Nuclear techniques for finding chemical explosives in airport luggage

Abstract

Chemical explosives are composed of concentrated densities of nitrogen and oxygen. High values of the nitrogen alert the presence of a bomb; high values of both nitrogen and oxygen densities certify the bomb's presence uniquely. More than a dozen nuclear-based techniques have been proposed for rapidly scanning airport luggage to find hidden explosives by measuring these elemental distributions. In almost every scheme, the technological challenge is the accelerator, which must be small, well-shielded, cost-effective, and be operable in busy airports by nominally-trained personnel, with minimum unscheduled downtime for repairs or service. This paper will summarize, within the limits imposed by security, four of the imaging schemes.