The latest terrorist "event", which was attempted by Umar Abdulmutallab, highlights once again, the need for a practical, effective means of "scanning" airline passengers for explosive elements before they enter an airline. Abdulmutallab, was caring PETN which is nitrate based ester, and is one of the strongest known high explosives. It is primarily used as the bursting charge for small caliber ammunition, as the detonation core of primacord, as well as land mines and shells.
The "talking heads" on television have repeated over and over on today's news shows that the best technology available today would have only been able to spot something strapped to Abdulmutallab's crotch area. For example on CNN, I found the following:
"Is there any way of detecting these kind of explosives?
A preliminary FBI analysis indicates the device contained PETN, also known as Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate, a highly explosive chemical. Experts say this would have been picked up using a swab commonly used in secondary screening. A body scan, particularly the new 3D imaging scanners being trailed at some airports, would also have spotted something strapped to his body, even in the crotch area. "
Well, I suppose this is partially true, but only because the Homeland Security Department has been remise in deploying Time Domain Terahertz, to perform spectoscopic inspections of passengers, prior to their admittance to any airline.The Advanced Photonix T-4000, appears well suited to meet this urgent need.
Radiation in the THz range (with wavelengths from 30 µm to 3000 µm and frequencies from 0.1 THz to 10 THz) penetrates clothing and many other organic materials and furthermore offers spectroscopic information on safety-relevant materials such as explosives and pharmacological substances. The broad spectrum of the possible applications covers security inspections, and if deployed would be a major deterrent to future attacks of this type. It's time to write your Congressmen and Senators to make them aware the need is great, and the solution is here. Let's spread the word.
2 comments:
Very Interesting article. I am an investor in API and its been acting very good lately. I think there is some news about them being linked to Airport Security and their Terahertz product.
There was a great deal of speculation over last weekend, Jan. 2-3, that API supplied component parts to L3, on the contract awarded by TSA, for full body scanners at US airports.
This was not idle speculation, because API has been involved in airport scanning development in conjunction with L3, for several years. Unfortunately, the current award is for the use of a millimeterwave machine, that L3 acquired the technology for, from a third party. Hence, API is not currently a part of this contract. However, stay tuned, there are many reasons why millimeterwave may not be up to the task it has been given. Time domain terahertz, on the other hand would more fully meet the current need. (Thank you, for your comment.)
Randy
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