Portable Non-Contact Non-Invasive Underwater Compton Imaging Tomography System

To address the Navy"s need for technology for in situ imaging and displaying of internal components (firing train components, anti-removal and anti-tamper devices, methods of attachment, and air voids) of underwater explosive threats such as limpet mines or underwater improvised explosive devises (IEDs), Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to continue developing a new Portable Non-Contact Non-Invasive Underwater Compton Imaging Tomography (PUNICITO) system. The proposed PUNICITO is based on a novel POC-developed Compton Imaging Tomography technique. The innovative PUNICITO system will allow users to obtain three-dimensional, high-resolution, high-contrast Compton scattered X-ray images of investigated objects with detailed spatial localization of all of the features of the internal components. PUNICITO"s hardware is mounted in one submersible enclosure attached to a remotely operated vehicle. PUNICITO requires only one-sided, noncontact access to objects. PUNICITO provides a full exposure time of 1 to 3 min per sq ft, a spatial resolution of less than 0.5 mm, and sensitivity of less than 1%, which meet Navy requirements. In Phase I, POC successfully demonstrated the feasibility of PUNICITO in X-ray laboratory underwater experiments with simulated limpet mines/IEDs. In Phase II, POC plans to assemble, test, and demonstrate a fully functional TRL-6 PUNICITO system laboratory prototype.