LASER SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS AND SAFEGUARDS

A major advance strengthening the effectiveness of Safeguards is the use of sensory systems based on different physical principles. Such an approach guarantees true independence of the sensory data and allows for the corroboration of the evidence collected from the different systems. A laser range finder (LRF) is an electronic instrument measuring the distance between the instrument itself and the first object along a specific direction. The deflection of the laser beam (e.g., using a rotating mirror) enables the acquisition of the distance profiles of the surrounding premises in a very short time. The comparison of an acquired profile with a reference one is most effective for real-time detection of any small change in the environment. Laser range systems have unique characteristics, which make them effective in Safeguards applications. The characteristics include selfillumination, independence of ambient lighting, accuracy, fast data acquisition, easy interfacing and stand-alone operation. Simple and efficient alarm detection algorithms make laser range systems a natural complement to already installed surveillance systems. The paper reviews the main technologies of LRFs, analyses the main specifications for easy equipment selection, and discusses how these technologies can be part of future safeguards surveillance systems.