Predicting the persistence of trace quantities of explosives materials

Michael R. Papantonakis; Viet K. Nguyen; Robert Furstenberg; R. Andrew McGill

doi:10.1117/12.3012955

10 June 2024 Predicting the persistence of trace quantities of explosives materials

Michael R. Papantonakis, Viet K. Nguyen, Robert Furstenberg, R. Andrew McGill

Proceedings Volume 13056, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Sensing XXV; 1305607 (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3012955
Event: SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing, 2024, National Harbor, Maryland, United States

Abstract

Detection of trace quantities of explosives left behind by those handling explosives materials can be used to help identify concealed explosives and objects contaminated by bomb makers. Understanding the persistence of these particles is critical for tailoring detection strategies of non-contact optical techniques as well as non-optical detection techniques which utilize surface contact particle harvesting methods. We have measured the persistence of trace quantities of explosives materials when exposed to environmental factors such as temperature, airflow, and humidity. We have also developed a computational model based on first principles to describe sublimation behavior on both molecular and mesoscopic size and time scales, and find that it gives persistence times in agreement with our experimental data. This allows us to predict the sublimation behavior of arbitrary particle ensembles provided that certain physical properties, e.g., the temperature-dependent vapor pressure, are known. This work was funded by the Science and Technology Directorate, Department of Homeland Security under contract number 70RSAT20KPM000094.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Michael R. Papantonakis, Viet K. Nguyen, Robert Furstenberg, and R. Andrew McGill "Predicting the persistence of trace quantities of explosives materials", Proc. SPIE 13056, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Sensing XXV, 1305607 (10 June 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3012955

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