of energy technologies

Technologies

Arms Control andNonproliferation

Office of Nonproliferationand National Security

Departmentof Energy

Technologies

DOE/NN/ACNT-SU99

Summer 1999

Partnering with Law Enforcement:

Forensic R&D

ii ACNT • Summer 1999 • Partnering with Law Enforcement: Forensic R&D

About the coverWhenever a crime occurs, law enforce-

ment asks the same questions today that itasked 100 years ago—what happened andwho did it. The magnifying glass is an oldtool in the crimefighting arsenal. R&D inthe forensic sciences is adding new tools to identify metals and recover latent finger-prints. And as technology has evolved, sohas crime, which now includes computertheft and threats against the nation’s foodsupply. R&D is expanding to meet thesechallenges.

The purpose of ArmsControl and NonproliferationTechnologies is to enhance

communication between the technologists inthe DOE community who develop means toverify compliance with agreements and thepolicymakers who negotiate agreements.

Focus on Forensic R&D

This issue of Arms Control and Nonproliferation Technologiescovers an exciting new area for the Department of Energy, and webelieve our usual readers will find the information to be of interest.DOE formally added support of law enforcement to its generalR&D tasks in 1998. It is an important area, and DOE is enlargingthe distribution of this particular issue to cover a new audience, thelaw enforcement and forensic sciences communities. As always,readers are invited to call the ACNT Office for additional informa-tion and copies. We also encourage readers to visit the DOE Website (see the next page for the address).

CONTACT:Steven SchubertDepartment of Energy509.376.3400fax: [email protected]

ACNT • Summer 1999 • Partnering with Law Enforcement: Forensic R&D 1

Arms Control and NonproliferationTechnologies (ACNT) is published byU.S. Department of Energy/Office ofNonproliferation and National SecurityRose Gottemoeller, Assistant Secretary

U.S. DOE/Office of Research & DevelopmentRobert Waldron, Director

Topic EditorSteven Schubert

Scientific EditorArden Dougan

Managing EditorGorgiana M. Alonzo

Art/Photo/Copyedit/Design/LayoutJohn DanielsonKirk HadleyJoseph MartinezSylvia McDanielLeonard WaltonTeresa Subich, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryDOE, Audio-Visual and Photography GroupOffice of the Vice-President, Photography Unit

ACNT OfficeLawrence Livermore National Laboratory7000 East Ave. (L-185)Livermore CA 94550

CorrespondenceArden Dougan or Gorgiana M. Alonzo

925.424.6100fax: [email protected]

Disclaimer:Reproduction of this document requires the writtenconsent of the originator, his/her successor, or higherauthority. This report was prepared as an account ofwork sponsored by the United States Government.Neither the United States Government nor the UnitedStates Department of Energy nor any of their employ-ees makes any warranty, express or implied, orassumes any legal liability or responsibility for theaccuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any informa-tion, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or rep-resents that its use would not infringe privately ownedrights. Reference herein to any specific commercialproduct, process, or service by trade name, trademark,manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily con-stitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, orfavoring by the United States Government. The viewsand opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United StatesGovernment and shall not be used for advertising orproduct endorsement purposes.

Web Address for PDF Versions of ACNT Issues:www.nn.doe.gov/publications

Contents Page

Partnering with Law Enforcement: Forensic R&D _______________2

Federal Partnerships

Statement of Principles ______________________________________4

State and Local Outreach Programs

LLNL’s Forensic Science Center ________________________________8

Savannah River Technical Center ______________________________9

Los Alamos National Laboratory _____________________________10

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory _______________________11

CASTLE Program ___________________________________________12

Idaho National Engineering & Environmental Laboratory _________________________________________________13

Building on the Past

Image Science ______________________________________________14

Mini-Raman Lidar ___________________________________________15

Laser-Induced Fluorescence Imaging _________________________16

Clandestine Drug Lab _______________________________________17

Training the Trainers ________________________________________18

Sifting Through a Blizzard of Information: Starlight Software __________________________________________19

Looking to the Future

Determining Time Since Death: Chemical and Biological Markers ____________________________20

Finding Information in the Chemicals in Fingerprints __________21

Fingerprinting Metal Evidence: Laser Ablation ________________22

Seeing Latent Fingerprints withCyanoacrylate ______________________________________________23

Portable GC–MS ____________________________________________24

MALDI Time-of-FlightMass Spectrometry _________________________________________25

Reconstructing a Crime Scene: 3D Ranging and Imaging ___________________________________26

Cyber-Crime and Information Sciences _______________________________________27

Protecting Our Food Supply: Network of Veterinary Experts _______________________________28

Distribution ________________________________________________29

Partnering with Law Enforcement: Forensic R&D

Support for law enforcement is a recentlyformalized initiative for the Department

of Energy (DOE), but it is not a new activityfor DOE’s laboratories. As responsible mem-bers of their respective cities and states, thelaboratories have for many years provided adhoc scientific and technological support tolocal law enforcement, as well as diverse levels of support to various federal agencies.Within the last year, however, the Office ofResearch & Development (NN-20), withinthe Office of Nonproliferation and NationalSecurity, has embarked on an effort aimed atmore broadly applying the research-and-development (R&D) resources of DOE tolaw enforcement’s problems. In the spirit of“good government,” we are attempting toleverage DOE’s ongoing, multi-million dol-lar investment in science so as to benefit thetaxpayers in as many ways as possible.

In this issue of Arms Control andNonproliferation Technologies, we have fourgoals:1. Describe the elements of our Law

Enforcement Initiative.

2. Demonstrate how recent forensic activitieshave benefited from previous nationalsecurity-related R&D.

3. Illustrate the breadth of currently fundedforensic R&D efforts.

4. Establish the basis for future collaborativeresearch with the law enforcement andforensic sciences communities.Over the past 50 years, DOE’s laborato-

ries have developed an unparalleled reputa-tion for being on the leading edge of scienceand technology. Virtually every corner ofthe scientific world has been and continuesto be explored by DOE scientists under theaegis of protecting the national security and,more recently, improving the quality of ourenvironment. Over 70 Nobel laureates haveresulted from these scientific endeavors, aswell as technological advances too numerousto mention. While the benefits of these sci-entific breakthroughs have been applied toprotecting our country from externalthreats, much of this knowledge is equally

2 ACNT • Summer 1999 • Partnering with Law Enforcement: Forensic R&D

Partnering with LawEnforcement: Forensic R&D

The Departmentof Energy (DOE)

complex offers awide range of expertiseand resources acrossthe U.S. throughmany of its facilities.

Lawrence LivermoreNational Laboratory

Remote SensingLaboratory

SpecialTechnologiesLaboratory

Lawrence BerkeleyNational Laboratory

Idaho NationalEngineering &EnvironmentalLaboratory

Los Alamos National Laboratory

SandiaNationalLaboratories

AmesLaboratory

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Savannah RiverTechnical Center

BrookhavenNationalLaboratory

Pacific NorthwestNational Laboratory

On next page:(top) On May 19,1998, Vice-President Al Gorepresided at thesigning of Memo-randa ofUnderstandingbetween DOE andthe Departmentsof Justice andTreasury.(middle) The Vice-President is briefedby an agent on aproto-type system.(bottom) SecretaryBill Richardsonsigned a newMemorandum ofUnderstanding inAugust 1998between the FBIand DOEspecializing againstterrorism.

ArgonneNationalLaboratory


applicable to reducing domestic ones. Thatis the underlying premise of our LawEnforcement Initiative.

Realizing that DOE in general has littleexperience in the law enforcement arena anda limited understanding of its attendantrequirements and technology gaps, theOffice of Research & Development hasestablished as its first order of business theneed to develop strong collaborative partner-ships with law enforcement agencies at alllevels (federal, state, and local). In addition,we have retained and continue to seek distin-guished experts in this field to serve as advisors. The beginnings of these efforts aredetailed in the first two sections of this publication. Section 1 (Federal Partnerships)includes the overarching document thatestablished the foundation for DOE’s LawEnforcement Initiative at the federal level—the “Statement of Principles,” signed by theSecretary of Energy (then, Federico Peña),the Treasury Secretary (Robert Rubin), and the Attorney General (Janet Reno).

Section 2 (State and Local OutreachPrograms) shows examples of the types of“good neighbor” programs currently under-way at several DOE laboratories. Such out-reach efforts serve two extremely valuablepurposes: they provide regional law enforce-ment agencies with a better view of the sci-entific capabilities resident at their nearbyDOE laboratories, and they help educatelaboratory researchers as to the specificproblems that law enforcement faces.

Though still in its infancy, DOE’s lawenforcement-related research efforts arealready off to a quick start, due largely tothe legacy of Cold War-related R&D.Section 3 (Building on the Past) providesa representative, but by no means compre-hensive, sampling of past and present pro-jects that draws upon DOE expertise origi-nally developed to solve nonproliferation,national security, and even environmentalproblems.

Finally, Section 4 (Looking to theFuture) includes examples (once again, dueto space constraints, not a comprehensive col-lection) of recently funded research efforts

that have already evolved fromthis new partnership with lawenforcement. Some are basedon specific requirements of theFBI, while others address long-standing gaps identified at thestate and local levels.

One final point must beemphasized: this LawEnforcement Initiative is notaimed at creating a new lawenforcement mandate forDOE. That charter clearlyresides with the criminal justicesystem and the many otherfederal, state, and local agencies duly appointed tosupport it. DOE’s focus hasbeen and will continue to beproviding the citizens of thiscountry with preeminent sci-ence and technology to ensureour national security. So muchthe better if that scientific arse-nal can be applied to the mitigation ofcrime and criminal activities. Our approachis to first highlight DOE’s many scientificresources and then develop the appropriatecollaborative mechanisms for continuedpartnerships between the DOE laboratoriesand the law enforcement and forensic sci-ences communities. The Office of Research& Development will facilitate this process,but ultimately, it must be perpetuatedthrough direct sponsorship by the variouslaw enforcement agencies.


Recognizing that better prevention techniquesand investigative strategies, tougher punishment,and an increased police presence have proveneffective in reducing violent crime in communi-ties throughout the United States;

Emphasizing the importance of close and effective cooperation among law enforcementagencies at the national, state, and local levels;

Recognizing that the United States criminal justice system is undergoing rapid change ininvestigative methods requiring new technicalskills to fight crime on the street while protect-ing the rights of the accused;

Acknowledging that law enforcement agenciesare increasingly challenged by the evolving technologies exploited by drug cartels, orga-nized criminal enterprises, cybercriminals, andterrorists, and by the potential availability ofweapons of mass destruction;

Noting the internationally recognized capacityof the Department of Energy national laborato-ries in advanced materials, advanced instrumen-tation, biotechnology, engineering, and informa-tion technologies:

Now, therefore, the Secretaries of the Treasuryand Energy and the Attorney General join withthe Vice-President of the United States in resolv-ing to deploy sophisticated technologies developedat the Department of Energy laboratories to aid inthe war on drugs, violent crime, white-collarcrime, and terrorism. The Secretaries agree withthe Vice-President’s assessment that “Science andtechnology hold forth the promise of improvingthe efficiency of the criminal justice system,enabling law enforcement agencies to betterdetect, preserve, and analyze the trail of evidence.”

And the Department of Energy, in partnershipwith the Departments of the Treasury andJustice, will direct the internationally renowned

technical capabilities and resources of its labora-tories to enhance, modernize, and bring to thefield additional crimefighting tools to aidnational, state, and local law enforcement agencies. This partnership will draw upon andleverage 40 years of national investment in thesecapabilities at the laboratories, which have tradi-tionally been applied to national security mis-sions of the United States in the military andnuclear weapon arenas.

And in applying these capabilities to fight crime,the Department of Energy’s national laboratorieswill join the Departments of the Treasury andJustice in their use of advanced technology inthe prevention and investigation of crime.

And, the Departments of the Treasury andJustice will partner with the Department ofEnergy to further improve and enhance crime-fighting tools, and will continue their sharing ofsuch tools with law enforcement agencies at thenational, state, and local level, relying primarilyon their existing intergovernmental networks.The three cabinet agencies recognize that theMemoranda signed today between theDepartment of Energy and the Federal Bureauof Investigation of the Justice Department, andbetween the Department of Energy and theBureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms(ATF) of the Treasury Department are the nextsteps in increased cooperation. These agree-ments build upon the existing Memoranda ofUnderstanding signed by the Department ofEnergy with the U.S. Customs Service and theDepartment of Justice’s National Institute ofJustice. The three cabinet agencies will workthrough established channels to facilitate theflow of technologies produced through the partnership to law enforcement agencies at thestate and local level.

And we enter into this partnership in an effortto gain additional return from our nationalinvestments by applying technologies originally


Statement of Principles on Crimefighting PartnershipBetween the Department of Energy and the Department of

Treasury and the Department of Justice


developed for the defense and national securityof the United States to our domestic lawenforcement efforts.

In witness whereof, we have here unto set ourhands this nineteenth day of May, in the year ofour Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-eight.

For the Department of EnergyFederico PeñaSecretary of Energy

For the Department of the TreasuryRobert RubinSecretary of Treasury

For the Department of JusticeJanet RenoAttorney General

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and FirearmsJohn W. MagawDirector

Federal Bureau of InvestigationLouis J. FreehDirector

At a May 1999technology

demonstration onCapitol Hill,Secretary BillRichardson andsenior DOE officialsinvited members ofCongress to seesome of DOE’slatest projects, in-cluding the newestversion of a crimescene-processingsystem calledScenePro.

The Forensic Science Center (FSC) atLawrence Livermore National Laboratory

(LLNL) is DOE’s first dedicated facility tosupport to law enforcement and other gov-ernment agencies concerned with crime,terrorism, and intelligence. Established nineyears ago, the FSC is dedicated to teaching,developing new forensic methods of analysis,designing and building advanced laboratoryand field-analysis hardware, and offeringunique problem-solving capabilities—allcombined in one secure facility.

The FSC applies advanced R&D capabili-ties to problems of concern to DOE, lawenforcement, and the intelligence communi-ties. State-of-the-art methods and instrumen-tation analyze high-priority samples of alltypes. The results of these forensic analyseshelp support investigations and aid policymakers concerned with issues of national andinternational security (including nonprolifer-ation concerns, nuclear smuggling, andcounterterrorism).

A diverse complement of programsincludes—• Solid-Phase Microextraction. This novel

sample collection and analysis methoduses hair-sized fibers to safely and efficiently capture organic vapors so they

can be characterized with great accuracyvia gas chromatography and mass spec-trometry. Not only are we developingnew field-collection techniques for theintelligence community, but we are alsoproviding the FBI and first-responderswith field kits for the safe and rapid characterization of chemical-warfare (CW)agents. Such tactics allow safe and effi-cient collections of highly toxic com-pounds associated with terrorist activities.

• Portable Gas Chromatography–MassSpectrometry. In 1999, the FSC deliveredto the FBI a highly sensitive, analytical-chemistry instrument to characterize CWagents. Previously available only in thelaboratory, this instrument—with lowparts-per-trillion to parts-per-billion sensitivity—can be used in the field (seepage 24).

• Portable Thin-Layer Chromatography–Digital Imaging. Developed for theArmy to characterize propellant stabiliz-ers in munitions, this unique system alsocharacterizes unknown explosives, drugs,and other materials in the field. The sys-tem includes a digital camera and laptopcomputer to facilitate the identificationand quantification of target compounds.



This isolationchamber is

used to preparecompletelyunknown samplesfor forensicanalysis. Suchsamples maycontain chemicalor biologicalmaterials, or otherhazardous agents.

CONTACT: Brian D. AndresenLawrence Livermore National Laboratory925.422.0903fax: [email protected]

LLNL’s Forensic Science Center


To better understand the needs of lawenforcement, researchers from the

Westinghouse Savannah River Companymet with law enforcement officialsin December 1998 to establish aregional Department of Justicelaboratory at the Savannah RiverTechnical Center (SRTC) in SouthCarolina. SRTC is located primari-ly in Aiken County, but it alsoborders the state of Georgia(across the Savannah River). TheDirector of Public Safety for AikenCounty organized a meeting

between SRTC and 17 state and localrepresentatives from both South Carolinaand Georgia, including Aiken City PublicSafety, Georgia Bureau of Investigation,Aiken County Sheriff ’s Office, RichmondCounty Sheriff ’s Office, Aiken CountySolicitor’s Office, and South Carolina LawEnforcement Division.

These representatives were encouraged to view SRTC as the DOE resource for thesoutheast region of the United States.Collaborative projects were discussed inforensic technology, operational support,research and development, and technologytransfer. Technologies with immediate use-

fulness were quickly identified, in particularSRTC’s Weather Center, particle-analysisinstruments, a remotely operated underwa-ter vehicle, and infrared imaging systems.

SRTC initiated four demonstrationefforts. The Weather Center is correlatingcrime statistics with weather conditionsover the past few years; Aiken Public Safetyis using the Weather Center as a blueprintto design a new command and communica-tions center. The underwater vehicle issearching for evidence in the SavannahRiver. And an effort is underway to detectchemical effluents from suspect drug-production operations.

Through a series of meetings in 1999,the working relationships between the various law enforcement agencies andSRTC will be formalized. The SavannahRiver site already has protocols in place foremergency response that can be used astemplates for law enforcement. TheSavannah River site supports local fire andspill-response teams by providing trainedpersonnel and equipment in emergencies.The Savannah River site also responds toradiological emergencies. The vision is forSRTC to provide unique forensic analysesunavailable through traditional resources.

The WeatherCenter at the

Savannah RiverTechnology Centeris a resourceavailable to localand state lawenforcement.

CONTACT:Justin HalversonSavannah River Technical Center803.725.9625fax: [email protected]

An ROV, orremotely

operated vehicle, isavailable to diveteams to search forevidence.

Savannah River Technical Center


Opening doors to the judiciary joinsexisting Los Alamos National

Laboratory efforts to aid advancement offorensic science and technology while assist-ing federal, tribal, state, and local criminaljustice. This year, Los Alamos and its corpo-rate allies will hold a conference concerningthe exercise of judicial discretion in mattersinvolving digital evidence—during whichNew Mexico judges will discuss ways to tapthe national store of scientific and technicalexpertise in DOE laboratories in rulings ontechnical and scientific matters. Recent anddeveloping case law is changing the wayfederal and many states’ judges rule onadmissibility of technical expertise. Theirevolving “gatekeeper” function presentsnew challenges for understanding the complexities of state-of-the-art scientificissues that come before them.

Following the judicial conference, state,local, and Native American law enforcementofficers will learn how computer crimes arecommitted in their communities and howthose and other crimes can be investigatedusing computers during two days of hands-on training at the J. Robert Oppenheimer

Study Center at Los Alamos. Special empha-sis goes to attendees who will multiply theirexperience by training colleagues backhome. The faculties for both conferences arepioneers of information sciences’ prosecu-tions, investigations, and forensics training.

This year, Los Alamos has also assisted inthe investigation and prosecution of themurder of a prominent former elected offi-cial (in which Los Alamos photo-enhancerswere able to show the victim and his since-admitted assailant together just before thevictim’s disappearance) and the homicide ofanother former elected official (in whichLos Alamos computer scientists found keyevidence in the former official’s computer).Other cases include an alleged repeated rapeinvolving the possible use of animal tran-quilizers, enforcement of state computernetwork laws, a high-visibility kidnappingcase involving sexual slavery, child pornog-raphy, multiple public corruption cases,software piracy, and environmental threats.Most of these cases are on-going. LosAlamos was also consulted in several investi-gations and prosecutions charging violationsof securities laws.


Los Alamos National Laboratory

CONTACT: Vic HogsettLos Alamos National Laboratory505.667.7185fax: [email protected]

CriminalInvestigator

Jim Skinner wasone of many lawenforcementofficers trainedthrough LosAlamos’ outreachprogram. Expertisein computertechnology is oneof the areas thatDOE can offer tohelp solve cyber-crime.


Pacific Northwest National Laboratory(PNNL) is working with state and local

law enforcement agencies in Oregon,Washington, and Alaska to understand theirtechnology needs and either apply existingtechnology, developed for some other DOEprogram, or start new R&D. Once a tech-nology is developed, PNNL establishes part-nerships with commercial companies tomake it available at a reasonable cost. Theoutreach program gives state and local lawenforcement agencies the scientific and tech-nological resources of a DOE laboratory tofight crime at the grassroots level.

One exciting project employs informationvisualization and analysis technology to exam-ine data amassed on serial homicides: theunsolved Green River Killer case. Workingwith the King County Police Department andthe Washington State Attorney General’sOffice, PNNL is testing a system calledStarlight to analyze the Green River data (seepage 19). Massive amounts of data can beexplored to find critical, but often subtle,interrelationships among the data, discoveringcrucial details that might otherwise be missed.

Another serial-crime tool is Computer-Aided Tracking and Characterization ofHomicides (CATCH). CATCH is based onartificial neural networks—a system of com-puterized, interconnected processing ele-ments that simulates human thought to findpatterns in data. CATCH is analyzing 200fields of information from approximately7,000 homicides and 9,000 sexual assaultcases contained in the Washington StateAttorney General’s Homicide InformationTracking System (HITS). The HITS data-base includes information on all serialhomicides and sexual assaults in the PacificNorthwest, including the Green River Killer.

We collaborate closely with police depart-ments, crime laboratories, and other crimi-nal justice agencies throughout the PacificNorthwest, as well as with federal agenciesand professional associations. PNNL alsoprovides selective operational assistancewithout charge to a requesting agency oncases that have potential for generatingR&D opportunities.

Pacific Northwest NationalLaboratory

ScenePro is acrime scene-

processing systemincorporatingdigital audio andvideo data andglobal positioningdata with on-lineaccess. ScenePro is an outgrowth of technologydeveloped for arms control.

CONTACT: Mark SeguraPacific Northwest National Laboratory509.372.4285fax: [email protected]


In a pilot project that began in 1995,Oak Ridge National Laboratory, acting

as the coordinator for four DOE laborato-ries, created a program to support lawenforcement with DOE-developed technol-ogy. Oak Ridge formed the Center forApplied Science and Technology for LawEnforcement (CASTLE), a partnership ofscientific, university, private sector, and law enforcement personnel. The CASTLEprogram applied DOE technology at thegrassroots level to both solve crimes andmake the officers’ jobs safer and more effi-cient. CASTLE provided quick solutions,at no cost to the requester, when the needcould not be met elsewhere. Solutions were

provided in areas such as evidenceanalysis (e.g., audio and video tapes,and physical and trace substances),

operational and tactical support,technical advice, and training.Other CASTLE activitiesincluded short feasibilitystudies that subsequentlyled to longer-term R&Dprojects under federalagency sponsorship.

By working closely with personnel in police,sheriffs, and other lawenforcement organizationsthroughout the SoutheastU.S., needs were identifiedand sent to CASTLE. Where

it was ascertained that the need could notbe met either in the private sector or byorganizations such as the Tennessee Bureauof Investigation or FBI, and where OakRidge has a specialized or unique expertise,CASTLE attempted to provide a technolog-ical solution through its multidisciplinarynetwork of scientists and engineers.

Significant aid was rendered through theCASTLE program, including—• Numerous armed robberies, several

homicides, and other crimes were solvedthrough advanced video enhancement;

• An improved scheduling system for theAtlanta police was developed for the1996 Olympic Games;

• Computer and intelligent systems tech-nologies provided significant improve-ments in quality, cost, and productiontime for cranial-facial reconstruction;

• Forensic analyses of materials providedsignificant evidence for investigations inseveral very high-profile national cases;

• Audiotape analyses led to the convictionof several suspects and the exonerationof one.The key to the success of CASTLE was

its linkage to law enforcement personnel atlocal, state, and federal levels. Though theCASTLE program no longer exists on a for-mal basis, Oak Ridge continues to supportcasework when possible in the context ofthe larger law enforcement effort.

CASTLE Program

CONTACT: Vivian BaylorOak Ridge National Laboratory423.576.5293fax: [email protected]


Currently,facial

reconstruction isslow, costly, andoften unreliable.Oak Ridge teamedwith the Universityof Tennessee tocombine artificialintelligence andneural networks torapidly reconstructfaces from skeletalremains.

As part of acollaboration

with Customs andINS, Oak Ridge isdeveloping acooling system forbody armor (bullet-proof vests). Cooledbody armor wouldhelp officers workin hot, humidenvironments. Thislightweight system,with a rechargeablepower supply, canbe retro-fitted toexisting armor.


The location, national security require-ments, and technological capabilities of

Idaho National Engineering and Environ-mental Laboratory (INEEL) offer a uniqueresource for the intermountain law enforce-ment community. INEEL supports localand regional law enforcement through directassistance as well as federal agencies throughprogrammatic research.

Research includes the successful commer-cialization of two technologies sponsoredby the National Institute of Justice: theRoadSpikeTM, a licensed INEEL productnow manufactured by a West Virginia com-pany to safely deflate tires at checkpointsand during chases and the ConcealedWeapons Detector, manufactured byInnovative Engineering Solutions as theSecureScan 2000TM. Two INEEL informa-tion system projects, sponsored by theOffice of National Drug Control Policy(ONDCP), involve establishing test bedsfor secure data sharing and data accessacross diverse law enforcement units. Theseprograms involve collaborations with theIdaho Criminal Investigative Bureau,Colorado Bureau of Investigation, and sev-eral Colorado police and sheriff departments.

INEEL supports the intermountainregion for hazardous materials response

(HAZMAT) training and investigations,including SWAT training and range exercis-es for 35 agencies covering multiple jurisdictions in Idaho, Utah, Colorado,Montana, and Washington as well as forfederal agencies such as the Bureau of LandManagement, FBI, Forest Service, and theNational Park Service. Training in bomb-threat response, hazardous chemical dispos-al (including methamphetamine labs), andaccidental explosions is offered throughoutIdaho, Montana, Utah, Oregon, Wyoming,Montana, and Washington.

The Boise and Garden City PoliceDepartments receive assistance in severalforensic and drug detection methods. INEELis minimizing the cost of DNA testing forthe Boise Police Department through anantibody profiling method.

Other forensic assistance has resulted inseveral convictions including a homicide inAmmon, Idaho in which an INEEL scien-tist was used photography and mathematicalmethods to relate a footprint at a crimescene to that of a suspect. Time-of-FlightSecondary Ion Mass Spectrometry is beingused by the Idaho Bureau of ForensicServices to examine paint traces and identifycomponent of a commercial product in apossible arson case.

Idaho National Engineering &Environmental Laboratory

CONTACT:Robert PolkIdaho NationalEngineering &EnvironmentalLaboratory208.526.0850fax: [email protected]

One of INEEL’sresearch

projects involves atechnique calledAbPTM where bodyfluids are flushedacross a strip ofpaper lined withspecific proteinsthat antibodiescling to—antibodiesthat are unique toevery person. Thistest can distinguishbetween identicaltwins, which a DNAtest cannot do.



In July 1995, the murder of a conveniencestore clerk in Chattanooga, Tennessee,

during an armed robbery was recorded bythe store’s surveillance camera. The video-tape’s quality was very poor, providing littleinformation to the police. ChattanoogaPolice asked Oak Ridge National Laboratoryto analyze the videotape for any informationthat might help the investigation.

In examining the videotape, an OakRidge technician noticed a flash of light nearthe end of the muzzle of the suspect’sweapon. This light appears on the videotapejust prior to the store clerk’s moving to arear storage room. The technician believedthis could be a muzzle flash from the sus-pect’s handgun. Oak Ridge requested thatthe police return to the crime scene and firethe handgun while being recorded by thesame camera. Oak Ridge then compared theimages of the muzzle blast from the policetests to the images from the robbery. Thelight observed on the robbery videotape wasvery similar to the muzzle blast observed onthe police’s videotape. Additional imageanalysis and calculations confirmed that thesuspect had in fact shot the store clerk while

in view of the surveillance camera. Thisproved that the suspect had intentionally,not accidentally, shot the store clerk.

After viewing the videotape, the suspectsubsequently plea-bargained to murder inthe first degree accepting a life sentencewithout possibility of parole. The DistrictAttorney’s Office stated that the over-whelming evidence from Oak Ridge’svideotape allowed them to place the suspectat a specific location in the store whileshooting the store clerk. It is estimated thatthe suspect’s plea saved the DistrictAttorney’s Office over $100,000 by avoid-ing a death-penalty trial.

Oak Ridge’s Image Science and MachineVision Group is creating software thatcould put similar technology into the handsof forensic scientists with personal comput-ers. The software will allow detectives andinvestigators to use it without needing anengineering degree to understand theprocess. Oak Ridge is planning to test thesoftware this summer with the SecretService, FBI, and ATF. The software couldbe available for outside licensing as early asJanuary 2000.

A videotapefrom a

surveillancecamera providedthe evidence toplace a murdersuspect in prison.

CONTACT: Tom McCoigOak Ridge National Laboratory423.241.2283fax: [email protected]

Image Science


Brookhaven National Laboratory isdeveloping a short-range forensic tool

to screen unknown chemicals in the field.An outgrowth of ongoing research inRaman lidar (short for light detection andranging), mini-Raman lidar looks for chem-icals resulting from nuclear, chemical, orbiological weapons; narcotics processing;and accidents involving hazardous materi-als—whether these chemicals are depositedon the ground, on various surfaces, or onvegetation. Mini-Raman lidar “sees” thesedeposited chemicals through laser excita-tion combined with the phenomenon ofRaman spectroscopy.

Lidar is similarto radar. Pulses oflaser light strike atarget of interestand the backscat-tered signals arecollected by areceiver telescope.The distance to thetarget is calculatedfrom the amountof time required

for the outgoing laser pulse to reach the tar-get, scatter off the surface, and return to thereceiver. The Raman signal is extracted from

the information returned to the receiver. Alaptop computer contains a library ofRaman spectral fingerprints to comparewith the chemical fingerprints collected atthe scene.

This new sensor was demonstrated duringNew York City’s Interagency ChemicalExercise terrorist drill on November 9, 1997,by the Mayor’s Office of EmergencyManagement. Mini-Raman lidar isdesigned for the first-responder commu-nity—hazardous materials personnel, fire-fighters, and police—to identify chemicalsat safe distances (feet to tens of feet).

Current technology requires that solid(soil) and liquid samples be collected firstand then analyzed. Such procedures arecomplex, time-consuming, and potentiallyhazardous, depending on the contami-nants. Mini-Raman lidar simplifies theprocess by providing real-time screeningof chemicals (and potentially biologicalcontaminants) at the scene without hav-ing to touch the substance or prepare thesamples for interrogation. Different molecules have unique Raman spectralfingerprints that can be used to identifyunknown chemicals in much the sameway as fingerprints identify individuals.

The Mini-Raman Lidar

System can look ata spill from a shortdistance away andinterrogate theemanations fromthe containerwithout touchingthe substances andendangering first-responders.

Laser beam

Reflected beam

Raman sig

nal

Moleculesof chemical

Mirror

Laser beam

No chemical information Chemical fingerprint

CONTACT:Arthur SedlacekBrookhaven National Laboratory516.344.2404fax: [email protected]

Mini-Raman Lidar

In Ramanspectroscopy,

laser light scatteredoff a substancecarries informationabout the chemicalmake-up of thatsubstance. ThisRaman signal isunique to eachmolecule. Just aspeople can beuniquely identifiedby fingerprints, sotoo can chemicals,regardless of theirphysical state (solid,liquid, and gas).


Alaser-induced fluorescence imaging(LIFI) system—being developed by the

Special Technologies Laboratory—detects,characterizes, and monitors contaminants in

the environment.Originally developed todetect uranium contami-nation on surfaces at for-mer nuclear-weapon production facilities, thistechnology is also poten-tially useful to forensicinvestigations because it“sees” traces of materials,such as body fluids, atcrime scenes.

LIFI detects compounds by irradiatingthem with laser light. If the substance beinginvestigated has unique fluorescence prop-erties, its fluorescence response identifiesthe substance. Although fluorescence spec-tra have been measured for decades, LIFI isinnovative because it is a digital imagingsystem that maps surfaces—a critical neednot only for cleaning up contaminated envi-ronments but also for mapping forensic evidence at crime scenes.

LIFI can detect and characterize finger-prints, blood, and other body fluids. Somebody fluids can be detected directly by their

natural fluorescence (semen, saliva, andsweat). Blood is detected indirectly byspraying it with a fluorescent reagent. Anumber of fluorescent reagents are used by law enforcement. LIFI technology, how-ever, extends the “vision” of current tech-nology to daylight use and to materials thatare not seen with the naked eye. As morefluorescent reagents are developed as evi-dence locators, LIFI technology is a naturalchoice for detection systems.

The LIFI system includes ultraviolet andvisible laser sources, intensified charged-coupled device (CCD) cameras, and real-time image processing for instantaneousviewing on a television monitor. Comparedwith non-laser imaging sensors, LIFI hasgreater spectral selectivity and sensitivity.Compared to existing forensic techniques,LIFI will allow fluorescent images to beviewed in all light conditions except in thebrightest sunlight.

The power supply is smaller than a carry-on luggage case and can be carried in abackpack. The laser head and camera aredirected by hand at elements in a crimescene, observing fluorescence in real time.Data are stored digitally for easy retrievalinto standard word-processing programs.

The powersupply for the

prototype LIFIsystem is smallenough for abackpack. The laserhead and cameraare hand-held.

CONTACT:John DiBenedettoBechtel Nevada/SpecialTechnologies Laboratory805.681.2240fax: [email protected]


Laser-Induced Fluorescence ImagingAn artist’sconcept shows

how LIFI maps acrime scene. Bodyfluids aredocumentedwhere they arelocated.


In July 1996, a detective from the Tri-CityMetro Drug Task Force in Washington

state contacted the Pacific NorthwestNational Laboratory (PNNL) to confirm the

existence of a clandestine druglab suspected to be operating in a residential neighborhood.Three people living in sur-rounding houses had reportednoxious odors emanating fromone particular residence. Theyreported nausea, headaches, and

vomiting at times consistent with the pres-ence of the odors. The most severely affectedneighbor, an 87-year-old man, was forced toleave his home and stay elsewhere duringperiods in which the odors were particularlyintense. Local police had ruled out carbonmonoxide or natural gas leaks, but they didnot have probable cause to search the sus-pected residence.

PNNL provided the investigators withtwo types of sample collection devices,SUMMA canisters (which draw ambient airinto the canister when a valve is opened),and a dehumidifier, which converts watervapor in the air to water that can be collect-ed in bottles. The police and one of the

neighboring homeowners remotely sampledthe air when the noxious odors were detect-ed and when wind direction and otherweather conditions were consistent with theodors coming from the suspected residence.The dehumidifier ran for several hours andwater samples were periodically collected.

The water samples were analyzed byinductively coupled, plasma mass spectrome-try, and iodine levels were found at three tofive times that of background levels. Theiodine levels, consistent with methampheta-mine production, were significant in relationto the times that the neighbors detected theodors. Based on this and other information,the police obtained a search warrant andseized methamphetamine from the residence.

PNNL scientists testified at a pre-trialhearing in the county’s superior courtabout the analysis, sampling, testing, andresults. The judge found their testimony tobe completely credible, and several daysafter the hearing, the suspects pleadedguilty to illegal possession of methampheta-mine. The prosecuting attorney stated thePNNL testimony was instrumental in convicting the suspects.

(left) Samplesof air collected

with SUMMAcanisters were takennear the suspectedclandestine druglab in a residentialneighborhood, and(right) analyzed byinductivelycoupled plasmamass spectrometry.

CONTACT: Mark SeguraPacific Northwest National Laboratory509.372.4285fax: [email protected]

Evidencepicture taken

inside the house,showing thechemicals andother drugparaphenalia.

Clandestine Drug Lab



Misapplied technology and lack ofresources, lack of access to high tech-

nology, and lack of training often placestate, local, and Native American forensics ata disadvantage compared to the criminalsthey investigate and prosecute. Los AlamosNational Laboratory has teamed with severalcorporations and the Department of Justiceto provide basic and advanced training tostate and local law officers faced with theseproblems, particularly in the information sciences. Annual training has helped sendorganized gamblers, high-tech rip-off artists,pedophiles, and murderers to jail and helpeduncover public corruption for appropriateprosecution. Los Alamos has also helpedexonerate the innocent, deported thoselooking for an illicit life in America, investi-gated child kidnapping, and solved mysteriessurrounding American MIAs in Vietnam.Direct access to law officers and forensic scientists helps Los Alamos better under-stand the world of crime, providing furtherinsight for the research and development ofhigh-tech solutions.

The Los Alamos training sessions havesignificantly multiplied state and local training investment by centering on thosecommitted to training others. One of LosAlamos’ “students” was singled out last yearby Vice-President Gore as illustrating thesuccessful marriage of his own good policework with Los Alamos’ science and train-ing. An already successful criminal investiga-tor in a farm and ranch community in east-ern New Mexico, Jim Skinner has used hisLos Alamos training impressively. He has—• Stopped an international cell-phone

cloning ring;• Sent two Internet predator pedophiles to

prison for 10 years each;• Shut down an international computerized

boiler-room operation defrauding olderAmericans; and

• Arrested a hacker who stole trade secretsregarding the Hubble space telescope.Los Alamos is currently designing the

next round of training sessions based on theneeds of the law enforcement and forensicsciences communities.

At a WhiteHouse ceremony

presided over byVice-President AlGore, InvestigatorJim Skinnerrepresented lawenforcement officers who havebenefited fromcyber-training atLos Alamos NationalLaboratory.


Training the Trainers


Pacific Northwest National Laboratory isbringing crimefighting into the next

century using computer technology andstate-of-the-art equipment. TheDepartment of Energy’s Law EnforcementInitiative is helping agencies in Washington,Oregon, and Alaska tackle tough investiga-tions. The initiative brings innovative science and technology solutions to uniquecriminal and forensics problems. Throughthis initiative, Pacific Northwest’s staff workwith local, state, and federal law enforce-ment and forensic scientists on actual casesto develop potential solutions.

Advanced data sources and rapid com-munication technologies generate massivecollections of information rich with facts.However, such an information overload canhide critical details and subtle relationshipsintegral to effectively interpreting the data,especially across space and time. Softwaresophisticated enough to handle largeamounts of information and still be simpleto use would be an asset to any criminalinvestigation.

Starlight is an easy-to-use, interactiveinvestigative tool for exploring and integrat-

ing data needed for decision-making.Originally developed by Pacific Northwestfor the U.S. Army Intelligence and SecurityCommand, Starlight’s versatility enablesusers to analyze massive volumes of infor-mation contained in various media, includ-ing multiple relational or object-orienteddatabases, structured and unstructured text,maps, and video and satellite imagery. Userscan analyze information content as well ascomplex interrelations among individualelements of large information collections viaStarlight’s powerful linkage analysis tools.

Pilot programs are underway with severalpolice departments using Starlight for crimeanalysis. Starlight offers a powerful tool toinvestigators for the analysis of informationthat was previous difficult or impossible tocorrelate—using an entirely new visual con-text. Starlight is a tool that can be used bythe actual case detectives with only a fewhours invested in training, as opposed tosubmitting requests to data analysts or sta-tisticians. Starlight integrates well withGeographic Information Systems, providinga complete package for the analysis of spatial-temporal relationships.

The Starlightworkspace

enables users to siftthrough massiveamounts ofinformationgenerated from avariety of media,including maps, allforms of text,object-oriented orrelational data, andvideo and satelliteimagery.

CONTACT:Mark SeguraPacific Northwest National Laboratory509.372.4285fax: [email protected]

Sifting Through a Blizzard ofInformation: Starlight Software



In contemporary crime fiction, medicalexaminers definitively pinpoint the time

since death of homicide victims in a veryrigorous and quantitative approach. In reallife, medical examiners are not so lucky.Estimates of time since death typically relyon gross anatomical characteristics, many ofwhich are environmentally dependent. Untilvery recently, there have been little or notechnological or scientific advances to the“art” or “science” of determining timesince death. For the very recently deceased,the time since death can be given within afew hours’ range, but a few hours can makea considerable difference when examiningalibis. For longer periods, it is nearly impos-sible to accurately estimate the time sincedeath except for a range of days, weeks,sometimes months or years. Working withforensic anthropologists at the internation-ally known Anthropological Forensic

Research Facility at the University ofTennessee, and with pathologists and med-ical examiners, Oak Ridge NationalLaboratory scientists are examining differ-ent chemical and biological markers inhopes of gaining a rigorous understandingof the cadaver-decay process. Cell and tissuedeath are accompanied by an incompletelyunderstood series of biochemical changes,some of which are expected to be somewhatenvironmentally independent. The aim is todevelop a protocol that will be used bymedical examiners and forensic scientists toaccurately establish time since death, thusgiving law enforcement the ability to focuson those suspects who may have had theopportunity (and motive) to have commit-ted the crime in question. This tool isexpected to significantly enhance the criminal investigative process.

The Anthropo-logical Forensic

Research Facility atthe University ofTennessee maintainsa collection ofcadavers whosetime since death isknown. Using thiscollection in fieldsettings allows OakRidge researchers todiscover chemicaland biologicalmarkers that willimprove the abilityof medicalexaminers andforensic scientists toestablish time sincedeath.


Determining Time Since Death:Chemical and Biological Markers


The crime was horrendous: a three-year-old girl had been kidnapped, raped,

and murdered, apparently by a friend of thefamily who confessed to the crime whileunder the influence of drugs and alcohol.He recanted his confession when hesobered up, much to the dismay ofKnoxville Police, who then needed com-pelling physical evidence to further prose-cute the case. When they dusted the sus-pect’s car for the girl’s fingerprints, theywere shocked to find none even thoughthey knew for certain that the child hadbeen in the car.

The Knoxville investigator was both dis-heartened and intrigued by the lack of fin-gerprints—what had happened to them? Hedid a small study of his own by asking chil-dren and adults to handle glass bottles, thenplacing the bottles in different environ-ments such as the hot trunk of his car andhis cool basement. At intervals, he dustedfor prints and found, to his surprise, thatthe children’s fingerprints “disappeared”from the glass surfaces much faster than theadults’, sometimes in a matter of hours! He

came to Oak Ridge National Laboratoryand asked for help in understanding thisphenomenon.

Thus began an on-going study with wide-spread ramifications for everything fromnon-invasive drug testing through profilingcriminal suspects. Oak Ridge found that thelack of certain chemical compounds in chil-dren’s fingerprints made them much morevolatile than adults’ fingerprints. Also, anumber of interesting substances are left infingerprints, including tobacco, prescriptionmedications, testosterone, and varying levelsof cholesterol. Oak Ridge is studying thisfurther to identify some of those key ele-ments and understand their longevity andreproducibility in fingerprints. If legal andillegal drugs can be identified and quantified,perhaps a non-invasive drug test protocol canbe adopted to replace current urine and hairtests. If tobacco, cholesterol, testosterone,and other substances can be identified andquantified, then it might be possible todetermine the age range, sex, and habits ofsuspects through their fingerprints alone,considerably narrowing the suspect database.

A criminalistwith the

Knoxville PoliceDepartment and anOak Ridge scientistare studying thedifferences betweenchildren’s andadults’ fingerprints.Children’s finger-prints contain morevolatile chemicalswhile adults’fingerprints tend tohave longer lastingchemicals. In thefuture, there maybe a specific test forjuvenile fingerprints.


Finding Information in theChemicals in Fingerprints



Accurate identification of metal frag-ments found at crime scenes is crucial

in determining the sources of such materi-als. Metal fragments can be analyzed usinga technique that combines laser ablationwith mass spectrometry. This technique canidentify trace elemental impurities in metalsto tie the source of the fragments of interestto particular suspects or even to countriesof origin.

The strength of this evidence would farsurpass that provided by conventional tech-niques such as x-ray fluorescence, whichsimply determines material type by measur-ing major components, or conventionalinductively coupled plasma–mass spectrom-etry (ICP–MS) using dissolved samples,which destroys the evidentiary material inthe analysis process.

Laser-ablation sampling is sensitive andfast, requiring no chemical preparation. Ituses a minimal sample, consuming little evi-dence. A metal fragment is inserted into acell and a laser is focused onto the sampleto vaporize a small area. The sample vapor

consolidates into fine particles, which areswept out of the cell and injected into anICP. The ICP is an atmospheric-pressureelectrical discharge hot enough to convertthe particles into ions. The ions are extract-ed into a mass spectrometer, which identi-fies the elements from the mass-to-chargeratios of their characteristic isotopes.

Although tracking down the sources ofmetals and matching them based on theirelemental composition is difficult becausethey are recycled extensively, it should bepossible to match one metal specimen toanother based on their trace elemental com-position. This work will extend thesematching measurements to other materialsand very small samples, such as filings orscrapings. With the better detection limits,precision, and accuracy provided by thelaser-ablation technique, less abundant ele-ments or combinations of elements willbecome available as valid markers for a par-ticular sample, providing a “fingerprint” ofthe metal.

(left) This cell isused in a

diagnostic toolcalled laser ablation–inductively coupledplasma–massspectrometry(LA–ICP–MS). Thebright spark at thebottom is ionized gasgenerated by thelaser pulse. Aplume of particlesis ejected by thelaser ablating thesample’s surface.(right) LA–ICP–MSof steel objects andmachine tailingsresulting from theirproduction may beforensically matchedby comparing thetrace elementalcomposition ofboth materials. Thelight-colored, large-diameter circles onthis NIST standardillustrate theminute quantity ofmaterial consumedduring an analysis.

CONTACT:David HoffmanAmes Laboratory515.294.9649fax: [email protected]

Fingerprinting Metal Evidence:Laser Ablation


Arelatively recent development in crime-scene analysis uses cyanoacrylate

(known commercially as “superglue”)vapors to reveal fingerprints on surfaces thatwould not yield usable fingerprints before.Cyanoacrylate is presently used worldwideby forensic investigators, but it has twodrawbacks: (1) the technique is subject toenvironmental and other factors, many ofwhich are not understood, so it does notwork consistently and predictably, and (2) cyanoacrylate causes the fingerprint toappear white, necessitating a second step forlight-colored backgrounds (for example,white walls) to colorize the fingerprintenough so that it can be seen.

Understanding the basic chemistry of thecyanoacrylate process is a necessary prereq-uisite for developing improved processes forfingerprint development. For this reason,studies have been directed toward the

polymer initiation and propagation mecha-nisms, latent-print aging processes, and theeffects of environmental conditions onlatent prints. A better understanding ofthese basic areas is expected to aid in choos-ing and developing a colorization process.One such process could involve the synthe-sis and trial of a colored cyanoacrylatederivative that yields a colored print.

The objective of Oak Ridge NationalLaboratory is to develop and demonstrate areliable, one-step technique that colorizescyanoacrylate-fumed fingerprints. This tech-nique will extend the application range ofcyanoacrylate-fuming, aiding forensic per-sonnel at crime scenes. The technique’s-portable process will be highly sensitive tolatent fingerprints and applicable to finger-prints on various surfaces (such as plastics,wood, styrofoam, metals, and rocks).

(left) Thefingerprint on

the left wasdeveloped by anew process thatproduces darkbrown-coloredprints by organic-vapor deposition.The print on theright was dusted inthe traditional waywith carbon powder. (right) The knifeprint was developedby a process thatadds blue byorganic-vapordeposition. Thisphotograph wastaken four monthsafter the color haddeveloped.


Seeing Latent Fingerprintswith Cyanoacrylate



Gas chromatography (GC) combinedwith mass spectrometry (MS) has been

used to identify unknown chemicals for 30years. Parts-per-billion sensitivity has meantits successful use in court. All GC–MS

instruments work the same way.The gas chromatograph separates amixture of chemicals as it travelsdown a 30-meter capillary column.Organic compounds separateaccording to their vapor pressures,with the more volatile vaporsmigrating first down the columnand into the mass spectrometer.The mass spectrometer bombardsthe vapors with an electron beam,fragmenting the molecules into

pieces called ions. Just as human finger-prints are unique, chemicals produce uniquefingerprints of ions. Ion plots are sortedand displayed on a computer with a libraryof chemical fingerprints. Samples as small asa grain of salt can be analyzed and identified.

Current laboratory GC–MS instrumentsweigh about 250 pounds, including thecapillary column to separate the mixture, anoven to heat the mixture, a vacuum pumpto remove any air that might interfere withthe analysis, and a computer. Though mostlab systems are smaller than they were eventen years ago, a 250-pound unit requires afair amount of space and electric power in alab setting. Shrinking GC–MS instrumentsfor field applications have driven commer-

cial vendors to develop systems that weigharound 100 pounds, hardly portable.

Our GC–MS system, being developed forthe FBI, weighs about 50 pounds total.Tiny, twin turbomolecular pumps maintaina low operating vacuum while a newquadrupole mass spectrometer is used in acustom vacuum housing. A newly designedgas chromatographic oven uses commercialcapillary columns and is sensitive to lowppb levels. A laptop computer runs the sys-tem and analyzes the data. Because theentire system is lightweight, the same highlysensitive GC–MS analyses can be performedin the field as we have come to expect inwell-controlled lab settings.

Field applications are pushing miniaturiza-tion of traditional lab tools even further. Aminiaturized gas chromatograph and ion-mobility detector, all on a silicon wafer, is thelatest tool being developed at Livermore.The gas chromatograph itself is microma-chined on silicon, similar to way microchipsare made for computers. Spiral microchan-nels etched on a silicon wafer replace thecapillary column of traditional GC instru-ments. Another silicon wafer and a tinyheater replace the oven. Packed in a ceramicinsulating fiberglass that resembles cotton,the unit can be operated at 250°C. With itsdetection electronics, it is the size of a hand-held calculator and is intended to have thesame performance as laboratory GC instruments.

(left) A typicallaboratory

GC–MS requires afair amount ofspace. (right) Theprototype GC–MS,recently delivered tothe FBI, weighsabout 50 pounds.

CONTACT:Brian AndresenLawrence Livermore National Laboratory925.422.0903fax: [email protected]

Portable GC–MS(top) A newproject is aimed

at miniaturizing theGC part. (bottom)The GC itself ismicromachinedonto silicon, similarto the process formicrochips.


One of DOE’s objectives in its LawEnforcement Initiative is supplying

law enforcement and forensic agencieswith tools that cannot be provided bystate and federal sources or the private sector. At the Pacific Northwest NationalLaboratory, scientists are combiningmatrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization(MALDI) with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) to rapidly identifybacteria. The combined MALDI–TOFMSis designed to analyze biological sub-stances in less than five minutes, providingvital information to help direct theresponse of emergency and investigativepersonnel.

Only minute amounts of material fromforensic samples are needed. MALDIbombards samples with photons, gener-ating molecular ions of bacterial compo-nents such as proteins. The TOFMSdetects the ions based on their mass-to-charge ratio. Different groups of ions areproduced by different types of bacteria.

Analytical chemists, microbiologists,and statisticians are teaming to

demonstrate the feasibility of MALDI–TOFMS for the unique identification ofbacteria.

Statistically based data analysis forautomated identification and non-biasedinterpretation is being developed atPacific Northwest. Using replicate spec-tra, specific biomarkers are extracted andcompared. A standardized bacterial fin-gerprint is determined based on the ionsreproducibly obtained from MALDI–TOFMS analysis of the same bacterialspecies. This standardized fingerprint isthen compared to unknown samplesources for identification.

Although the mass spectrum of a com-plex sample contains many fingerprintsthat overlap one another, statisticians aredeveloping novel methods to identify thebacteria present in a sample by recogniz-ing the unique set of ions produced bydifferent bacteria. Obtaining the degreeof association enables a quantitative, sta-tistically based match of an unknownsample to the reference bacteria or sourcesample.

Pacific North-west National

Laboratory is usingMALDI time-of-flight massspectrometry todevelop a fast,accurate, andstandardized systemthat identifiesbiological organisms.PNNL is alsocreating statisticallybased software tocreate a bacteriallibrary for automatedidentification andnon-biasedinterpretation ofthe data.

CONTACT: Steve MartinPacific Northwest National Laboratory509.372.4086fax: [email protected]

Laser lightIons

Time-of-flight mass spectrometer

Detector

Sample support

Matrix

Bacterial cell collected from air/water/environment

MALDI Time-of-FlightMass Spectrometry



Sandia National Laboratories is building aprototype of a fast and accurate 3D mea-

surement and imaging system to supportthe FBI and other law enforcement agenciesin quickly and accurately documenting acrime scene. Traditionally, law enforcementhas relied on tape measures and cameras torecord a crime scene, which are slow andcumbersome. A portable, 3D imaging sys-tem that can rapidly record a crime scene,measure relative positions of crime-sceneobjects, and add color images would helprecord significant forensic data.

Sandia’s 3D imaging system will—• Enable agents to reliably collect and

validate range and intensity data at thecrime site;

• Display a geometrically accurate, 3D ren-dering of the crime scene,

• Quantitatively measure the reconstructed3D crime; and

• Give investigators the capability to com-municate this information to others.The images above show a 3D surface ren-

dering. The scene in this case is a lab wall,with an optical bench in the foreground. Astorage cabinet is against the wall next tothe door, a poster hangs on the wall, and abox and tools sit on the bench. The image

on the left is a surface map generated from3D range data from a single view. Geometryis captured to the extent of the sensor. Thisdata set began with close to 100,000 datapoints and has been reduced to roughly2,000 points. Data reduction is often essential for a useful model to be built andviewed in real time. The right-hand image isthe same surface data with video-cameraimages texture-mapped onto it. The geome-try provides the quantitative measurements,while the images allow users to select pointsof interest.

The project includes range sensors as wellas cameras, and the display, recording, andanalysis of data. Sandia will leverage existing3D-model software and graphical userinterface experience. This includes scanning3D range sensors, image collection, datareduction, filtering, surface generation, andtexture mapping.

Much of Sandia’s previous work in 3Dmodeling has come out of robotics research.This synergism may be used to couple 3Dsensors with mobile robotics to provide awider application of scene reconstruction forthis and other high-hazard areas, from wastecleanup to bomb squad work.

(left) Black-and-white

surface image from3D range data.(right) samesurface image withadded texturemapping of colorimage.

CONTACT:Charles LittleSandia National Laboratories505.284.3151fax: [email protected] site: www.sandia.gov/isrc/capabilities/sensors/rapid_world_modeling.html

Reconstructing a Crime Scene: 3D Ranging and Imaging


Los Alamos National Laboratory is help-ing to define a secure atmosphere for

electronic commerce by coat-tailing onsome five years of research on locatinganomalies indicative of fraud in the databas-es of the U.S. Health Care FinancingAdministration and the Internal RevenueService. State and local law enforcementand forensic scientists face a new wave offraud, larceny, and extortion through thequickly growing medium of the Internet.Additionally, public-securities industry regu-lators anticipate new opportunities for ille-gal market manipulators. Stuck between theconcerns of profit and regulation are pri-vate-industry compliance officers who mustdiligently police their companies to main-tain consumer confidence and profits, andto limit criminal and civil liability.

Problems arising from such a complicatedmix of competing and complementary inter-ests—coupled with the enormous potential

for profit and abuse—warrant attention fromDOE’s multidisciplinary national laborato-ries, which have a long history of solvingcomplex problems with high risks and enor-mous payoffs. Currently engaged in thetechnical characterization of problems associated with electronic commerce, LosAlamos is seeking to field the next genera-tion of automated tools that can search theInternet to find illegal or malfeasant activityfor private-industry compliance officers pro-tecting their company holdings and marketshare and for law enforcement seeking toprotect the investing public.

A new information-sciences forensic labo-ratory is devoted to researching new ways toextract and use information from computers,networks, digital images and sounds, andlarge databases and to model complex crimeproblems and systems. This facility will alsolook at authentication methods to protectshoppers and shopkeepers using the Internet.

As computersbecome more

sophisticated, sotoo does thecriminal element.Today’s highlyintegratedcomputer networksoffer volumes ofpersonal andproprietaryinformation thatcan be mined bycyber-thieves.


Cyber-Crime and Information Sciences



If terrorists use animal diseases as biologi-cal warfare agents, the FBI wants quick

access to veterinary experts and laboratoriesto identify those agents. Ames Laboratoryand the Iowa State University VeterinaryDiagnostic Laboratory plan to develop anelectronic network of researchers, practi-tioners, and facilities throughout theUnited States who could rapidly investigatesuch incidents.

This network of experts would work toestablish the instruments and proceduresneeded to conduct field investigations aswell as to catalog available techniques forthe quick detection of toxins, pathogens,and microorganisms harmful to the nation’sfood supply, including those diseases thatcould be transmitted to humans. Ames Labscientists are working to adapt techniques inanalytical chemistry for use in counter-terrorism applications.

Collaborators on the project include theNational Veterinary Services Laboratories

(NVSL), a specialized diagnostic facility forthe Animal and Plant Health InspectionService of the USDA), and the NationalAnimal Disease Center. Both facilities arelocated in Ames, Iowa. Currently, if a ter-rorist event occurs, a local veterinarian whosaw a suspicious loss of animals would con-tact state regulatory officials, who wouldseek help from the NVSL. The NVSLwould then send out personnel to collectsamples and run appropriate tests. Thisprocess takes time and allows the pathogensto spread before officials can make a diagnosis.

With an electronic network in place,however, NVSL officials could identify aveterinary laboratory close to the source ofthe outbreak that could begin collectingsamples immediately. Also, officials want todevelop standardized tests and analyticalmethods so that these laboratories can con-duct a variety of tests—not just those specif-ically designed for local or regional needs.

Terrorist actsagainst the

nation’s foodsupply will requirequick responsefrom anywhere inthe country. Tomeet thiseventuality, AmesLaboratory scientistsare compiling anelectronic networkof veterinary experts,laboratories, andcapabilities.

CONTACT:David HoffmanAmes Laboratory515.294.9649fax: [email protected]

Protecting Our Food Supply:Network of Veterinary Experts


Distribution

DistributionAiken Department of Public Safety

Pete Frommer, Director

Air Force Technical Applications CenterRay BarnesCharles McBrearty

American Academy of Crime Laboratory Directors

Jami St. Clair, President (6 copies)

American Academy of Forensic SciencesPatricia McFeeley, President (5 copies)Barry Fisher, Past President (5 copies)

California Office of the Attorney General

Jan Bashinski

Central Intelligence AgencyJohn LauderJohn PhillipsGary Smith

Congressional OfficesSenator Bingaman Staff

Wayne Glass

Senator Domenici StaffPeter B. Lyons

Senator Feinstein StaffTom Oscherwitz

Senator Holllings StaffJoey Lesesne

Senator Thurmond StaffBen Wallace

Senate Armed Services CommitteePaul Longsworth

Senate Foreign Relations CommitteeEdward P. Levine

Senate Appropriations CommitteeAlex Flint

House Armed Services CommitteeRep. Curt WeldonPeter J. BerryPeter PryDudley Tatemy

House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

Catherine D. Eberwein

Governmental Affairs CommitteeRandy J. Rydell (2 copies)

Congressional Budget OfficeJeff Forden

Congressional Research ServiceZack Davis (2 copies)

Defense Intelligence AgencyJoseph P. Kerr (3 copies)Terrance Wilson

Defense Threat Reduction Agency Jay Davis, DirectorGeorge BakerAdm. Jackie Barnes (2 copies)Chuck GallawayDon LingerMichael O’Connell (5 copies)LTC Chris Owens

Department of EnergyBill Richardson, SecretaryKenneth E. BakerRon CherryTrish DedikBill DesmondCheri FitzgeraldRose GottemoellerGerald KiernanJoseph MahalyMaureen McCarthyElizabeth A. MolerKenneth SandersLawrence SanchezRobert Waldron (10 copies)Robert Wall (2 copies)

DOE/New Brunswick LaboratoryMargaret Tolbert, Director

DOE/Environmental MeasurementsLaboratory

Colin Sanderson (2 copies)

DOE/Lab-to-Lab ProgramKen Sheely (2 copies)

DOE/Technical LibraryHeadquarters (5 copies)

Department of Energy LaboratoriesAmes Laboratory

David Hoffman (5 copies)

Argonne National LaboratoryArmando Travelli (5 copies)

Bechtel NevadaLee Van ArsdaleMichael Mohar (10 copies)

Brookhaven National LaboratoryJohn H. Marburger, III, DirectorPeter PaulJoseph Indusi (5 copies)Nuclear Safeguards Library (3 copies)

Distribution

Idaho National Engineering & Environmental Laboratory

William AckerknechtRobert Polk (10 copies)Harry Sauerwein (5 copies)

Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryCharles Shank, DirectorR.P. Singh (3 copies)Rob Johnson (5 copies)

Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryC. Bruce Tarter, DirectorDavid Dye (15 copies)LLNL Library (3 copies)

Los Alamos National LaboratoryJohn C. Browne, DirectorDonald Cobb (15 copies)

Oak Ridge National LaboratoryFrank Akers (5 copies)

Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryWilliam J. Madia, DirectorJames Fuller (10 copies)Michael Kluse (5 copies)Steven Martin (10 copies)

Sandia National LaboratoriesPaul Robinson, DirectorCharles D. Harmon (10 copies)Technical Library (5 copies)

Savannah River Technology CenterJustin E. Halverson (5 copies)

Special Technologies LaboratoryJames Gerardo (3 copies)

Department of Energy LawEnforcement Consultants

Jack BallantyneMichael CampKenneth FurtonGeorge Sensabaugh

Department of Energy Operations Offices

Office of Scientific and Technical InformationOSTI Archives (2 copies)

Albuquerque OperationsDaniel Krivitzky (10 copies)

Nevada OperationsDerek ScammellTechnical Information Resource Center (3 copies)

Idaho OperationsThomas EliasCarl Friesen

Savannah River OperationsTom Madden

Oak Ridge OperationsRobin Spradlen

Department of DefenseOffice of the Secretary of Defense

Mary Margaret Evans

Office of the Assistant to the Secretary ofDefense

Todd Main

OASD/Science and TechnologyJohn Harvey

OASD/CounterproliferationSteven Day

Defense Technical Information CenterKurt Molholm

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US Air Force, PentagonDarrell Sheehan

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Department of TreasuryBureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms

Robert Schmitt (3 copies)

General Accounting OfficeBeth A. Hoffman-Leon

Georgia Bureau of InvestigationJohn Seay

Federal Aviation AdministrationCurtis Bell (3 copies)Ronald Krauss

Federal Bureau of InvestigationLaboratory

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Illinois State PoliceAnthony Doellman

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Elaine Stamman, Coordinator (3 copies)

U.S. CustomsSteven FikeDoug Smith

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of energy technologies

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