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- Using Plants to Sustain Military Ranges
- Sonar Key to Detecting Underwater UXO
- Monitoring and Mapping Coral Reefs
- EPA-Approved Protocol for Range Characterization
- Robotic Laser Coating Removal System
- MetalMapper
- Understanding cis-DCE and VC Biodegradation
- Eliminating Cr from Medium Caliber Gun Barrels
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- Applying Statistics and Modeling to UXO Discrimination
- Composites with Low HAP Compounds
- Perchlorate-Free Flares Undergo Qualification Testing
- Recovering Energy from Landfill Gas
- Modeling Underwater UXO Mobility in Reef Environments
- Understanding the Behavioral Ecology of Cetaceans
- Forecasting the Effects of Stressors on At-Risk Species
- Advanced Signal Processing for UXO Discrimination
- Reducing Emissions for Jet Engines of the Future
- Assessing Vapor Intrusion at Chlorinated Solvent Sites
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- Leveraging Advanced Sensor Data to Clean Up UXO
- Source Zone Architecture Key to DNAPL Remediation
- Biopolymers Maintain Training Berms, Prevent Contamination
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- Ecological Research Supports Training at Camp Lejeune
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- ASETSDefense Workshop on Sustainable Surface Engineering
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- Climate Change Adaptation: Enhanced Decision Making
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- Munitions Classification in the Hands of Production Firms
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- Success Classifying Munitions in Wooded Areas
- Evaluating Technology Performance at DNAPL Sites
- ‘Flyer’ Improves OB/OD Air Emissions Measurement
- Identifying Research Needs for Underwater Munitions
- Success Classifying Small Munitions at Camp Butner
- Managing Military Lands in the Southwest
- Partnering to Advance Munitions Classification
- ‘Flyer’ Improves OB/OD Air Emissions Measurement - Preview
- Sonar Identifies Underwater Munitions in Gulf Study
- Protective Coating Improves Jet Engine Fuel Efficiency
- Assessing Pacific Island Watershed Health
- New Insights Into Tracking Contaminants in Bedrock
- ClimaStat Technology Improves HVAC Efficiency
- Innovative Plating Process for Beryllium Alternatives
Sonar Identifies Underwater Munitions in Gulf Study

In an important milestone, scientists have shown that low-frequency sonar can be an effective method for detecting and classifying underwater munitions in a real-world, open water setting. In work funded by SERDP, Dr. Steven Kargl of the University of Washington collaborated with a half dozen research teams in conducting a complex, coordinated experiment in the Gulf of Mexico.
In prior laboratory experiments and carefully controlled tests in ponds, low-frequency sonar has shown promise as a method to detect and classify underwater munitions. Determining if this acoustic technique would work in an open water environment with multiple variables is the next step in assessing its viability for routine use.
In the SERDP project, conducted in the summer of 2013, teams set up a series of jigs in the Gulf, placed various objects, including munitions, on the sandy bottom and among the rocks on the sea floor, then used sonar to detect and classify the items. Along the way, the research teams encountered a number of real-world interferences including fish using the jigs as artificial reefs that had to be overcome.
The high-quality data set collected through this project shows that low-frequency sonar can be effective in detecting and classifying underwater munitions in real-world conditions. The development of a sonar-based survey system would provide DoD with an efficient means of collecting accurate information about the location and identity of underwater munitions to support management or cleanup.
For successfully coordinating this complex multi-team project, Dr. Kargl received the 2013 SERDP Project-of-the-Year Award for Munitions Response.
Project Summary
Project Team
- Dr. Kevin L. Williams, Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington
- Dr. Aubrey L. España, Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington
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