Alternate Title

Body-worn improvised explosive device detection using millimeter-wave radar

Abstract

Amidst the manifold threats currently afflicting public welfare, that of body-worn explosives is significant if not altogether paramount. Commonly referred to as ""suicide bombers,"" the bearers of body-worn, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) enter crowded public areas in order to detonate the IDE, inflicting lethal damage to themselves and surrounding individuals. Constructed of non-standard parts and veiled under layers of clothing, these body-worn IEDs go frequently undetected. The aim of this research is to examine the feasibility of using millimeter-wave (MMW) radar to detect body-worn IEDs at distances up to 50 meters. In order to achieve a beamwidth capable of illuminating a single human at 50 meters, which in this case would be approximately 0.01 radians, while still maintaining a practical aperture size, we require a wavelength on the millimeter scale. The radar made available for testing, provided by Raytheon, operates at 77GHz. At a wavelength of 3.89mm, this radar provides, at a testing distance o 10.1 meters, an adequate simulation of a human-torso-sized beamwidth at 50 meters. This research also examines the role of the Gregorian Dual Confocal Reflector antenna in achieving smaller beamwidths from apertures of limited size.

Notes

Poster presented at the 2007 Validating TestBED and Research on Real World Problems for I-PLUS Development Conference

Keywords

bombs, improvised explosive device (IED), millimeter-wave (MMW) radar

Subject Categories

Improvised explosive devices - Detection, Radar

Disciplines

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Publisher

Bernard M. Gordon Center for Subsurface Sensing and Imaging Systems (Gordon-CenSSIS)

Publication Date

4-2007

Rights Holder

Bernard M. Gordon Center for Subsurface Sensing and Imaging Systems (Gordon-CenSSIS)


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