Jean-Robert Simard

Standoff sensing of bioaerosols using intensified range-gated spectral analysis of laser-induced fluorescence

In atmospheric sensing, one application that has demonstrated several impressive successes over the last two decades is the light detection and ranging (LIDAR). Elastic LIDAR has shown an important capability in providing aerosol density and spatial distribution from a standoff position. However, it provides limited information on the material composition of the aerosol component. On the other hand, inelastic LIDARs (including laser-induced fluorescence and Raman LIDARs) measure the spectrally distributed returned signal that may contain important clues about the nature of the scatterers. In order to investigate the capability of these LIDARs in characterizing bioaerosols from a standoff position, Defence Research & Development Canada initiated a three-year program in spring 1999, named SINBAHD (Standoff Integrated Bioaerosol Active Hyperspectral Detection). The aim of the program was to investigate the sensitivity and discrimination capabilities of an inelastic LIDAR based on the intensified range-gated spectral detection of laser-induced fluorescence. An exploratory prototype based on this technique has shown sensitivity of a few living bioaerosol particles per liter of air for a range of 1.4 km at night. Furthermore, based on spectral signatures measured during open-air releases, good discrimination capabilities were obtained between Bacillius subtilis var globiggi (BG) and Erwinia herbicola (EH). These results agree well with a performance model using Raman returns from atmospheric nitrogen as a calibration tool.

Measurement of the azimuthal dependence of cross-polarized lidar returns and its relation to optical depth.

We measure with a gated intensified CCD camera the cross-polarized backscattered light from a linearly polarized laser beam penetrating a cloud made of spherical particles. In accordance with previously published results we observe a clear azimuthal pattern in the recorded images. We show that the pattern is symmetrical, that it originates from second-order scattering, and that higher-order scattering causes blurring that increases with optical depth. We also find that the contrast in the symmetrical features can be related to measurement of the optical depth. Moreover, when the blurring contributions are identified and subtracted, the resulting pattern provides a pure second-order scattering measurement that can be used for retrieval of droplet size.

Effect of growth media and washing on the spectral signatures of aerosolized biological simulants

We have evaluated the influence of growth media and washing on the laser-induced fluorescence spectra of bacteria. Three different bacterial simulants were cultured in three types of growth media. Three kinds of samples were generated from each culture: the culture itself, the growth medium alone, and a triple-washed sample. The materials were injected as aerosols in a lab-sized lidar aerosol chamber to obtain their spectra. Using two different analysis approaches, signature variations were observed between the three kinds of samples for most combinations of growth media/bacteria. This study concludes that the culture media used influences the spectral signatures.

Improved Landmine Detection Capability (ILDC): Systematic Approach to the Detection of Buried Mines Using Passive IR Imaging

In order to reduce the serious problem associated with the mining of important supply/communication roads by hostile parties during peacekeeping operations, the Canadian Department of National Defense has recently begun the development of a multi-sensor teleoperated mine detection vehicle, the Improved Landmine Detection Capability. One sensor identified as a serious candidate for that project is a passive IR camera. In the past, many organizations have assessed the efficiency of this technique of detection and reported widely fluctuating results. It is believed that the main reason for these fluctuations is associated with the ad hoc interpretations used by different researchers. In this paper, a more systematic analysis is presented which takes into account variables such as time of the day, time of the year, weather conditions, type of road and many others. A working model is proposed in order to facilitate the prediction of the IR signature of the buried land-mine and is compared with data acquired from multiple trials. These trials were done with live mines (without fuzes) and surrogates buried in different types of road (packed gravel and sand) and during different times of the day and different times of the year.

Bioaerosols laser-induced fluorescence provides specific robust signatures for standoff detection

One of todays primary security challenges is the emerging biological threat due to the increased accessibility to biological warfare technology and the limited efficiency of detection against such menace. At the end of the 90s, Defence R&D Canada developed a standoff bioaerosol sensor, SINBAHD, based on intensified range-gated spectrometric detection of Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) with an excitation at 351 nm. This LIDAR system generates specific spectrally wide fluorescence signals originating from inelastic interactions with complex molecules forming the building blocks of most bioaerosols. This LIF signal is spectrally collected by a combination of a dispersive element and a range-gated ICCD that limits the spectral information within a selected atmospheric cell. The system can detect and classify bioaerosols in real-time, with the help of a data exploitation process based on a least-square fit of the acquired fluorescence signal by a linear combination of normalized spectral signatures. The detection and classification processes are hence directly dependant on the accuracy of these signatures to represent the intrinsic fluorescence of bioaerosols and their discrepancy. Comparisons of spectral signatures acquired at Suffield in 2001 and at Dugway in 2005 of bioaerosol simulants, Bacillius subtilis var globiggi (BG) and Erwinia herbicola (EH), having different origin, preparation protocol and/or dissemination modes, has been made and demonstrates the robustness of the obtained spectral signatures in these particular cases. Specific spectral signatures and their minimum detectable concentrations for different simulants/interferents obtained at the Joint Biological Standoff Detection System (JBSDS) increment II field demonstration trial, Dugway Proving Ground (DPG) in June 2005, are also presented.

Standoff detection of explosives: a challenging approach for optical technologies

Standoff detection of explosives residues on surfaces at few meters was made using optical technologies based on Raman scattering, Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and passive standoff FTIR radiometry. By comparison, detection and analysis of nanogram samples of different explosives was made with a microscope system where Raman scattering from a micron-size single point illuminated crystal of explosive was observed. Results from standoff detection experiments using a telescope were compared to experiments using a microscope to find out important parameters leading to the detection. While detection and spectral identification of the micron-size explosive particles was possible with a microscope, standoff detection of these particles was very challenging due to undesired light reflected and produced by the background surface or light coming from other contaminants. Results illustrated the challenging approach of detecting at a standoff distance the presence of low amount of micron or submicron explosive particles.

Enhanced Military Target Discrimination using Active and Passive Polarimetric Imagery

Surveillance operations often make use of electro-optic (EO) imaging systems to detect civilian and military targets. To increase the overall target detection performance, such active/passive EO sensors could exploit the polarization of light as additional information to discriminate man made objects against different backgrounds. The target contrast enhancement obtained by analyzing the polarization of the reflected light from either a direct polarized laser source as encountered in active imagers, or from natural ambient illumination, can be used for such target discrimination scheme. This paper reports results from field experiments exploiting polarization-based imaging sensors to enhance the detection of man made objects. Active and passive polarimetric signatures of objects have been acquired at wavelengths in the near and long-wave infrared bands. Results demonstrate to what extent and under which illumination and environmental conditions the exploitation of active/passive polarimetric images is suitable to enable target discrimination.

Evaluation of active and passive polarimetric electro-optic imagery for civilian and military targets discrimination

Electro-optic (EO) imaging systems are commonly used to detect civilian and military targets during surveillance operations and search and rescue missions. Adding the polarization of light as additional information to such active and passive EO imaging systems may increase the target discrimination performance, as man made objects are known to depolarized light in different manner than natural background. However, while the polarization of light has been used and studied in the past for numerous applications, the understanding of the polarization phenomenology taking place with targets used in cluttered backgrounds requires additional experimentations. Specifically, the target contrast enhancement obtained by analyzing the polarization of the reflected light from either a direct polarized laser source as encountered in active imagers, or from natural ambient illumination, needs further investigation. This paper describes an investigation of the use of polarization-based imaging sensors to discriminate civilian and military targets against different backgrounds. Measurements were carried out using two custom-designed active and passive imaging systems operating in the near infrared (NIR) and the long-wave infrared (LWIR) spectral bands. Polarimetric signatures were acquired during two distinct trials that occurred in 2007, using specific civilian and military targets such as cars and military vehicles. Results demonstrate to what extent and under which illumination and environmental conditions the exploitation of active and passive polarimetric images is suitable to enable target detection and recognition for some events of interest, according to various specific scenarios.

Two generations of Canadian active imaging systems: ALBEDOS and ELVISS

Search and rescue and general surveillance mission pose a serious challenge to conventional imaging systems used by actual aircraft crews. These systems must often work in low- light and low-visibility conditions to find the identify targets. A new airborne imaging technology has been developed to overcome several deficiencies encountered with common CCD cameras, image intensified system and thermal imaging sensors. The recent developments in laser diode arrays, laser diode beam collimation and gatable micro- channel plate intensifier have made possible the construction of a compact active imagin system, called the Airborne Laser-Based Enhanced Detection and Observation Systems (ALBEDOS). This system proved particularly efficient at night and in degraded weather conditions. In addition, it was demonstrated that range gating, besides eliminating most of the light backscattered by aerosols, provided to some extent immunity to blooming effects specific to highly sensitive cameras. The system was installed on a helicopter and tested in various scenarios in October 1995 to demonstrate its potential. To enhance the surveillance capability over large areas of coverage, to optimize detection of humans and small objects and to improve the effectiveness of the search aircraft, a second-generation payload is presently developed and combines the benefits of two complementary imaging sensors. The Enhanced Low-Light level Visible and IR Surveillance System (ELVISS) consists of an improved range-gated active imager and a high-quality thermal imager, installed in two separate airborne platforms slaved together and controlled by a single user interface. It is expected that such a sensor systems will have a direct impact on improving the response time in finding those in need of assistance or simply in increasing the performance, reliability and efficiency of crews involved in general surveillance operations. This paper explains the concept of range gating, details a preliminary performance model and describes the two generations of Canadian active imagers: ALBEDOS and ELVISS.

Spectrally resolved laser-induced fluorescence for bioaerosols standoff detection

An efficient standoff biological warfare detection capability could become an important asset for both defence and security communities based on the increasing biological threat and the limits of the presently existing protection systems. Defence R&D Canada (DRDC) has developed, by the end of the 90s, a standoff bioaerosol sensor prototype based on intensified range-gated spectrometric detection of Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF). This LIDAR system named SINBAHD monitors the spectrally resolved LIF originating from inelastic interactions with bioaerosols present in atmospheric cells customizable in size and in range. SINBAHD has demonstrated the capability of near real-time detection and classification of bioaerosolized threats at multi-kilometre ranges. In spring 2005, DRDC has initiated the BioSense demonstration project, which combines the SINBAHD technology with a geo-referenced Near InfraRed (NIR) LIDAR cloud mapper. SINBAHD is now being used to acquire more signatures to add in the spectral library and also to optimize and test the new BioSense algorithm strategy. In September 2006, SINBAHD has participated in a two-week trial held at DRDC-Suffield where different open-air wet releases of live and killed bioagent simulants, growth media and obscurants were performed. An autoclave killing procedure was performed on two biological materials (Bacillus subtilis var globigii or BG, and Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt) before being aerosolized, disseminated and spectrally characterized with SINBAHD. The obtained results showed no significant impact of this killing process on their normalised spectral signature in comparison with their live counterparts. Correlation between the detection signals from SINBAHD, an array of slit samplers and a FLuorescent Aerosol Particle Sensor (C-FLAPS) was obtained and SINBAHDs sensitivity could then be estimated. At the 2006 trial, a detection limit of a few tens of Agent Containing Particles per Liter of Air (ACPLA) was obtained for a 15-m thick cloud of live BG located at a range of 400 m.