Hi Max,
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Max
I start having thoughts on alternative halo generation when noticed that some worms (yes worms !) are really good detected by conventionals MDs, vlf but also sometimes PI. One time I dig something like 50 worms concentrated in a single spot at maybe 10cm depth.  |
Max, this is amazing. I have a hard time believing there is enough metal in 50 worms to make any metal detector signal. But maybe there is another explanation: Sometimes when you are hunting in mineralized soil that has high iron content, you can hear a signal when you find a hollow cavern - empty air space under the ground. What you are hearing is the anomaly of no iron in the air pocket. It is possible that 50 worms together can take a space in the soil to make a cavern that does not have the same mineralization of the surrounding soil. And maybe this is the reason you saw a signal. I really don't know the answer. But I have a hard time believing 50 worms have enough metal to show a metal signal unless the worms eat some jewelry.
The ionization that microbes make from buried metals contains less metal than the buried metal target. If this ionization makes a halo, then the halo is not double the signal strength of the buried metal piece, it is only a fraction more than the buried metal would signal when compared to freshly buried with no ionization from microbes. The improved signal of a halo may come partly from the metal ions, and partly from the electronic activity of the microbes and chemicals working around the buried target.
I have often wondered about the signal strength of long time buried treasure. I wonder this: We hear stories of a treasure hunter digs an old coin with a strong signal, then after out of the ground, they discover the signal is smaller. After the coin is dug, it is not possible to measure how much signal is remaining in the soil around the coin, because this soil has been dug and scattered on the surface -- no longer same matrix as it was around the buried coin. What I wonder is this... Suppose you have a method to retrieve the buried coin with halo, but not disturb the surrounding soil. If you can remove the coin without disturbing the soil, then you can take second reading with your metal detector to see how much signal remains from only the soil where the coin was removed, and halo from only the soil.
This would be very good data to know, for research to understand the importance of halo contribution to treasure detection. Maybe someone can discover a way to recover a buried target without disturbing the surrounding ground with shovels. I don't see any easy way, but maybe somebody else knows a good way to test for halo.
Best wishes,
J_P