Standoff Methods for the Detection of Threat Agents: A Review of Several Promising Laser-Based Techniques

J. Bruce Johnson, Susan D. Allen, Jonathan Merten, Lewis Johnson, Daniel Pinkham, Scott W. Reeve

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Detection of explosives, explosive precursors, or other threat agents presents a number of technological challenges for optical sensing methods. Certainly detecting trace levels of threat agents against a complex background is chief among these challenges; however, the related issues of multiple target distances (from standoff to proximity) and sampling time scales (from passive mines to rapid rate of march convoy protection) for different applications make it unlikely that a single technique will be ideal for all sensing situations. A number of methods for spanning the range of optical sensor technologies exist which, when integrated, could produce a fused sensor system possessing a high level of sensitivity to threat agents and a moderate standoff real-time capability appropriate for portal screening of personnel or vehicles. In this work, we focus on several promising, and potentially synergistic, laser-based methods for sensing threat agents. For each method, we have briefly outlined the technique and report on the current level of capability.

Original languageAmerican English
JournalJournal of Spectroscopy
Volume2014
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2014

Keywords

  • amphibious vehicles
  • explosives
  • detection of explosives
  • fused-sensor systems

Disciplines

  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Physics

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