Modeling of TNT transport from landmines: Numerical approach

The fate and transport of TNT has been studied as part of a research program to develop chemical sensors for detecting landmines. The spatial and temporal concentration profiles of TNT and its degradation products depend primarily on the mobility of the water phase. The fate and transport of TNT released from a mine determine the location of the maximum concentration of chemicals on the surface. Chemical detection on the other hand may also provide such spatial location, but the actual position of the landmine is not necessary under the surface of that point. Although this hypothesis seems logical, it has never been proven. This paper presents numerical simulations in 3D (using LaGriT and FEHM codes developed at Los Alamos National Laboratories) of the fate and transport of TNT released from a landmine under changing environmental conditions (such as rainfall and solar radiation). To assess the numerical techniques, we compare numerical simulations to experimental data previously obtained.