288 research outputs found
Thematic assessment on Hazardous Submerged Objects in the Baltic Sea - Warfare Materials in the Baltic Sea
Contemporary society’s perception of past wars is almost exclusively driven by historic sources such as film recordings, photographs and written documents that are presented in mass media.
However, the legacy of these wars is still present throughout European soil and waters, including
the Baltic Sea. The marine waters of every Baltic Sea state contain warfare materials. Resulting
risks may be direct and short-term. Fishermen, divers, offshore wind farm constructors and
beachgoers can potentially be exposed to their remains while performing their daily work or
while collecting objects in the surf. Other potential effects might be indirect and long-term such
as the accumulation of carcinogenic toxic substances and their metabolites in the marine food
web.
Since 1974 Contracting Parties of the Helsinki Convention are seeking to address the increasing
environmental challenges from human activities and that were having a severe impact on the
marine environment. This includes the protection of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution,
and thus munitions in the Baltic Sea are addressed by HELCOM since 1993. The convention
commits the signatories to take measures to conserve habitats and biological diversity and for
the sustainable use of marine resources. In addition, warfare materials potentially constitute a
hazard and an obstacle for the utilization of the sea floor for economic purposes. The global
ocean economy is predicted to double in size by 2030, as compared to 2010 (OECD 2016). In the
Blue Growth Strategy laid out by the European Commission the economic potential for the
extended economic usage of the oceans was recognized and focus was placed on five blue
growth sectors. Two of these sectors (ocean energy and seabed mining) require the ability to
safely access large areas of the sea floor (European Commission 2017). In order to exploit the
economic potential of the ocean energy and seabed resources sectors, the detection and
removal of warfare materials in affected areas will become increasingly important (European
Parliament 2021).
Recently, numerous HELCOM Contracting Parties supported increasing the knowledge
concerning warfare materials in the Baltic Sea and their effects on humans and the marine
environment of the Baltic Sea. As a result of national, regional and international scientific
research the understanding of the issue grows and consequentially numerous recommendations
are published on how the warfare materials challenge can be addressed. However, international
coordination is necessary to identify synergies and to avoid a duplication of efforts. This report
provides the current state of knowledge on warfare materials in the Baltic sea based on recent
research projects
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Bradford Non-Lethal Weapons Research Project (BNLWRP). Research Report No. 7.
yesThe length of this Bradford Non-Lethal Weapons Research Project Report No.7 again reflects
the interest related to non-lethal weapons from academics, research institutes, policy makers,
the police and the military.
A number of reports, particularly concerning the Taser electro-shock weapon, have been
published from these sectors since our last BNLWRP Report No.6 in October 2004. Some,
such as the Amnesty International (U.S. and Canada) have again raised, and stressed, the
concerns about the safety of the weapon and the number of deaths associated with its use.
Others, such as the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Human Effects Center of Excellence
(HECOE), Human Effectiveness and Risk Characterization of the Electromuscular
Incapacitation Device ¿ A Limited Analysis of the TASER. (March 2005) concluded that the
Taser was relatively safe, but that further research was needed into potential bio-effects, and
for continual development into a safer weapon. Reaction to these reports was mixed. Some
US legislators called for limitations on the use of Tasers, more accountability, and the
detailed recording of incidents in which they were used.1 Others called for a ban on their use
until more testing was carried out regarding their potentially harmful effects. A number of US
police forces stopped the use of Taser, slowed down the deployment and ordering of the
weapons, reviewed their rules of engagement and reporting, and revisited their operational
guidelines. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) published the Electro-
Muscular Disruption Technology (EMDT). A Nine-Step Strategy For Effective Deployment.
(April 2005) as a response to these growing concerns. Certain elements of the media,
especially The Arizona Republic2 and others, took a hostile view of what they considered the
scandal of the number of deaths and associated serious injuries caused by the Taser. Taser
International challenged allegations that their weapon was directly responsible for these
deaths and quoted reports, such as the Madison Police Department report (February 2005),
the study by McDaniel, W & Stratbucker, R & Nerheim, M & Brewer, J. Cardiac Safety of
Neuromuscular Incapacitating Defensive Devices (January 2005), and the U.K. DOMILL
Statement (March 2005) to support their view. The controversy continues.
Other than Tasers, there are still few reports of the newer non-lethal technologies actually
being deployed in operations. The exception to this is the Long Range Acoustic Device
(LRAD), which is now in widespread use in Iraq. Little additional information has appeared
regarding the `active denial¿ weapon we have described in previous reports
Investigation of environmental impacts on explosives by open burning
New safety requirements are pressuring military organizations to replace TNT with insensitive high explosives (IHEs) containing DNAN, NTO and RDX but little is known about the behaviour IHE components and formulations in the environment. The environmental impact of ordnance during the in-service phase has been studied, but most reports concern TNT-based legacy explosives and their impact on soil rather than other environmental compartments. To address this knowledge gap, IHE samples ranging from milligrams in a closed system to grams and kilograms in an open system were tested in the laboratory and field, yielding environmental impact data that helps to determine the behaviour of the materials during open burning. The prediction software HYDRUS 1D was then fed with the empirical data and the actual and predicted outcomes for the behaviour of DNAN, NTO, RDX and the IHE formulation were compared to determine whether this software can be used to predict said impacts. The thermodynamic properties of DNAN make it more likely to melt, boil and sublimate during open burning, leaving ~70 % behind as unreacted residues. DNAN also inhibits the burning of RDX and NTO, such the near zero residual mass when these are burned as pure compounds increases to ~20 % of the initial mass when the formulation is burned. Overall, the experiments showed that DNAN-based IHEs behave in a similar manner to TNT-based legacy explosives regarding emission of greenhouse gases, but worse in terms of solid residues. Ultimately, the body of work reported through this thesis has shown that traditional open burning of DNAN-based IHE could leave as much as 12 % (w/w) of unburnt explosive on the soil. We have therefore concluded that the open burning methodology adopted for TNT-legacy munitions should be avoided for disposing of IHE explosive
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1995 BRAC Commission
Data Calls: Arnold AFB, TN Engineering Development Center; Eglin AFB, FL Air Force Development Test Center. (Box 128
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A Survey: Destruction of Chemical Agent Simulants in Supercritical Water Oxidadtion
U.S. Air Force and Air Force Academy Department of Civil EngineeringCenter for Water and the Environmen
Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms
The Joint Publication 1-02, Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms sets forth standard US military and associated terminology to encompass the joint activity of the Armed Forces of the United States. These military and associated terms, together with their definitions, constitute approved Department of Defense (DOD) terminology for general use by all DOD components
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