KEYWORDS: Sensors, Chemical analysis, System integration, Spectroscopy, Video surveillance, Explosives, Contamination, Carbon dioxide, Cameras, Control systems
In 2006 SEPA has carried on the installation and tests of a demonstrator for an integrated subway protection system at a
new subway station in the Naples (Italy) metropolitan area. Protection of a subway system is a difficult task given the
amount of passengers transported every day. The demonstrator has been limited to non-intrusive detection techniques
not to impair the passenger flow into the station. The demonstrator integrates several technologies and products that have
been developed by SEPA or are already available on the market (MKS Instruments,...). The main purpose is to provide
detection capabilities for attempts to introduce radioactive substances in the subway station, in order to foil possible
attempts to place a dirty bomb, and threat detection and identification following release of chemical agents. The system
integrates additional sensors such as video surveillance cameras and air flow sensing to complement the basic sensors
suite.
The need to protect sensitive installations such as subway stations has been highlighted by the series of terroristics
actions carried out in recent years in the subway in London. However, given the number of passengers of a metro
system, it is impossible to propose security techniques operating in ways similar to the screening of passengers in
airports. Passengers screening and threat detection and identification must be quick, non-intrusive and capable of
screening a large number of passengers to be applicable to mass transit systems. In 2005 SEPA, a small company
operating in the field of trains video-surveillance systems and radiation detectors, started developing an integrated
system to provide a comprehensive protection to subway stations, based on ready available or off-the-shelf components
in order to quickly develop a reliable system with available technology. We ruled out at the beginning any new
development in order to speed up the fielding of the system in less than one year. The system was developed with
commercial sensors and deployed in a new station of the Naples metropolitan transit system in Mugnano. The station
was particularly suitable for the demonstration since it is a new station that includes air venting control, water barriers
(for fire and smoke containment) and a complete SCADA system to integrate technical and video surveillance
operations.
In order to protect the subway, we tackled four basic technologies, all readily available in-house or on the market:
- radiation detection, to detect the introduction in the station of radionuclides, that may be dispersed by conventional
explosive (a "dirty" bomb);
- chemical agents detection and identification (after release), complemented with air speed and velocity sensors to
estimate, track and predict the contamination plume;
- video surveillance, integrated with the SCADA system and already available in the station.
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