Fast, Portable Characterization System, Integrating Time-Domain Electromagnetic with Induced and Natural Field Magnetic Measurements

75605-The United States Department of Energy has estimated that from the 1940s through the 1970s, 126,000 cubic meters of transuranic wastes were disposed of by shallow burial and other techniques at sites owned and operated by the federal government. The excavation and retrieval of the transuranic and mixed waste are time-consuming and expensive. Improved imaging technologies are needed to provide better resolution and improved characterization of buried wastes and buried waste containers. This project will combine state-of-the-art magnetic field sensors with fast, high-resolution data acquisition technology to create a flexible, portable system for container characterization. Time-domain electromagnetic measurements, natural field magnetic gradient measurements, and induced-magnetic field measurements will be combined into a single portable instrument. Phase I will build a prototype instrument that uses the magnetometers both as natural field sensors and as receivers for the time-domain electromagnetic instrument. The ability to detect and characterize subsurface targets under practical field conditions will be determined. The instrument will then be optimized for field use. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The improved characterization of transuranic waste sites should see extensive use at DOE, DoD, and commercial sites. The technology should improve the imaging and identification of subsurface containers and associated hazards, thus improving safety and reducing remediation costs.