2005 Field Tests of ALLTEM and the Planar Tensor Magnetic Gradiometer System (TMGS) at the Standardized UXO Test Area at the Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona

The Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) sponsored the tests discussed in this report under Project MM1328. The starting point for this project was three existing geophysical prototype instruments developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for other applications. Although none of the prototypes was developed with UXO applications in mind, it was thought that with some modifications each of the prototype instruments could detect UXO objects. This expectation was tested by operation at the Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) standardized UXO test area in 2003. Based on evaluation of the data from those tests, we recommended that a new electromagnetic induction (EMI) system be designed and built and that the geometry and data acquisition system for the TMGS be replaced. This report deals with results and evaluations from the first field deployments of ALLTEM and the planar TMGS. The tests described in this report were conducted in October and November of 2005. A summary of our daily activities is included in Table 1.1. Section 2 of this report describes characteristics of the standardized UXO test site at YPG relevant to our tests. Sections 3 and 4 describe the ALLTEM tests and modeling. Sections 5 and 6 describe the TMGS. Section 7 includes some conclusions and recommendations derived largely from the 2005 YPG tests.

Prepared in collaboration with the Department of Geophysics, Colorado School of Mines, Golden.