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Time-Lapse 3D GPR Characterization and Monitoring of Near-Surface Groundwater and Contaminant Flows—4th Wave Imaging

Corporation, 16A Journey, Suite 200, Aliso Viejo, CA  92656-9786; 949-916-9787, http://www.4thwaveimaging.com

Dr. David E. Lumley, Principal Investigator, david.lumley@4thwaveimaging.com

Dr. Richard Wright, Business Official, rich.wright@4thwaveimaging.com

DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-05ER84266

Amount:  $750,000

 

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, federal, state, and local governments, as well as private industry, will spend billions of dollars annually over the next several decades to clean up groundwater sites contaminated with hazardous waste and petroleum products.  As many as 350,000 contaminated sites, including many sites operated by DOE, could require cleanup over the next 30 years, at an expense that may exceed $250 billion.  This project will develop technology that uses ground-penetrating radar to image groundwater contaminant plumes underground, and monitor them in time-lapse mode as they undergo natural biodegradation or are cleaned up by remediation processes.  The technology would enable engineers to monitor the effectiveness of clean-up operations in real time, make adjustments to remediation processes if necessary, and locate any residual contaminants before leaving the site.  In Phase I, prototype methods and software algorithms were developed for processing time-lapse radar data; images and quantitative estimations of underground contaminant-saturation distributions were produced; and the feasibility of imaging groundwater contaminants – in the presence of rocks, water, contaminants, and radar noise – was demonstrated.   In Phase II, a field trial will be performed at a DOE/DOD contaminant site undergoing active biodegradation or remediative clean-up of groundwater contaminants. 

 

Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee:  In addition to monitoring groundwater contaminants at clean-up sites across the nation, the technology also should be useful for agricultural applications to monitor subsurface soil moisture over time for the enhancement of crop irrigation and production.  The technology also may find use in monitoring groundwater depletion and recharge in subsurface aquifers, vital for securing the nation’s supply of fresh water.