Associated Particle Imaging Mine Detection System

"Dynamics Technology, Inc. (DTI) and the Dept. of Energy, Special Technologies Laboratory (STL) will develop a vehicle mounted, explosives specific, mine detection system based on Associated Particle Imaging (API) technology, which can be used as a highperformance confirmatory sensor with other sensors, and potentially as a stand-alone sensor for some applications. The system builds on a decade of research by STL and DTI (including explosives identification demonstration), current government-sponsoredR&D for similar API applications, and key progress in commercial components that supports rugged cost-effective systems development.Associated particle imaging is a neutron imaging technique that is particularly well-suited to mine detection/identification because of its unique capability to provide: (1) high resolution 3-D imagery to greatly enhance clutter suppression and improvematerial identification; and (2) maximum penetration and SNR from high energy neutrons. In Phase I, DTI and STL will perform laboratory measurements and analysis to demonstrate explosive-specific detection capability at the scales of interest inrepresentative clutter, and we will characterize key performance figures of merit needed to assess tactical utility and establish Phase II prototype development requirements. In Phase II, we will develop and demonstrate a prototype mine detection sensor.The proposed effort will resolve a current need to reduce the large f