| erm "weapon of mass destruction" has been used a | | | | bunkers and chemical storage facilities can be found |
| lot in the last ten years. Part of the attention they have | | | | using radar that penetrates the ground. |
| garnered recently has been due to the fact that is | | | | Identifying a non-descript package planted in a public |
| increasingly easy for rogue sects to maintain the kind | | | | place needs to be done quickly, so there are may |
| of firepower once reserved for large nations. These | | | | devices used by government officials that test for |
| developments have pushed the United States | | | | hazardous materials. A Dual-Use Analyzer measures |
| Government forward in their research on weapon | | | | the eddy waves given off by metals. Currents that are |
| detection. | | | | common to alloys used in making weapons are |
| Today, the National Security Agency, Homeland | | | | automatically highlighted by a computer analysis. This is |
| Security, and even local police departments have the | | | | useful for recognizing weapons that may be hidden |
| technology to detect and test weapons of mass | | | | inside something innocuous. The advances use of |
| destruction. This brand new technology is constantly | | | | lasers and ultra-violet light can identify invisible gas |
| updated and finding weapons has become easier than | | | | cloud from miles away, making it unnecessary to send |
| ever. | | | | humans into a poisonous environment. United Nations |
| What are Weapons of Mass Destruction? | | | | inspectors even employ advanced portable machines |
| Though the term may be used frequently, few people | | | | that can detect radioactive materials with more |
| are aware of what weapons other than nuclear | | | | efficiency than a Geiger counter. |
| devices are considered weapons of mass destruction. | | | | Testing Chemical Weapons |
| United State law defines them as "any explosive, | | | | Foreign chemical compounds places in water or other |
| incendiary, poison gas, bomb, grenade, or rocket having | | | | resources can be effectively tested using many of the |
| a propellant charge of more than four ounces (113 g), | | | | same techniques learned in high school chemistry. |
| missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of | | | | Officials use reactive test strips to check for reactions. |
| more than one-quarter ounce (7 g), or mine or device | | | | If the initial test is inconclusive or positive, then is further |
| similar to the above." These may release "poison gas, | | | | tested. Many local agencies have the tools to test for |
| ...a disease organism, [or] ...radiation at a level dangerous | | | | chemical agents so they may quickly respond to |
| to human life." | | | | contaminations. |
| They are classified according to the following | | | | Testing for Biological Weapons |
| categories: | | | | Biological weapons are difficult to identify, because |
| - Chemical | | | | they use microscopic bacteria of which symptoms |
| - Biological | | | | may not be immediately apparent. Mass spectroscopy |
| - Radiological | | | | using lasers and ionization can now be used to |
| - Nuclear | | | | automatically find proteins in a given sample. Analysis |
| - Explosive | | | | of the proteins present can be alert the inspector to |
| Techniques for Finding These Weapons | | | | the presence of common bioterrorism agents like |
| Under the definition of weapons of mass destruction | | | | anthrax. |
| agreed upon by Congress, almost any medium to | | | | Handheld Advanced Nucleic Acid Analyzers are |
| large incendiary could fall under this term. Since | | | | carried by United Nations weapons inspectors. This |
| violence by rogue groups has become more | | | | brick-sized machine can analyze the genetic material |
| pervasive, inspectors and professionals at home and | | | | of bacteria and discern it from other common |
| abroad are trained to study suspicious devices and | | | | microorganisms. This process used to take a whole |
| determine whether they could be one of these | | | | lab of equipment. |
| weapons. | | | | Other Uses |
| The reason for detection technology is a very practical | | | | Many of the same devices that are used to enforce |
| one. As soon as agencies determine the danger of the | | | | United Nations rules and protect citizens are also put to |
| device, they can start planning an evacuation. Similarly, | | | | work by United States solders each day. The same |
| being able to quickly determine a false threat can cut | | | | drones that can approach suspected weapons when |
| down on public hysteria. | | | | it is unsafe for humans are hard at work checking |
| Because missiles are often used to launch explosives | | | | vehicles for IEDs while on patrol in Iraq. |
| into an area, detection of airborne attack has been a | | | | As the weapons technology develops, so does the |
| top priority of the government. Today sophisticated | | | | science that keeps us safe. The last decade has seen |
| unmanned drones patrol the skies and gather photos | | | | an enormous leap forward in the techniques for finding |
| and data of possible launching sites. These small | | | | weapons. Inspectors and other government |
| robots are aided in their task by satellites that | | | | employees continue to strive to find better ways to |
| constantly monitor areas of interest. Even underground | | | | single out the weapons and save lives. |