Special Nuclear Material (SNM) Detection

Nuclear Weapons, or Special Nuclear Materials (SNM) which can be used in fabricating nuclear weapons, are difficult to detect, can be transported in conventional shipping containers, and represent a serious security threat in the hands of terrorists. The detection of SNM is currently accomplished, some say inadequately, by expensive nuclear radiation particle counters that must operate in close proximity and slow down commercial traffic. A long range (>5 km) detection system is proposed that operates on new principles. Based on the effects that nuclear radiation has on the surrounding air, a layered combination of passive and active sensing means can observe signature trace components that can be used to locate hidden SNM and weapons. By remotely observing specific atmospheric components having limited lifetimes, the effect of radiation is naturally integrated in the surrounding air, making detection possible using methods adapted from current atmospheric research efforts. The Phase I program will quantitatively examine the potential for successful detection with a low false alarm rate in a layered detection system architecture that incorporates multiple diverse technical solutions. The Phase II effort will subject a breadboard system to experimental tests that validate the potential of the proposed approach for realistic detection scenarios.