Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. SPONSOR/MONITOR'S ACRONYM(S) ESTCP SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) 901 North Stuart Street, Suite 303, Arlington, VA 22203 SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY REPORT NUMBER RC-200723 DISTRIBUTION AVAILABILITY STATEMENTApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES ABSTRACTA team of scientists and engineers from the federal government, industry, and academia is evaluating the ability of digital radar systems to identify and track biological targets and then validating these systems under realistic operational conditions. The eBirdRad radar unit utilizes off the shelf X-band marine radar coupled with advanced digital signal processing and tracking algorithms to process target information. The overall objectives of the IVAR project include: 1) the use of independent visual, thermal and other observations to validate automatic detection, tracking and display of targets in real time; 2) demonstrate the statistical validity of sampling protocols for bird activity; 3) validate protocols and algorithms for streaming real-time bird track data from multiple sites for immediate display and subsequent analysis; 4) demonstrate algorithms for fusing data from multiple radars; 5) capture baseline data on bird activity at the demonstration sites; and 6) develop objective criteria for functional, performance, and interoperability requirements of these radars, and to guide research to extend avian radar technology.

Highly luminescent thin films of zinc tungstate (ZT) have been deposited on top of conventional scintillators (Yttrium Aluminum Perovskite, Yttrium Aluminum Garnet) for electron detection in order to replace the need for a top conducting layer, such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or aluminum, which is non-scintillating and electron absorbing. Such conventional conducting layers serve the single purpose of eliminating electrical charge build-up on the scintillator. The ZT film also eliminates charging, which has been verified by measuring the Duane–Hunt limit and electron emission versus accelerating voltage. The luminescent nature of the ZT film ensures effective detection of low energy electrons from the very top surface of the structure ZT/scintillator, which we call “first-surfacescintillator”. The cathodoluminescence has been measured directly with a photodetector and spectrally resolved at different accelerating voltages. All results demonstrate the extended range of operation of the first-surface scintillator, while the conventional scintillators with a top ITO layer decline below 5 kV and have practically no output below 2 kV. Scintillators of different types were integrated in a detection system for backscattered electrons (BSE). The quality of the image at high accelerating voltages is comparable with the conventional scintillator and commercial BSE detector, while the image quality at 1 kV from the first-surface scintillator is superior.