Field Of Homeland Security Research Articles

Climate change and homeland security nexus: Proposal for a comprehensive conceptual framework

Climate change is a significant security concern in the 21st century. This study is specifically focused on the interplay between climate change and domestic security within the U.S. context but is of relevance to other countries that are vulnerable to climate change impacts. The study comparatively explores mainstream environmental security literature and U.S. homeland security academic literature on climate-security nexus and establishes three things as follows. First, there is a relatively small but growing body of literature that explores the nexus between climate change and U.S. homeland security. Second, contemporary homeland security academic literature primarily frames climate change as a threat multiplier but does not account for maladaptation, which this article argues is a key aspect of the climate-security nexus including within the U.S. context. Third, maladaptation is already increasingly being accounted for within mainstream environmental security literature in addition to the threat multiplier aspect of the nexus. The article advances knowledge on climate-security nexus within homeland security field by proposing a comprehensive conceptual framework that would enable U.S. homeland security academics to account for both threat multiplier and maladaptation aspects of the climate change problem in their analysis. The article concludes with recommendations for future research.

Should Homeland Security Studies Survive?

Abstract A few years after the end of the Cold War, Richard Betts argued that a specter was haunting the field of strategic studies, “the specter of peace,” and asked whether that field should survive the new era. Today, more than two decades after the 9/11 attacks that stimulated the field of homeland security (HS) studies, we could ask a similar question about that field. Should it survive as an academic field of study, and if so, how should it adapt and change in an era in which concerns about terrorism have in large part been overtaken by great power competition, climate change, AI, pandemics and a host of other asymmetric threats? Is it/can it be an academic discipline? A profession? What questions does it ask and what contributions does it make to practitioners, policy makers, or society? This article reviews the state of HS studies today and what sub-fields and disciplines it touches. It examines HS publication and education in the United States and evaluates the contributions that HS studies have made to date. This review suggests homeland security studies should indeed survive, as a meta discipline that serves a valuable purpose by addressing the question of how governments and societies should best prepare for and respond to threats to their security that can range from local to global in scope, from small to large in scale, and from tame to wicked in character.

Hexapole-Assisted Continuous Atmospheric Pressure Interface for a High-Pressure Photoionization Miniature Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer.

Miniature mass spectrometers are powerful tools for on-site chemical analysis in the fields of homeland security, personal healthcare, and environmental monitoring. This study presents a novel hexapole-assisted continuous atmospheric pressure interface for a high-pressure photoionization miniature ion trap mass spectrometer (HA-HPPI-IT). Efficient ion transmission was achieved by combining radial focusing by an RF electric field and axial driving by gas flow, which was demonstrated by SIMION simulation and experimental verification. The pressure in the ionization-transmission chamber and the inner diameter of the skimmer were optimized, which helped in determining the number density of product ions and affected the ion transmission in the hexapole, respectively. After systematic optimizations, about 16-fold increase in signal intensity was achieved as the RF amplitude was varied from 140 to 400 Vpp, and a limit of detection of 1 ppbv was obtained. In addition, the HA-HPPI-IT exhibited high stability and the relative standard deviation was as low as 5.47%. Finally, the apparatus was applied for discovering the simulated spot for illicit drug synthesis by detecting toluene and propiophenone released to air and monitoring the evolutions of perchloroethylene residues from dry-cleaned clothes.

Study on the density of trap states between CdZnTe and passivation layer based on MIS structure

CdZnTe room temperature nuclear radiation detectors are widely used in the fields of homeland security, medical imaging and astrophysics. In the Cd1-xZnxTe radiation detector, the purpose of passivation is to reduce dark current and improve stability. In this study, CdZnTe etched by bromine-methanol (BM) was treated with standard H2O2 and NH4F passivation process. With the help of TEM and EDS measurement results, the thickness of the passivation layer ranges from 126 nm to 183 nm, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurement results show that the TeO2 fraction can be increased on the passivated surface. The dispersion phenomenon on the capacitance-voltage and conductance-voltage curves indicates the existence of carrier trap states in the area near the interface. In order to determine the size of the trap state under this passivation method, an equivalent circuit model was constructed using the calculation method of electrical conductivity. Based on this model, when the voltage increases from 0 V to 1.4 V, the value of the trap state density obtained changes in between 1.07 × 1010 eV−1cm−2 and 5.85 × 1010 eV−1cm−2.

Design and Development of Ternary-Based Anomaly Detection in Semantic Graphs Using Metaheuristic Algorithm

At present, the field of homeland security faces many obstacles while determining abnormal or suspicious entities within the huge set of data. Several approaches have been adopted from social network analysis and data mining; however, it is challenging to identify the objective of abnormal instances within the huge complicated semantic graphs. The abnormal node is the one that takes an individual or abnormal semantic in the network. Hence, for defining this notion, a graph structure is implemented for generating the semantic profile of each node by numerous kinds of nodes and links that are associated to the node in a specific distance via edges. Once the graph structure is framed, the ternary list is formed on the basis of its adjacent nodes. The abnormalities in the nodes are detected by introducing a new optimization concept referred to as biogeography optimization with fitness sorted update (BO-FBU), which is the extended version of the standard biogeography optimization algorithm (BBO). The abnormal behavior in the network is identified by the similarities among the derived rule features. Further, the performance of the proposed model is compared to the other classical models in terms of certain performance measures. These techniques will be useful to detect digital crime and forensics.

Security Concerns vs. Monied Interests?: The Role of Agenda Setting in Homeland Security

This paper applies public policy concepts such as agenda setting, resource allocation, lobbying, and campaign rhetoric to the field of homeland security. The analysis examines the allocation of resources among the U.S. federal government’s five broad homeland security priorities during the fiscal years of 2012-2017. An overemphasis on border security has led to a disproportionate allocation of resources among these various priorities. The uneven distribution is the summation of electoral ambitions, campaign contributions, and corporate lobbying. This analysis highlights the negative consequences that are a direct result of an unbalanced allotment, cumulating in a slow and uncoordinated federal response to both the COVID-19 pandemic and a series of domestic terrorist attacks. The article concludes with a series of reforms that can be implemented by policy makers in order to ensure that resources are distributed more evenly in the future. Keywords: Agenda Setting, Border Security, Resource Allocation, Homeland Security Priorities, COVID-19, Domestic Counterterrorism, Reforms, Policy Making Process, Capitol Siege, Capitol Insurrection, Michigan Kidnapping Plot

Sonic-spray introduction of liquid samples to hand-held Ion mobility spectrometry analyzers.

Sampling hazardous compounds in the form of solids and liquids is a growing need in the fields of homeland security and forensics. Chemical analysis of particles and droplets under field conditions is crucial for various tasks carried out by counter-terrorism and law enforcement units. The use of simple, small and low cost means to achieve this goal is constantly pursued. In this work, an approach for rapid, continuous generation of vapors from liquid samples using sonic spray (SS) as the sample introduction technique, followed by analysis using hand-held ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) vapor analyzers is presented. Transfer of analytes is demonstrated from liquid state to the gas phase at the inlet of an IMS detector using a sonic spray apparatus that consists of a nebulizer, spraying solution, a source of compressed gas and an unheated transfer line tube to the detector inlet nozzle. This technique does not require any electrical, radiative or thermal energy. Analysis of several narcotic substances including cocaine, methamphetamine and amphetamine, and of an explosive compound, TNT, is demonstrated, using two commercial devices as analyzers. Two sampling configurations are presented: direct sampling of liquid, either from a vial or a spill (SS-IMS) and extraction of a substance collected with a swab by dipping it in the spray solvent (ESS-IMS), being suitable for both drops and particles. Limits of detection of the presented method are comparable to those obtained with thermal desorption sample introduction of the commercial device. Time traces of the IMS signals show a continuous and stable signal with a short rise time. This sampling technique may offer competitive performance to that of common thermal desorption techniques, with the advantages of coupling to simpler, smaller and cheaper vapor detectors, optimized for field use, and of a continuous, pulseless sample or object interrogation.

Biosurveillance: A Modern Look

Abstract The early part of the twenty-first century saw a revolution in the field of Homeland Security. The 9/11 attacks, shortly followed thereafter by the Anthrax Attacks, served as a wakeup call to the United States and showed the inadequacy of the current state of the nation’s Homeland Security operations. Biodefense, and as a direct result Biosurveillance, changed dramatically after these tragedies, planting the seeds of fear in the minds of Americans. They were shown that not only could the United States be attacked at any time, but the weapon could be an invisible disease-causing agent.

Mussel-inspired immobilization of silver nanoparticles toward sponge for rapid swabbing extraction and SERS detection of trace inorganic explosives

It is fairly crucial to detect inorganic explosives through a sensitive and fast method in the field of public safety, nevertheless, the high non-volatility and stability characteristics severely confine their accurate on-site detection from a real-world surface. In this work, an efficient, simple and cost effective method was developed to fabricate uniform silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) immobilized on polyurethane (PU) sponge through the in-situ reduction of polydopamine (PDA) based on mussel-inspired surface chemistry, in virtue of a large quantities catechol and amine functional groups. The formed PU@PDA@Ag sponges exhibited high SERS sensitivity, uniformity and reproducibility to 4-Aminothiophenol (4-ATP) probe molecule, and the limit of detection was calculated to be about 0.02 nmol L−1. Moreover, these PU@PDA@Ag sponges could be served as excellent flexible SERS substrates to rapidly detect trace inorganic explosives with high collection efficiency via swabbing extraction. The detection limit for perchlorates (ClO4−), chlorates (ClO3−) and nitrates (NO3−) were approximately down to 0.13, 0.13 and 0.11 ng respectively. These flexible substrates not only could drastically increase the sample collection efficiency, but also enhance analytical sensitivity and reliability for inorganic explosive, and would have a great potential application in the future homeland security fields.

Metabolite Biometrics for the Differentiation of Individuals

Sweat is a biological fluid present on the skin surface of every individual and is known to contain amino acids as well as other low molecular weight compounds. (1) Each individual is inherently different from one another based on certain factors including, but not limited to, his/her genetic makeup, environment, and lifestyle. As such, the biochemical composition of each person greatly differs. The concentrations of the biochemical content within an individual's sweat are largely controlled by metabolic processes within the body that fluctuate regularly based on attributes such as age, sex, and activity level. Therefore, the concentrations of these sweat components are person-specific and can be exploited, as presented here, to differentiate individuals based on trace amounts of sweat. For this concept, we analyzed three model compounds-lactate, urea, and glutamate. The average absorbance change from each compound in sweat was determined using three separate bioaffinity-based systems: lactate oxidase coupled with horseradish peroxidase (LOx-HRP), urease coupled with glutamate dehydrogenase (UR-GlDH), and glutamate dehydrogenase alone (GlDH). After optimization of a linear dependence for each assay to its respective analyte, analysis was performed on 50 mimicked sweat samples. Additionally, a collection and extraction method was developed and optimized by our group to evaluate authentic sweat samples from the skin surface of 25 individuals. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) test was performed to demonstrate that these three single-analyte enzymatic assays were effectively used to identify each person in both sample sets. This novel sweat analysis approach is capable of differentiating individuals, without the use of DNA,based on the collective responses from the chosen metabolic compounds in sweat. Applications for this newly developed, noninvasive analysis can include the field of forensic science in order to differentiate between individuals as well as the fields of homeland security and cybersecurity for personal authentication via unlocking mechanisms in smart devices that monitor metabolites. Through further development and analysis, this concept also has the potential to be clinically applicable in monitoring the health of individuals based on particular biomarker combinations.

A Theory of Homeland Security

Homeland security is a recognized practice, profession and field without a unifying theory to guide its study and application. The one previous attempt by Bellavita [2] acknowledges its own shortcomings and may be considered incomplete at best. The failure may be attributed to the lack of an underlying correlating factor. This chapter demonstrates that “domestic catastrophic destruction” is the correlating factor that unites key historical homeland security incidents and this observation is leveraged to propose a theory of homeland security that is descriptive, prescriptive and predictive. The proposed theory is descriptive because it can differentiate between what is and what is not homeland security. The theory is prescriptive because it can suggest an optimum homeland security strategy. It is predictive because it renders homeland security into a technical problem and demonstrates how its effects may eventually be blunted through the technological evolution and revolution of the critical infrastructure. Accordingly, the proposed theory embodies a set of foundational principles to guide the study and application of the practice, profession and field of homeland security.

Comparison of the surfaces and interfaces formed for sputter and electroless deposited gold contacts on CdZnTe

Cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) is a leading sensor material for spectroscopic X/γ-ray imaging in the fields of homeland security, medical imaging, industrial analysis and astrophysics. The metal-semiconductor interface formed during contact deposition is of fundamental importance to the spectroscopic performance of the detector and is primarily determined by the deposition method. A multi-technique analysis of the metal-semiconductor interface formed by sputter and electroless deposition of gold onto (111) aligned CdZnTe is presented. Focused ion beam (FIB) cross section imaging, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) depth profiling and current-voltage (IV) analysis have been applied to determine the structural, chemical and electronic properties of the gold contacts. In a novel approach, principal component analysis has been employed on the XPS depth profiles to extract detailed chemical state information from different depths within the profile. It was found that electroless deposition forms a complicated, graded interface comprised of tellurium oxide, gold/gold telluride particulates, and cadmium chloride. This compared with a sharp transition from surface gold to bulk CdZnTe observed for the interface formed by sputter deposition. The electronic (IV) response for the detector with electroless deposited contacts was symmetric, but was asymmetric for the detector with sputtered gold contacts. This is due to the electroless deposition degrading the difference between the Cd- and Te-faces of the CdZnTe (111) crystal, whilst these differences are maintained for the sputter deposited gold contacts. This work represents an important step in the optimisation of the metal-semiconductor interface which currently is a limiting factor in the development of high resolution CdZnTe detectors.

Using Au@nano-C60 nanocomposite as an enhanced sensing platform in modeling a TNT aptasensor

Based on the unique characteristics of the combination of fullerene and gold nanoparticles, we successfully designed a new and facile nanocomposite (Au@nano-C60) to fabricate an aptasensor for the ultra-sensitive and selective detection of TNT. The gold nanoparticles decorated fullerene onto a glassy carbon electrode was prepared using an electrochemical method by the in situ generation of Au nanoparticles onto the surface of the glassy carbon electrode modified with activated fullerene. Successively, the NH2-Apt as a receptor molecule of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluen was covalently attached onto the modified electrode surface with the resultant nanocomposite. With the addition of the target onto the aptasensor surface and the formation of target/Apt complex, a linear response was obtained from 0.50 fM to 5 μM as well as a limit of detection down to 0.17 fM. The proposed aptasensor shows a wider linear response range and lower limit of detection for the specific detection of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluen. This newly developed strategy will pave the way to partly meet the requirements in the field of homeland security and public safety.

Opposing Viewpoints on Youth Social Media Banning in the U.S. for the Combatance of Extremist Recruiting

Today, terrorist groups are recruiting, inspiring, and guiding global strategies not just by Internet operations, but through an organized, steady infusion of propaganda videos and call-to-action messages. Most worrisome: increasing evidence that the youth population represents a particularly susceptible cohort, being drawn into the ranks of terrorist organizations operating worldwide. In response, this article will address the pros and cons of social media banning, its effects on constitutional rights, and its effectiveness towards decreasing radicalization and recruitment. The research presented here aims to further the field of Homeland Security and to encourage debates on how to decrease terrorism and youth recruitment and whether banning social media would assist the Department of Homeland Security's mission. In conclusion, this article explores both sides of the spectrum while offering insight for scholars, organizations, and practitioners regarding the attainability of social media banning in the United States.

Emergency management and homeland security: Exploring the relationship.

In the years after the 9/11 tragedy, the United States continues to face risks from all forms of major disasters, from potentially dangerous terrorist attacks to catastrophic acts of nature. Professionals in the fields of emergency management and homeland security have responsibilities for ensuring that all levels of government, urban areas and communities, nongovernmental organizations, businesses, and individual citizens are prepared to deal with such hazards though actions that reduce risks to lives and property. Regrettably, the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the nation's ability to deal with disasters is unnecessarily challenged by the absence of a common understanding on how these fields are related in the workforce and educational arenas. Complicating matters further is the fact that neither of these fields has developed agreed definitions. In many ways, homeland security and emergency management have come to represent two different worlds and cultures. These conditions can have a deleterious effect on preparedness planning for public and private stakeholders across the nation when coordinated responses among federal, state, and local activities are essential for dealing with consequential hazards. This article demonstrates that the fields of emergency management and homeland security share many responsibilities but are not identical in scope or skills. It argues that emergency management should be considered a critical subset of the far broader and more strategic field of homeland security. From analytically based conclusions, it recommends five steps that be taken to bring these fields closer together to benefit more from their synergist relationship as well as from their individual contributions.

Characterization and Optimization of a Tensioned Metastable Fluid Nuclear Particle Sensor Using Laser-Based Profilometry

State-of-the-art neutron detectors lack capabilities required by the fields of homeland security, health physics, and even for direct in-core nuclear power monitoring. A new system being developed at Purdue’s Metastable Fluid and Advanced Research Laboratory in conjunction with S/A Labs, LLC provides capabilities that the state-of-the-art lacks, and simultaneously with beta (β) and gamma (γ) blindness, high (>90% intrinsic) efficiency for neutron/alpha spectroscopy and directionality, simple detection mechanism, and lowered electronic component dependence. This system, the tensioned metastable fluid detector (TMFD), provides these capabilities despite its vastly reduced cost and complexity compared with equivalent present day systems. Fluids may be placed at pressures lower than perfect vacuum (i.e., negative), resulting in tensioned metastable states. These states may be induced by tensioning fluids just as one would tension solids. The TMFD works by cavitation nucleation of bubbles resulting from energy deposited by charged ions or laser photon pile-up heating of fluid molecules, which are placed under sufficiently tensioned (negative) pressure states of metastability. The charged ions may be created from neutron scattering or from energetic charged particles such as alphas, alpha recoils, and fission fragments. A methodology has been created to profile the pressures in these chambers by laser-induced cavitation (LIC) for verification of a multiphysics simulation of the chambers. The methodology and simulation together have led to large efficiency gains in the current acoustically tensioned metastable fluid detector (ATMFD) system. This paper describes in detail the LIC methodology and provides background on the simulation it validates.

Verification of threshold activation detection (TAD) technique in prompt fission neutron detection using scintillators containing 19F

In the present study ⌀ 5′′× 3′′ and ⌀ 2′′× 2′′ EJ-313 liquid fluorocarbon as well as ⌀ 2′′ × 3′′ BaF2 scintillators were exposed to neutrons from a 252Cf neutron source and a Sodern Genie 16GT deuterium-tritium (D+T) neutron generator. The scintillators responses to β− particles with maximum endpoint energy of 10.4 MeV from the n+19F reactions were studied. Response of a ⌀ 5′′ × 3′′ BC-408 plastic scintillator was also studied as a reference. The β− particles are the products of interaction of fast neutrons with 19F which is a component of the EJ-313 and BaF2 scintillators. The method of fast neutron detection via fluorine activation is already known as Threshold Activation Detection (TAD) and was proposed for photofission prompt neutron detection from fissionable and Special Nuclear Materials (SNM) in the field of Homeland Security and Border Monitoring. Measurements of the number of counts between 6.0 and 10.5 MeV with a 252Cf source showed that the relative neutron detection efficiency ratio, defined as ϵBaF2 / ϵEJ−313−5′′, is 32.0% ± 2.3% and 44.6% ± 3.4% for front-on and side-on orientation of the BaF2, respectively. Moreover, the ⌀ 5′′ EJ-313 and side-on oriented BaF2 were also exposed to neutrons from the D+T neutron generator, and the relative efficiency ϵBaF2 / ϵEJ−313−5′′ was estimated to be 39.3%. Measurements of prompt photofission neutrons with the BaF2 detector by means of data acquisition after irradiation (out-of-beam) of nuclear material and between the beam pulses (beam-off) techniques were also conducted on the 9 MeV LINAC of the SAPHIR facility.

Citizens' social media use and homeland security information policy: Some evidences from Twitter users during the 2013 North Korea nuclear test

In the era of Web 2.0, managing risk communication on social networking sites has increasingly become crucial and complicated issues in the field of homeland security. The response to the 2013 nuclear test in North Korea was largely based on a coordinated effort by Korea's Ministry of Defense, the United Nations, and many countries from around the globe. By analyzing risk communication networks emerged from Twitter users for the period from January 30 to February 24, 2013, this study investigates the way in which citizens' risk communication is formulated through social media and how they transmit risk information in homeland security. Analysis results show the dynamic evolution of risk communication networks based on influential actors with critical information who played pivotal roles in distributing this information to other actors.

A survey of Cyber Attack Detection Strategies

Homeland security field deals with diverse subjects, audio processing, video surveillance, image detection, geolocation determination, and cyber attack detection. Audio processing and video surveillance area are significant for public places safety and land border area. However the big threat for homeland security is cyber attacks. Cyber terror attacks and cyber crime attacks may move over virtual networks and can get every home. Nowadays, we consider the homeland security field however we set the cyber attack detection area the highest priority in our research. This paper introduces the overview of the state of the art in cyber attack detection strategies.

Homeland Security in Higher Education: The State of Affairs

In the past two decades, the number of institutions of higher education offering degrees in homeland security has increased exponentially. This rapid growth, brought on by external factors, has led to some discussion about the ability of programs to address the needs of the field. This article is an overview of the state of higher education (college and technical school) programs in the fields of homeland security and emergency management. The authors look at the rapid growth of these programs in the U. S. system, explain the state of a lack of shared learning outcomes and standards in the field and describe the evolution of these issues, and conclude by offering some criteria and guidelines based on recent studies and organizational needs for such programs.