API professors awarded the Homeland Security grant in the area of threat detection. The $796,736 project titled “A Compact Neutron Interrogation System for Underwater Threat Detection and Identification” has duration of two years. The principle investigator for the project is Dr. Ivan Novikov, and co-principal investigator is Dr. Alexander Barzilov.
The goal of the project is to develop a system for detection and characterization of different threats in underwater environment. The proposed system is based on active interrogation of underwater objects with fast neutrons. These neutrons will penetrate deeply into an object under scrutiny and excite nuclei of chemical elements within the object through inelastic neutron scattering and thermal neutron capture reactions. Nuclei de-excite with emission of photons with characteristic energies that act as “fingerprints” of chemical elements. The elements contained in the object can be identified by an analysis of detected photon spectra.
The system will be automatic and compact, so it can be integrated with Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs), or it can used separately if required. The identification of chemical composition of the underwater object will be carried out within a few minutes. This will allow planning further cleanup actions such as deployment of time and cost consuming special diver team or other techniques.
Such a technology to detect and identify waterborne or underwater threats approaching waterfront facilities (ports, dams, locks, ports, refineries, liquified natural gas and liquified petroleum gas cargo and other systems) is vital for protection of the critical infrastructures.
Special effort will be made to commercialize the proposed technology and to make it available for users such as port authorities, first responders and security personnel.
The award was announced on May 12th, 2008 in Somerset, Kentucky by U.S. Rep. Harold Rogers, R-KY, and Undersecretary Jay Cohen, Head of the Science and Technology Directorate of U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The National Institute for Hometown Security (NIHS) will manage the grant and will assist with the commercialization.
• May 12, 2008. Awards ceremony at The National Institute for Hometown Security.
From left to right: U.S. Rep. Harold Rogers, R-KY; Dr. Keith Andrew, Head of WKU Department of Physics and Astronomy; Dr. Alexander Barzilov; Dr. Ivan Novikov; Dr. Sadiq Shah, WKU Vice-President for Research and Development; Undersecretary Jay Cohen, Head of the Science and Technology Directorate of U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
For further information, contact Katie Moore at 270-781-3859 or katie.moore@wku.edu.
