Overview of modern hardware and software for near surface electromagnetic sounding in the frequency domain

For the study of the first ten meters of the ground, instruments operating in the frequency domain are most widely used. The compactness, speed of operation, ease of operation of such equipment, as well as the quality of the information obtained, determine its applicability for solving a wide range of issues: from searching for local objects to identifying structural features of the upper part of the section. The article provides an overview of current hardware and software developments for near surface electromagnetic soundings in the frequency domain. A description of all types of non-contact equipment from major world manufacturers is given. The features of both the hardware itself and the approaches to their implementation are described. Methods of primary processing and data inversion are considered. Conclusions are drawn about the need to find new ways to eliminate of equipment deficiencies.