Buried munitions

In many applications, such as seeking buried munitions, it is not possible to place the X-ray source and the detector on opposite sides of the objects being investigated. In this case techniques have been developed to form images from the X-rays that are scattered back toward the source, or backscattered. 

In particular, the study of plumes of molecules released in water from a submerged source has been the focus of substantial research. The migration of the molecules from within or from the surface of a submerged, buried munition is similar to the case of munitions buried in the ground. Following that release there is little similarity. Almost no work has been done to date to examine the processes that affect the molecules released from an object buried in the seabed. This may form a fruitful area for research. 

Underwater Objects We made a brief allusion to another environment in commenting on Figure 4.4. That figure shows one example of an environment that is very different from a simple buried munition. Several things become apparent immediately. Clearly, the aqueous state is likely to dominate the entire process. There will be some sorbing onto particles of the bottom, but even for objects totally buried in the bottom that will be reduced, since the bottom will always be at a saturated state. Therefore, it is reasonable to focus development attention on finding molecules in the aqueous state, rather than the vapor state. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) has sponsored substantial work of this nature. Some of it is reported in detail in Chapter 6. 

Since that time, geophysical techniques and technologies for the detection of subsurface munitions and explosives of concern have been developed. It is now possible to detect with some accuracy individual or mass buried munitions and explosives of concern magnetometry and active geophysical systems are the most common and productive technologies (ITRC, 2004). 

Undocumented burial of obsolete munitions was an accepted practice into the Vietnam period. Historically, after each of this country s major military conflicts, the installations built to accommodate training requirements were closed and the lands transferred to other Federal agencies, States, or the private sector. Today, subdivisions are built on top of abandoned military installations, and recreational activities take place on former maneuver areas and ranges. A growing population increases the opportunity for contact with munitions waste, especially unexploded ordnance and buried munitions. Contaminants in soil and water also present problems when they migrate offsite. 

These delays were due to finding buried munitions-related debris at the MAPS construction site. 

Determining Whether Buried Munitions and Explosives Are Likely... 

The District of Columbia Department of Health, Environmental Health Administration received information from a resident of Spring Valley consisting of, among other things, a February 25, 1993, memorandum of a phone call from one Ian MacFee to the Mayor s Office of Constituent Services alleging that the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) buried munitions in 14 pits at the AUES. 

MacFee indicated that he worked out of an office in Luray and buried Civil War munitions as well. The District of Columbia was also able to confirm that there were five CCC camps in Luray, including Camp Roosevelt and Camps NP-1, NP-2, NP-10, and NP-12. These camps were near a large storage depot and in an area rich with Civil War remnants, which may have provided MacFee and his unit with experience in burying munitions. The caller also indicated that munitions burials occurred at Aberdeen, Maryland, and that the Old Navy Radio Station in Arlington, Virginia, had two munitions dumps on it. 

Evidence Supporting the Potential for Finding Buried Munitions During Excavation at Operable Unit 3 of the American University Experiment Station, DC Environmental Health Administration, 1998. 

The War Department used many of these perchlorate compounds in W.W.I., contrary to the claim of the U.S. Army Center for Ordnance Expertise that perchlorate was first used in W.W.n. The Germans also had a 17 cm shell which used ammonium perchlorate as the explosive filler. In W.W.I., the United States used perchlorate compounds for signaling rockets and flares, and as a burster charge in gas grenades. Perchlorate is and has been used in over 250 munitions often in powder train time fuses and propellants in rockets and in other time fuse applications. Since perchlorate is so water soluble, it is a secondary contaminant in water dumped or buried munitions. Perchlorate has an exothermic reaction (heats up) as it ages, capable of spontaneous combustion. 

Also, only some of these 53 points of interest were scanned with metal detectors in an effort to locate otha buried munitions. During this limited scanning, 2000 anomalies were found (an anomaly is a reading indicating the presence of a metalhc object undaground). Of these anomahes, approximately 87 were excavated. (There... 

Operating procedures of the time. A book will never say, We buried munitions, because that was not a significant event at the time. However, it may say how many munitions were on hand and that a program was terminated, leaving the reader to piece together how the termination occurred. 

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