April 21, 2004

Boise State Researchers Advance Technique That Could Provide Long-Term Savings For Environmental Clean-Up Efforts

A recently completed three-year study at Boise State University has successfully advanced the understanding of the applications of ground-penetrating radar, research that one day could lead to savings in environmental clean-up. The study’s data demonstrates that ground-penetrating radar can be used to characterize the components of the rock and sediment layers and the subsurface transport of contaminants, while allowing for a more rapid response to clean-up efforts than is possible by using traditional invasive methods such as digging wells. Warren Barrash and Michael Knoll, professors at the Center for Geophysical Investigation of the Shallow Subsurface and department of geosciences at Boise State, led the project. The Inland Northwest Research Alliance (INRA), a coalition of eight Northwestern research universities, including Boise State University, funded the effort. The research was conducted at a research site along the Boise River called the Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site and at sites at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. Boise State doctoral student Greg Oldenborger and research professor William Clement, along with Robert Starr and Roelof Versteeg of INEEL, collaborated with Barrash and Knoll. Mapping and understanding the makeup of the ground just below the surface is important for developing subsurface environmental clean-up measures. Contamination flows through groundwater based on the distribution of the ground’s rock and sediment types. Traditional methods to obtain information about contaminant flow such as trench and well digging are invasive in terms of time and money. These methods are also dangerous because of human exposure to the contaminants. The INRA-funded study was part of ongoing research efforts involving CGISS scientists aimed at developing more effective and efficient methods for evaluating and cleaning up subsurface contamination. The work has important implications for a wide range of clean-up efforts, including those at INEEL. The work is also contributing to an overall understanding of subsurface science, identified as one of the top research priorities by the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Departments of Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency. INRA is a non-profit scientific and educational organization consisting of eight western research universities (Boise State University, Idaho State University, Montana State University, Utah State University, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the University of Idaho, the University of Montana and Washington State University.) INRA was created to promote new opportunities for research and education that will benefit the region and the nation in a variety of technical disciplines. INRA is a partner with Bechtel and BWXT Inc. in the management and operations contract for the INEEL, operated for the U.S. Department of Energy. INRA’s roles in this contract include the support of collaborative basic and applied research programs between its member universities and the INEEL staff by funding several diverse multi-year research projects in the critical mission areas of the laboratory, including environmental management, energy sciences, and national security. -30- Contact Warren Barrash CGISS 208 426-1229 wbarrash@boisestate.edu Amy K, Matthews INRA 208-524-4800 amathews@inra.org Media contact Janelle Brown communications and marketing 208-426-1790 jbrown2@boisestate.edu