Here we address the problem of remotely interrogating the shallow subsurface of soil using low power mechanical energy transmission and sensing the subsequent backscattering from the soil bed to find small buried objects at very shallow depths (∼ 15 cm or less). The effort is geared towards the development of better technologies for the remote detection and imaging of buried land mines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other undesirable objects. We present our studies against the backdrop of what is known in this field today. Our ongoing work is briefly summarized with an outline of the underlying physics of acoustic backscattering from shallow buried objects and of how such backscattering can be inexpensively and remotely detected and interpreted for possible use in automated mine clearance operations. ©2007 IEEE.