Demonstration of an Ultrasonic Method for 3-D Visualization of Shallow Buried Underwater Objects
Abstract
Many former and active DoD ranges and installations have MEC in the underwater environment posing a potential, current, or future hazard. The Army Corps of Engineers has evaluated formerly used defense sites and found that there are more than 10 million acres potentially containing MEC in underwater environments, at approximately 400 sites, and the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps have identified 20 offshore range sites containing MEC. Relatively little is known about underwater sites which cover a broad spectrum of environments including estuarine, nearcoastal and offshore, as well as freshwater. Virtually any munitions in the historical inventory may be found at these sites. The development of technologies to address detection and identification of MEC in underwater environments is significantly behind those used at terrestrial sites. There have been a number of technologies developed and tested for underwater MEC wide-area detection, including some 15 projects under the SERDP and ESTCP programs. However, the wide-area assessment of underwater MEC continues to be hampered by the lack of technology which can readily discriminate MEC from clutter or non-MEC items which have become buried and are not readily visible. While side scan sonar, laser line scanners, and magnetometry can provide wide-area coverage, the data does not provide sufficient diagnostic information for MEC identification among the significant amount of buried clutter. Before remediation planning can begin debris fields must be classified as hazardous (MEC containing) or non-hazardous (debris only). This is traditionally done by examining historic data, visual identification of objects sitting proud of the sediment, and by digging up shallow buried potential munitions/MEC at spot locations identified as high probability within the wide-area surveillance field.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA575253
Entities
People
- Mike Putnam
Organizations
- Naval Information Warfare Systems Command