Existing and Potential Standoff Explosives Detection Techniques (2004) / Chapter Skim
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Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Pages 1-11
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For scenarios such as these, standoff explosives detection is required, where physical separation puts individuals and vital assets outside the zone of severe damage should an explosive device detonate. The difficulty of the standoff explosive detection task is exacerbated by several factors, including dynamic backgrounds that can interfere with the signal from the explosive, the potential for high false alarms, and the need to ascertain a threat quickly so that action can be taken.
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· Propose areas for research that might be expected to yield significant advances in practical explosives and bomb detection technology in the near, mid, and long term. CHALLENGES IN STANDOFF DETECTION Successful standoff explosives technology involves detection of a weak signal in a noisy environment.
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In considering any situation involving standoff detection of explosives, one must have some general understanding of the scenarios of concern (e.g., suicide bombing, concealed bombs in roadways, bombings in a stadium) and the parameters that describe the explosive device and the surrounding environment.
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To design an effective standoff explosives detection system -- explosives detection where physical separation puts individuals and valuable assets outside the zone of severe damage from the potential detonation of an explosive device -- the following issues must be considered: · Multiple sensors of different types increase the number of possible indications that can be searched for in the environment. · Both specificity and sensitivity can continue to increase with additional sensor types, as long as there are indications that each sensor type can find an explosive if an explosive is present during its interaction with the environment.
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From page 5... ...
The sensor system research agenda should emphasize the principle of orthogonality in mathematical consideration, sensor system design, and design of information leading to true detection Threat Identification Threat parameters can be used to identify the performance challenges that must be addressed when developing standoff explosives detection. These threat parameters include, but are not limited to, the following: · Means of delivering the device to the point of detonation · Location and timing of detonation · Composition of the explosive · Mass of the explosive · Other components of the explosive device · Dispersed materials Additional considerations that may impact standoff explosives detection include ambient environmental conditions and the influence of humans present in the event.
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From page 6... ...
and perhaps mobile sensors, distributed arrays of sensors, and the use of con vective streams with or without airborne adsorbing particles to gather chemical samples. Recommendation: Research is needed on the integration of infor mation from distributed orthogonal sensors to achieve real-time conflict resolution and decision making with high system effective ness, and on integration tools based on data fusion and decision fusion.
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From page 7... ...
Molecular spectroscopic techniques can be used to uniquely identify explosive molecules in the vapor phase, but the low vapor pressure of many explosives limits their use. LIDAR (light detection and ranging)
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. EXISTING DETECTION TECHNIQUES AND POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS TO STANDOFF DETECTION Explosives detection techniques usually focus on either bulk explosives or traces of explosives.
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Magnetic resonance techniques require close proximity and/or a large amount of bulk explosives, making them ill suited to standoff detection. Extremely sensitive magnetometers have been developed to detect metal objects; however, clutter from other metal objects is a significant limitation to their use for standoff explosive device detection.
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These changes include body heat signatures, color changes of skin and tissues, and irregularities in heart beat and rate. Approaches such as these could overcome one of the main limitations to the use of biosensors for standoff detection, providing real-time feedback to the detector operator.
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From page 11... ...
The goal would be for the rat to find clandestine bomb production facilities in crowded urban areas. Recommendation: Feasibility studies should be developed on the ideas suggested in Chapter 7 to assess their potential in sensors suit able for standoff detection.
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