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Unexploded
Ordnance (UXO) Research Group
UXO
refers
to relatively large munitions such as shell and other projectiles
that did not explode upon impact and remain buried in the
ground. They occur on or near the ground surface and can
detonate when disturbed accidentally. Consequently, UXO
poses a significant hazard to public safety in many parts
of the world. Main sources of UXO are armed conflicts in
numerous regions throughout the globe as well as firing
and training exercises at military ranges. It is estimated
that nearly 11 million acres of land in the United States
is contaminated with UXO, which is equivalent to Vermont
and New Hampshire combined. The cost of clearance is estimated
to be hundreds of billions of dollars.
Geophysical
methods, especially electromagnetic induction and magnetics,
have proven to be important tools in UXO clearance because
of their effectiveness in detecting the presence of buried
metallic objects from surveys conducted on the surface.
It remains a great challenge, however, to discriminate between
UXO and benign objects such as fragments and waste metals.
Increased discrimination capability will reduce the false
alarm rate and ultimately decrease the cost of remediation.
Our
research on UXO detection and discrimination covers a wide
range of topics while focusing on the need for improved
discrimination. There are currently four projects.
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(1)
On-time 3D time-domain EM and Tensor magnetic gradiometry
for UXO detection and discrimination |
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This
is a collaborative project with the United States
Geological Survey (USGS)
and focuses on development of new instruments that
acquire complementary data using both EM induction
and static magnetics. The goal is to produce a new
generation of sensors that have the potential for
simultaneously determining the size, conductivity,
and magnetic susceptibility of a buried metallic target
and thereby provide the crucial geometrical and physical
parameters for discrimination. |
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(2)
Inversion-based statistical methods for UXO discrimination |
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This
project examines the statistical properties of multiple
parameters of buried metallic objects obtained from
inversion of EM induction and magnetic data. The results
will be used to guide the development of statistical
discrimination approaches based on available clearance
data. |
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(3)
Understanding remanent magnetization in UXO discrimination |
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The
presence, or lack, of remanent magnetization in UXO
and related metallic objects has emerged as an important
diagnostic parameter in discrimination of UXO from
other metallic objects such as fragments. This collaborative
project with Sky
Research, UBC-Geophysical
Inversion Facility, and Gary
Olhoeft at CSM aims to characterize the remanence
in UXO items through laboratory and field work. As
part of the project, the CSM team are developing a
mobile spinner magnetometer capable of measuring the
remanent magnetization of large UXOs. |
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(4)
Improve UXO detection and discrimination in magnetic
environments |
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One
of the major impediments to effective discrimination
is the presence of magnetic soils at UXO clearance
sites. Responses of magnetic soil can severely distort
or even mask the EM and magnetic signal of buried
targets and lead to poor detection and discrimination
capability. This is a joint project with the UBC-Geophysical
Inversion Facility, Sky
Research, and New
Mexico Tech. The goal is to study the spatial
distribution and frequency dependence of magnetic
susceptibility of soil and its effect on sensor data,
and to develop methods for separating the effect of
soil from geophysical data. |
People
in the UXO Group
Individuals
in the UXO Group are also listed on our CGEM 'people'
page with more information
Funding
for the UXO Group provided by:
UXO
course developed & taught by our group: GPGN
498/598
For
more information on UXO and some of our work, please visit
our newly developed UXO
Hot-Topics page
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