Radiation Detection and Interdiction at U.S. Borders
Published on 23. September 2011
Book
Hardback
368 pages
978-0-19-975450-2 (ISBN)
Description
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the law enforcement entity within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security with primary responsibility for interdiction of nuclear and radiological threats at U.S. borders. In early 2002, as part of its response to the events of September 11, 2001 and the heightened threat of nuclear terrorism, CBP created the Radiation Portal Monitor Project to deploy radiation detection technologies at all ports of entry around the U.S. Since that time, well over 1,000 radiation portal monitors have been deployed to screen the vast majority of commerce, vehicles and people entering the country for potential radiological threats. International efforts have simultaneously strengthened the detection capability for world commerce. Radiological threats of most concern include acquired or stolen weapons, improvised nuclear devices, special nuclear material for weapons construction, including plutonium and highly enriched uranium, and material or assemblies for radiological dispersal devices (also known as "dirty bombs").
All of these radiological threats produce gamma or photon radiation, while plutonium, unique in its role as part of a weapon of mass destruction, also emits neutron radiation. This book brings together a wide range of technical information on radiation detection and interdiction methods as applied to the nuclear and other radiological materials at borders. The basics of radiation detection are introduced, along with the deployment strategy used to optimize the effectiveness of the available technology for the interdiction mission. The approach taken by CBP and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in deploying equipment and establishing operational procedures to effectively interdict nuclear and other radiological threats is described. The importance of human factors for the success of interdiction is presented, as is the capabilities of some of the technologies currently under development for potential future improvements in interdiction.
All of these radiological threats produce gamma or photon radiation, while plutonium, unique in its role as part of a weapon of mass destruction, also emits neutron radiation. This book brings together a wide range of technical information on radiation detection and interdiction methods as applied to the nuclear and other radiological materials at borders. The basics of radiation detection are introduced, along with the deployment strategy used to optimize the effectiveness of the available technology for the interdiction mission. The approach taken by CBP and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in deploying equipment and establishing operational procedures to effectively interdict nuclear and other radiological threats is described. The importance of human factors for the success of interdiction is presented, as is the capabilities of some of the technologies currently under development for potential future improvements in interdiction.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
This book will interest homeland security and law enforcement professionals, as well as radiation detection instrument companies. It is ideal for use in Homeland Security graduate courses, and courses in health, physics, and society.
Illustrations
163 b&w, 2 color illus.
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 156 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-19-975450-2 (9780199754502)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Edited by Richard Kouzes, Edited by Joseph McDonald, Edited by Denis Strachan, and Edited by Sonya Bowyer
Richard T. Kouzes is a Laboratory Fellow at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory working in the areas of neutrino science, homeland security, non-proliferation, and computational applications. C. McDonald is an Emeritus Laboratory Fellow from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. His professional experience includes basic and applied research, university-level teaching and project management. Denis M. Strachan joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 1979 to develop standard tests for nuclear waste forms and study glass and ceramics made with radioactive waste materials. Sonya Bowyer is Manager at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Contributors:
R. B. Bass - Software and Engineering Architecture Group, National Security Directorate; O. P. Bredt - System Design and Integration Group, National Security Directorate; M. A. Catalan - Engineering, Mechanical and Structural Materials Group, Energy and Environment Directorate; P. Doctor - Applied Statistics and Computational Modeling, National Security Directorate; J. H. Ely - Detector Systems, National Security Directorate; P. E. Keller - Electromagnetics, National Security Directorate; P. J. Kolbas - Nonproliferation Systems Integration, National Security Directorate; J. A. Leonowich - Radiological Sciences and Engineering, Energy and Environment Directorate; M. E. Lerchen - System Design and Integration, National Security Directorate; C. A. Lo Presti - Applied Statistics and Computational Modeling, National Security Directorate; R. J. McConn, Jr. - Radiological Sciences and Engineering, Energy and Environment Directorate; K. R. McCormick - - Radiation Detection, National Security Directorate; G. W. McNair - Systems Engineering and Integration, National Security Directorate; B. D. Milbrath - Radiation Detection and Nuclear Science, National Security Directorate; R. T. Pagh - Nuclear Design, Analysis and Testing, National Security Directorate; C. M. Richard - Transportation Human Factors, Battelle Seattle; S. M. Robinson - Radiation Detection and Nuclear Science, National Security Directorate; R. C. Runkle - Detector Development, National Security Directorate; T. E. Sanquist - Global Security technology and Policy, National Security Directorate; J. E. Schweppe - Simulations and Analysis, National Security Directorate; E. R. Siciliano - Fluid & Computational Engineering Group, Energy and Environment Directorate; D. J. Strom - Radiological Sciences and Engineering, Energy and Environment Directorate; D. C. Stromswold - Radiation Detection Group, National Security Directorate; D. W. Walter - Systems Engineering and Integration, National Security Directorate; R. A. Warner - Radiation Detection Group, National Security Directorate; D. R. Weier - Applied Statistics and Computational Modeling, National Security Directorate
Richard T. Kouzes is a Laboratory Fellow at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory working in the areas of neutrino science, homeland security, non-proliferation, and computational applications. C. McDonald is an Emeritus Laboratory Fellow from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. His professional experience includes basic and applied research, university-level teaching and project management. Denis M. Strachan joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 1979 to develop standard tests for nuclear waste forms and study glass and ceramics made with radioactive waste materials. Sonya Bowyer is Manager at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Contributors:
R. B. Bass - Software and Engineering Architecture Group, National Security Directorate; O. P. Bredt - System Design and Integration Group, National Security Directorate; M. A. Catalan - Engineering, Mechanical and Structural Materials Group, Energy and Environment Directorate; P. Doctor - Applied Statistics and Computational Modeling, National Security Directorate; J. H. Ely - Detector Systems, National Security Directorate; P. E. Keller - Electromagnetics, National Security Directorate; P. J. Kolbas - Nonproliferation Systems Integration, National Security Directorate; J. A. Leonowich - Radiological Sciences and Engineering, Energy and Environment Directorate; M. E. Lerchen - System Design and Integration, National Security Directorate; C. A. Lo Presti - Applied Statistics and Computational Modeling, National Security Directorate; R. J. McConn, Jr. - Radiological Sciences and Engineering, Energy and Environment Directorate; K. R. McCormick - - Radiation Detection, National Security Directorate; G. W. McNair - Systems Engineering and Integration, National Security Directorate; B. D. Milbrath - Radiation Detection and Nuclear Science, National Security Directorate; R. T. Pagh - Nuclear Design, Analysis and Testing, National Security Directorate; C. M. Richard - Transportation Human Factors, Battelle Seattle; S. M. Robinson - Radiation Detection and Nuclear Science, National Security Directorate; R. C. Runkle - Detector Development, National Security Directorate; T. E. Sanquist - Global Security technology and Policy, National Security Directorate; J. E. Schweppe - Simulations and Analysis, National Security Directorate; E. R. Siciliano - Fluid & Computational Engineering Group, Energy and Environment Directorate; D. J. Strom - Radiological Sciences and Engineering, Energy and Environment Directorate; D. C. Stromswold - Radiation Detection Group, National Security Directorate; D. W. Walter - Systems Engineering and Integration, National Security Directorate; R. A. Warner - Radiation Detection Group, National Security Directorate; D. R. Weier - Applied Statistics and Computational Modeling, National Security Directorate
Content
PREFACE; INTRODUCTION; 1.0 OVERVIEW OF RADIATION INTERDICTION; 2.0 RADIATION SOURCES; 3.0 U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION RADIATION INTERDICTION APPROACH; 4.0 ENHANCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF RADIATION PORTAL MONITOR SYSTEMS; 5.0 RADIATION PORTAL MONITOR PROJECT DEPLOYMENT SUMMARY; 6.0 OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR RADIATION INTERDICTION; 7.0 RELATED WORK; 8.0 THE FUTURE FOR INTERDICTION OF RADIOLOGICAL AND NUCLEAR THREATS AT BORDERS