Abstract: A system for the non-contact detection of analyte chemicals, including explosives, chemical warfare agents and the like, employs a non-equilibrium plasma that is maintained at a temperature sufficiently low so as to avoid thermal damage to a surface, such as clothing or skin, that is being examined to thereby produce analyte ions and other charged particles. The ions are collected and passed into a sensor for detection and identification.

Abstract: A system for the collection of near real time confirmation samples is provided to quickly eliminate false positive alarms by confirming the presence or absence of a chemical agent when a monitor operating in near real time to detect the presence of that chemical agent generates an alarm. The confirmation sampling system is synchronized with the near real time monitor and the confirmation sampler and monitor draw common samples of the atmosphere of concern. In the event that the monitor generates an alarm, the confirmation sampler preserves the sample taken contemporaneously with the alarm event for separate analysis, and also takes and preserves one or more follow-on samples.