DSDS 18
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This collection showcases outputs from the fourth Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium, hosted at STEAM: Museum of the Great Western Railway, Swindon by Cranfield University in association with Dstl and AWE. It is the only UK conference to provide research students and early career researchers in defence and security with an opportunity to present their work to a sector-wide audience. Covering both technology and social sciences research, contributions include technical papers, a 3MT (three minute thesis) competition, digital images, posters and an installation competition. In addition, there are plenary talks from thought-leaders, as well as exhibition space for industry and other employers of defence and security researchers.
Outputs from the third Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium (DSDS17) can be accessed at: DSDS17Use this link as the collection DOI
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Item Open Access Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium Flyer 2018(Cranfield University, 2018-07-26 11:57) Cranfield UniversityFlyer promoting the Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium 2018 and calling for contributions.Item Open Access Conceptualising, Defining and Remodelling Supply Chain Management; An Objective-Oriented Grounded Theory Approach(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 09:23) Alkebaisi, HussainTechnical paper presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.Although it has been more than three decades since the concept of Supply Chain Management (SCM) was first introduced, there are still significant attempts at, and a call for conceptualising, defining, remodelling and identifying the theory behind it. There is no consensus in the literature on a concise and precise definition of SCM. A rigorous theoretical framework has not yet been developed; the existing models like Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) and the Global Supply Chain Forum (GSCF) models lack the details called for in a holistic model that encompasses the essence of SCM and integrates the best features of the existing models and covers their shortcomings.The argument in the literature is that: “research and practice would be improved if a single definition were adopted” (Mentzer et al., 2001); “closing the gap between SCM theory and actual practice would be the development of a single, unifying SCM framework that both incorporates the best aspects of the existing, widely used frameworks and addresses their current limitations” (Moberg et al., 2008).The literature has shown that most of the research methods and approaches which were used to solve these issues were process-oriented or business functions-oriented (Object-Oriented), that is, the focus was on what firms and organisations are doing, where they do it, or how they do it. However, there is no evidence in the literature that an Objective-Oriented approach has been investigated in resolving those theoretical issues, nor the Grounded Theory research methodology has been applied to that end. Some research papers, for instance, recommended the use of the Grounded Theory research methodology as it could lead to theorising SCM. Therefore, this research focuses on the application of the Grounded Theory research method through an Objective-Oriented line-by-line coding system which will employ multiple data resources including the literature, websites, recorded lectures and recorded interviews.This paper/presentation aims to introduce the gap identified in the literature as reported above to study to what extent the novel approach (Objective-Oriented Grounded Theory Approach) could contribute to resolving the use of a single framework approach that can be applied to multiple sectors. Through this approach, the researcher will be able to: conceptualise SCM, identify the theory behind it, define the concept precisely and concisely and develop a unified model that visualises SCM.Keywords – Supply chain management, Constructivist Grounded Theory, Objective-Oriented approach, Supply chain Management Conceptual Model.ReferencesMentzer, et al. (2001) ‘Defining Supply Chain Management’, Journal of Business Logistics, 22(2), pp. 1–25. doi: 10.1002/j.2158-1592.2001.tb00001.x.Moberg, et al. (2008) Time to Remodel, CSCMP’s Supply Chain Quarterly. Available at: http://www.supplychainquarterly.com/print/scq200803scmmodel/ (Accessed: 15 November 2017).Item Open Access Waste Water Treatment in a Nutshell(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 10:09) Fawcett-Hirst, William3MT presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.Water is vital to life on Earth so there is a great incentive for all water users to use it responsibly. There are a plethora of materials that can be used to treat water such as sedimentation, flocculation and biological processes as well as the most favoured for industrial explosives applications, carbon. but most of that carbon comes from non-renewable sources such as bitumen and coal. In order to provide water security to in an efficient and affordable way, new methods or materials need to be devised to reduce the costs associated with water treatment and potentially ‘close the loop’ and re-use the waste products from this process in obtaining the next generation of materials.Item Open Access Future Sustainable Propellants(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 10:26) Wilkinson, PeterPoster presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.Traditionally propellants have been made from materials specifically manufactured for this purpose. This project seeks to find whether commercially available thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) can be used to replace some or all of the existing propellants. Traditionally gun propellants used either nitrocellulose sourced from natural ingredients such as cotton or a synthetic binder such as hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB), cross linked with an isocyanate. Two TPEs were selected and analysed for suitability as a propellant binder. Inert formulations were created by a new novel process. This involved coating the filler with TPE using a novel slurry coating process involving a Resonant Acoustic Mixer (RAM). The coated mixture was then hot pressed into a slab for mechanical testing. It is thought that TPEs may be able to match the excellent mechanical properties and good performance of traditional gun propellant binders, whilst having a much lower risk of obsolescence and being much easier to be decommissioned in a more environmentally sound manner.Item Open Access X Ray Eyes: Seeing Through Walls Using Radar(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 10:39) Elgy, JamesDigital Image presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.This image represents current research into ground-based applications of radar imaging in a through-wall context. Utilising different measurement geometries and signal processing, the aim is to gather and disseminate low-frequency synthetic aperture radar data to identify building structure and content. This image shows volumetric synthetic aperture radar data gathered in a multistatic modality, i.e. where there are two independent receiving antennas, both on the far side of the wall. This is superimposed onto a photograph of the same area, showing good agreement between the visual and radar images. For clarity, the point cloud has been segmented into different regions, each given a separate colour. Red represents the two metal barrels, blue shows the desk area whilst green represents the wall signature.Item Open Access Neutrinos for Non-Proliferation(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 11:26) Kneale, ElisabethTechnical paper presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.Identifying the existence of a clandestine reactor in a complex nuclear landscape for nuclear threat reduction is challenging. WATCHMAN will demonstrate for the first time the feasibility of detecting the signal from a hidden reactor against the background of a second reactor. A kilotonne-scale detector to be built underground in the Boulby Mine in North Yorkshire, WATCHMAN will detect antineutrinos - the unshieldable by-product of radioactive decay in a nuclear reactor.A WATCHMAN-style detector could be used remotely as part of a non-proliferation agreement and WATCHMAN offers a unique opportunity to develop reactor antineutrino detection technology for non-proliferation and beyond.Such a detector will out of necessity operate at long range, often at the very limit of its sensitivity, and so minimising backgrounds is essential. Photomultipliers (PMTs) detect light from antineutrino interactions in the detector however accidental coincidences from the decay of radioactive isotopes in PMT glass mimic the antineutrino signal and are one of the principle sources of backgrounds for the experiment.This paper presents an analytical method for optimising the signal-to-background ratio in the experimental results and uses it to compare the relative benefits of different PMT types. It is found that while the optimal detector design uses 10” low radioactivity glass PMTs, the potentially stronger and more readily available 12” standard-glass PMTs can give comparable results due to the improvement in the precision with which we can identify exactly where in the detector an event has occurred. This result is sensitively dependent on the dark noise rate in the tubes due to its effect on reconstruction at lower energiesItem Open Access Assessment of Light Transport Through Human Anatomy(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 11:49) Kallepalli, AkhilPoster presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.Due to the non-contact and non-invasive nature, and ease of investigation, photonics and imaging have emerged as a preferred modality in a multitude of domains. Investigation of medical conditions and problems utilising these tools is a highly sought after domain of research and innovation due to the impact it would have in improving the quality of care for patients while reducing the workload of medical staff. In our research, we consider simulations for light transport and subsequently study experimental evidence from interactions with the light of different wavelengths. As the light interacts with a complex combination of skin and underlying anatomy, it is absorbed, reflected and scattered light in characteristic ways. Our primary interest lies in better understanding light transport through the human anatomy, which is a complex, multi-layered target. Specifically, we are investigating the interaction of infrared and red wavelengths in a non-contact and non-invasive method. We are also delving into multi-sensor and multi-platform information fusion for monitoring ‘health’, directed towards the point-of-care segments of health care.Item Open Access Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Crystallite Interactions in Shock-compressed Columnar Polycrystals(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 12:00) Heighway, PatrickPoster presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.The need for a fundamental understanding of the strength of materials that are deforming extremely rapidly under high stress has driven intense research efforts on both theoretical and experimental fronts. Recent advances in "ultrafast" x-ray imaging techniques have made it possible to track how a material evolves during the course of extreme deformation processes that might take place over the course of only a few nanoseconds: by carefully analysing the image formed by x-rays scattered from the sample, one can calculate how its constituent atoms are arranged and, with further analysis, infer how strong the material is. However, the form of the x-ray image depends not only on the strength of the material, but also on the manner in which the crystallites of which it is composed interact with each other during the deformation process. We have performed a study of the physics of crystallite interaction in a shock-compressed metal using multi-million atom simulations. Our study reveals that neighbouring crystallites in the wake of the shock can deform in a "cooperative" manner, in which one crystallite expands while the other contracts. We quantify the change in atomic arrangement effected by this cooperative deformation, and the amount of stress it relieves. We further find that cooperative deformation can actually replace ordinary deformation mechanisms at lower pressures, and activate new deformation mechanisms at higher pressures.Item Open Access Facilitation of Trust in Automation: A Qualitative Study of Behaviour and Attitudes Towards Emerging Technology in Military Culture(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 12:21) Field, MeganPoster presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.New technologies, increased levels of automation and artificial intelligence is emerging and integrating into our lives at an ever-quickening pace, however how we respond to these changes are not as immediate. Furthermore, in high-criticality domains where integration of new technologies is mission and life critical, finding the underlying obstacles for mistrust, under-reliance and apprehension in adapting to these are incredibly important.To aid in the facilitation of new technologies in the military domain, the research seeks to explore attitudes and behaviours through narrative analysis of underlying expressions of trust in personnel associated with different echelons of the Forces, alongside civilians. This is to inquire into differing attitudes and whether the unique culture and subcultures of the military colour narratives towards emerging technology.Item Open Access Utilising Synthetic Aperture Radar Data-dome Collections for Building Feature Analysis(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 13:15) Corbett, BrandonTechnical paper presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.Low-frequency synthetic aperture radar (LF-SAR) is a remote sensing measurement technique that can aid in covert intelligence gathering capabilities for detecting concealed targets in building, and obscured phenomena in general. The Airbus Defence and Space Ltd LF-SAR data dome project has provided a coherently collected three-dimensional data set using airborne circular SAR (CSAR) trajectories, with the potential of providing volumetric SAR imagery of obscured regions inside buildings. Preliminary results of this collection are presented. Both the linear strip-map and CSAR datasets provided contain a great deal of information. Early results show promise, but have revealed the fundamental challenge with low-frequency remote sensing, that being the presence of radio-frequency interference, which reduces the quality of SAR image products.Item Open Access Diamond From the Sky(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 13:15) Corbett, BrandonDigital image presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.The image presented is an example of a high resolution airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) collection, covering a 1km x 0.6km area above the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, and includes the UK’s synchrotron Diamond Light Source. The data was collected using Airbus’ X-band quad-polarised SAR airborne platform. In total there were 55609 measurements along the aircraft trajectory, equating to 14GB of measurement data. This raw data was then processed into SAR imagery using parallel processing of the back-projection image formation algorithm using "Cranfield University"’s High Performance Computing facility. The image is a colour composite combining all 4 polarisations. Red represent the vertical polarisation (VV), green represents the horizontal polarisation (HH) and blue is the sum of the cross polarisations (VH and HV). The result is an extremely detailed 30000x18000 pixel SAR image. High resolution datasets like this aid in the development of new image formation and analysis algorithms and provide the user with a clean and clear reference to work with.Item Open Access Exploiting Synthetic Aperture Radar Signal Processing to Reveal Concealed Building Features and Phenomena(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 13:15) Corbett, Brandon3MT presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.There has been an increased research interest in the techniques needed to exploit accurate remotely sensed data of the activities within buildings, closed/sealed areas, underground bunkers, etc. One example area which could be influenced by such research includes the detection of illegal or nefarious activities. Low frequency synthetic aperture radar (LF-SAR) can provide one such solution to this remote sensing problem. It has been shown that LF-SAR can be used to generate images of objects located behind a variety of mediums, including within buildings. However, the current literature shows that obtaining a clear picture of the structure and contents of buildings is difficult. It is well known that SAR imagery can be affected by various physical phenomena, which can produce a range of artefacts within the images. These artefacts can lead to confusion and difficulty in analysis, as they can be mistaken for targets. A vibrating scatterer is one such example, as it produces a paired echo signature in the SAR image. On the other hand, these phenomena are of particular interest for the detection of running machinery within a building. It has been shown that a vibrating scatterer can represent aspects of a running machine, e.g. a generator or fan. Therefore understanding the effects produced within a SAR image from a vibrating object behind a wall, could lead to the ability to identify and recognise running machinery within a building from a stand-off location. The intention of this research is to investigate these phenomena and the techniques required for imaging the interiors of buildings and to develop the necessary SAR tools and analysis methods required for extracting crucial intelligence information from this data.Item Open Access Linear Inverse Problem (LIP) Optimisation for Remote Sensing Applications - Spectral Reconstruction(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 13:26) Chatterjee, Ayan3MT presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.Remote sensing applications like classification and target detection, particularly for high demanded applications such as the detection of difficult targets from cluttered scene, depends on relevant wavelengths of information. While multispectral imagery in airborne or spaceborne platforms consists of a few wavelengths far apart from each other (usually less than 20 bands), which is found not sufficient enough. This project explores new concepts for using not only spatial/spectral information, but also to extract new information from the few bands in the input data for an enhanced spectral mixture analysis.Item Open Access Shift-Free Wide-Angle Optical Thin-Film Metamaterial Notch Filter for Visible Laser Protection Systems(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 13:46) N. Monks, JamesPoster presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.In recent years, the threat to pilots and other transport vehicles has increased through laser striking. This is due to the ease of accessibility and the low cost of ownership for handheld portable lasers. The reports from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and their American counterpart, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), have outlined that visible green laser attacks consist of 83-91% of all incidents [1,2]. This can lead to temporary impairment to the human eye, with consequences increasing with exposure time resulting in retinal and photo-chemical eye damage. Additionally, the magnitude of severity is increased and could lead to fatal collisions. Current efforts for laser protection devices consist of traditional thin-film Rugate filters. This technology is well-established, but has it disadvantages related to the angular intolerance, where the transmission spectrum of the protection filter undergoes a continuous blue-shift to shorter wavelengths as angle of the incident beam increases. The optical and transport industry, as well as government defence agencies, have a desired interest in developing a truly wide-angle (up to 60 degree) and shift-free laser protection system, which is the main drive behind this research. Our research employs a new theoretical approach to the problem and presents an anti-laser striking design that can effectively block out a Class 3B 532 nm green laser. The functional response of the filter achieves an optical density (OD) of 1.88+ for all polarisation states over a wide range of angles up to 85 degrees and attains an integrated visual photopic transmission (IVPT) of 61%. The calculated filter colouration is near-natural, experiencing a slight magenta and turquoise hue for the transmission and reflection colouration, respectively. The devices active blocking layer structure is based on a three-dimensional plasmonic nanocomposite metamaterial, with a base element of silver nanoparticles arranged in a crystallographic primitive hexagonal Bravais lattice planar array, surrounded in a host dielectric medium. The active component is sandwiched between a transparent substrate and an anti-reflection coating. The lattice arrangement enables polarisation insensitivity, with a three dimensional array density catering for an increase attenuation.The designed filter has been computationally verified by a full-wave analysis approach using CST Studio software. The optical properties for refractive indices and extinction coefficients for the used materials have been obtained from literature and adjusted to cater for particle sizing.Reference[1] P. Murphy, “Laser Pointer Safety – Latest aviation statistics”, Laserpointersafety.com, 2017. [Online]. Available: http://www.laserpointersafety.com/latest-stats.html. [Accessed: 18- Aug- 2017].[2] “Laser Incidents reported to the UK CAA 2016,” Laser incidents | UK Civil Aviation Authority. [Online]. Available: https://www.caa.co.uk/Data-and-analysis/Safety-and-security/Datasets/Laser-incidents/. [Accessed: 02- Aug- 2017].Item Open Access Forensic Signatures of Nuclear Materials Processing(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 14:13) Thompson, NathanPoster presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.The field of nuclear forensics has been noted of relevance in the effort to tackle illicit trafficking of nuclear material. Forensic signatures can be considered a ‘fingerprint’ of the material, obtained by analytical methods such as X-Ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The forensic signatures obtained from characterising nuclear material may help to determine the origin and processing conditions of the sample. The aim of this project is to investigate how the physical and chemical characteristics of UO3 powder produced from aqueous reprocessing are affected by the processing route, conditions and impurities present. This will be used to develop a library of characteristic forensic signatures to aid in the discrimination of material from different sources.To date, work in this project has included the investigation of forensic signatures of studtite calcination products, whereby calcination products up to 1050 ˚C were characterised. Further investigations are being carried out into using X-Ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) as a means of characterising amorphous UO3 phases produced by calcination. Additionally, an investigation into the effect of a fractional factorial matrix of processing variables on UO3signatusignatures (from studtite intermediate) is being conducted. Note from author: In this presentation, the thermal decomposition of synthetic studtite is examined for its potential nuclear forensic signatures. The morphologies of the finished particles are presented for discussion.Item Open Access Investigation of the Reaction Zone Characteristics of PETN initiated by a Laser flyer(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 14:25) Edgeley, JamesPoster presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.A 400mJ Nd:YAG laser has been used to launch aluminium/alumina flyers into small, low density pellets of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN). The beam profile was homogenised by dispersive smoothing through a length of optical fibre. By varying the thickness and velocity of the flyer, experiments could be performed with a range of input shock magnitudes and durations. Microfabricated sensors were developed to detect the change in electrical conductivity in the reaction zone, and therefore to calculate its thickness and position as a function of time. (C) British Crown Owned Copyright / 2018Item Open Access Ensuring Cyber-Physical Security in the Digital Built Environment(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 17:05) Boakes, EmmaPoster presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.Cyberspace and physical space are increasingly enmeshed, and the need to secure the digital-built environment and its assets has given rise to the concept of cyber-physical security. Cyber-physical security concerns vulnerabilities in cyber security that can be exploited to target physical security, and vice versa. For example, insecure transmission of architectural designs can give attackers the ability to understand physical weaknesses in a building, and outsourcing of security and facilities management can provide access to an organisation through building management systems.There is a need for organisations to develop processes that will encompass cyber-physical security, but the frequent disparity between the policies, functions and personnel involved in cyber and physical security makes this problematic.This research will use methods from user-centred design to develop cyber-physical security interventions; example, scenario-driven interventions that could be used as part of regular table-top simulations and red team testing. Extensive engagement with key stakeholders will help to understand the problem space in order to develop interventions that are applicable, valid and usable, as well as providing an opportunity to test their impact. Investigations will adopt a mixed-methods approach (interviews, surveys, and focus groups) to understand how cyber and physical security personnel currently cooperate, including their awareness of the appropriate protective measures required from each other, the gaps between their approaches, and the barriers to collaboration.Item Open Access Informational security: Dis(satisfaction)(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 17:05) Smy, VictoriaPoster presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.Objectives: The research conducted aims to determine whether there are common themes and trends emerging from perceptions of information security (Infosec) practices amongst professionals working in defence and security organisations.Design: A short data capture initiative was implemented in a classroom environment. The initiative served multiple purposes:1.To act as a taster of qualitative research2.To provide a [sanitised and cleansed] database for future research students to try out some qualitative data analysis.3.As an exploratory exploration of Infosec enablers and barriers with a view to understand whether it should form the basis of a new, longitudinal research programmeMethods: This research was granted ethical approval from "Cranfield University"’s Research Ethics Committee. Initial research was conducted in June 2018. Participants were military and civilian students undertaking a Research Methods module as part of their Cyber Masters Program (CDIA and CyOPs). There were 34 students in attendance. The sample were predominately male (90%) and aged between 29 and 52 (mean 39 years old). Participants were briefed as to the anonymous nature of the data and the intended data uses. All participation was voluntary and informed consent was sought before data collection. Participants were given 20 minutes (2 x 10) to capture their thoughts as aligned to the following questions:What are the sources of SATISFACTION with information security within your professional working environment?What are the sources of DISSATISFACTION with information security within your professional working environment?Results: Overall, marginally more sources of dissatisfaction (n = 73) than satisfaction (n = 69) with Infosec were reported. Interestingly, a small subset of participants alluded to there being more sources of dissatisfaction but, due to the classified nature of their work, they did not feel able to record them.The results will be further analysed for common themes, trends and language using NVivo 12 software.Conclusions: TBCItem Open Access Comparison of Backing Materials used in the Testing of Ballistic Protective Body Armour(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 17:06) Malbon, ChristopherPoster presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.The ballistic testing of personal body armour against a standard (NIJ, HOSDB, VPAM etc) has typically been performed with the armour mounted on a block of Roma™ Plastilina No1. This artists' modelling clay enables the deformation of non-perforated armour due to the impact to be measured and compared against a requirement (typical 25 or 44mm back face signature).However, whilst Roma™ Plastilina No 1 has enabled comparative testing of body armour, and has a proven record in terms of lives saved, it does not provide a biofidelic response to the impact, which may be impeding the development of lighter and more ergonomic armour solutions.To aid in the development of alternative backing materials for the testing of ballistic protective armour, a comparison trial was conducted comparing the response of three different backings, Roma™ Plastilina No 1, 10% (by mass) gelatine and a man-made synthetic material (SEBS) to a ballistic impact on a body armour.This poster presents the method, results and reviews the data.Item Open Access Non-Invasive Determination of Wall Structure and Material Using Synthetic Aperture Radar(Cranfield University, 2018-11-15 17:16) Elgy, James3MT presented at the 2018 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.Through-Wall remote sensing has become an area of great interest in both civilian and military sectors, with uses ranging from search and rescue to the assessment of the insulation used in building construction. Low frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is an attractive option due to its long-range, all-weather and non-destructive nature, with different radar modalities each providing useful information. Unfortunately, in a through-wall scenario, radar accuracy is inherently decreased due to the electrical properties of the wall material, leading to defocused and distorted images. Funded in part by Dstl, this research focuses on the remote determination of the thickness and refractive index of walls, through the use of different radar measuring geometries. In addition to providing useful auxiliary information, the knowledge of the wall properties can be used to improve the quality of through-wall SAR imagery and to address some of the fundamental limitations of the technology .