Application of the ground penetrating radar to detect weapons caches and unexploded ordnance: laboratory experiments

Abstract

For the security reasons, buried weapons need to be detected. This study explains laboratory experiments of using the Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to study the feasibility and ability of this technique to detect these subsurface caches and calculate the target depth and dimensions. Iron, plastic, wooden boxes filled with metallic materials, and empty plastic box buried in the sand box had been used as examples of the weapons caches. The GPR system had been run over these materials with 1500MHz GSSI antenna. The GPR data indicate that all the four cases are predictable and investigated by this non-destructive geophysical tool. Also, the distinctions between the different weapons containers and the filled or empty boxes are easy to be investigated by the GPR system. Keywords: Ground Penetrating Radar, Antenna, Dielectric constant, Caches, Electromagnetic waves. I. Introduction The terrorist groups have a lot of different weapons such as, guns, rifles and shooters, unexploded ordnance (UXO), Improvised Explosive Devices, and explosive stuck devices, and explosive belts. Also they use the houses in the popular areas to store and as caches of their weapons and other devices. They usually dig holes inside the houses and rooms or in the houses yards, under the concrete slabs or flagstones and they but these weapons then they buried the holes. Most of times the police and army cannot find these caches because they are located under vary depths, and under the flagstones or the concrete. Also, they are difficult to detect because of the containers materials nature. In this experimental, we try to study the ability, capability, sensitivity, and effectiveness of the GPR to detect and locate the weapons caches and unexploded ordnance, and buried explosive devices. Additionally, we try to know the approximate dimensions and the depth of these materials and estimate the kinds of the containers materials. GPR are described as noninvasive and safe method used a wide range of electromagnetic