IN THE NEWS: MDs to Find UXO in Capitol

I read a great story today about a pair of geophysicists who are using metal detectors to help snoop out unexploded WWI ordinance in the Spring Valley area of Washington DC. Apparently during the first World War, there was a chemical weapon test firing range at and around the American University.

On the streets neighboring the school (like the above scene just off of Rockwood Pkwy), apparently you can still find buried, or perhaps partially buried Livens Projectors in the brush. These very basic tubes where designed by William Howard Livens, and made for launching a 8" projectile that could carry things like napalm or in many cases, a chemical agent like nerve gas or tear gas. In the following image is a vial of mustard gas agent that was found in the area in August.

Since the early 1990's, military officials have been searching for and cleaning up all of the UXO in the area ranging from the University, all the way to the Dalecarlia Reservoir as concerns about the chemicals leaking into the public water supply have been raised.

In the image above I made a color chart showing the range of common projectiles fired from this area. In the green area were just your common short range ammunition, the yellow was about where you could expect to find 4" Mortars... and in the orange is the range of the Livens projectiles.

To check out the article from the Washington Post, click HERE.
For a related story from the Post from 2 years back, click HERE.
For more info on Bill Livens, click HERE.
For more info on the Livens Projectile, click HERE.