Tests of the HYDAD‐D Landmine Detector on Dry Soil in Northern Chile

HYDAD is an acronym of HYdrogen Density Anomaly Detector. It is a device that detects hydrogen‐rich objects by analysis the energy‐moderation of fast neutrons by hydrogen [1]. A HYDAD‐D was assembled at the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission (CCHEN) guided by the South African developers, aimed to detecting landmines in arid soils. The device was tested under controlled conditions in dry soil equivalent to the mine fields of the frontier zones of the north of Chile. The tests were carried out in Arica, in collaboration with the Chilean Army, using antipersonnel landmines, antitank landmines and objects with a high Hydrogen content (e.g, water vessel, paraffin wax). The test results demonstrated that HYDAD‐D can detect antipersonnel landmines as small as the M14 (mass 100 g, including only 29 g of TNT in a plastic container), in dry sand, at typical landmines bury‐depths (less than 5 cm).