Detecting Radiation on the Move

摘要

Terrorists beware. If you're considering bringing material I for a "dirty bomb" into the U.S., a new Livermore technology can almost literally stop you in your tracks. Try hauling radiological material over the border in a fast-moving truck, and the adaptable radiation area monitor (ARAM) will be able to detect it. ARAM detectors, which have already been installed at many border crossings, are designed specifically for fast, accurate detection without interrupting the flow of traffic and commerce. The ARAM technology won a 2005 R&D 100 Award, which Livermore scientists, led by physicist Dan Archer, share with Innovative Survivability Technologies (1ST) of Goleta, California. IST licensed the technology in January 2004. "The ARAM system can serve as a stand-alone radiation monitor, or it can be networked into a system of monitors to cover a large area," says Archer. In addition, the system can be used as a fixed detector to monitor slow-moving packages, luggage, or pedestrians and as a portable detector. ARAM is optimized to detect even small quantities of radioactive materials moving at highway speeds. This capability makes ARAM a crucial element in the effort to protect the nation from radiological weapons of mass destruction.