Compact Monitoring System

ARPA has indentified the need for compact and mobile air sampling equipment with two uses: as a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) monitoring systems or as an air pollution detector. PHI proposes to meet these needs with a novel Raman Scattering and Flourescence instrument using a diode laser and a charge coupled device (CCD) or avalanche photodiode (APD) detector. The instrument selects the Raman or Fluorescence spectral lines to be studied with a circular variable filter (CVF) and a Fabry-Perot (FP) interferometer used in tandem. The instrument can separate Rayleigh scattering, Raman scattering, and Flourescence with spectral and time spectroscopy. Spectral coverage is from 0.5 to 1.1. micron, resolution is 2cm1` and sensitivity to parts per trillion. A conventional germanium detector of soft gamma rays or a novel gamma ray Compton scattering telescope system proprietary to PHI will map isomer radiation from the alpha decay of uranium of plutonium for nuclear WMD applications. PHI has assembled an outstanding technical team to perform this research and this team will show the feasibility of these concepts in Phase I. In Phase II, PHI hopes to guide the team to develop a prototype in a timely and cost effective manner. The aforementioned team includes: Dr. Anthony Hull of OCA Applied Optics Co. of Garden Grove CA, and Dr. Theodore Gay of PHI. Consultants include: Iowa State and Penn. State (Meteorology Dept.). All participants have many years of experience in the state of the art. Anticipated Benefits: The benefits and commercial applications of this proposed device include: Analysis of air pollution at low cost with a light weight, compact sensor constant monitoring and control of pollution from public utility and aircraft turbines; analysis of complex semiconductor and catalyst structures, such as superlattices; and portable analysis of biological compounds for real time diagnosis of disease.