Detection of Explosives by Millimeter-wave Imaging
Millimeter-wave imaging has emerged over the last several years as an effective method for screening people for non-metallic weapons, including explosives. Millimeter-waves are effective for personnel screening, since the waves pass through common clothing materials and are reflected by the human body and any concealed objects. Completely passive imaging systems have also been developed that rely on the natural thermal emission of millimeter-waves from the body and concealed objects. Millimeter-waves are non-ionizing and are harmless to people at low or moderate power levels. Active and passive imaging systems have been developed by several research groups, with several commercial imaging sensors becoming available recently. These systems provide images revealing concealed items, and as such, do not specifically identify detected materials. Rather, they provide indications of unusual concealed items. The design of practical, effective, high-speed (real-time or near real-time) imaging systems presents a number of scientific and engineering challenges, and this chapter will describe the current state-of-the-art in active and passive millimeter-wave imaging for personnel screening. Numerous imaging results are shown to demonstrate the effectiveness of the techniques described. The authors have been involved in the development of active wideband millimeter-wave imaging systems at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) since 1991.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 1013320
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-50977; TRN: US201110%%530
- Resource Relation:
- Related Information: Counterterrorist Detection Techniques of Explosives, 237-278
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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