OK, I'm not crazy. Scanning trees for blazed and scribed references buried within is plausible.
At least they think so in India:
This was 2 years ago. It's only a matter of time 'til one of us crazy surveyors gets the opportunity. B-)
> OK, I'm not crazy. Scanning trees for blazed and scribed references buried within is plausible.
From the article:
On Friday, at the initiative of Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests B.S. Corrie, a team comprising E.V. Anoop, head of Wood Science in Kerala Agricultural University's College of Forestry; Lothar Gocke, a CT technology expert from Germany; and forest department officials tested teak logs at a Perumbavur sales depot with CT technology using ultrasonic sound waves and Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT).
I'd guess that Lothar Gocke, the German CT technology expert would be the fellow to track down. Possibly, he's coming to a seminar near you:
The tool to be demonstrated:
Check out the video:
I need to read up on this ERT (Electrical Resistance Tomography) AND the PICUS Ultrasonic binnus. My "peeps" in the NDT industry (oldest son) lands in Houston around 9PM for a 21 day 'TDY'. Probably won't get to have a good conversation with him for a day or two.
I'm gonna get to see what's inside a tree someday, without chipping, boring or cutting the fool thing!
Quite a "scientific" sonic source...a tack hammer pingin' on a ten-penny nail!
I wonder if you have to smack it harder on larger trees? 😉
Hey if it works, it works.
I think they recommend an electronic hammer for some imaging. For imaging possible marks on a known side of the tree, I'd think you could improve on the 2D model by actually surveying the attachment points for the sensors and occupying each in succession with a sonic source to image from the reflected signal.