Optimal experiments with seismic sensors for the localization of buried landmines

In this paper, we consider the problem of detecting and locating buried land mines and subsurface objects by using seismic waves. We demonstrate an adaptive seismic system that maneuvers an array of receivers, according to an optimal positioning algorithm based on the theory of optimal experiments, to minimize the number of distinct measurements to localize the mine. The adaptive localization algorithm is tested using numerical model data as well as laboratory measurements performed in a facility at Georgia Tech. Cases with one and two targets are presented. It is envisioned that future systems should be able to incorporate this new method into portable mobile mine-location systems.