Galley Food Waste Disposal

This Phase I Small Business Innovation Research Project will develop a conceptual design for a Laser Scalar Gradiometer (LSG) deployed on a MCM Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV). The LSG will be used to locate buried mines and eliminate false targets inshallow-water MCM operations where conventional MCM systems are degraded and it is desirable to eliminate the risk and logistical demands of marine mammal assets and operators. Polatomic laser magnetometer technology was recently demonstrated in thePOLATOMIC 2000 (P-2000) ELF Laser Magnetometer for airborne ASW ELF detection. The P-2000 can be operated in a gradiometer mode and demonstrated sensitivity of 0.2 pT/ft for sensor separation of one foot. The LSG design goal is high sensitivity,omni-directional measurements in the mine detection frequency band. In Phase I, performance data will be collected using a P-2000 in gradiometer mode. A LSG conceptual design based on P-2000 magnetometer technology will be developed for optimized minedetection performance. The LSG conceptual design will address miniaturization and packaging for deployment in an autonomous UUV with low-frequency sonar. The feasibility of designing and fabricating an LSG prototype in Phase II will be assessed in Phase I,and the Phase II technical plan will be developed.The Laser Scalar Gradiometer will provide state-of-the-art, room temperature detection systems used for ASW, locating magnetic mines and unexploded ordnance, ELF receivers, earth and planetary magneticsurveys, as well as vehicle and intrusion detection.