NAVY DEVELOPS NEW LIGHTWEIGHT BODY ARMOR

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Navy Research Lab Develops New Body Armor for 2016
By Terri Moon Cronk
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, May 15, 2015 – New lightweight, flexible and buoyant body armor developed at the Naval Research Laboratory could be in field use by 2016, the lead scientist who has overseen the armor’s two-year development said yesterday.

Research physicist Raymond M. Gamache of the lab’s chemistry division was one of dozens of exhibitors in the Defense Department’s first “Lab Day” at the Pentagon to display the latest innovations that will advance DoD’s Force of the Future, DOD officials said.

Gamache said his new armor will replace the existing enhanced small-arms protective insert to mitigate the impact from bullets and fragmentation.

Armor Protects Torso, Spine

He displayed two forms of his flexible armor: a fabric for the torso that resembles dimpled foam rubber, and an insert of interlocking pieces that lock up into a solid piece upon impact.

Using both, he noted, would provide torso protection, while the insert could be used in a warfighter’s back to shield the spine from damage.

“It’s a great solution for [spinal injury],” Gamache said. And while the insert can’t stop blunt-force trauma, “you’ll still be alive,” he said.

While Gamache’s armor is intended for protection from bullet fire and fragmentation, it would only offer some degree of protection in improvised explosive device blasts, he said.

Armor is Like Fabric

“You hear stories about troops who won’t wear their armor because it’s both heavy and it is very restrictive,” Gamache said. “This is like wearing a fabric, [and] it’s loose,” he said of the material that resembled dimpled foam rubber, noting that the new material is about 2 pounds lighter than existing body armor.

“The beauty of it is no matter what your body contorts into, you’ll always have the same amount of protection,” Gamache said.

The proximity of the tiny spheres of boron carbide and silicon carbide is what protects service members from the vulnerability of bullet impact and fragments, he explained.

“You can twist and turn, but you’re always going to maintain the same protection against bullets,” he said.

The armor can be used all around the globe in any environment from the Middle East to the Asia-Pacific region, Gamache said.

There is no temperature variance with his armor, he added, although ventilation can be added for greater air flow in warm climates.

“With this technology, we’re trying to essentially make lighter, more compliant materials that people will be willing to wear [that] still gives equivalent protection,” Gamache said. “And that’s the bottom line.”

COGNITIVE SIMULATION TOOL MAY HELP IMPROVE CULTUREAL INTERACTION

U.S. Military and Provincial Troops in Afghanistan.  Credit:  U.S. Navy.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE,  'ARMED WITH SCIENCE'

by jtozer

Top Tech-Cognitive Simulation Tool

Top Technology is an Armed with Science series that highlights the latest and greatest federal laboratory inventions which are available for transfer to business partners.
Naval Research Laboratory has patented an artificial intelligence and cognitive modeling technology designed to better understand what can happen in culturally diverse circumstances. It’s called the Cognitive Simulation Tool, and it could very well change the way we interact with people from different cultures.

So what is it?

The techno-babble for the
Cognitive Simulation Tool is that NRL has patented this technology so it applies to a learning algorithm grounded in social science to model interactions of agents/actors from different groups or cultures. The tool embedding this technology uses agent-based simulation of preference-driven agents endowed with cognitive maps representing their causal beliefs.

What does that mean?

That means that this is simulation technology that allows us to get a better understanding of what can happen when two very different groups have to interact with each other. Agents can modify their cognitive maps through social learning, and a user can seed the simulation with diverse belief structures and activate the simulation to predict coalitions/conflicts and shifts of allegiance.

Basically, it’s a what-if social scenario simulator (say that ten times fast).

What does it do?

I don’t think I need to tell you that the balance of social interaction can be a delicate one.

When it comes to speaking or working with foreign nationals, being able to respect them and possibly encourage cooperation to a mutual benefit can be influential, and in some cases necessary. This technology is designed to measure the impact of a foreign presence on a society before systems collide. It can predict coalitions, population attitudes in response to exogenous events, and even visualize group information.

How can this help the warfighter?

Service members typically spend a lot of time interacting with different people from different social, economic and religious backgrounds. Having a better understanding of how to approach people is as valuable as having situational awareness. Indeed, it’s a viable element of SA. This tool could provide service members with the skills they need to interact with diverse groups effectively and positively, while also teaching them how to be more effective at certain forms of communication.

Also it includes a video gaming system, so that’s bound to be fun.

My take?

I think everyone could benefit from a little social interaction training. If people could plan ahead on how to interact with others I think the world would be a less awkward place.

Imagine how different first dates would be if you’d already ruled out all those cheesy one-liners and unfunny jokes. Or an interview simulator that allowed you to figure out if your self-depreciating humor would fall flat or not. Now I’m not saying this Cognitive Simulation Tool is capable of that – it’s certainly not going to fix all the awkward conversations in the world – but it can help service members to cross certain cultural barriers in times where it could really be important to do so.

Like on a deployment. Or establishing new multi-cultural collaborations. Or ordering food in a foreign country.

Now, this is something that falls under the heading of education and homeland security, but really I think it would help our warfighters to become better, more effective ambassadors to these other countries. Part of our mission is to be able to connect to people from other countries. It’s intuitive that we ought to prepare our troops for any and all circumstances they might encounter.

Having adequate training that prepares warfighters for any real-world scenario is important.

Having a social interaction simulator is, in my opinion, a long time coming.

My take on this is make it so, NRL. And besides, you know I’m a fan of anything that brings us that much closer to a holodeck.

MAKING A LASER FROM TOY PIECES?

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE "ARMED WITH SCIENCE"

Here' s another view of the Prototyping High Bay in the LEGO model. In the actual Prototyping High Bay, lighting can be adjusted to simulate nighttime conditions. (Photo: U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Jamie Hartman)
　

LEGO LASER!
By jtozer
For his day time job, William Adams works in the Navy Center for Applied Research in Artificial Intelligence at the Naval Research Laboratory, supporting research in human-robot interaction, sensing, and autonomy. He manages the resources of the Center’s robot lab, and keeps the Center’s Mobile, Dexterous, Social (MDS) robots – Octavia, Isaac, and Lucas – operating and configured to meet research needs.

It was in April of 2012 that NRL opened the brand-new Laboratory for Autonomous Systems Research facility. The building and opening of that one-of-a-kind facility sparked an idea in William’s mind that led to a LEGO model. For those of us who enjoyed simple LEGO projects as children or with our children, the scope of this project is beyond our imagination.

Here’s how William describes the project:
How long did it take you to build the LEGO model of LASR?It took approximately 120 hours, working a few evenings a week, over the course of 3 months. It also took seven trips to the three local Lego stores to buy additional bricks.

Do you know how many pieces are used in the model?It wasn’t practical to keep an accurate tally during construction, but I have made a rather detailed post-construction estimate of 13,400 pieces.

Tell us about the details from inside some of the LASR rooms. Were you able to build all of the actual LASR environments in your LEGO model?Limitations on time and brick (the community’s collective term for LEGO pieces) prevented a complete interior, but I tried to represent most of the spaces. The Reconfigurable Prototyping High Bay, Littoral High Bay, Desert High Bay,Tropical High Bay, Power and Energy Lab, two Human-System Interaction Labs, the Machine Shop, Electrical Shop, and changing room all have full interiors.

What sparked the idea for you to attempt making this model?LEGO recently released a line of architectural kits, all in a very small scale. I had some aging LEGO models in my office that needed replacing and figured that I could build a model of the LASR building. Then I thought about the larger models sometimes seen on display and decided to build it larger for the opening of the LASR facility (a deadline which I ended up missing). Building to a larger scale, approximately 1:60, allowed for detailed interiors while keeping it slightly under LEGO figure ("minifig") scale, approximately 1:48, cut the brick demands in half and kept it transportable.

Have you built other models of this scale and complexity?Not really. When we were kids my siblings and I would build custom castles on the dining room table and lay siege,

according to a well thought out set of rules inspired by various board games. My brother and I built a model of the National Cathedral that rose with different color strata as we exhausted our brick supply of each.

Several years ago I built a set of detailed models with the theme of a medieval shipyard, each showing a particular trade or technology, but those models were much smaller and could have all fit within the LASR model’s large high bay.

Where is the model located now? Will you keep it as a permanent model?The model is on display in the front area of the LASR facility, where it will stay until either the LASR Director needs the space, or I need the brick for recycling into a new model. It will probably be there through the holidays this year.

How and when did you start working with LEGOS?I remember a pre-existing butter-tub of LEGOS from way back. Things really got moving when I was 5, in 1975, and my father took us to the toy store and bought us the moon landing kit; that’s #565 for the AFOLs. Since it kept us kids occupied, LEGO became standard fare for birthday and Christmas presents. After a high school and college hiatus, I picked up the habit again, although now we "kids" never really get the time to build together.
(Editor’s note: "AFOL" refers to "Adult Fan of LEGO" and describes those adult hobbyists who build or collect LEGO.)

Have you started a new LEGO project yet?I don’t have any specific plans for another LEGO project. I’ll be adding to the LASR model to keep it up to date and keep it interesting.

We look forward to seeing the updates on the LASR model … or William’s next big LEGO project.

　

CHEMICAL WARFARE DEFENSE

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE


120629-N-IK959-416
GREAT LAKES, Ill. (June 29, 2012) Seaman Recruit Ryan McNena, center, from Queens, N.Y., and other recruits don MCU-2P gas masks in the USS Chief Fire Fighting trainer at Recruit Training Command. More than 35,000 recruits go through five days of training at USS Chief, learning to fight shipboard fires and handle chemical, biological, radiation attacks. (U.S. Navy photo by Scott A. Thornbloom/Released)
　

 Written on July 13, 2012 at 7:50  by jtozer
Neutralizing The Threat of Chemical Warfare, One "Inator" At A Time
In with the good and out with the bad.

Our lungs (and yoga teachers) are masters of this concept. Filtering the useful things and expelling the bad. There’s little that can take the place of our lung filtration, but even our highly-functioning biological machines need a little help every now and then (see: gas mask).

The problem is that even our most effective of ventilation devices aren’t all-powerful (although they do make for wonderfully creepy Doctor Who episodes). That’s because, frankly, it’s a bit of a challenge to neutralize hazardous things into something that won’t, you know, injure/kill you.

And to this the Naval Research Laboratory is saying "challenge accepted".

NRL is looking to make our air cleaner, better, and less hostile thanks to the reactive and catalytic air purification materials and catalytic self-decontaminating materials they’ve created to combat hazardous materials.

Makes sense right? Okay, well my work here is done…

Oh all right, at first it didn’t make sense to me, either. So let’s break that down (Ah? Break it down? Oh you’ll think that’s funny later)

So, the self-decontaminating and air purification technologies are essentially two approaches to the same idea. Basically, this technology aims to remove something that is undesirable – whether that be a gas or a liquid – and then convert that undesirable compound into something that would be more desirable.

As in, less toxic.So let’s say you have a building in which there’s a lot of ammonia generated. A restroom for example. Part of the smell you get is ammonia from urine. For that type of regular environment (as in for gas filtration), this technology would act as a filter that could actually remove ammonia and convert it to something else. This is unlike a carbon that would just absorb it and hold onto it until maximum capacity was reached (yuck) rendering it useless at that point.

The difference is that this technology that NRL is developing will actually keep working.

So how does that affect the troops? Well first of all, if you have to ask that you’ve likely never had to clean a latrine. Or didn’t get in trouble often enough to do that. Either way, it’s more than just the emotional scar tissue of Simple Green that makes me think this air purifier/decontaminator is a good idea.

And that’s where Dr. Brandy White comes in.Dr. White is a research chemist for the Center for Bio/Molecular Science & Engineering at the US Naval Research Laboratory. Among her many specialties, Dr. White is working on making this technology work for the service men and women everywhere, and we’re not talking about a bathroom air freshener.

"In the military, gas mask technology currently is based on carbon," Dr. White explains. "So essentially what happens is you absorb [the bad chemicals] into the carbon until all the capacity is used up, and then it stops absorbing. Also carbon doesn’t absorb everything equally well."

And because mediocrity and ineffectiveness isn’t really an ideal choice, Dr. White is working toward an alternative to our love affair with carbon.

"So the kind of sorbents that I’m trying to make are intended to incorporate reactivity that would grab targets that you usually wouldn’t catch using carbon. They’re intended to give you something beyond one-to-one interaction," she says.

Essentially, this technology can take an element – ammonia let’s say – and process it into something else less offensive. Or just plain less obnoxious (take my ammonia! Please!). The decontaminator would then be then be ready to process more ammonia after it had already neutralized the nasal threat. Basically, you you could keep using the decontaminator for a much longer period of time

More effective, more longevity, and it sounds like the thing a super villain would use to take over a metropolis (anything with an "inator" at the end = comic book super device). I’d say that’s pretty cool. And it makes sense, too.

"The first goal is to see the improvement in the technology that is available for gas masks and respiratory protection," said Dr. White. "Then the second thing that we’re really excited for is the potential for incorporation of the photo catalytic sorbents into next generation protective garments. This is so you can extend exposure of the warfighter to toxic compounds. Not to replace MOPP gear, but more of the idea of making it less necessary to don MOPP gear under all circumstances, and making situations more survivable without the need for that extreme action."

The NRL scientists like Dr. White are not just attempting a novel approach to air purification, but also protective fabrics and protective surfaces. For example, self-decontaminating fabrics or services. Clothes smart enough to clean themselves? Oh how cool would that be?

"Whether that be a garment or a tent structure or the hood or a car, [when] the target when it comes in contact it is rapidly sequestered, so a person can’t come in contact with it anymore," says Dr. White. "That allows times for the catalytic process to occur. So while it might not be destroyed immediately on contact, it’s sequestered on contact and broken down into something that’s non-toxic."

Now, this doesn’t mean you can just scotch guard your weekend wear with this decontaminator and poof! You’re chemical-agent proof. This is more of an augmentation, so if you have a garment that’s protective already and you can add this to it, it would enhance that protective capability.

And this kind of enhancement is something the troops could really use. "Most of the things that are available to the warfighter currently don’t do what we’re talking about. Most of the protective garments just capture the target and then hold onto it. And then you need to throw that garment away, or further decontaminated with further processing steps. And we’re trying to get around that. "

Neutralizing the threat of chemical warfare one "inator" at a time. That’s just how NRL rolls.
You know, this might be something we can log away for future use when we encounter an alien species.

Hey, don’t laugh! You don’t know what kind of biological incompatibility they could have with us. Haven’t you people read War of the Worlds? I’m just saying, when the Martian plague descends upon humanity you’re going to thank your lucky stars that NRL thought of this stuff ahead of time.

I’ve already preordered my decontamination clothes. In TARDIS blue, of course.

　

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ARTIFICIAL ANTI-GRAVITY AT THE NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE "ARMED WITH SCIENCE"

Written on July 25, 2012 at 7:20 am by jtozer
Artificial Anti-Gravity-How NRL Is Simulating Space
Precision honed to within +/-0.0018 inches tolerance across its surface, the Gravity Offset Table (shown right) will allow scientists to emulate the inertia of space in the laboratory using full-size spacecraft and robotic arms like the Front-End Robotic Enabling Near-Term Demonstration (FREND) arm pictured center.Photo: U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Spacecraft Engineering Department‘s space robotics research facility recently took possession of a one-of-a-kind 75,000 pound Gravity Offset Table (GOT) made from a single slab of solid granite.
I know what you’re thinking. "TACOS!" Oh wait, that’s what I’m thinking.
Actually, the idea that a slab that weighs 37 and a 1/2 tons (which is, oh, maybe half a dozen elephants? Give or take?) could be associated with something that has no gravity is pretty impressive. And intuitively confusing. So let’s read on…
While the idea of building a space simulator is pretty cool (see: AWESOME), the concept conjures up thoughts of holodecks and space walks and whatnot. Obviously I’m getting ahead of myself here (crawl, walk, run), but why are we starting off at the quarry? Why the slab of granite?
Apparently, emulating the classical mechanics of physics found in space on a full-scale replica on Earth requires not only a hefty amount of air to ‘float’ the object, but a precision, frictionless, large surface area that will allow researchers to replicate the effects of inertia on man-made objects in space.

Ah. A hover table. But wait a minute, how is this even possible?
"We accomplish this by floating models of spacecraft and other resident space objects on air bearings — similar to the dynamics of an upside-down air hockey table," said Dr. Gregory P. Scott, space robotics scientist. "Based on the inertia of the ‘floating’ system, a realistic spacecraft response can be measured when testing thrusters, attitude control algorithms, and responses to contact with other objects."
Currently, the grappling, or capture, of spacecraft in orbit is accomplished by specifically engineered pre-configured couplers and mating mechanisms. Why space station, we hardly know each other. Still, this is assuming all things are right and true in the universe and everything is where it’s supposed to be and all that.
But if TV and movies have taught me anything, it’s that space circumstances rarely ever qualify as smooth sailing. Also the word Raxacoricofallapatorius. But that’s beside the point.
So, in order to capture and service a ‘free-flying’ orbiting spacecraft that has no conventional coupling mechanism, researchers must first be able to demonstrate minimal rates of error in a cost effective and efficient manner using many spacecraft configurations here on Earth. And how are they going to do that? Enter the hover slab!

Honed by Precision Granite<sup>® to federal ‘AAA’ specifications, the 20 feet by 15 feet, 1.5-foot thick single piece of granite is within +/- 0.0018 inches flat across its surface. Now that’s my kind of granite slab.

The precision GOT will allow NRL researchers to precisely simulate the frictionless motion of objects in space and understand the dynamics of docking and servicing satellites on-orbit. This function is of increasing importance as rising launch costs and the addition of new orbiting spacecraft can be offset by the repair or updating of assets already in Earth orbit.

Quarried from the Raymond Granite Quarry, Clovis, Calif., the 450 cubic-foot, 37.5 ton GOT slab is thought to be the largest, single slab, precision granite table in the world with tolerances capable of allowing engineers to simulate service of full-scale satellite spacecraft with significant structural flexibility to a degree of accuracy unmatched by any other space robotics facility.

They want to float a full-scale satellite spacecraft. Over a slab of granite. To study robotics. That’s…well that’s terrific, actually. I mean really, I thought the floating magnet toy on my desk was cool, but NRL has managed to acquire a thing that will allow them to literally simulate space in a lab. Talk about a controlled environment.</sup>

NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY DEVELOPING "SCIFI-LIKE" LIGHT SCANNER

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ARMED WITH SCIENCE


I SEE THE LIGHT SCANNER
Written on JUNE 29, 2012 AT 7:26 AM by JTOZER

The concept of new technology is something that always grabs my attention, but no more so than when real research suggests that my dramatic daydreams of science fiction technology might actuallybecome a reality.

So when I heard that the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) was developing a real life scanning device, my first immediate thought was STAR TREK SCANNER!
And then I took a deep breath, reeled it in, and read more.  I mean, come on, that kind of technology is centuries away…right?

As it turns out, NRL’s scanning device isn’t that far removed from Star Trek’s fictitious future world or Doctor Who’s technoverse gadgetry.  Although, instead of being an impressively multipurpose-yet-unfortunately-fictitious sonic screwdriver, this real life device uses light to scan objects from far away.

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has developed a Photothermal Infrared Imaging Spectroscopy (PT-IRIS) technology for stand-off detection of explosives, illicit drugs, chemical warfare agents and biochemical warfare agents. That’s right; technology that can scan for dangerous objects from a distance.  PT-IRIS has been demonstrated for standoff or proximity detection of explosives.

That, my friends, could be a huge help to our troops.
Being able to “scan” for dangerous items from a safe distance – especially when it comes to explosive materials – would be an unbelievable asset to the warfighter.  Service members would have the benefit of knowing what they’re up against long before they put themselves in the blast range.
And it’s all about seeing the light.  In this case literally.

This approach employs quantum cascade lasers (QCL) to illuminate a sample surface with one or more wavelengths which are selectively absorbed by analytes of interest. With eye-safe QCL power levels, this results in modest selective heating (1-2 oC) of particulate explosives within a few milliseconds, which can be readily monitored at video frame rates of commercial IR cameras.

Basically, the PT-IRIS absorbs the information and relays it back.  The idea of no longer wondering what’s on that suspicious van on the side of the road could literally mean life or death for service members.

Utilizing compact QCL light sources and an IR focal plane array to image the illuminated area, a portable, handheld system design can be realized. Don’t leave home without your explosive-detection device!  No, seriously, you don’t want to leave something like that just lying around.

As an eye safe system, PT-IRIS is ideal for probing surfaces of vehicles, places, people, packages, and boarding passes for explosives and other hazardous chemicals of interest.  This technology could be used everywhere, from police stations to airports, to suspicious parents who think their kids aren’t just “high on life” (okay, maybe not that one…).

That’s all well and good, but really I’m most interested in the idea that our men and women in uniform stand the chance of not being blown up as much. Science fiction hopes and dreams aside, if anything can make our service members safer and more effective, then I say hop to it.

This technology could give a whole new meaning to the phrase “Stand off, we got this”

FLUID DYNAMICS AS A SCIENCE

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ARMED WITH SCIENCE
Written on JUNE 11, 2012 AT 7:48 AM by JTOZER
Through The Eyes Of A Scientist-Dr/ Elaine Oran
By Jessica L. Tozer
For a scientist, life is a series of questions just waiting to be answered.
How we’re connected, how things work, why they’re here… These are things that humans have been trying to figure out since the Neanderthals began to drool.  Elaine Oran seeks her understanding of the universe through the perspective of science.

Dr. Elaine Oran is the Senior Scientist for Reactive Flow Physics, affiliated with the  Laboratory for Computational Physics and Fluid Dynamics at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington DC.  Like many physicists, Dr. Oran uses equations and numbers to analyze questions of existence and bring the answers to life, so to speak.

So what does that mean, exactly?
“Basically, I study fluid motion, fluid dynamics.  I study the motions and the behavior of gases and liquids and plasmas.  More specifically, I solve rather complex sets of equations, usually on large computers, and these describe dynamics.”

Tell us a little bit about fluid motion and dynamics, and how it applies to you.
“My specialty that flow with some kind of reactions and turbulence.  There are really three different sorts of reactions that we look at.  One is chemical reactions.  That’s what drives engines — car engines and propulsion devices.  There are atomic reactions; the Earth’s upper atmosphere is an example.  Then there are thermonuclear reactions; the sort that we look at in exploding stars.”

So how does understanding the mechanics of an exploding star help the Department of Defense?
“In my research I try to understand how explosions occur, and this means I want to know how the chemical or other types of reactions interact with the fluids to release energy.”

“The Navy – and the DOD in general – is very interested in a number of issues related to the general properties of explosions, controlling them or avoiding them. They’re interested in both how to avoid unwanted explosions or intense chemical reactions and how to create them in a controlled way.  If we understand this, we can avoid dangerous situations.  We could also make more efficient and perhaps even cleaner engines.”

When it comes to your research, what question or questions are you most excited to answer?
“At the moment the most interesting question to me has to do with turbulent reacting flows and trying to define the controlling processes.  It seems very likely that many of the usual classical theories are not at all complete.  And so when you find something where there’s a gaping hole in knowledge, that’s kind of where I like to dive in.  Right now we have one in turbulent reacting flows.   So the most exciting questions are simply the things we do not understand.  In this case, how the turbulence, reactions, and background flow all interact to give surprising and unexpected results.”

What would you like to say to any young people just starting to blaze their own scientific trail?
“I would tell young men and young women not to be afraid.  That’s what I see too often, people being afraid, intellectually fearful.  They are not willing to just look in front of them and see where the problems are and face them head-on.  Don’t afraid to be wrong, don’t be afraid to be right.  That’s the death of science.”
Fear is the death of science.  You know, I think I like that.  Pithy.  Dramatic.  Possibly the next title of my new science fiction book series…

We’ll keep asking the questions, Dr. Oran, just as long as you keep working to answer them.
———-
Dr. Elaine Oran is the Senior Scientist for Reactive Flow Physics, affiliated with the Laboratory for Computational Physics and Fluid Dynamics at the Naval Research Laboratory.  Information for this article provided by the Naval Research Laboratory.

EXPLODING STAR 
FROM:  NASA
Infrared images from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) are combined in this image of RCW 86, the dusty remains of the oldest documented example of an exploding star, or supernova. It shows light from both the remnant itself and unrelated background light from our Milky Way galaxy. The colours in the image allow astronomers to distinguish between the remnant and galactic background, and determine exactly which structures belong to the remnant. Dust associated with the blast wave of the supernova appears red in this image, while dust in the background appears yellow and green. Stars in the field of view appear blue. By determining the temperature of the dust in the red circularshell of the supernova remnant, which marks the extent to which the blast wave from the supernova has travelled since the explosion, astronomers were able to determine the density of the material there, and conclude that RCW 86 must have exploded into a large, wind-blown cavity. The infrared images, when combined with optical and X-ray data, clearly indicate that the source of the mysterious object seen in the sky over 1,800 years ago must have been a Type Ia supernova.

NEW SUPER SCIENCE RADIATION DETECTORS

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
SWORD model of helo based detector with source aboard a small vessel 
Software for the Optimization of Radiation Detectors (SWORDs)
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is committed to securing the country against radiological and nuclear threats. To help further this mission, DHS Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) is constantly working to develop smarter and more cost effective ways to address these security threats and maximize resources and expertise from across the federal government. The Software for the Optimization of Radiation Detectors (SWORDs) program enables faster development and evaluation of nuclear detection equipment at a lower cost.


The Technology
The DNDO-sponsored SWORDs program supports the development of software that simulates real-world operational environments. The easy-to-use interface, with flexible design and layout components, enables laboratories to evaluate and optimize the performance of radiation detectors without having to run multiple costly field tests. This software provides an environment for simulating gamma-ray background radiation, nuisance sources, and targets of interest. SWORDs can generate a large selection of source and background emission models, as well as object models including specific detectors, airborne detector platforms, and even advanced prototype stand-off imaging systems.


As a supplement to the program, DNDO began an initiative in early 2012 to produce validated simulation models of existing detection systems. DNDO is running comparisons between software test results and real-world studies, helping to build confidence in the accuracy of the computer models.


Current Status:
The Naval Research Laboratory has recently released the newest version of SWORDs through the Radiation Safety Information Computational Center (RSICC) for use by the nuclear detection modeling community. DNDO is also collaborating with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) to integrate SWORDs, DTRA-sponsored operational models, and a Los Alamos National Lab software package for simulating nuclear processes.

THE NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY AND THOMAS EDISON'S PREDICTION

The following excerpt and picture are from the Department of Defense Armed with Science website:

(Left) "A bust of Thomas Edison at the NRL front gate honors his role in founding the Laboratory. (Photo: U.S. Naval Research Laboratory) "