A team of scientists from the Remote Sensing Laboratory at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, has assembled a remotecontrolled robot to field a few sodium iodide scintillators of different sizes and shapes 18″ above ground for measurement of ground deposition of gamma-emitting particles after an explosion of a radiological dispersal device. This system uses a high-precision differential GPS device with submeter accuracy for radiation mapping. The system is most useful in characterizing large-area contamination and detecting gamma radioactivity in invisible, submicron particulate debris deposited on the ground at surface level or embedded in subsurface up to 3″ deep. The system was assembled as part of a larger effort to integrate advanced radiological detection devices into autonomous or remote-controlled robotic systems to eliminate or minimize the need for emergency responders to enter areas that pose significant health and safety risks to humans following a major radiological incident or accident. Research into autonomous algorithms is required to develop automated robotic systems for radiological survey and characterization activities in highly contaminated areas. The scope of this project also includes developing communications pathways and supporting infrastructure capabilities for different types of robotic technologies. The expected result is an advanced autonomous robotic system with integrated radiation detection electronics that allows emergency response personnel to view data remotely and in real time for radiological emergency response and consequence management purposes.
The Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) provides a comprehensive bicoastal radiological and nuclear emergency response to United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. A major part of the support is to provide systematic radiological search for lost or stolen sources, Radiological search is a core competency of the NNSS with its origin dating back to nuclear weapons test era. Search operations from multiple platforms is the common thread among the various NNSS assets, which include Aerial Measuring System (AMS), Maritime Support Team (MST), National Capitol Response (NCR), National Search Team (NST) and Radiological Assistance Program (RAP). Information collected and analyzed during search operations add to the actionable intelligence for the law enforcement agencies and provide valuable guidance for the tactical resolution of a nuclear or radiological crisis. Search is an intelligence and situational awareness driven operation and most often called upon during a radiological emergency, however it can be brought into play to thwart a potential threat by providing monitoring and surveillance support. The Office of Nuclear Incident Response (NA-84) serves as the technical leader in responding to and resolving nuclear and radiological threats worldwide and integrates its efforts with other NNSA stakeholders (e.g., NNSA office of Defense Nuclear Non-proliferation NA-22). The response includes expertise in the areas of radiological search, render safe, and consequence management. This article will discuss the methodologies, tools, procedures, and techniques to extract maximum radiological characterization information (isotopic composition, activities for individual isotopes, threat assessment etc.) from field monitoring or Search operation data.
This study describes the application development of multiple-input multiple-output radios to provide persistent mobile ad hoc network (MANET) for the Department of Homeland Security. By using Man Portable Unit (MPU5) fifth generation radios (manufactured by Persistent Systems) with the Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK), an Android smartphone geospatial infrastructure and military situational awareness application, the Remote Sensing Laboratory has developed a MANET connectivity to monitor deployed nuclear/radiological search operation assets. Network-capable radiation monitoring systems such as backpacks, vehicle-mounted sensors, and high-resolution high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors have been integrated to facilitate surveillance operations, routine maintenance and status of health checks, radiation alerts and alarm monitoring, and adjudication. This network connectivity application is particularly useful for maritime search operations. Shipboard search is conducted with backpack detectors and long dwell detector systems. Search techniques that involve the use of spectral anomaly detection algorithms applied to data from low-resolution gamma detectors, as well as the use of spatial interpolation tools, provide higher sensitivity to masked sources that may elude basic gross-count-rate-based algorithms. Small-vessel search techniques involve mounting large-volume mobile detectors on small boats and operating them in the same way as land-based mobile detection systems (i.e., searching for radiological/nuclear signatures emanating from nearby vessels or from targets on the water or shore). Data communication is difficult in a maritime environment because satellite communications may not be steady and multi-hop wireless networks with stations having backhaul infrastructure along coastlines may not be available. The MANET structure described in this study resolves data loss and network latency issues associated with maritime search operations.
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