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Testing and Evaluation of Standoff Chemical Agent Detectors (2003) / Chapter Skim
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1 Introduction
Pages 6-8

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From page 6...
... , The Use of Chemical Agent Simulants in Stando~Detection Testing.5 This study issued a final report dated October 2001 which recommended that "using simulants instead of CWAs provides an effective means for conducting outdoor operational testing of standoff detection instruments," Simulants are chemicals that are less toxic yet approximate the optical and physical characteristics of CWAs used in the detection scheme. Review of the report throughout the DoD establishment raised concerns around the validity of its conclusion based on the proposed test protocol and the supporting information provided in the report.
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From page 7...
... The committee had vigorous discussions and debates on the major issues associated with each of the testing protocols and came to unanimous agreement on the recommendations contained in this report. This report is a narrow and very specific study of the testing and evaluation of infrared-type standoff detectors for CWAs in military situations.6 It is not a broad study of various possible methods of detecting CWAs, nor is it a study of the use of such detectors in applications such as homeland security.
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From page 8...
... Detecting and measuring these spectral features in the presence of all the background spectra using sophisticated chemometric techniques requires statistical testing of simulants in both laboratory and field environments as well as laboratory testing of the various CWAs along with complex signal processing. It is these factors that result in the large amount of testing needed to assure detector performance.
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Key Terms

  • standoff detection
  • infrared absorption
  • bmi report
  • background spectra
  • detection testing

  • defense applications
  • test protocol
  • chemical agent
  • homeland defense
  • field environments

  • standoff detectors
  • absorption bands
  • field testing
  • agent simulants
  • detection scheme

  • evaluating standoff
  • infrared detection
  • conducting outdoor
  • highly desired
  • potential cwa

  • various cwas
  • using sophisticated
  • physical characteristics
  • using simulants
  • absent field

  • report recommends
  • spectral window
  • provide statistically
  • live cwas
  • recommends research


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