Airport liquid screening

A QUANTUM OF SCIENCE

Soon you may be able to bring liquids on planes again thanks to a new spectroscopy technique

Since 2006 air travelers have been unable to bring liquids on board with them. Now a group of physicists from Germany may have found a way to sort the explosive liquids that airport security can’t currently detect from your bottle of Evian.

How does it work? Liquids are examined with a new form of spectroscopy known as Hilbert spectroscopy. Where previous methods used electromagnetic waves passing through a liquid to attempt to identify it – without success – Hilbert spectroscopy uses multiple wavelengths over a large range of frequencies to create a "fingerprint" for dangerous liquids that could be used by terrorists to create an explosion in-air.

While a prototype model is still several years away from being used in airports, continual progress means better and better detection of dangerous liquids – and less hassle for air travelers.

For more information:

Quick Test For Explosive Liquids (R&D Magazine)

Liquid identification by Hilbert spectroscopy (Lyatti et al)

© AQOS / P. Smalley (2009)
Reproduction with attribution is appreciation