THE DETECTION AND MAPPING OF BURIED WASTE

Determining the exact location of buried waste trenches is an importan t step in the characterization and remediation of certain hazardous wa ste sites. Remotely sensed data offers a rich source of information fo r accomplishing this task. This paper presents an investigation of bur ied waste trenches located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) usi ng thermal remote sensing. A comparison of historical aerial photograp hy and recently collected thermal imagery reveals a thermal signature which coincides with the precise locations of buried waste trenches. S tatistical analysis of extensive ground measurements shows a clear the rmal difference between the trench and control areas, with the trenche s exhibiting cooler temperatures and greater soil moisture. By incorpo rating the imagery-derived information into site remediation plans, OR NL realized a cost avoidance of more than U.S. $5 000 000. Similar ben efits can be anticipated at other DOE waste sites.