Advanced Methods of Detecting Explosives in Improvised Explosives Devices

Abstract

Bomb disposal squads who identify and test improvised explosives devices and ordnance mostly use dogs, metal detectors, traditional detectors of trace particles and portable X-ray devices. Magnetometers and ground-penetrating radar devices are used to find ordnance under the ground, and sonar is used to find ordnance under water. In some cases, however, it would also be appropriate to make use of certain advanced methods of detecting explosives, such as quadrupole resonance, neutron in - gamma out, and optical methods of stand-off detection.