't see heat, they see infrared light."

This is not quite a true statement. Infrared sensors that see in the near infrared range see infrared light. Light that you can't see but the infrared camera and your dog can see. Infrared sensors that see in the far infrared range or mid infrared range "see" heat.

I can "see" visible light, (and near IR) and "feel" emissions of various wavelengths from a light source that cause "heat". An IR camera "see's" a wider spectrum of light beyond human vision, as does a person with IR googles.

Some other comments on this topic can be found here:
http://ieee-virtual-museum.org/collection/tech.php?taid=&id=2345897&lid=1
http://scitoys.com/board/messages/2/1123.html?1150475023
Google: infrared "can't see heat"

If thermal infrared has any use in treasure hunting, then it would be the far infrared range (8-12micron range) that would be required. I got interested and researched this subject back in 1997. There was a report on the internet but I don't recall which company had it on their website. They were doing a test for the military to see if they could use thermal infrared (thermography in the 8-12micron range) to see if they could see ordnance in an ordnance dump site where stuff was buried that might need to be relocated. They took a camera up in a helicopter. The report stated that pieces of metal as small as 6inches could be seen 2 feet deep with the camera. That made me think it was hopeful and wanted to try it. I searched for years for something cheap enough to buy to give it a try.

Now there are a variety of sources for such camera's, which are still pricey unless you make your own. I posted some DIY Infrared links in a few different posts to this thread:
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,68167.0.html
And several other DIY links for other devices for treasure hunting here:
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,71986.0.html

These were thousands for a cheap, used unit. I finally found one that a leasing company got back from a chiropracter and sold it to me for $500. When I got it, it turned out to be a mid range camera (3-5micron) and it would not do the job. I ended up selling it on ebay for $2400. I since lost interest because I doubt it would pick up what I'm looking for at the depths I need.
Good luck,
Boattow

I saw an archeology program on TV few years ago, where they found the locations of buildings using infrared to detect the location of walls and other structural features. When I have time and as soon as I can find a cheap used digital camera, I'm planning to make my own IR camera out of it, (colorized IR if my budget allows for the extra filters). Thats only one tool I plan to use though. I expect I'll end up looking at DIY plans for either microwave, or millimeter wave devices. I'm near a large lake too, so I may look into into DIY side scan sonar.

F.
 

Jason_05

Jr. Member
Sep 13, 2005
22
3
Decapolis
Detector(s) used
Garrett GTI 2500
Very interesting subject, check this link out :


http://knouzm.net/en/dis-300.html

Dis300 :
* When it discovers Gold, the Electronic screen displays Gold.
* When it discovers Cave, it shows Cave.

To restrict the Buried Target Depth, press Depth.

Does this technology works out in the real fields ?!!
 

joe

Jr. Member
Jun 7, 2004
70
1
Jason_05 said:
Very interesting subject, check this link out :


http://knouzm.net/en/dis-300.html

Dis300 :
* When it discovers Gold, the Electronic screen displays Gold.
* When it discovers Cave, it shows Cave.

To restrict the Buried Target Depth, press Depth.

Does this technology works out in the real fields ?!!

I HOPE THEY HAVE A TRYOUT 1ST ;D OR TRY NOW PAY LATER IF YOU RECOVER WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR ;D BECAUSE THIS 2 PICTURE HAVE A SIMILARITY ???ONLY THE
OTHER ONE HAS A BATTERY ON IT ???
 

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Carl-NC

Bronze Member
Mar 19, 2003
1,870
1,358
Washington
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Custom Designs and Prototypes
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Jason_05 said:
Dis300 :
* When it discovers Gold, the Electronic screen displays Gold.
* When it discovers Cave, it shows Cave.

To restrict the Buried Target Depth, press Depth.

Does this technology works out in the real fields ?!!

The claims made of this device are absolutely false. It is an infrared thermometer. It cannot "detect" gold. It cannot "detect" caves. It cannot determine depth. It cannot "ground balance." All it can do is tell you the temperature of exposed surfaces.

What they have pictured is the same as the Mastech MS6530 which is $119 on the Internet, an sometimes half that on eBay.

- Carl
 

joe

Jr. Member
Jun 7, 2004
70
1
Carl-NC said:
Jason_05 said:
Dis300 :
* When it discovers Gold, the Electronic screen displays Gold.
* When it discovers Cave, it shows Cave.

To restrict the Buried Target Depth, press Depth.

Does this technology works out in the real fields ?!!

The claims made of this device are absolutely false. It is an infrared thermometer. It cannot "detect" gold. It cannot "detect" caves. It cannot determine depth. It cannot "ground balance." All it can do is tell you the temperature of exposed surfaces.

What they have pictured is the same as the Mastech MS6530 which is $119 on the Internet, an sometimes half that on eBay.

- Carl

YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT THAT CARL,I SEE THEY US IT AT THE AIRPORT
TO LOOK FOR PERSON WITH HIGH TEMPERATURE OR WITH FEVER DUE TO "SARS" ???

JOE
 

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