
An observational study of munition mobility and burial dynamics on the inner shelf of the Eastern Mediterranean
Eliyahou D. (1), Goodman-Tchernov B.N. (1), Katz T. (2), Jaijel R. (2)
(1) The Dr. Moses Strauss Department of Marine Geosciences, Leon H.Charney School of marine sciences. University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 3498838
(2) Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research Ltd., Tel-Shikmona, P.O.Box 8030, Haifa 31080, Israel
Offshore disposal of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and discarded munitions has led to the contamination of extensive areas of the world's coastal seas. Although out-of-sight and out-of-mind, UXO can pose widespread hazards to human safety, infrastructure, and ecosystems. Their long-term fate is governed by episodic coastal dynamics, yet field-based understanding of their mobility and burial thresholds remains limited, particularly in the wave-dominated, microtidal environment of the Eastern Mediterranean. To address this knowledge gap, this study aims to characterize the storm-driven transport and burial of deliberately deposited dummy munitions on the sandy inner shelf of Israel. Towards this goal, the study design involves deploying dummy munitions of defined size, weight, density, and shape in a standardized arrangement along a shore-perpendicular transect at three depths (5, 10, and 15 m) offshore from Range 24 (Rishon LeZion). Selected munitions are equipped with high-frequency accelerometers, and environmental conditions are monitored using co-located current meters and wave gauges. This approach enables direct quantification of the relationship between hydrodynamic forcing and object response. By integrating diver-based in situ measurements with detailed observations of munition position, orientation, displacement and sand cover, this study aims to assess the environmental thresholds for mobilization and burial. The resulting dataset will provide new insights into the dynamics of munition fate in coastal settings such as the Israeli inner shelf and support the development of predictive models and risk management strategies for marine UXO clearance and coastal safety.



