the predetermined volume underlying the containment site the system may detect and correct potential breaches due to thermal geophysical or chemical invasions application_number US 28149388 A description a cryogenic barrier confinement system 10 embodying the invention is shown in fig1 in that figure a containment surface region of the earth is shown bearing a soil cap layer 12 overlying deposits of hazardous waste material in the illustrated embodiment these deposits are represented by a leaking gas storage tank 14 a surface spill 16 for example gasoline oil pesticides and abandoned chemical plant 18 which for example may leak materials such as pcb 39 s or ddt a leaking nuclear material storage tank 20 containing for example radioactive isotopes such as strontium 90 or u 235 and a garbage dump 22 which for example may leak leachite pcb 39 s and chemicals and which may produce methane the confinement system 10 includes a barrier network 30 having a dual set of inner and outer cryogenic fluid pipes extending into the earth from spaced apart locations about the perimeter of the containment surface underlying soil cap layer 12 in the preferred embodiment the cap layer 12 is impervious to fluid flow and forms a part of system 10 with such a cap layer the enclosed volume does not overflow due to addition of fluids to the containment site in the illustrated embodiment the cryogenic fluid pipes extend such that their distal tips tend to converge at underground locations in alternative embodiments for.