Importance

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Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention is a toxic waste containment facility subject to leaking hazardous plumes into soils beneath and adjacent to the site. The facility includes a plurality of substantially horizontal underground drillholes adjacent to and below a waste containment pit. A radio transmitter and antenna are placed in a first underground drillhole proximate to a surface waste containment site. A radio receiver and antenna are placed in a second underground drillhole opposite to the first drillhole. A position indicator is used for gauging a plurality of locations of the radio transmitter and antenna within the first underground drillhole and the radio receiver and antenna within the second underground drillhole. A data processing unit analyzes data received from radio receiver and antenna and position indicator to measure radio signal attenuation between the radio transmitter and antenna and radio receiver and antenna. The transmitted signal from the radio transmitter and antenna are synchronized by a signal from the data processing unit. Fiber optic cables are used to couple signals between the radio transmitter and antenna and radio receiver and antenna with the data processing unit. Along each path, the operating frequency is increased until all of the transmitted energy is absorbed along the path to maximize resolution. Tomographic techniques are used to translate the data collected from a variety of transmitter and receiver positions into attenuation profiles that can image a toxic plume beneath the containment pit.

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First Claim