Proceedings Article | 30 November 1999
William Suliga, Ralph Burnham, Timothy Deely, William Gavert, Mark Pronko, Gustavo Verdun, Horacio Verdun, V. James Cannaliato, William Ginley, Larry Hyttinen, John Strawbridge
KEYWORDS: Aerosols, Clouds, Ultraviolet radiation, Sensors, Receivers, Analog electronics, Biological detection systems, Control systems, Amplifiers, Adaptive optics
Fibertek is currently under contract to the US Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command (SBCCOM) at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD to develop a multi-wavelength lidar system. Under this effort, Fibertek will deliver a system that is capable of detecting the presence of biological aerosols. The SR-BSDS has successfully demonstrated the ability to detect and track a biological aerosol cloud while discriminating between biological and non-biological aerosols and hard targets. The SR-BSDS is an active standoff detection system with both ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) capability. The UV wavelengths can provide near real time detection and ranging of a particulate cloud with demonstrated discrimination capability. Recent enhancements to the IR capability extended the cloud detection range and acquisition capability as well as providing an autonomous operation mode of operation. The SR-BSDS can be operated in one of two modes, manual or autonomous. In the manual mode the operator selects the desired scan field of view, resolution, wavelength, and degree of pulse coadding, then instructs the system to start scanning. The system will monitor its own performance and display information to the operator to indicate proper operation. The system will monitor cloud data and warn the operator when the sensor is aimed at an aerosol of interest. If a biological cloud of interest is found, an audible alarm will sound, and the operator can examine cloud imagery while the system continues to automatically monitor and track all clouds in the field-of-view. The scanning parameters can also be changed easily upon aerosol detection, if desired. In the autonomous mode, the operator selects the desired scan field of view. The system automatically scans for aerosol clouds with the IR beam. This is accomplished in a rapid, single pulse laser firing mode. Once a cloud with specified characteristics is acquired, the system automatically switches over to an UV beam for discrimination interrogation. System status, data and discrimination interrogation results will be transmitted over a wireless modem to a Command Post. All the above will continue to operate without additional operator intervention. The autonomous operation feature was recently demonstrated at Dugway Proving Ground in July of 1999. Field testing to date, both at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD and Dugway Proving Ground, UT in 1998 and 1999 successfully demonstrated the system's detection, discrimination, scanning functions and autonomous operation. With the initial field testing and system demonstration testing successfully complete, emphasis is on several areas of enhancements in preparation for additional DPG testing and system delivery for field implementation in 2000.
