International prize for research into societal vulnerability
Rajeev Thottappillil, Professor at KTH, and Daniel Månsson, who shares his time between KTH and High Voltage Valley in Ludvika, have received an extremely prestigious international award for their article "Vulnerability of European Rail Traffic Management Systems to Radiated Intentional EMI". This article deals with how sensitive society is as concerns attacks by terrorists on electrical installations, and especially with the vulnerability of railways and subway systems to electromagnetic sabotage attempts.
In the future, signal systems within the European railway system will be controlled by wireless communication. Intentional interference with the antennae located on trains and along the tracks may have major consequences. One act of sabotage could paralyse an entire city or region.
The two KTH researchers have received the IEEE EMC Society Richard B. Schultz Best Transactions Paper Award for an article dealing with these issues. This award has been given annually since 1973 and this is the first time anyone from Scandinavia has won it.
IEEE=Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, EMC=Electro Magnetic Compatibility
Olle Blomqvist