EC Contribution to the budget: 1.700.000 euro

Project Abstract:

The project proposal is to build and in-field test a novel smart system for entirely plastic antipersonnel landmine detection, based on the neutron backscattering technique. The system will provide minimum hazard, very simple human interface, and the capability of imaging APL.. The integration of this system with a modified Metal Detector will be studied, and a final prototype with the two sensor heads will be prepared and tested.

Objectives:

The objective of DIAMINE is to develop a prototype of hand-held landmine detector using the neutron back-scattering technique. A low-activity source (252Cf, about 105 fast neutron/second) will irradiate the soil. The yield of low-energy back-scattered neutrons depends on the quantity of hydrogen in the illuminated volume. The presence of land-mine causes a localised and strong increase of the yield. The comparison of the instantaneous count-rate with other parameters acquired on-line (source- soil distance and previous yield values due only to soil moisture) will be used to automatically detect the presence of a localised anomaly, giving a simple message to the operator. In some conditions, the hits distribution of the detector will provide an image of the hidden object, which will drastically lower the false alarm rate. Validation tests in laboratory and in-field are planned. The coupling with a Metal Detector will be carried out and tested. The use of such detectors vehicle mounted system will be also explored.

Description of the Work:

The DIAMINE project is supposed to run without gaps, in a unique phase, in recognition of the urgent need to make new tools available to Humanitarian De-mining operators. First a Monte Carlo simulations of the detector response to neutron back scattering will be performed from a specimen of soil containing a landmine to define detailed performances of the system. At the same time, a position sensitive thermal neutron detector will be developed. Such detector has to work very close to the fast neutron source (252Cf or Am-Be radioactive sources emitting 105 neutrons/second) and therefore has to be insensitive to the direct radiation from the source, including the gamma-rays. Furthermore the detectors have to be of light mass and mechanically robust to be employed in field. They have to be radiation resistant and should not require special care in handling to be serviced on site. The neutron detector will be integrated with suitable front-end electronics. Simultaneously, computing and Man-Machine interface will be developed using data from simulations and special Metal Detector (MD) heads. Then they will be studied to allow the integration with the neutron backscattering system (NBS). Finally, prototypes of hand-held systems will be prepared, including MD, NBS heads and ancillary sensors, to determine the detector-soil distance and the scan speed. Information from such sensors will be used to correct on-line the NBS response. The developed hand-held systems will be tested in laboratory as well as in field conditions with real mines. The final tests will be performed at the indoor Rudier Boscovic facility in Zabreb as well as in a test field by a Balkan Mine Action Centre in Croatia. The use of the developed sensors in vehicle mounted systems will also be tested.