Gravity Gradiometry as a Tool for Underground Facility Detection

This paper is an examination of the feasibility of using gravity gradiometry for underground facility detection. Predicted gravity gradient anomalies for these structures have been calculated and some sample results are presented. Some work is done with respect to the noise due to variation of parameters such as density and terrain which might be expected in a survey, and the comparative usefulness of the different elements of the gravity gradient tensor for underground facility detection. The design parameters of the Gravity Gradiometer Survey System (GGSS) are compared with the requirements for underground facility detection as applied to the Cloud Chamber and the Yucca Mountain Tunnel.