System and method for the deposition, imaging, detection and identification of threat agents

A method, comprising:

• depositing a sample of a threat agent onto a substrate;
• illuminating the threat agent on the substrate, via a single illumination source, with a plurality of photons to thereby produce elastic scattered photons;
• and
• visually observing, via a digital image, deposition of the threat agent onto the substrate by analyzing the elastic scattered photons produced by the threat agent using elastic scatter imaging to form said digital image of the threat agent on the substrate.

A system, comprising:

• means for depositing a sample of a threat agent onto a substrate;
• a single illumination source for illuminating the threat agent on the substrate with a plurality of photons to thereby produce elastic scattered photons;
• and
• means for visually observing deposition of the threat agent onto the substrate by analyzing the elastic scattered photons produced by the threat agent using elastic scatter imaging to form an image of the threat agent on the substrate.