Sketch illustrating the vapour transportation process in soils
It is generally understood that environmental and chemical factors strongly influence a dog's capability for scent detection. However, too little has been done to measure the effects and limitations of these factors on mine dog detection. Consequently, dogs may end up being used under environmental conditions that are unfavourable, resulting in less than optimum, and possibly unacceptable and dangerous, levels of effectiveness.
The aim of this project is to quantify the effects of all known weather related factors that influence mine dog detection and identify other limiting factors, currently not recognised.
Flux is the process of leakage of odour molecules from a mine. To predict whether detection potential is above or below detection benchmarks for different equipment (including dogs and rats), it is essential to understand the relationship between flux rate, availability of target scent at surface level, and the effects of weather and soil properties on migration of vapour through the soil. Defining the limits of detection will assist in the understanding of the optimal deployment of animal detector system. Productivity and safety should also be improved.
