passive stand-off detection of chemicals

University of Virginia

Gabriel LauferUniversity of Virginia, Mechanical and Aerospace

Engineering, Charlottesville, VA 22904

Passive Stand-Off Detection of Chemicals

Acknowledgement: Support by the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology and Avir, LLC

University of Virginia

University of Virginia

Properties of sensors for domestic defense applications

Sensitivity existing passive remote sensors, Fast (0.1-1 sec), Multi-chemical (weapon agents + simulants), Robust – few (or no) moving parts, no fine

alignment, Simple to operate, Output easy to interpret, Low cost (low level of approval), Low energy (commercially available battery), Imaging capabilities (desirable).

University of Virginia

Prototype of a single-chemical DAR

University of Virginia

University of Virginia Remote Sensing Experiment

Sponsors: NSROC, NASA, VSGC, SEAS, VEF, MAE.

Previous mission launched from NASA Wallops Island on an Orion single stage sounding rocket.

Future experiment: video camera, and five photodiodes for ocean chlorophyll measurements

Gas filter correlation radiometer for measurement of methane in the stratosphere

University of Virginia

Mostly undergraduate project, 18 students + 1 grad student in AY 2001-02, over 60 during the last 4 years.Interdisciplinary, including remote sensing, telemetry, space technology, mechanical design, system integration. (Shown L/R: Gaby Laufer, Jeff Dawson and Sarah Armstrong)