Detecting Dangerous Substances

 

 

Quick Read

Lab's muon tomography technology quickly identifies and locates concealed radioactive materials.

 

 

Airports, border crossings, schools, cargo container facilities-all are prime places for terrorist attempts. Radioactive materials for nuclear bombs are easy to hide, but not anymore thanks to pioneering technology that can't be fooled.

Los Alamos National Laboratory developed tomography using muons (naturally occurring subatomic particles produced by the interaction of cosmic rays), to rapidly and reliably identify and locate radioactive materials. This technology detects security threats concealed deeply within cargo containers and checked baggage or shielded by lead; unlike other technologies, it can locate and report the threats without exposing operators or examined objects to dangerous radiation.

Many trucks waiting at border crossing to have their cargo checked.

The Laboratory developed detectors and algorithms to trace the muons' path. The muon tomography scanner plots the incoming muons' initial trajectories, then registers all outgoing muons on the opposite side and correlates them to the first measurements. Using advanced software to collect data images from a muon tomography scanner, the system alerts the operator and generates a three-dimensional image map indicating a precise location of the threat.

Scanning and data analysis are conducted in less than a minute—allowing officials to maintain security without causing delays. This technology has many applications in addition to use at ports, such as protecting high-traffic urban buildings.

Hand-held muon tomography makes scanning and data analysis fast and reliable.

In a perfect example of the Lab providing life-saving technology to the public, LANL granted Decision Sciences Corporation (DSC) a worldwide license to commercialize the muon tomography technology. DSC President Steven Oesterle called Los Alamos a, "premier global research institution" with a rich history in technology development.

A tomograph analysis of a truck showing a "hotspot" of radioactivity.

"Through the collaboration with DSC, Los Alamos has taken a compelling technology from scientific theory to practice, and has found the right partner to transform this technology into a vital commercial product that is urgently needed in the marketplace," said Christopher Morris of LANL's Subatomic Physics Group and principal inventor for this research.

"The Lab's expertise in cutting-edge fundamental science combined with DSC's product-driven corporate culture has resulted in the rapid development of a complete scanner system, which DSC has dubbed 'Guardian MT', that will benefit the nation as a whole," said Erica Sullivan, the Laboratory's technology transfer liaison.

Cargo waiting to be unloaded at a seaport arena. Muon tomography scanning will make assessment of cargo risk easier and more accurate.

The global transportation industry is particularly vulnerable to the threat of nuclear terrorism in today's geopolitically unstable environment. According to DSC, operators in maritime ports touch 90 percent of global trade, making these gates to a vast amount of cargo containers a terrorist target. The accuracy, speed and safety of Guardian MT will improve operational efficiency and reduce cost. Guardian MT prevents false results, significantly reducing the need for secondary inspections.