This 2-day course provides individuals who have little or no geophysical exploration experience with practical information on the strengths and limitations of the most used geophysical techniques on hazardous waste sites. It is intended to enable students to select the appropriate methods and to effectively supervise geophysical surveys during hazardous waste site investigations. This course offers the opportunity for hands on familiarization with the use of geophysical equipment and may be offered at any facility with a suitable outdoor open space area (rather than the 3-day Introduction to Environmental Geophysics course which requires use of a fixed facility with established buried targets at known locations and depths). 

The course emphasizes three geophysical methods --magnetics, electromagnetic induction (EM), and ground- penetrating radar -- commonly employed for site characterization and waste location throughout the U.S. The course also introduces other methods --seismic refraction, gravity, resistivity, and borehole geophysics --that may be effective depending on regional or site- specific conditions, and for all methods provides examples of situations where they may be applicable. It is intended for personnel responsible for inspections, site characterization, site investigations, and removal and remedial actions at Superfund sites. The course focuses on investigation plan design; types of equipment suitable for hazardous waste site characterization; and equipment operation and characteristic data displays for the three main methods.

The course includes lectures and field exercises. The field exercises focus on the most common techniques used for site assessment. Exercises will be conducted using Cesium Magnetometers, Time-domain and Frequency-domain Electromagnetic methods, and Ground Penetrating Radar.

After completing the course, participants will be able to:

• Describe the various geophysical methods available for shallow environmental characterization that involves locating and resolving buried objects or evaluating site geology and hydrogeologic characteristics.
• Understand the advantages and limitations of the magnetic, electromagnetic, seismic refraction, gravity, resistivity, borehole geophysics and ground-penetrating radar methods in environmental applications.
• Design a field survey and operate the most frequently used types of geophysical instrumentation under field conditions.
• Collect geophysical field data for use in resolving buried objects.

This course is a road version of a longer and more involved course usually offered at a specially constructed field site. The road course includes outdoor exercises. Participants should dress for field work.  The exercise is conducted regardless of weather. 

Continuing Education Units: 1.3

THIS COURSE IS NOT OPEN TO CONSULTANTS, CONTRACTORS, OR ANY PRIVATE ENTITIES.

*This course is offered free of charge to all registrants who are confirmed to attend.*

In compliance with Executive Order 13589 - Promoting Efficient Spending, Section 5; the ERTP will not be regularly printing or providing students hard copies of the course manual. Students may obtain an electronic copy of the student manual for personal printing or e-reading at:

https://ertpvu.org/ClassroomCourseDetail.aspx?id=46

IMPORTANT NOTICES – Applicable to all ERTP courses :

1. ERTP’s receipt of a Trainex course registration is a Registration Request, it is not a Guaranteed Enrollment in the Course. All ERTP training courses require applicant registration thru the Trainex system. Last minute course arrivals without prior ERTP Trainex course registration approval is not permitted. Before ERTP issues final approval to deliver any course and/or any EPA offices incurring expenses for the training event (including but not limited to EPA staff travel TA’s and/or ERTP training contractor expenses incurred), all EPA mandatory pre-approvals must all be met. The pre-approvals include (but are not limited to) the following:
   
   • Training location’s availability;
   • COVID status and/or other COVID Guidelines in effect for the location, as well as staff;
   • Agency limitations, scrutiny, and approvals of ‘Conference Spending Requirements (known as the “5170”)’ for the specific training course(s) scheduled delivery timeframe;
   • Weather (blizzard, hurricane, etc);
   • Contractual number of available course training slots;
   • EPA training location staff having priority registration over all other registrations; and/or
   • Hosting site Training Coordinator approval.
   
   In the event a course is subsequently postponed or canceled, or notification of registration cancellation is received, all EPA travel arrangements (airline/car rental/hotel) should be canceled in a timely manner. Registered students will receive a notification via email if/when a course is postponed and/or cancelled.
    
2. For in-person course deliveries, confirmed course registered participants must abide by all facility physical access requirements for the location (examples: check-in at the security gate, Federal ID, Government PIV/CAC cards, photo id’s, etc.). If applicable for the course or location, restrictions may apply to non-citizens and acceptable identification may be required for facility entry.

Notice:  For in-person course deliveries, confirmed course registered participants must abide by all facility physical access requirements for the location (examples: check-in at the security gate, Federal ID, Government PIV/CAC cards, photo id’s, etc.).  If applicable for the course or location, restrictions may apply to non-citizens and acceptable identification may be required for facility entry.  Unless otherwise specified, ERTP TRAINING IS GENERALLY NOT OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ATTENDEES, ACADEMIA, CONTRACTORS, CONSULTANTS OR OTHER PRIVATE ENTITIES.

EPA travelers: It is not anticipated that this course will require a 5170.  Please use your organization's generic exempt conference budget code in your TA for this course.