Vol. 54, Special Issue        February 2002

Nonproliferation programs and arms control technology

The Nuclear Detonation (NUDET) Detection System (NDS) Analysis Package (NAP) developed a new space-to-ground communication path for data associated with the assessment, health, configuration, and performance of next-generation NDS sensors flown aboard DoD's GPS constellation of satellites. The ground segment is a unique, autonomous earth station capable of tracking multiple NAP-equipped satellites simultaneously and capturing telemetry data. The January 2001 launch of a NAP-equipped GPS satellite significantly enhanced the nation's ability to perform space-based nuclear weapons treaty monitoring. (6500, 5700, 2300, 2600) Eunice Young, eryoung@sandia.gov

We demonstrated plume detection of chemical warfare simulants at the Nevada Test Site using the µChemLab chemical detector. The µChemLab hardware was installed in an instrument trailer and operational within 15 minutes of arrival at the site. A barrel of triethyl phosphate was exploded, releasing a plume that traveled downwind over the sensor position. Automated analyses at three-minute intervals detected the passage of the simulant plume at sub-ppb concentration levels. The same system has also detected actual chemical warfare agents in indoor tests. (1700, 8100) Steve Martin, sjmarti@sandia.gov

Sandia's Second Line of Defense (SLD) Program has successfully initiated strategies and processes to rapidly provide integrated, sustainable systems to minimize the risk of nuclear proliferation and terrorism. In Russia, 26 site surveys were performed at Russian airports, seaports, railroad checkpoints, and border crossings. These site surveys included the deployment and acceptance of SLD systems installed at eight Russian Federation State Customs Committee facilities to detect and deter the illicit movement of nuclear materials out of Russia. The program has been successful and is growing to include other key countries. (5300) Michael Garcia, mrgarcia@sandia.gov

Assessment of human exposure to bioweapons currently relies on pathogen replication or host responses using tests that can take from days to weeks. A collaborative DARPA-funded project between Sandia and the University of New Mexico Department of Pathology is developing methods to rapidly detect the onset of infection. Infrared data combined with sophisticated analysis tools are being used to quickly delineate cells presenting an infection-like response from healthy cells. (1800) M. Kathleen Alam, mkalam@sandia.gov

Researchers at the Explosive Components Facility have developed a field-portable test kit that will provide law enforcement agencies with immediate confirmation of recent gun use and assist in rapidly focusing on key suspects. The technology has been funded and licensed by Law Enforcement Technologies, a privately held New Mexico corporation that specializes in development of technologies for law enforcement, corrections, private security, and military markets. The technology is patent pending. (2500) Susan Bender, sfbende@sandia.gov

Sandia once again hosted Operation America, an advanced training for Bomb Squad personnel throughout the US. This opportunity for advanced technology transfer was conducted in Warrenton, Ore., last March. Participants joined in technical classroom sessions, live range demonstrations, and specific technical tactical scenarios. Operation America is funded by the National Institute of Justice and is conducted by Chris Cherry and his team. (5900) Patricia Gingrich, psgingr@sandia.gov

The Advanced Atmospheric Research Equipment (AARE) program completed its Preliminary Design Review. AARE will provide a suite of modernized, computer-controlled gas- and particulate-sampling subsystems to the Air Force with an Initial Operational Capability date of October 2003. AARE will provide a unique capability to do treaty monitoring and sampling against worldwide nuclear testing activities. (2900, 5700, 5900, 6200, 6500, 9100, 14400, 15300) Walter Caldwell, wfcaldw@sandia.gov)

The ability of an imaging radar to "see" underneath trees and foliage has remained an unsolved problem for many years. This year the first successful creation of a high-resolution 3-D tomographic SAR (synthetic aperture radar) image that achieves foliage penetration was developed at Sandia. The airborne radar system used to collect the data for this special processing is the Twin Otter SAR built and operated by Center 2300. (5900) Charles Jakowatz, cvjakow@sandia.gov

A multi-center Sandia team fabricated a unique event-driven 3-D sensor assembly for satellite applications. The assembly contains an optical sensor front end, signal-processing electronics, and custom processors to hunt out signals of interest in high-false-alarm environments. In a volume of approximately 1.5 cubic inches, this assembly is capable of ultra high frame-rate sensing (more than 80,000 frames per second) with signal processing at the equivalent speed of over a gigabit per second of raw data, a level of performance never before approached in a package near this volume. (1700, 5700, 14100) Anthony Medina, ajmedin@sandia.gov

The Multispectral Thermal Imager satellite (MTI) is a Sandia-led, multilaboratory R&D project sponsored by NNSA's Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Office. MTI has been on orbit for 18 months and has gathered more than 3,200 multispectral and thermal image sets. As of the end of FY01, MTI had exceeded its operational life requirement of one year and was halfway through its operational goal of three years. MTI has demonstrated the capability to measure absolute water temperatures from space to better that 2 degrees Kelvin and relative water temperature measurements better than hundredths of degree Kelvin. (2600, 5800, 5700) Anthony Medina, ajmedin@sandia.gov

The DOE AURA (Advanced UV Remote-Sensing Applications) program completed the second of three major field test deployments to Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. For this test the AURA payload, an advanced ultraviolet laser-induced fluorescence lidar, was installed in an environmentally controlled container and configured to operate from a fixed ground location. The payload was tested against a broad range of weapons of mass destruction scenarios and in many cases the demonstrated system performance far exceeded the original design goals. (1100, 2300, 5700, 6100, 8100, 8300, 8400, 8900) Anthony Medina, ajmedin@sandia.gov

Culminating four years of collaboration with the All Russian Institute of Experimental Physics (VNIIEF), we conducted a virtual ribbon-cutting of the Facility-to-Facility project on June 14, 2001. The goal of this project is to evaluate advanced fissile material monitoring and communications technologies in a bilateral regime. Two facilities, one at Savannah River Site and one at VNIIEF, are placing fissile material into a simulated bilateral monitoring regime. The results of this project will provide critical insight into the potential role of advanced monitoring and communications technologies for improved security and control of materials in the US and Russia. (5300) Tom Lockner, trlockn@sandia.gov

The Cooperative Monitoring Center worked with retired military officials from India and Pakistan to develop concepts for cooperation along their contentious border. Maj. Gen. Mahmud Durrani of Pakistan has proposed specific ground-based border monitoring systems to be deployed cooperatively between India and Pakistan. Air Marshals M. A. Chaudhry of Pakistan and K.C. Cariappa of India worked with the Center to develop plans for cooperative aerial overflights along the India-Pakistan border. Both efforts seek to reduce border tensions between these nuclear weapon-capable states. (5300) Kent Biringer, klbirin@sandia.gov

PROTECTing subways from chemical warfare (CW) agent attacks: The PROTECT program, funded by DOE and the Justice Department, has collaborated with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to demonstrate a system for continuous CW-agent monitoring. For more than a year, a chemical detector testbed, consisting of several networked state-of-the-art commercial sensors, has been operated in the subway. The system provides timely agent detection, and transmits measured agent concentrations to an emergency management information system being developed by our collaborators at Argonne National Laboratory. (8100, 8900, 1700, 1800) Susanna Gordon, spgordo@sandia.gov

In a team effort with the Washington Institute, Sandia has examined and analyzed approaches to the defense of cities against biological attack. This work was aimed at exploring alternate defensive architectures, including both protection and medical response measures coupled with detection and information coordination elements. An approach to analysis using Master Timeline Curves was developed to integrate biological agent, physical, and medical phenomena in bioterrorist attacks.Results are being used to guide technology development and policy implementation strategies. (8100) Patricia Falcone, pkfalco@sandia.gov

Under the sponsorship for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, we have developed a new relationship with the Russian nuclear weapons forces in the area of warhead monitoring. This multi-year project will explore monitoring concepts and technologies for enhanced warhead security and safety. The US/Russian project team has selected a military site in St. Petersburg for technology development and field trials. Results of the effort will lead to Russian-certified technologies for enhanced security and safety of the Russian stockpile. If necessary, these technologies could also be applied to monitoring regimes associated with the recently announced deep reductions in strategic forces. (5300) Greg Mann, gremann@sandia.gov

Last modified: February 28 , 2002

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