Simulants (decoys) for low-metallic-content mines: theory and experimental results

Two sets of metallic objects are created to provide a standard set of metallic test targets to facilitate an objective comparison and evaluation of metal detectors. The first set of metallic objects is chosen form combinations of small metal parts common to many low-metallic content landmines. The collections of small metal parts are chosen based on an average detection distance measured with five sensitive metal detectors. A second set of metal objects is created using short-circuited coils of wire, INSCOILS. A development of the theory describing the interactions of INSCOILS with a metal detector's transmit and receive coil shows that the coupling and response function of an INSCOIL can be independently controlled. By varying the wire gauge, wire material, and loop size, an INSCOIL can be made to approximate the response of an arbitrary metallic object. A pulse-induction measurement system is used to measure the response of different metallic objects. The pulse-induction measurement system is used to match the response of an INSCOIL to that of the collection of small metal parts. Surrogate landmines are also constructed by matching the response of a coil of wire to that of a specific landmine.