The Role of Variability in Mine Burial Prediction

The ultimate long-term goal of the ONR Mine Burial Prediction (MBP) program is the development of mine burial probability models that incorporate dynamic coupled processes, seafloor material properties, and different mine types. A second major thrust is on short-term applied research that will provide Fleet Aids for the operational Navy. The short-term effort will provide the operational Navy with improved mine burial predictive capabilities by using existing models and an enhanced understanding of environmental databases and seafloor geotechnical properties. An important part of that effort will involve designing user interfaces that will both display the complexities and uncertainties of the problem while remaining user-friendly for the sailor. As better models are developed during the course of the program, they will be incorporated into the existing predictive systems.