ANSTO and the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) have signed a new agreement and will work together on a number of projects including a Whole-of-Government Radiological and Nuclear Gamma Spectrum Database which will enable Australian emergency services and federal and state law enforcement agencies to more rapidly identify and deal with suspect objects.
 |
| ANSTO and the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) have signed a new agreement and will work together on a number of projects. |
ANSTO Chief Executive officer Dr Adi Paterson said this collaborative approach by top Australian minds means a risk mitigated approach for our emergency personnel who are dealing with serious situations.
‘The thinking behind this project means a quicker and more effective response from emergency services, better protection for personnel and, overall, a safer Australia.”
The head of DSTO, Chief Defence Scientist Dr Alex Zelinsky, said “Understanding radioactivity is crucial to developing the safest possible response. This database will help emergency services understand the material they might be dealing with and how best to safely manage it," Dr Zelinsky said.
“It will hold measurements of gamma ray signatures emitted by nuclear and other radioactive materials, and the information will be made available to first responders and other national security agencies.”
The database is the latest of a series of collaborations between ANSTO and DSTO, which has included building a robot with a radiological sensor payload aboard to allow remote detection of potential radiological threats.
DSTO recently assumed responsibility for coordinating whole-of-government science and technology research for national security.
ANSTO is home of Australia’s nuclear expertise, and is custodian of the $460 million OPAL research reactor, which is used for a variety of environmental, medical and industrial purposes.