Patent ID: 8028577

Claim:
A method of conducting a gravity survey using an absolute gravimeter and a relative gravimeter, comprising: identifying a plurality of survey points from which to obtain gravity measurements for the gravity survey; obtaining relative gravity measurements at each of the survey points using the relative gravimeter; dividing the plurality of survey points into a subset of a lesser plurality of survey points each designated as a combination survey point; obtaining absolute gravity measurements at each of the combination survey points using the absolute gravimeter; comparing the relative gravity measurements and the absolute gravity measurements at each of the combination survey points; determining a correction factor related to any difference between the relative and absolute gravity measurements at each of the combination survey points; using the absolute gravity measurements as accurate values of the gravity at the combination survey points in the gravity survey; designating those survey points which are not combination survey points as intermediate survey points; correcting the relative gravity measurements made at the intermediate survey points using the correction factor; and using the corrected relative gravity measurements as accurate values of gravity at the intermediate survey points in the gravity survey.