Countering the Rad/Nuc Terrorist Threat—DHS S&T Activities

Mitchell D. Erickson, PhDEnvironmental Measurements LaboratoryU.S. Department of Homeland Security201 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014Mitchell.erickson@dhs.gov

Briefing to American Association of Port Authorities 29 July 2005

2Erickson Briefing– 29 July 2005July 16, 2003 / 2

Science and Technology Directorate Mission

Conduct, stimulate and enable research, development, test, evaluation,

and timely transition of homeland security capabilities

to federal, state, and local operational end-users

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S&T RDT&E Agenda

Bio-CountermeasuresChemical CountermeasuresRadiological and Nuclear CountermeasuresExplosives CountermeasuresStandardsThreat and Vulnerability, Testing and AssessmentCritical Infrastructure ProtectionConventional Missions

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EML History1940’s: Manhattan Project - industrial hygiene, radiation

protection and safety 1950’s: Measure fallout from nuclear weapons tests 1960's: Radon health effects1970's: Three- Mile Island1980's: Chernobyl accident1990’s: DOE environmental cleanup 2003: Homeland Security

Science and TechnologyOffice of Research & Development

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. ... .. ..

Nuclear Detection and Prevention Strategy

Provide a layered defense to:SecureDetect in transitProtect targetsSearch and secure

Provide Federal, State and local officials with information, training and equipment for R/N interdiction

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The ProblemInterdiction of illicit radiological and nuclear

materials and weapons•Physics

•Time

•Distance

•Shielding

•Source Strength

•Human Factors

•Cargo

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Standards

Matrixed supportDetection and information exchange toolsTraining and certification for first respondersBio agent detectionRad/nuc material detectionConsequence assessment and risk analysis

How do I use this

Does this work

How do I test this

Doesthis solvethe right problem

How do Icomparison

shop

Will this work

with my other

devices

NOW NOW AVAILABLE!AVAILABLE!Radiation/ Multi-ToxinDetection

Meter

Functionality Interoperability

Efficiency Sustainability

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Radiation Detector StandardsANSI Standards for Radiation Detection

Instrumentation for Homeland Security Applications

ANSI N42.32 (alarming personal detectors)ANSI N42.33 (general hand-held detectors)ANSI N42.34 (isotope identifiers)ANSI N42.35 (portal monitors)

Completed in 18 mo

FREE: http://standards.ieee.org/getN42/index.html

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What is the Nuclear threat?Sources

Nuclear weaponsRadiation Dispersion Devices

Entry mechanismsShip AirMotor vehicle Domestic

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The NeutronShip Effect

Bombor

Cosmic Rays?

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Two Detectors of a Multisphere Neutron Spectrometer

Response Functions of EML High-Energy Multisphere Neutron Spectrometer on the Ground

Neutron Energy (MeV)10-8 10-6 10-4 10-2 100 102 104

0

5

10

15

9876

1

Res

pons

e (C

ount

s cm

2 neu

tron-1

)

13

14

Calculated using MCNPX

detectors 1-9 in Al suitcases,10-14 in Al cylinders

12

11

4

10

2

89

10

11

12

3

5

Maximum Entropy Deconvolution

12Erickson Briefing– 29 July 2005July 16, 2003 / 12

Neutron Energy (MeV)10-8 10-6 10-4 10-2 100 102 104

0.000

0.001

0.002

Cosmic-Ray Neutron Spectra Measured on a Ship and on Land

E dΦ

/dE

(cm

-2 s

ec-1)

.

Land (prefab. building)Ship (destroyer)

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Incident Management Radiological Monitoring NetworkPotential sites to test concept

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Incident Management Radiological Monitoring NetworkComprehensive Radiation Sensor (CRS) (Generation II)

View of CRS IIin housing

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Incident Management Radiological Monitoring NetworkData Communications System

Network SiteDetector/

Access Node1. Ethernet2. Cellular3. Satellite

ContractorData Center

EML

OEM

Other Authorized

Users

VPN Internet

Connections

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Incident Management Radiological Monitoring Network

CRS Gamma Spectrum (typical)

www.eml.doe.gov/homeland/overview.cfm

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S&T CounterMeasures Test Beds: MissionEvaluating and assessing the role of threat detection

technologies and strategies to protect critical elements of our Nation’s transportation system:

The technologies and strategies are evaluated in real-world environments in conjunction with operational end-users

Developing and exercising appropriate concepts of operations (ConOps) and response protocols to transition technology to the user community

Integrating lessons learned into recommendations for domestic defense architectures

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S&T CounterMeasures Test Beds

Evaluation of Prototypes

Evaluation of commercially-available technologies

Development and evaluation of mobile screening systems

Development and evaluation of concepts of operations

Evaluation of countermeasure systems

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NY Project Office for the CMTBLead regional OT&E activities

Provide leadership for test sites

Coordinate and facilitate field activities

Acquire, transfer and archive field test data

Host CMTB information exchange portal

Assist law enforcement during elevated threat conditions and during national special security events

Integrate radiation sensors onto mobile platforms

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NaI Detection on a Boat (MIND)

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DHS/S&T/ORD/EML

We advance and apply the S&T

required for

preventing, protecting against and responding to

radiological and nuclear events

in the service of Homeland and National Security