Anti-tank Mines Research Articles

The development of a thermal neutron activation (TNA) system as a confirmatory non-metallic land mine detector

In order to detect and locate buried landmines for peacekeeping, the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND), under the Improved Landmine Detection Project, is developing a vehicle-mounted, two-phase mine detection system. The first phase constitutes a suite of detectors used to indicate the possibility of a mine at a particular location (to ±30 cm in accuracy). In the second phase a Thermal Neutron Activation (TNA) system is used to confirm the presence of explosives via detection of the 10.83 MeV gamma-ray associated with nitrogen decay. The TNA system developed for this uses a 100 μg252Cf neutron source surrounded by four 3″×3″ NaI(Tl) detectors. Combining the use of state-of-the art radiation transport codes for design, judicious choice of specialized shielding materials and development of high-rate, fast-pulse processing electronics, has led to a system which can; (i) confirm the presence of all surface- or lightly-buried anti-tank mines in a few seconds to a minute (depending on mass of explosive), (ii) confirm the presence of anti-tank mines down to 20 cm depth in less than 5 minutes, (iii) confirm the presence of large (>100 g nitrogen) anti-personnel mines in less than five minutes, (iv) operate in adverse climatic conditions. These results have been verified in field trials and the system is due to be fielded in 1999.

On the imaging of land mines using e+−e− pair production

The problem of disposing of abandoned land mines is very serious in many countries. Anti-personnel land mines (APM's) contain as little as 50 gram or less of explosive, which is enough to take off an adult's foot, or to kill a child. Anti-tank mines (ATM's), designed to penetrate the armour on the bottom of a tank, are much larger. Current techniques of finding them are not adequate. All practical high explosives contain 20% or more of nitrogen, which has a thermal neutron cross section of 75 mbarn, producing γ's of up to 10.8 MeV. The idea of using this property to detect explosives has been tested by others, but because of backgrounds is unable to find anything less than several hundred grams of explosive. The refinement proposed here is to convert the γs, track the resulting e+−e− pairs in MWPC's, and use the information to locate the γ source, i.e. the mine. The directional information provided should reduce the backgrounds considerably. Result of an experimental test are presented, and possibilities for the future discussed.

Analysis and processing of ultra wide-band SAR imagery for buried landmine detection

Experimental and theoretical results are presented for ultra wide-band (UWB) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) signatures of buried anti-tank and anti-personnel mines. Such are characterized by resonance-like peaks as well as valleys, across the 50-1200 MHz bandwidth considered. Consequently, frequency subbanding is used to highlight one target over another, of application to discriminating targets (mines) from clutter.

Verovatnoća aktiviranja nagaznih protivoklopnih mina

This article gives the basic characteristics of armored and transportation vehicles and the main types of contact anti-tank mines together with characteristics of the soil (in the army, wet or frozen state) where mines are placed (burned or scattered) and appropriate illustrations. The basic parameters of the reactions of the vehicles are also presented, mines and soils are defined together with the conditions of the activation and the equations of the load under coming vehicles both for burned and unhurried mines. Also are defined the equations of the probability of activation of mines depending on construction characteristics of vehicles, physical parameters of the soil and construction characteristics of mines.

Ultra-wideband, short-pulse ground-penetrating radar: simulation and measurement

Ultra-wideband (UWB), short-pulse (SP) radar is investigated theoretically and experimentally for the detection and identification of targets buried in and placed atop soil. The calculations are performed using a rigorous, three-dimensional (3D) method of moments algorithm for perfectly conducting bodies of revolution. Particular targets investigated theoretically include anti-personnel mines, anti-tank mines, and a 55-gallon drum, for which the authors model the time-domain scattered fields and the buried-target late-time resonant frequencies. With regard to the latter, the computed resonant frequencies are utilized to assess the feasibility of resonance-based buried-target identification for this class of targets. The measurements are performed using a novel UWB, SP synthetic aperture radar (SAR) implemented on a mobile boom. Experimental and theoretical results are compared.

Medical Efforts Intensify in Desert Storm's Fourth Week

THE SPECTER of Desert Storm ground combat is intensifying military medical efforts. The surgeons general of the US Air Force, Army, Navy, and the medical officer of the US Marine Corps say they are pleased with the quantity, quality, and mix of skills of physicians and other medical team members in the theater of operations and in follow-up care facilities. But they emphasize that they are continuing to assess the medical situation day by day. Like all physicians involved, these military medical leaders are aware of the 3-km-wide obstacle course of 5-m-high sand-berm barriers, coiled razor-sharp wire, 7-m-deep antitank ditches, barbed wire, mine fields, and dug-in armored vehicles and artillery along the 180-km front that faces coalition ground forces. They and their Desert Storm physicians have spent the time available to them in preparing for how to treat wounds inflicted by the Soviet-made AK-47 weapons (with which the world's fourth-largest