The Geophysical Quality Control Process In Oe Investigations: It Is Not An Option!

Clearance of UXO from closed, transferred, and transferring bases is not just a matter of a single<br>geophysical scan and excavation of detected anomalies. An important component not stressed enough<br>and often overlooked is an integrated quality control program that ensures a smooth integration of<br>analog QC/QA with digital QC/QA. A good Quality Control (QC) process will move a project much<br>closer to federal and state regulator acceptance than when QC is performed in a lackadaisical manner.<br>Comprehensive, consistent, and documented communication is the key to a successful operation. The<br>quality control process must also consider management of acquired data. This does not include just<br>geophysical data but all the data generated during a project. Quality data management must be present<br>from field acquisition through processing through interpretation through QC through data entry into a<br>GIS platform. Field observation of analog and digital acquisition, reacquisition, and excavation<br>procedures must also be part of the QC process. A QC manager must ensure that the site was completely<br>surveyed, that there are no missing survey lines within a grid, that there are no data “gaps” along survey<br>lines, and that there is no "bowing" out of survey lines beyond agreed upon specifications. The data<br>density along survey traverses must be matched to specific OE. Instrument functionality checks,<br>accurate and precise anomaly locations, and survey line orientations are required components.<br>Unreasonable data spikes must be removed from the data, there must be no data incongruities across<br>boundaries of grids, and the typical lag and heading corrections applied to data must be monitored. UXO<br>excavation results must be confirmed. This includes examination of dig sheets pre- and post-excavation,<br>independent surveying, and seeding of actual, site-specific, inert OE. Use of simulants is to be avoided.<br>Finally, a comprehensive quality control process is not optional.