Sandia National Laboratories
Support to Homeland Security and the War Against Terrorism
Unclassified Demos, Displays, Presentations
1. Emergency Preparedness and Response
Bomb Disablement: PAN disrupter and other bomb disablement tools used in Operation America.
Display: Display includes a replica of the Shoe Bombs worn by Colvin Reid (from the America
Airlines Miami flight) as well as a PAN disrupter, which was used to disable the Shoe Bombs
without destroying the forensic evidence. PAN also was used to disable the Unabomber’s
bomb found in his Montana cabin. Various other advanced bomb disablement tools
Nuclear Incident Response: NEST, ARG, PIVS, RAP, JTOT field response teams.
Demo: PIVS (Portable Integrated Video System) – shows two-way video, audio, and computer
communications for weapon recovery team members. Components include PIVS vest with
camera and laptop display (actual field equipment).
Demo: RAP (Radiation Assistance Program) Gamma Spectroscopy Unit demonstrates field ID of
radioisotopes
Demo: SAMS gamma neutron sensor
Demo: Foam containment system (demo in C109 consists of spraying foam into a container; field
demo shows foam containment used to mitigate an explosion)
2. Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Countermeasures
Chemical Sensing Demo: MicroChemLab (miniaturized chemical analysis lab)
Demo: We can demo the handheld MicroChemLab and show real-time analysis of the chemical
agents identified. Components: MicroChemLab unit (handheld), laptop for analysis, chemical
source. Action: MicroChemLab pulls in air sample from around chemically contaminated
object for 60 seconds, analyzes the chemical detected for 60 seconds (chromatography), and
displays results on laptop, which indicates chemical identified and its strength.
Demo: SnifferStar – a simplified, quicker, less sensitive version of MicroChemLab that can be
mounted in UAV.
Standoff Biological Effluent Sensing: Ares
Demo: Ares van with equipment mounted and operational
Display: Model of Ares unit; the unit is a unique standoff BW detector.
Biological Remediation: Sandia Decontamination Foam (used in Hart building and other federal
offices and facilities to eliminate anthrax)
Demo: We have small, commercial foam units that can be demo’d (spritzed actually) without too
much mess; we also have a larger back-pack unit that can be demonstrated in a 10- by 10-foot
area. Components: Commercial foam dispensers, piece of rug, clean-up rags.
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3. Border and Transportation Security
Nuclear Sensing Demo: RAID (Radiation Assessment Identification and Detection) System
Components of Demo: RAID System (galvanized box: ~3 foot by 4 foot long by 1 ft deep, wt: 60 - 80
lbs); radioactive sources. Action: RAID detects and identifies radioactive material. RAID’s
Sandia-developed analysis software can distinguish between naturally occurring, industrial and
weapons-type radioactive sources in real time. Small, handheld nuclear sensors; new “Smart Pod”
radiation detector
Explosives Sensing Demo: Hound II (detects explosives residue on people or items such as handcarried bags or packages.)
Demo Components: The Hound II consists of a commercial explosives detector and a Sandia-developed air
sampling and preconcentrator unit. We also need to bring an explosives-contaminated item to sniff.
Action: Hound II samples (either with a swipe or an air sample) an explosives-contaminated item. The
Hound II preconcentrator acts like a small vacuum cleaner to inhale vapor or extremely small particles.
The system analyzes the vapor in real time. The Hound’s detector unit has an LCD that lists the
explosives that can be detected – the identified explosive is highlighted and the unit shows a bar graph
(indicating the strength of the signal). Information is displayed on the laptop that shows the spectrum of
the explosive detected, identifies the specific explosive, and indicates its strength (by magnitude of the
peak). *Note that this demo is not always available, depending on the location of the field units.
Physical Security (Biometrics) Demo:
Fingerprint identification demo (identifies registered users by
single fingerprint)
Demo Components: Fingerprint reader and laptop. Action: Person registered in database places finger in
reader; laptop displays identification information.
4. Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection
Vulnerability Analysis/Risk Assessment Materials: A wide variety of assessment materials including
training course materials are used to explain Sandia’s Systems Approach to protecting high-value U.S.
assets.
Materials Technology (Holographic) Display: Anti-tamper, anti-counterfeit holographic visas and
passports
SAR Display: 3D Washington Mall and other items illustrating Sandia SAR analysis techniques. Also, flight
hardware and images from an airborne SAR system.
Tags and Tracking; Various tags and tracking devices
Satellite Technology: MTI and GPS/NDS
Displays: A model of the MTI (Multispectral Thermal Imager) satellite. (We also can display some
interesting multi-spectral images.), A model of the GPS/NDS Block II satellite and bhangmeters
Actual hardware from the new (soon to be flight tested) ENRAD sensor (which will complement the optical
detector on the GPS NUDET Detection System (NDS)). It reduces, by three orders of magnitude, the weight,
size, and power requirements for an optical sensor (1,000 to 1 in increase in performance).
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5. Support to the Intelligence Community
Various unclassified and classified displays.
6. Security Engineering and Risk Assessment Methodologies
Overview of Sandia security engineering principles, DOJ’s Center for Force Protection, CVAM
(Community Vulnerability Assessment Methodology) and VAM-CF (Vulnerability Assessment
Methodology for Chemical Facilities)
7. Bio/Chem Defense Initiatives, PROTECT
A research team from the Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories has developed
modeling and simulation tools for assessing the threat and vulnerability of buildings to chemical and
biological attacks. Other research has involved placement of chem/bio sensors in selected areas within
communities.
8. Chem Decontamination Foam
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) has developed a non-toxic, non- corrosive aqueous formulation
for rapid decontamination and mitigation of chemical and biological warfare (CBW) agents to protect
civilian targets. The Sandia Decon Formulation can be deployed as a foam, liquid spray, or fog.
Results from SNL tests on chemical and biological simulants were confirmed with live-agent testing
by independent testing agencies.
9. Canine Search and Rescue
In response to the World Trade Center attack Sandia provided to canine search and rescue teams
technologies that enabled the handlers to monitor searches by their dogs.
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