Acoustic sensor for landmine detection using a continuously scanning multibeam LDV

Abstract

Acoustic-to-seismic coupling technology using an LDV as a vibration sensor has proved itself as a potential confirmatory sensor for buried landmine detection. One of the most important objectives of this technology is to increase the speed of measurements over traditional point-by-point scanning LDVs. A moving cart that uses 16 LDVs as well as a continuously-scanning single beam LDV have recently been demonstrated to increase the speed of detection. Recently a multi-beam LDV simultaneously probing 16 positions on the ground has been developed and successfully used for landmine detection. In this work, we report on a continuously-scanning multi-beam LDV as a confirmatory sensor for acoustic landmine detection. The multi-beam LDV simultaneously illuminates the ground in 16 points spread over a 1 meter line. A scanning mirror moves all 16 laser beams across the line. The system enables scanning a 1 meter square area in a much shorter time than previous scanning techniques. This material is based upon work supported by the U. S. Army Communications-Electronics Command Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate under Contract DAAB15-02-C-0024.