Laser Scalar Gradiometer for MCM

"This Phase II Small Business Research Project will develop a breadboard model of the LSG suitable to demonstrate range and motion sensitivity for a Laser Scalar Gradiometer (LSG) deployed in a MCM surface environment. Future models of the LSG will becapable of deployment in the MCM Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) environment. The LSG is used to locate buried mines and eliminate false alarms in shallow water MCM operations where conventional MCM systems are degraded and it is desirable to eliminatethe risk and logistic demands of marine mammal assets and operators. Polatomic laser magnetometer technology was recently demonstrated in the POLATOMIC 2000 (P-2000) ELF Laser Magnetometer for airborne ASW ELF detection. During the execution of Phase I ofthis program, the P-2000 was operated in a gradiometer mode with a demonstrated sensitivity of 0.3 pT/rtHZ-m for sensor separation of 1 meter in a frequency band of 0.03 to 1 Hertz. In Phase II range performance and motion sensitivity data will becollected using the LSG breadboard to validate performance predictions and determine improvements to the design to optimize mine detection performance. The feasibility of designing and fabricating an LSG prototype in Phase III will be assessed in PhaseII.BENEFITS: The Laser Scalar Gradiometer will provide state-of-the-art, detection systems used for ASW, locating magnetic mines, unexploded ordnance and buried or camouflaged tanks or missiles, dete