Over 400 sites throughout the U.S. hold unexploded ordnance (UXO). This lack of oversight creates an enormous safety hazard to the surrounding communities. These dangerous remnants of military training endanger marine life and can interfere with civilian activities, too. Connor Hodges is a doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin. He is currently in charge of research to improve detection of items of concern through novel acoustic approaches.
Hodges and his collaborators, Kevin Lee and Preston Wilson, are addressing a very important challenge. Additionally, they are exploring how corrosion and biofouling affects the acoustic signatures of these UXOs. They’re iterating on these shifts to find more effective approaches. Ultimately, their aim is to allow faster and more efficient detection of UXOs buried in various seafloor conditions.
The Risks of Unexploded Ordnance
Unexploded ordnance remains a serious safety hazard, particularly in shallow waters where most of these sites exist. These kinds of munitions have been in existence for multiple decades. Natural occurrences or anthropogenic activities may further agitate them, increasing the likelihood of a catastrophic detonation. Connor Hodges emphasizes the urgency of addressing this issue:
“Many of these sites are in shallow water, potentially posing a threat to human safety, and date back several decades,” – Connor Hodges.
The team carries out research to address these risks directly. They’re paving the way for a more effective, dependable detection method that keeps UXOs where they pose no threat. The dangers associated with these devices cannot be understated. Hodges notes that there is “a risk of detonation if they are stepped on or otherwise disturbed.”
Advances in Detection Techniques
These particular UXOs had been buried in a brackish pond on Martha’s Vineyard for almost 80 years. These tests enabled them to see how various levels of corrosion affected the acoustic signatures of the bombs.
The application of sonar technology and autonomous underwater vehicles have proven to be an effective non-invasive option for mapping the seafloor and locating UXOs. Even more, this approach is much faster and cost-efficient than conventional methods. Hodges elaborated on the potential of this approach:
“Acoustic scattering techniques give an insight into the internal structure of the object imaged, as well as a method to ‘see’ into the seafloor,” – Connor Hodges.
By developing an “acoustic fingerprint,” researchers hope to uniquely define corrosion signatures of UXOs, which could vastly improve recovery efforts. The integration of sonar with X-ray CT scans presents an innovative way to visualize these buried hazards without disturbing them.
Presentation at Acoustical Society Meeting
Hodges presented his results this week at the joint 188th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America. This year this reception occurred during the 25th International Congress on Acoustics, May 18 – May 23. This platform facilitated him to discuss his key takeaways from using acoustics for recovering corroded UXO. He argued that there is an urgent and compelling need to establish safe retrieval techniques.
The research team is hopeful that the findings of their work will have important public safety implications. Hodges stated,
“We hope this work will ultimately help save lives.” – Connor Hodges.
We’re applying novel acoustic technologies in combination with robust scientific practices to improve UXO detection and recovery processes. We know we can and should make these processes much more efficient. Underwater UXOs are a major safety concern. Cutting-edge research like this is essential to keeping communities and marine ecosystems protected.