Defining Munitions Constituent Source Terms in Aquatic Environments on DoD Ranges
ER-1453
Objective
Release of MCs from unexploded military ammunitions in the marine environment.
The Department of Defense (DoD) has custody and responsibility for underwater sites that are known to contain unexploded or partially detonated ordnance. In order to make informed decisions relating to active range compliance issues and the Munitions Response Program (MRP), DoD must understand the environmental effects of underwater munitions constituents (MC). This requires information on MC fate and transport within the aquatic environment.
The broad objective of this project is to develop a scientific basis for quantitatively estimating the source terms associated with breached or broken projectile casings along with the fate and transport of MC contamination in the aquatic environments on DoD ranges as a component of a future risk assessment process. Specifically, researchers will provide a predictive modeling capability of MC fate and transport associated with an unexploded breached projectile.
Technical Approach
An empirical determination will be made of MC time-dependent transport out of surrogate munitions and MC mass depletion based on various states of shell integrity and hydrodynamic conditions. Researchers will evaluate interactions between the physicochemical characteristics of MCs and the physical forces associated with the aquatic environment to which MCs are exposed. The fate and transport modeling effort will consist of defining and compiling input parameters to characterize the source release process through a release function and simulation of MC fate and transport under realistic conditions that correspond to DoD underwater munitions areas. These data then will be incorporated into existing modeling tools (i.e., multi-box RECOVERY) based on interrelated modular components and integrated with relevant MC physicochemical data to simulate the release and subsequent fate and transport of MCs and their expected breakdown products in the water column and sediment.
Benefits
Results of this project will assist the DoD and regulatory communities through a theoretical estimate of the amount of MCs released to the environment from unexploded rounds over time. This estimate is a crucial component of any risk-based site conceptual model, necessary in developing a scientifically defensible basis for predicting and assessing potential impacts from underwater MCs. Technology and protocols developed under this effort will be transitioned to support risk-based assessment of marine ranges and development of subsequent management solutions. (Anticipated Project Completion - 2010)
Points of Contact
Principal Investigator
Mr. William Wild
SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific
Phone: 619-553-2781
Fax: 619-553-6305
Document Types
- Fact Sheet - Brief project summary with links to related documents and points of contact.
- Final Report - Comprehensive report for every completed SERDP and ESTCP project that contains all technical results.
- Cost & Performance Report - Overview of ESTCP demonstration activities, results, and conclusions, standardized to facilitate implementation decisions.
- Technical Report - Additional interim reports, laboratory reports, demonstration reports, and technology survey reports.
- Guidance - Instructional information on technical topics such as protocols and user’s guides.
- Workshop Report - Summary of workshop discussion and findings.
- Multimedia - On demand videos, animations, and webcasts highlighting featured initiatives or technologies.
- Model/Software - Computer programs and applications available for download.
- Database - Digitally organized collection of data available to search and access.