On-Site Inspection Equipment Testing and Curriculum Development Activity

The event had two main objectives. The first was to perform testing and familiarization of the several types of shallow penetration geophysical equipment which would be used in the continuation period of an on-site inspection. This equipment included magnetometers, ground penetrating radar and a selection of electrical resistivity and conductivity instruments. The second objective of the event was to develop a curriculum for the Advanced Course for future inspectors of the Continuation Period Techniques (Geophysical) Sub-Team of the inspection team. The event was held at the University of Leicester, United Kingdom. This location was especially chosen for the carefully designed geophysical test site run by the Engineering and Industrial Geophysics Group of the Geological Society of London (EIGG). This site contains a number of well documented buried artifacts of different materials and depths which may be considered analogous to artifacts that may be present at the site of an underground nuclear explosion (UNE).

The participants had lectures on UNE phenomenology, the roles and logistics of the continuation period techniques sub-team, the latest geophysical techniques and data integration using GIS (Geographical Information Systems) techniques. Hands-on participation included training in the use of the equipment, data collection over the test site and an introduction to data processing. The data collected nicely showed the capabilities of the chosen on-site inspection (OSI) equipment. The type of training needed for an expert in a given technology to become an OSI inspector became clear from the field exercises. The event provided many opportunities for participants to discuss the issues pertaining to the equipment, to training and to OSI. Their input helped guide the equipment and training programmes forward.