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The Airborne Radiological Enhanced-sensor System (ARES) includes a prototype helicopter-borne CsI(Na) detector array that has been developed as part of the DHS Domestic Nuclear Detection Office Advanced Technology Demonstration. The detector system geometry comprises two pairs of 23-detector arrays designed to function as active masks, providing additional angular resolution of measured gamma rays in the roll dimension. Experimental measurements, using five radioisotopes (137Cs, 60Co, 241Am, 131I, and ^99m Tc), were performed to map the detector response in both roll and pitch dimensions. This paper describes the acquisition and analysis of these characterization measurements, calculation of the angular response of the ARES system, and how this response function is used to improve aerial detection and localization of radiological and nuclear threat sources. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have been supporting the Transformational and Applied Research Directorate in the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office of the Department of Homeland Security to define needs for, to develop, and to test a scintillator-based radiation detection and localization system to be fielded on a helicopter platform - the so-called Airborne Radiological Enhanced-sensor System. The system comprises an array of 92 CsI(Na) detectors that are arranged to function as an active mask to encode the directionality in the roll-dimension of measured gamma rays and is additionally capable of Compton imaging. Additional contextual sensors and specially-developed algorithms are also being fielded for characterization with the goal of detecting, localizing, and helping to interdict radiological and nuclear threats via airborne search. The algorithms that are being developed leverage contextual information including topography, geography, hyperspectral imagery, video tracking, and platform positioning. This paper describes recent characterization efforts of the CsI(Na) detector system including energy, position, and timing resolution and synchronization between the 184 individual photomultiplier tubes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]