RESTON, Va. — Low-level airplane flights are planned over a broad region in Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas to image geology using airborne geophysical technology.
The survey will be conducted from early October 2024 for approximately 8 months, weather and wildfire restrictions permitting.
Flights will cover areas within the Missouri counties of Barry, Barton, Bates, Benton, Boone, Callaway, Camden Cass, Cedar, Christian, Cole, Cooper, Crawford, Dade, Dallas, Dent, Douglas, Franklin, Gasconade, Greene, Henry, Hickory, Howell, Jackson, Jasper, Johnson, Laclede, Lawrence, Madison, Maries, McDonald, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Newton, Osage, Ozark, Pettis, Phelps, Polk, Pulaski, Shannon, St. Charles, St. Clair, Stone, Taney, Texas, Version, Warren Washington Webster, and Wright; Kansas counties of Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Cherokee, Franklin, Johnson, Labette, and Neosho; and Arkansas counties of Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Franklin, Madison, and Washington.
The scientific instruments on the planes are completely passive with no emissions that pose a risk to humans, animals, or plant life. No photography or video data will be collected. The data collected will be made freely available to the public once complete. The aircraft will be flown by experienced pilots who are specially trained and approved for low-level flying. The company works with the FAA to ensure flights are safe and in accordance with U.S. law. The surveys will be conducted during daylight hours only.
The Ozark Plateau survey will connect adjacent high-resolution airborne magnetic and radiometric surveys from Southeast Missouri and Western Illinois collected from 2018 to 2019, Central Arkansas-Southern Missouri collected from 2022 to 2023, and Northwest Arkansas from 2019 to 2020, providing continuous high-resolution coverage across the southern Midcontinent.
The new geophysical data will be processed to develop high-resolution three-dimensional representations of bedrock composition and structure to depths more than 3,280 feet (1 kilometer) below the surface.
The 3D models and maps are important for improving our understanding of critical mineral resource potential, water resources, groundwater pathways near legacy mining areas, parameters for infrastructure and land use planning, and potential risks of naturally occurring radon.
The survey fits into a broader effort by the USGS, the Geological Surveys of Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas, and many other state geological surveys and partners, including private companies, academics, and state and federal agencies to modernize our understanding of the Nation’s fundamental geologic framework and knowledge of mineral resources. This effort is known as the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative, and it includes airborne geophysical surveys like this one, geochemical reconnaissance surveys, topographic mapping using LiDAR technology, hyperspectral surveys, and geologic mapping projects.
The USGS has contracted Woolpert Inc., who has subcontracted EON Geosciences Inc., to collect the data.
