Lonnie A. Wilson, Ph.D., Research Professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA Evaluates Loch's ELF Landmine Detection System
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 2000--Due to many misunderstandings in the interested scientific community, Loch Harris, Inc. (OTCBB:LOCH - news) invited Dr. Lonnie A. Wilson, Professor at the US Naval Postgraduate School, to investigate the scientific basis for the operation and functions of the ELF landmine detection system. Dr. Wilson witnessed a demonstration of the unit, evaluated its operation and interviewed the ChemTech scientific team. His resulting paper follows:
May 2, 2000
The ELF Sensor
White Paper Summary
Prepared by
Lonnie A. Wilson, Ph.D.
Introduction
Wide bandwidth (active and passive) sensors are dramatically extending performance capabilities of Surveillance, Remote Sensing and Targeting Systems far beyond previous narrow bandwidth sensor systems. For example, wide bandwidth Radar Sensors routinely perform target detection, target imaging, and target identification functions with high performance results and long ranges in the microwave spectrum. Also, wide bandwidth Electronic Warfare Systems easily perform fine-grained emitter identification functions across all frequency bands of interest at extended ranges.
Wide bandwidth is one key parameter for advanced sensor techniques that provides new operational performance capabilities. The entire sensor system must be wide bandwidth, which includes transmitter or source, signal-target interactions, receiver, detector and processor. Wide bandwidth provides significant additional target information, which cannot be extracted using narrow bandwidth techniques. Promising wide bandwidth sensor techniques are being considered for Counter Terrorism, Security Screening, and Facility Protection applications. ELF is a promising new sensor, which needs to be explored and evaluated for these applications.
The active ELF Sensor utilizes wide bandwidth techniques to perform land mine detection and mine material classification. A practical solution, to the world land mine problem, demands (requires) an automatic sensor system that accurately detects, classifies and locates mines, in near real time and practical ranges. The ELF system uses a tailored broad bandwidth X-ray technique to solve this important problem. ELF's wide bandwidth makes it distinct from classical X-ray systems that use narrow bandwidth implementations. The ELF sensor is currently in the research and development phase and ready for controlled field tests, evaluations and demonstrations.
R&D Laboratory Tests
The prototype ELF sensor completed initial R&D laboratory testing using land mines materials packaged in background soil at ChemTech in Tucson, AZ and Croatia. LOCH previously reported that ELF demonstrated 100% correct detection and 100% correct successful classification of landmine materials in several laboratory tests and demonstrations.
In addition, Vladivoj Valkovic, Vice President Scientific Council of Croatian Demining Center, presented at the ``4th. International Symposium on Technology and the Mine Problem'' in Monterey, CA., March 13, 2000. He stated ELF's performance was 100% successful (detection and classification) for three sets of laboratory tests and 100% successful on one simple field demonstration, at two meters range. Mr. Valkovic - CROMAC report has independently verified ELF laboratory tests results, which were reported earlier by ChemTech.
These successful laboratory tests, at two meters range, sparked considerable interest in the wide bandwidth ELF sensor for potential Counter Terrorism, Security Screening, Facility Protection and other applications.
I witnessed an ELF demonstration at the ChemTech facility in Tucson, AZ during April 2000. ELF tests were 100% accurate (detection and classification) with no false alarms. Wide bandwidth ELF signatures, for each mine material, were visually unique and different, (observed on PC display) and exhibited good signal-to-noise ratio for sensor range of two meters.
Technical Discussion
The ELF System contains ChemTech trade secrets. These trade secrets will not be divulged or detailed here, but key scientific concepts will be summarized in layman's terms. The ELF sensor appears to be a revolutionary breakthrough for land mine detection, classification and location, just like wide bandwidth Radar was a revolutionary breakthrough for Surveillance and Targeting applications. The ELF sensor technology is summarized below.
1. Fluorescing wavelength (energy)
X-ray fluorescing is traditionally dimensioned in keV (energy) units, but equivalently dimensioned in wavelength or frequency units. Wavelength comparisons are used here. Wavelength variations for conventional X-ray fluorescence are rather small. They have conventional fluorescence scatter data on 103 compounds, and the average delta wavelength is 1.281 percent. Clearly, conventional X-ray fluorescence is narrow bandwidth phenomena. ChemTech's uses a very broad bandwidth X-ray source with selected center wavelength in the long wavelength X-ray region. The center wavelength is nominally centered within a wavelength window that exhibits low atmospheric absorption rates. They discovered this low absorption window in the X-ray region, which the ELF system utilizes. The newly discovered X-ray window and ELF details are proprietary and treated as ChemTech trade secrets. ChemTech believes conventional X-ray researchers have not discovered this low atmospheric absorption window. Absorption is reduced more than an order of magnitude in this window.
Their X-ray fluorescence (experimental) results give average delta wavelength of 500 to 1000 percent. Precise delta wavelength numbers are difficult to ascertain because their X-ray source is very broad bandwidth. The broad bandwidth source results in unique excitation signatures with large delta wavelength, which could not be observed in conventional narrow bandwidth X-ray systems. Other researchers assume the veracity of ``classical'' information available, which indicates air absorbs nearly all the energy at essentially point blank range for all wavelengths in the X-ray region. In summary, absorption rates are much lower than published ``classical data'' for this newly discovered X-ray window. ELF system uses a broad bandwidth X-ray source, the low atmospheric absorption window, and broad bandwidth detector and processor, which result in their unique signatures. Classical researchers never attempt to observe these signatures. ELF system design is based on this broad bandwidth X-ray fluorescing, which is critical to the ELF system successful detection and identification performance at extended ranges. Source wavelength is adjusted to provide maximum cross section for molecular absorption.
2. Detector
A standard, yet highly specialized, germanium crystal is modified to maximize detector sensitivity over the spectrum (low absorption X-ray window - low energy or long wavelength X-ray). Detector sensitivity and dynamic range are sufficient to extract broad bandwidth signatures. ELF laboratory tests and demonstrations reveal 100% detection and 100% identification performance at 2 meters range. Classical X-ray systems cannot duplicate this performance.
3. X-ray source
The X-ray source is optimized for long X-ray wavelengths that correspond to the low absorption window determined in the earlier experimentation. The combined X-ray source and associated optics, which includes micro focus technology, are unique and proprietary to ChemTech.
4. Detection and Identification Algorithms and Software Hardware and software developments have made extraordinary progress or improvements, since the original concept development eight years ago. Detection & identification algorithms and associated software implementations have migrated significantly from the original neural net based design.
They have optimized signal detection and processing algorithms and ID decision-making algorithms. These optimizations include high performance processing to:
a. Achieve near maximum Signal-to-Noise Ratios (SNR),
b. Maximize probability of detection,
c. Minimize probability of false alarms,
d. Reduce background signatures,
e. Significantly reduce stray signatures,
f. Maximize system performance for all wavelengths and down to minimum detector sensitivities,
g. Maximize probability of correct ID,
h. Minimize probability of incorrect ID, and
i. Improved detection time and ID time,
j. Increase detection and ID range. A 6-dB SNR improvement will double operating range.
k. Automate all processing functions and control-using PC based system.
High quality collection hardware and digitization units provide digital data in the proper format to the PC. The PC performs control functions, digital signal processing and optimization functions, executes decision-making algorithms and presents or displays signature information and detection and ID results, in near real time. A high performance PC easily accomplishes all functions using high speed CPU, high speed RAM and large virtual memory. In addition, they have integrated acquisition and compare modules with source and data collection subsystems to provide characterization data, power input and timing control functions and other operator safety features. The proprietary ELF system design uses ChemTech trade secrets. Additionally, the complete software package is ChemTech proprietary, except for the multichannel analyzer interface drivers. Detection, signal processing and identification algorithms and associated software are not currently documented.
Lonnie A. Wilson, Ph.D., Curriculum vitae:
Lonnie A. Wilson, Ph.D., is a Research Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department with joint appointments in Information Warfare and Space Systems Academic Groups at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA. Professor Wilson has taught Electronic Warfare Systems, Radar Systems, Communication Systems and Digital Signal Processing courses. He has MS degree in Engineering (June 1969) and Ph.D. degree in Engineering (June 1973) from UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.
Dr. Wilson has successfully developed Surveillance and Targeting Sensor Systems, Remote Sensors and Missile Guidance and Control Systems for more than 30 years with the US Navy (Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, CA, Naval Air Systems Command, Washington, DC and Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA) and SigPro Systems, Inc. He developed wide bandwidth Radar Systems with automatic target detection and classification capabilities, wide bandwidth Electronic Warfare Systems with specific emitter identification capabilities, Forward Looking Infrared Sensors and Laser Sensor Systems for Airborne Navy applications. He worked in the commercial sector for more than 10 years developing Surveillance and Targeting Sensor Systems.
Dr. Wilson's current research interests include high performance Radar, Virtual Digital Receivers and Electronic Warfare Systems for precision target identifications, and IR, X-ray and UV Sensors and associated DSP Identification techniques for Counter Terrorism, Personnel Protection, Security Screening, Facility Protection and other applications.
