Subsurface location: new possibilities.

The discovery of X-rays made the dream come true: it allowed us to see what was hidden in the thickness of matter. The second half of the 20th century, together with a powerful breakthrough in the development of signal processing technology, gave man tomography, seismic sounding, and perfect hydrolocation.

The Remote Sensing Laboratory of the Central Research Institute of Radioelectronic Systems JSC created a commercial device RASCAN-1, which makes it possible to obtain radio images of the environment to a depth of 200 — 500 mm, with a resolution of no worse than 2 cm. The device consists of a portable computer, an electronic unit (generator, receiver, and controller for servicing and data entry), an antenna, a power supply, and a mechanical scanning device.

The weight of the device is about 3.5 kg.

Scanning is mechanical, information is entered through a special interface in automatic mode via the printer port. The processor does not require any modifications. Information is displayed in real time on the display screen in the form of a halftone image, where each level of the received signal corresponds to a certain gradation of brightness.

In hard-to-reach places, scanning of the surface under study can be done manually point by point. Average productivity when using a mechanical scanner is about 10 minutes per square meter of surface. In this model, productivity is determined by the features of the mechanical scanner and can be increased dozens of times when using electronic positioning.

The RASCAN family of subsurface locators can be used:

— in the activities of law enforcement agencies and customs:

— to detect eavesdropping devices:

— for probing building structures to determine the position of reinforcement, voids and mains:

— for probing particularly critical building structures to determine hidden defects.

High spatial resolution and the ability to detect non-metallic objects distinguish this device from metal detectors and route finders, the use of which in office searches is extremely limited. The ability to view one side, the absence of harmful radiation and relatively small dimensions provide certain advantages over X-ray search equipment.

In terms of its tactical and technical characteristics, RASCAN-1 is an ideal complement to a non-linear locator. RASCAN-1 allows you to detect and identify wire lines and embedded devices regardless of the degree of their shielding and the nature of the supply wires (Fig. 2.3,4).

The subsurface locator provides wide possibilities for the analysis of building structures. Without any particular problems, it is possible to obtain an image revealing the structure of the masonry, the location of reinforcement and communications, and to detect hidden defects (Fig. 5 and 6).

Phase contrast depends on the depth of the object, this allows not only to identify the object, but also to determine its position in space with a certain accuracy. Of course, a radio image is not an X-ray, and its resolution does not allow you to see individual small details, but a certain improvement in quality can be achieved by using digital image processing methods. RASCAN-1 opens up a new direction in search technology, gives the searcher a powerful weapon to combat illegal attempts to find out other people's secrets.

Fig. 1. General view of the PACKAH-1 device

Fig. 2. Radio image of a microwire pasted under the wallpaper

Radio image of a Knowelis hidden wired microphone located at a depth of 2 cm in a facing chipboard panel

Fig. 4.Miniature video camera at a depth of 2 cm under the surface

Fig. 5. Radio image of the structure of cinder block masonry

Fig. 6. Radio image of the passage of reinforcement in a reinforced concrete block