Systems to Detect Concealed Bombs at a Distance

Systems to Detect Concealed Bombs at a Distance

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16723369_sMillimeter wave stand-off detection systems are currently being developed under a contract from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, are being designed to detect suicide bombers at a distance.

The tragic events at the Boston Marathon illustrate the growing and critical need for the detection of person-borne improvised explosive devices (PBIEDS). Such systems, in fact, are currently under development under the guidance and supervision of the Department of Homeland Security. These sophisticated next generation radar systems are being designed to detect bombers at long distances, in crowded areas, and even at non-“fixed” locations such as the Boston Marathon.

A favored tactic by terrorists, due to its simplicity and low cost, these bombings create maximum fear because the victims are randomly chosen, and in public areas such as schools, churches, hospitals, sporting events, bus or train stations, or other populated areas.

Unfortunately, person-borne IEDS are often shaped from a variety of metals and concealed under clothing or in backpacks so they are extremely difficult to detect. At the Boston Marathon two pressure cookers loaded with shrapnel were placed inside backpacks and left near the finish line.

With a typical blast ratio of 50 meters or more, close-up detection methods such as airport-style scanning booths and pat-downs are of limited value, given that detonation would still claim many innocent victims.

Instead, improving the ability to detect explosives at a distance demands sophisticated stand-off detection systems that are capable of scanning individuals in a crowd at a distance in mere milliseconds.

According to Homeland 1 the systems already in development are occurring under the guidance and support of the Department of Homeland Security, including by the ALERT Center, a partnership of academic, industrial and government entities dedicated to improving the detection, mitigation and response to explosives-related threats facing the country and the world.

The concept currently being developed by ALERT (an acronym that stands for Awareness and Localization of Explosives Related Threats) involves multiple radar units that can be pointed in the direction of crowds of people that are approaching a venue, checkpoint, or other area of entry.

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The system would scan each individual at a distance of 50 meters or more to identify suicide bombers who appear to be dressed normally, but are concealing IEDs strapped to their chest or limbs.

Fulfilling the need for detection in large gathering areas, such as concerts in the park, parades, political rallies, protests, and sporting events, the portability of the equipment is another key component. For this, the ALERT radar is expected to be mountable to a van or truck for wide-ranging field use. Permanently mounted solutions would also be available for high security buildings, checkpoints or border crossings.

Various methods of wave detection systems including X-ray and Black-body radiation were initially researched and investigated, before he ultimately selected a millimeter wave based system.

The ALERT Center’s research eventually led it to select a millimeter wave based system design approach. Millimeter waves are a subset of the Microwave band, which in turn is part of the larger radio wave band. These waves operate within a frequency range of 30-300 Ghz. Unlike X-rays, millimeter-waves are non-ionizing and universally considered non-carcinogenic.

Until recently, millimeter wave technology has largely been used by the military until plummeting hardware costs have opened up this band to more commercial applications.

The TSA is already on board with some 260- millimeter-wave scanners already installed throughout the U.S. along with its approximately 250 backscatter X-ray machines. However, these “close-up” detectors are not capable of stand-off detection.

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