October 30, 2003

Background
The US Department of Energy invited the Global Defender team to participate in a Radiological Training event.  The event took place near Omaha, NE at a classified range on October 30, 2003.

Attending Agencies
The US Department of Energy Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response.
The National Nuclear Security Administration Office of Emergency Operations (NNSA) was present with several scientists to oversee and measure the levels of radioactive exposure and dispersal.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services was present with several scientists tasked with handling the radioactive materials (Technetium-99).
A representative from the House Office of Critical Infrastructure Protections
Bomb Squad personnel from squads located across the Midwest including Wisconsin, Ohio, Texas, Nebraska, Missouri, and several others.
Approximately 80 people were present for the event.

Environment
Location:  The tests were conducted in a quarry surrounded on all sides by rock walls approximately 60 feet tall.
Conditions:  clear
Temperature:  39 deg F
Wind:  Northwest at 15-20 knots

Test Sequence

  1. Two tests were performed
    1. The first test was conducted with 2 daily doses of Technetium-99 attached to 1-pound of binary explosives detonated with a 9 foot Global Defender enclosure filled with foam covering the device.  The mitigated test was performed first to ensure that data gathered after the shot was not contaminated by the uncovered shot.
    2. The second test was conducted one with 1 daily dose of Technetium-99 attached to 1-pound of binary explosive detonated uncovered.

Results

  1. Mitigated Test
    1. The Global Defender 9’ enclosure was placed 1 foot in front of the device immediately after the scientists placed the radioactive materials on the explosives and then all personnel exited the area.
    2. The enclosure was then filled from a remote location.  The new 9 foot enclosure opened, covered the device and completely filled with foam as designed.
    3. Once the enclosure was filled, the hose was retracted and personnel exited the operating area.
    4. The device was detonated
      1. Upon detonation, the enclosure contained all of the thermal event and blast effects and then gave way as designed allowing the foam to exit the bag to a distance of 15 to 20 feet from the device.
      2. The scientists from the NNSA approached the area immediately after the blast to measure the radioactivity of the area.  Upon entering the blast area, they discovered that the foam had contained ALL of the radioactive material within its bubble structure and that no radiation had escaped into the atmosphere.
      3. No readings in excess of normal background levels were present.  Measurements were continually taken for over an hour after the blast; the foam remained intact and contained the material.

  2. Un-mitigated Test
    1. The un-mitigated test was identical to the first test except only 1 daily dose of Technetium-99 was used because of the increased likelihood of contamination.
    2. The device was placed and detonated.
      1. The scientists immediately approached the site to measure radioactivity levels after detonation.
      2. As expected, the contaminated area was quite large preventing the scientists from approaching the site too closely.
      3. The upwind contaminated area was approximately 50 to 75 feet from the device.  The downwind area, however, was extremely contaminated.  Because of the surroundings (60 foot rock walls on the downwind side) it was impossible to determine the maximum range the radioactive material would have been dispersed.  One estimate was close to ½ mile with observed wind speed.

Conclusion
The Global Defender Blast Mitigation System demonstrated its ability to contain a Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD); the radioactive agent and the bomb blast effects were mitigated and contained.  The RDD test combined with the various bomb tests demonstrate the system’s effectiveness in mitigating various Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) as well as Chemical, Biological, and Radiological (CBR) devices.