This guidance will be expanded by the current Advanced Site Characterization Tools (ASCT) – Update Team to include new technologies and improved methods for high-resolution site characterization.
Advanced site characterization tools (ASCTs) are technologies that help environmental professionals quickly collect information about contamination and site conditions below the ground. These tools improve the understanding of where contaminants are located, how they move, and the site’s geology, making it easier to build a more accurate conceptual site model (CSM). By providing faster and more detailed information than traditional methods, advanced site characterization tools can help target investigations, reduce costs, and support better cleanup decisions.
The Implementing Advanced Site Characterization Tools (ASCT-1, 2019) guidance helps regulators and practitioners understand, evaluate, and select the most appropriate advanced site characterization tools for their projects. It describes four categories of tools (direct sensing, borehole geophysics, surface geophysics, and remote sensing) and explains how they can be used together to improve site characterization and remedial planning. The guidance also includes an interactive selection tool, case studies, checklists, and summary tables to help users choose and apply the right technologies for their site.
Topic(s): Advanced Site Characterization, Complex Sites, Site Characterization, Soils
