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Detection of Buried Landmines Using Fusion of Nuclear and Acoustic Techniques

N. Heyat¹, A.R. Kolaini¹, E.T.H. Clifford², V.T. Koslowsky², A.J. Romano², and M.B. Smith²

¹International Aerospace Engineering Corporation (IAEC), Washington, DC, USA 
²Bubble Technology Industries (BTI), Chalk River, ON, Canada

Abstract

In order to detect and locate buried landmines, a vehicle-mounted system is proposed that fuses the complementary detection methods of thermal neutron activation (TNA) and acoustic detection. The TNA system uses an electronic neutron generator to interrogate the ground, with the presence of explosives being confirmed via detection of a 10.8 MeV gamma-ray signature associated with the decay of nitrogen, which is commonly found in explosives. The TNA components are based on years of design using state-of-the art radiation transport codes, judicious choice of specialized shielding materials, and development of pulse processing electronics that operate at extremely high count rates. The TNA method has been deployed in field trials with military user groups, demonstrating detection of landmines at realistic burial depths. The acoustic detection system uses a sound source to insonify the ground surface, with vibration sensors being used to detect the vibrational energy of buried landmines. The fused system combines the strengths of TNA and acoustic detection, and is expected to provide improved capabilities to end users working in the landmine detection mission. Potential improvements include increased success rate for detecting landmines, reduced inspection times, and improved coverage for a range of field types containing landmines of various types and construction.