Explosives Signatures and Analysis

摘要

The challenge of sampling explosive materials for various high threat military and civilianoperational scenarios requires the community to identify and exploit other chemicalcompounds within the mixtures that may be available to support stand-off detectiontechniques. While limited surface and vapor phase characterization of IEDs exist, they areinsufficient to guide the future development and evaluation of field deployable explosivesdetection (proximity and standoff) capabilities. ECBC has conducted a limited investigationof three artillery ammunition types to determine what chemical vapors, if any, are availablefor sensing; the relative composition of the vapors which includes the more volatilecompounds in munitions, i.e., plastersizers and binders; and the sensitivity needed detect thesevapors at stand-off. Also in partnership with MIT-Lincoln Laboratory, we performed abackground measurement campaign at the National Training Center to determine the baselineambient amounts and variability of nitrates and nitro-ester compounds as vapors, particulates,and on surfaces; as well as other chemical compounds related to non-energetic explosiveadditives. Environmental persistence studies in contexts relevant to counter-IED sensingoperations, such as surface residues, are still necessary.