User:Eeclem/Exploration geophysics

Unexploded ordnance detection
Unexploded ordnance (or UXO) refers to the dysfunction or non-explosion of military explosives. Examples of these include, but are not limited to: bombs, flares, and grenades. It is important to be able to locate and contain unexploded ordnance to avoid injuries, and even possible death, to those who may come in contact with them.

The issue of unexploded ordnance originated as a result of the Crimean War (1853-1856). Before this, most unexploded ordnance was locally contained in smaller volumes, and was thus not a huge public issue. However, with the introduction of more widespread warfare, these quantities increased and were thus easy to lose track of and contain. According to Hooper & Hambric in their piece Unexploded Ordnance (UXO): The Problem, if we are unable to move away from war in the context of conflict resolution, this problem will only continue to get worse and will likely take more than a century to resolve.

Since our global method of conflict resolution banks on warfare, we must be able to rely on specific practices to detect this unexploded ordnance, such as magnetic and electromagnetic surveys. By looking at differences in magnetic susceptibility and/or electrical conductivity in relation to the unexploded ordnance and the surrounding geology (soil, rock, etc.), we are able to detect and contain unexploded ordnance.