Automatic detection and assessment of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats

• US 20040015336A1
• Filed: 07/19/2002
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: UT-Battelle LLC
• Original Assignee: UT-Battelle LLC
• Inventors: Morris, Robert H., Griest, Wayne H., Wise, Marcus B., Reid, Richard W., Kulesz, James J., Lee, Ronald W., Worley, Brian A.
• Application Number:
  US10/199,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20040015336A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/11
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/06 Monitoring of the line circuits, e.g. signalling of line faults
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/002 with telemetering systems telemetering in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/15 Inorganic acid or base [e.g. , hcl, sulfuric acid, etc. ]

Abstract

A system and method for detection and assessment of hazardous plumes includes at least one sensing station, the sensing station including at least one sensor for sampling a media and determining hazardous plume data. The hazardous plume data includes at least one hazardous plume component and quantitative data regarding the hazardous plume component, such concentration. A computing structure receives the hazardous plume data and determines a dispersion model including a future migration path of the plume. The dispersion model can also provide quantitative data regarding the hazardous plume component, such as the concentration associated with the projected plume as a function of time as well as the source location of the plume.

Claims

1. A system for detection and assessment of hazardous plumes, comprising:

at least one sensing station, said sensing station including at least one sensor for sampling a media and determining hazardous plume data, said hazardous plume data comprising at least one hazardous plume component and quantitative data regarding said hazardous plume component, and

computing structure for receiving said hazardous plume data and determining a dispersion model including a future migration path of said plume.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising structure for directly transmitting said hazardous plume data to said computing structure.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said dispersion model includes a concentration or level of said component along said future migration path.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said hazardous component is at least one selected from the group consisting of biological materials, chemical materials, nuclear materials and electromagnetic radiation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said dispersion model determines a source location for said hazardous component.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said computing structure includes meteorological data in determining said dispersion model.

7. The system of claim 6, said sensing station includes at least one meteorological sensor.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said system comprises a network of sensing stations, said network disposed across a plurality of remotely located sites.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one wireless communications link for communications between said sensing station and said computing structure.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said sampled media comprises air.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said sampled media comprises water.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensing station is a mobile sensing station, said sensing station including a global position system.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensing station comprises at least one mass spectrometer.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said mass spectrometer is a chemical biological mass spectrometer (CBMS) adapted to detect and measure a concentration of hazardous chemical and biological materials.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said mass spectrometer comprises an ion trap mass spectrometer.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is fully automatic.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising structure for encrypting said hazardous plume data.

18. A method for detection and assessment of hazardous plumes, comprising the steps of:

sampling a media,

determining hazardous plume data, said hazardous plume data including quantitative data regarding at least one hazardous component, and

computing a dispersion model relating to a migration path of said hazardous plume from said hazardous plume data.

19. The method for claim 18, wherein said hazardous component comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of biological, radiological, chemical, and nuclear components.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said method is fully automatic.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of directly transmitting said hazardous plume data for including in said dispersion model.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of providing meteorological data for inclusion in said dispersion model.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein said hazardous plume data is acquired at a plurality of remotely located sites.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said determining step includes obtaining quantitative data regarding said hazardous component at said plurality of remotely located sites.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of determining a source location of said hazardous component.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of updating said hazardous plume data by repeating said determining step, and using said updated hazardous plume data to recompute said dispersion model.

27. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of providing a population database and compiling a threat assessment based on said dispersion model and said population database.

28. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of encrypting said hazardous plume data and transmitting said encrypted hazardous plume data prior to said computing said dispersion model.