Context Of Homeland Security Research Articles

Retrospective Benefit–Cost Analysis of Security-Enhancing and Cost-Saving Technologies

AbstractResearch and development (R&D) planners in homeland security agencies would like to be able to prioritize investments in projects based on costs versus future safety and security benefits. While costs are often readily available, estimates of safety and security benefits are fraught with uncertainty. To address these challenges, a benefit–cost model of technological change is adapted to the homeland security context. Data are sparse; therefore, estimation is facilitated by developing a familiar linear welfare model using derivatives of cost and risk reduction functions to estimate areas of costs and benefits. The theoretical model is applied to two homeland security projects involving airport patrols and the assignment of U.S. federal air marshals to international flights. Retrospective data are available for most periods. Welfare-based rates of return are reported for the two cases, each of which is estimated to return large present value net benefits. Extensive sensitivity and Monte Carlo simulation explores uncertainties. Two important findings are that (i) given the rationality assumption, relative increases in security levels can be valued, even if the absolute level of security is not known; and (ii) large uncertainties about risk reduction exist but can be bounded by parametric sensitivity and uncertainty analysis.

6Li210B4O7 NPs-loaded plastic scintillators for fast/thermal neutron and gamma ray detection

We report herein the synthesis of a new series of plastic scintillators (PSs) loaded with 6Li210B4O7 nanoparticles (NPs), as new radioluminescent sensors for fast/thermal neutron and gamma ray detection in the critical context of homeland security.

Dangers from the sea: Considerations of the 1900 Galveston hurricane

Within the context of homeland security, all organizations must acknowledge the potential of disasters when crafting strategy and pondering contingencies because any number of threats has the potential to disrupt business operations and continuity. Although numerous incidents have affected modern society, the 1900 Galveston hurricane remains the deadliest natural disaster in American history, even surpassing the death tolls of hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. This article examines the Galveston incident from the perspective of communications and the emergency management cycle. Insight is provided regarding the efforts of modern organizations to address possible threats and maintain continuity of operations.

The Emerging Technology of Predictive Analytics: Implications for Homeland Security

ABSTRACTThis case study examines the implications of using the emerging technology of predictive analytics in a homeland security context to provide increased intelligence for counterterrorism initiatives. The study addresses how this emerging technology is currently used, if such technology is viably transferable to a homeland security context, and if it will be able to provide increased intelligence in regard to the motivations behind terrorist attacks. In addition, the study evaluates whether this data will leverage the detection of potential terrorist profiles and potential terrorist targets to prevent future attacks. By utilizing such technology, homeland security stakeholders will gain a better understanding of how the enemy operates, or plans to operate, as well as identify possible threats before an attack occurs. Investing in intelligence gathering, analysis, and distribution capabilities is a major step in preparing for uncertainties, provided that the emerging technologies utilized for data collection are implemented effectively.

Reasons for Secrecy and Deception in Homeland-Security Resource Allocation

In this article, we explore reasons that a defender might prefer secrecy or deception about her defensive resource allocations, rather than disclosure, in a homeland-security context. Our observations not only summarize and synthesize the results of existing game-theoretic work, but also provide intuitions about promising future research directions.

Fast, Accurate Defense for Homeland Security: Bringing High-Performance Computing to First Responders

An urban-oriented emergency assessment system, called CT-Analyst ® was developed to evaluate airborne contaminant transport threats and to aid in making rapid decisions for complex-geometryenvironmentssuchascitieswherecurrenttransportanddispersionmethods are slow and inaccurate. Contaminant transport-Analyst was designed for the military prior to 9/11 to incorporate verbal reports, to treat systems with mobile sensors, and to function in realistic situations where the nature, amount, and source location of an airborne contaminant or a chemical, biological, or radiological agent is unknown. Thus contaminant transport-Analyst is well suited to urban defense in the Homeland Security context. Contaminant transport-Analyst gives good accuracy and much greater speed than possible with current alternatives because is it based on entirely new principles and designed to function in information-starved situations, characterizing the first few minutes of a terrorist or accident scenario, where alternate technologies do not. These advantages derive from pre-computed data structures based on three-dimensional large-eddy simulation computational fluid dynamics that includes solar heating and buoyancy, complete building geometry specification,trees,andimpressedwindfluctuations.Afewdetailedurbanaerodynamicssimulations are pre-computed for each coverage region when contaminant transport-Analyst is installed. These results extend to all wind directions, speeds, likely sources and source locationsthroughanewdatastructurecalledDispersionNomografs™.Thusahigh-performance computing based system can generate Nomografs for cities, military bases, industrial complexes,andotherpotentialdangerareaswellinadvance,removingtheneedfortheemergency first responders and warfighters to wait for supporting analyses. Furthermore, since the full power of high-performance computing is available for the pre-computations, contaminant transport-Analyst provides important, new, real-time, zero-latency functions such as sensor data fusion, backtracking to an unknown source location, and evacuation route planning directly to the first responder. Thus the Department of Homeland Security can avoid the delays and uncertainties of reachback to high-performance computing modeling resources and the associated support and communications infrastructure currently required during airborne contaminant transport emergencies.

Public Health Components of Academic Programs in Homeland Security

The academic course requirements for 111 certificate and degree programs in emergency management and homeland security were reviewed to assess the degree to which the subject of public health has been incorporated into the overall curriculum of this broad and emerging field. Courses that were dedicated primarily to the field of public health comprised about 4% of the total number of courses taught in the curriculum, about the same percentage as taught in the fields of intelligence and planning. More courses were taught in the subjects of emergency management, terrorism, and legal issues associated with homeland security. Specific subject matter covered in public health courses included healthcare for mass casualties, pandemics, bioterrorism, preparedness and planning, diseases associated with disasters, and health care systems for emergency use. The author proposes a framework for further discussion on identifying critical education in public health within the context of homeland security.