ENCYCLOPEDIA OF Espionage, Intelligence, and Security Volume ...

BombeDevices known as sniffers detect vapor given off bycertain explosives. Chemicals such as nitroglycerin arereadily detected. But, a sniffer can miss explosives such asplastic explosives that do not readily vaporize. Thus, asniffer should be used only as part of a bomb detectionregimen that involves other detection techniques.Another device detects chemicals present in bombsby concentrating the air collected from a target location.The air is drawn through a filter, where explosive chemicalscollect, due to their tendency to be heavier than the airmolecules around them. The filter is analyzed using ionmobility spectrometryThe spectrometric technique is very sensitive. Lessthan a nanogram (10 9 of a gram) of explosives residue canbe detected. To put this into perspective, a fingerprint on aluggage handle left by someone had been handling explosiveswill typically contain 100,000 times more of theresidue.A dust sample is taken from a laptop computer and the particles analyzedfor explosives residue by a Barringer explosives detection device. AP/WIDEWORLD PHOTOS.tomography, an object is scanned and then a computeranalyzes the x-ray image. If areas of the package have notbeen adequately revealed, the x-ray source can be rotatedso as to produce a detailed view of the specific area. In thisway packages and baggage can be examined in great detail.Some bomb components can leave a scent. Until afew decades ago, specially trained dogs were a mainstayof bomb detection squads. Specially trained dogs are stillused today to check out packages or locations that aredifficult to examine using a machine. A dog’s nose isactually a bit more sensitive than the sensitivity of detectionmachinery that is currently available. However, a dogand handler costs approximately $50,000 a year, whereasa piece of detection equipment represents a one-time costof $20,000 to $40,000. Thus, machines are becoming moreprevalent.One such technology utilizes gas chromatographyand a property called chemiluminescence. In gas chromatography,chemicals of different composition can be separatedfrom each other based on their differing speeds in astream of gas (selection of the gas can determine the rateof movement of different compounds). A compound in thegas, which will then glow, will recognize an isolated compoundthat has a certain chemical group in its structure.The glowing (chemiluminescence) registers on an opticaldetector, revealing the presence of the explosive chemical.❚ FURTHER READING:BOOKS:Green, Michael. Bomb Detection Squads. Mankato, MN:Capstone Press, 1998.Shubert, Hiltmar, Andre Kuznetsov, and Audrey Kuznetsov.Detection of Explosives and Landmines. Hingham, MA:Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2002.Yinon, Jehuda. Forensic and Environmental Detection ofExplosives. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1999.ELECTRONIC:Sandia National Laboratories. “Miniaturization of chemicalpreconcentrators brings better bomb-detecting anddrug-sniffing devices.” Sandia Lab News. August 13,1999. (21 January 2003).SEE ALSOExplosive CoalGas Chromatograph-Mass SpectrometerIsotopic AnalysisMetal DetectorsRemote SensingBombe❚ ADRIENNE WILMOTH LERNERA bombe was a mechanical device used for the rapiddecryption and transcription of complex ciphers. Developedduring World War II, the multiple bombes employedby British and United States military intelligence codebreakers aided the allied war effort by providing access toGerman and Japanese military secrets. The most famousbombe, employed by British code breakers at Bletchley136 Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, and Security