Skip to main content

Seeing into the Earth Noninvasive Characterization of the Shallow Subsurface for Environmental and Engineering Applications (2000) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:

7 Realizing Future Capabilities
Pages 120-130

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 120...
... have invested heavily in R&D because they are profit driven; breakthroughs in exploration can dramatically increase profits. In comparison to the gross expenditures on characterization efforts, the near-surface characterization industry invests relatively little in R&D.
Read the entire page →
From page 121...
... The federal government already supports some of the R&D that is needed to deal with proliferating societal issues ranging from land mines to hazardous waste to underground construction. A mechanism should be developed to stimulate private sector investment in R&D in spite of the cost-driven nature of the industry and its size (usually small consulting firms)
Read the entire page →
From page 122...
... However, computers can help design a site survey, automate data acquisition, check the quality of data, process the data, model the data, and provide a rough interpretation. For example, the Geophysics Advisor Expert System (Olhoeft, 1992)
Read the entire page →
From page 123...
... Not only can robotic technology make it possible to avoid putting humans in dangerous situations, but expert systems and decision support tools can further enhance the quality of data by making real-time decisions about optimizing acquisition parameters. Ultimately, such systems could improve data quality, lower cost, and enhance safety.
Read the entire page →
From page 124...
... MONITORING TEMPORAL VARIATIONS Many site characterization problems involve changes with time. Examples include monitoring engineered barriers to confirm containment of contaminants, analyzing changes in soil moisture to assess water fluxes, or surveying an environmental remediation site to characterize the reduction in the extent of subsurface contamination.
Read the entire page →
From page 125...
... , monitoring properties indicative of the progress of a remediative actions might be difficult using existing characterization tools and survey methods. Fundamentally new tools (such as magnetic resonance imaging and seismic-electric techniques)
Read the entire page →
From page 126...
... In the future, solutions to environmental and engineering problems of the shallow subsurface also will depend on understanding and observing in situ chemical and biological processes and the interactions between them. Characterization methods used to find anomalies or map subsurface geometry actually are detecting variations in properties or mapping boundaries between areas of different properties.
Read the entire page →
From page 127...
... Fundamental studies should be supplemented by variable-scale testing, ranging from laboratory examination of cores to full-scale integrated surveys of standard test sites. The National Geotechnical Test Site Program, supported by the National Science Foundation and the Federal Highway Administration and managed by the National Council for Geo-Engineering and Construction, might serve as a useful model.
Read the entire page →
From page 128...
... A few physical measurements indirectly involve biological agents (for example, spectral imaging can be used to interpret the health of plants that, in turn, can indicate depth to water table)
Read the entire page →
From page 129...
... The discovery of fundamentally new measurement technologies that can measure a physical phenomenon that has a causal relationship with subsurface chemistry or biology; make a direct chemical or biological measurement that is diagnostic of conditions at depth; and 3. the ability to observe fundamentally-new phenomena; and · Better data fusion and integrated processing, modeling, and visualization of data from all three specialties.
Read the entire page →

Key Terms

  • biological properties
  • physical phenomena
  • characterization industry
  • decision support
  • existing tools

  • data acquisition
  • situ properties
  • data processing
  • characterization methods
  • subsurface processes

  • using existing
  • subsurface geometry
  • tunnel detection
  • geobiological properties
  • hazardous waste

  • subsurface conditions
  • data quality
  • survey methods
  • sensing techniques
  • characterization efforts

  • biological agents
  • test sites
  • characterization process
  • shallow subsurface
  • underground construction

  • measurement technologies
  • sector investment
  • predict future
  • infer biological
  • procedures using


    • This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
    More information on Chapter Skim is available.