Military Geophysics

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• Military Geophysics
• Mr. Gunnar J. Radel, PE
• 14 June 2011
• This briefing is classified
• UNCLASSIFIED

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Agenda
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• Applications
• Key geophysical sensing needs
• Key geophysical analytic needs
• Challenges
• Lessons learned

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Applications
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• Treaty monitoring
• Battlespace awareness
• Land (and below), sea, air
• Detect, locate, characterize
• Clandestine tunnel detection
• Broad, low resolution detection
• Moderate resolution location
• High fidelity local interrogation

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Key Geophysical Sensing Needs
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• Sensing in a non-lab environment
• DoD does not typically build vaults
• Sensor networks
• Common communications
• Pre-processing on node prior to exfil
• Size and power matter
• Trade-offs (minimize reduction in sensitivity or
  bandwidth)
• More robust and resilient sensors
• No reduction in sensitivity
• Example sensitivity locked until sensor is in
  place
• Stability
• Sensors that do not require frequent or lengthy
  calibrations
• No soaker hoses
• Noise cancellation versus isolation
• Advanced sensor concepts for noise reduction
• Common GPS time for all

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Key Geophysical Analysis Needs
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• Depth of seismic sources
• Without placing sensor over the top of the source
• Integrated infrasound and meteorological data
• Rapid computation, interpretation of local
  regional synthetics
• Helps most with moving networks
• Workflow optimized analytical environment
• More tsunamigenic source function and propagation
  work
• Cross-domain data fusion (no single geophysical
  method is applicable everywhere)
• Seismic (active and passive)
• Acoustic, Infrasound
• Electromagnetic Induction
• Resistivity
• Ground penetrating radar
• Global database of future sensor deployments
• Direct download of .css data files
• Versus seed format download and unpack

Sirles, et. al Advancements In Subsurface
Modeling Using Seismic Refraction Data, SAGEEP
2006.
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Geotechnical Challenges Factors
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• Chaos
• Material (clays, magnetite, salt)
• Faults, fractures, joints, bedding, paleochannels
• Groundwater level
• Seismic velocity
• Conductivity

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Environmental Challenges Factors
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• Vegetative cover
• Terrain
• Rain
• Space available

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Man-made Clutter Challenges Factors
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• Urban chaos
• Utilities
• Underground
• Power, Telephone, Cable
• Water, Sewer, Gas
• Stray current
• Overhead - Power
• Vehicles
• Structures, Fences

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Lessons Learned (Field Horror Stories)

• Changing batteries
• Pulling data cards
• Equipment quantity and logistics
• Planning
• Weather
• Animal life
• Self interference friendly fire

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Questions?
UNCLASSIFIED