A Field Evaluation of Airborne Techniques for Detection of Unexploded Ordnance

W. E. Doll, P. Hamlett, J. Smyre, and D. Bell, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, MS 6038, P O Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831-6038; J. E. Nyquist, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; T. J. Gamey and J. S. Holladay, Aerodat Ltd, Mississauga, Ont Canada Y$MXEIVED HMQ3= ABSTRACT United States Defense Department estimates indicate that as many as 11 million acres o government land in the U. S. may contain unexploded ordnance (UXO), with the cost of identif@g and disposing of this material estimated at nearly $500 billion. The size and character of the ordnance, types of interference, vegetation, geology, and topography vary from site to site. Because of size or composition, some ordnance is difficult to detect with any geophysical method, even under favorable soil and cultural interference conditions. For some sites, airborne methods may provide the most time and cost effective means for detection of UXO. Airborne methods offer lower risk to field crews from proximity to unstable ordnance, and less disturbance of sites that maybe environmentally sensitive.