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At least 757 records · Page 42

Distributed execution of recovery blocks - An approach for uniform treatment of hardware and software faults in real-time applications

The concept of distributed execution of recovery blocks is examined as an approach for uniform treatment of hardware and software faults. A useful characteristic of the approach is the relatively small time cost it requires. The approach is thus suitable for incorporation into real-time computer systems. A specific formulation of the approach that is aimed at minimizing the recovery time is presented, called the distributed recovery block (DRB) scheme. The DRB scheme is capable of effecting forward recovery while handling both hardware and software faults in a uniform manner. An approach to incorporating the capability for multiprocessing scheme is also discussed. Two experiments aimed at testing the execution efficiency of the scheme in real-time applications have been conducted on two different multimicrocomputer networks. The results clearly indicate the feasibility of achieving tolerance of hardware and software faults in a broad range of real-time computer systems by use of the schemes for distributed execution of recovery blocks.

Kim, K. H.↗

Automated CFD Parameter Studies on Distributed Parallel Computers

The objective of the current work is to build a prototype software system which will automated the process of running CFD jobs on Information Power Grid (IPG) resources. This system should remove the need for user monitoring and intervention of every single CFD job. It should enable the use of many different computers to populate a massive run matrix in the shortest time possible. Such a software system has been developed, and is known as the AeroDB script system. The approach taken for the development of AeroDB was to build several discrete modules. These include a database, a job-launcher module, a run-manager module to monitor each individual job, and a web-based user portal for monitoring of the progress of the parameter study. The details of the design of AeroDB are presented in the following section. The following section provides the results of a parameter study which was performed using AeroDB for the analysis of a reusable launch vehicle (RLV). The paper concludes with a section on the lessons learned in this effort, and ideas for future work in this area.

Rogers, Stuart E.↗

The New Web-Based Hera Data Processing System at the HEASARC

The HEASARC at NASA/GSFC has provide an on-line astronomical data processing system called Hera for several years. Hera provides a complete data processing environment, including installed software packages, local data storage, and the CPU resources needed to process the user's data. The original design of Hera, however, has 2 requirements that has limited it's usefulness for some users, namely, that 1) the user must download and install a small helper program on their own computer before using Hera, and 2) Hera requires that several computer ports/sockets be allowed to communicate through any local firewalls on the users machine. Both of these restrictions can be problematic for some users, therefore we are now migrating Hera into a purely Web based environment which only requires a standard Web browser. The first release of Web Hera is now publicly available at http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/webheara/. It currently provides a standard graphical interface for running hundreds of different data processing programs that are available in the HEASARC's ftools software package. Over the next year we to add more features to Web Hera, including an interactive command line interface, and more display and line capabilities.

Pence, W.↗

Command and Control Software Development Memory Management

This internship was initially meant to cover the implementation of unit test automation for a NASA ground control project. As is often the case with large development projects, the scope and breadth of the internship changed. Instead, the internship focused on finding and correcting memory leaks and errors as reported by a COTS software product meant to track such issues. Memory leaks come in many different flavors and some of them are more benign than others. On the extreme end a program might be dynamically allocating memory and not correctly deallocating it when it is no longer in use. This is called a direct memory leak and in the worst case can use all the available memory and crash the program. If the leaks are small they may simply slow the program down which, in a safety critical system (a system for which a failure or design error can cause a risk to human life), is still unacceptable. The ground control system is managed in smaller sub-teams, referred to as CSCIs. The CSCI that this internship focused on is responsible for monitoring the health and status of the system. This team's software had several methods/modules that were leaking significant amounts of memory. Since most of the code in this system is safety-critical, correcting memory leaks is a necessity.

Programmin↗

Toolpath considerations for hybrid additive manufacturing

Hybrid additive manufacturing combines both additive and subtractive manufacturing processes to fabricate geometrically complex, dimensionally accurate parts that are difficult to make using either additive or subtractive manufacturing alone. Industrial applications for hybrid additive manufacturing include direct manufacturing (building whole parts), feature addition (adding onto existing parts), and remanufacturing or repair operations. To coordinate the additive and subtractive processes, computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software must generate distinct toolpaths for each process. Each application requires different considerations and inputs when generating the toolpaths. For example, when building a part with an internal cavity that would otherwise be unmanufacturable due to reach or access limitations, a CAM must determine which layer(s) of deposition are appropriate to machine to create the internal cavity. This chapter explores the area of toolpath generation for hybrid manufacturing by discussing the necessary considerations that are unique to a hybrid process.

Feldhausen, Thomas↗

Machine learning methods for fission product identification from Bragg curves

A fission time projection chamber (fission-TPC) was developed to provide precise neutron-induced fission measurements for several major actinides. As fission fragments lose energy in one of the gas volumes of the fission-TPC, energy loss information is captured and may be used to determine fission product yields as the stopping power of an ion is dependent on the atomic number. The work presented here demonstrates the ability to apply machine learning techniques for Bragg curve classification. A set of one million energy loss curves for 24 different fission-fragment elements was generated using common stopping power software. A ResNet architecture optimized for 1D data was used to train, test, and validate a model for light and heavy fission fragments using the simulated data. The resultant classification accuracy for the light and heavy fragments indicates that this could be a viable method for elemental classification of data from the fission-TPC.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Investigating the XENON1T low-energy electronic recoil excess using NEST

The search for dark matter, the missing mass of the Universe, is one of the most active fields of study within particle physics. The XENON1T experiment recently observed a 3.5⁢𝜎 excess potentially consistent with dark matter, or with solar axions. Here, we will use the Noble Element Simulation Technique (NEST) software to simulate the XENON1T detector, reproducing the excess. We utilize different detector efficiency and energy reconstruction models, but they primarily impact sub-keV energies and cannot explain the XENON1T excess. However, using NEST, we can reproduce their excess in multiple, unique ways, most easily via the addition of 31 ± 11 37 Ar decays. Furthermore, this results in new, modified background models, reducing the significance of the excess to ≤2.2⁢𝜎 at least using non-Profile Likelihood Ratio (PLR) methods. This is independent confirmation that the excess is a real effect, but potentially explicable by known physics. Many cross-checks of our 37 Ar hypothesis are presented.

particle dark matter↗

I/O Access Patterns in HPC Applications: A 360-Degree Survey

The high-performance computing I/O stack has been complex due to multiple software layers, the inter-dependencies among these layers, and the different performance tuning options for each layer. In this complex stack, the definition of an “I/O access pattern” has been reappropriated to describe what an application is doing to write or read data from the perspective of different layers of the stack, often comprising a different set of features. It has become common to have to redefine what is meant when discussing a pattern in every new study, as no assumption can be made. This survey aims to propose a baseline taxonomy, harnessing the I/O community’s knowledge over the past 20 years. This definition can serve as a common ground for high-performance computing I/O researchers and developers to apply known I/O tuning strategies and design new strategies for improving I/O performance. We seek to summarize and bring a consensus to the multiple ways to describe a pattern based on common features already used by the community over the years.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Evaluating an Eco-Cooperative Automated Control System

The paper evaluates an Eco-Cooperative Automated Control (Eco-CAC) system on a large-scale network considering a combination of internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and battery-only electric vehicles (BEVs) in a microscopic traffic simulation environment. We used a novel integrated control system that: (1) routes ICEVs, HEVs, and BEVs in a fuel/energy-efficient manner; (2) selects vehicle speeds based on anticipated traffic network evolution; (3) minimizes vehicle fuel/energy consumption near signalized intersections; and (4) intelligently modulates the longitudinal motion of vehicles along freeways within a cooperative platoon to minimize fuel/energy consumption. The study tested the system using the INTEGRATION software on the Los Angeles (LA), U.S., downtown network for three different demand levels: no congestion, mild congestion, and heavy congestion. The results demonstrated that the Eco-CAC system effectively reduces vehicle fuel and energy consumption, travel time, total delay, and stopped delay in heavily congested conditions. However, different vehicle compositions produced different results. In particular, the maximum energy consumption savings for BEVs (36.9%) for a current vehicle composition occurred at a 10% market penetration rate (MPR) of connected automated vehicles (CAVs) in mild congestion, while the maximum savings for a future vehicle composition (35.5%) occurred at a 50% CAV MPR in no congestion. The system reduced fuel consumption for ICEVs and HEVs by up to 5.4% and 6.3% at a 25% CAV MPR in heavy congestion for current and future vehicle compositions, respectively. However, the system increased total fuel consumption by up to 4.6% at a 50% CAV MPR in no congestion for a current vehicle composition. The study demonstrates that the effectiveness of the Eco-CAC system depends on traffic conditions, including congestion level, network configuration, CAV MPR, and vehicle composition.

Engineering↗

Real-Time Testbed for Transmission Line Protection

Hardware in the loop (HIL) testing is crucial for designing and managing electric power grids. These grids are becoming larger and more complex. The importance for students to have safe and intuitive ways to interact with the devices associated with the power grids has never been more crucial. Since most of these tests involve high voltages, this can be a deterrent for instructors and students in undergraduate programs. HIL testing is a solution to these common issues. This method has become one of the most popular methods for testing these power systems. With the use of Western Michigan University’s (WMU) Real-Time Digital Simulator (RTDS) and SEL-421-7 protection relay, a HIL testbed has been created. These devices were interconnected using the communication protocol known as Generic Object-Oriented Substation Event (GOOSE). A simulated transmission line system was modeled in an RTDS software RSCAD as the basis for this testbed. This model simulated different types of faults that could occur in a transmission line while in operation. The SEL-421-7 relay is connected to the RSCAD simulation via GOOSE to protect our simulated transmission line. This testbed was set up to give students a clear understanding of how distance protection works as well as how the SEL-421-7 will react to various kinds of faults, in addition to how useful the RTDS can be when testing different power systems.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Autonomous Flow Electrochemistry for Accelerated Catalyst Discovery

Our objective is to develop an Autonomous Chemical Experimentation (ACE) platform that accelerates discovery of new catalytic transformations and other energy-relevant chemical reactions and processes. We intentionally designed ACE to be highly modular, both with respect to its rapid deployment to different chemistries and experimental workflows as well as incorporation of a wide range of different AI algorithms. In addition to the development of the core software architecture, initial efforts were made to incorporate Large Language Models to provide human-interpretable reasoning of the optimizer’s actions, and to develop a user-friendly graphical interface for experimental researchers. ACE was demonstrated using a flow electrocatalysis platform containing an inline FTIR spectrometer for real-time analysis and quantification of the reaction outcome. Human-in-the-loop experiments were performed in which a human researcher conducted an experiment using electrode potentials suggested by ACE, then fed the spectral data back to ACE for decision making. After confirming the successful function of the optimizer, efforts were next directed to automation of the hardware and performed full autonomy tests using three reactions: catalytic oxidation of formate, catalytic oxidation of cyclohexanol, and oxidation of hydroquinone. These studies confirm that ACE can close the loop between reaction execution, analysis, and optimization. They also reveal that more improved product detection methods will be essential for ACE to make well-informed decisions for reactions with low conversions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Machine Learning–Guided Boolean Matrix Inference for Real-Time O-RAN Conflict Detection

Open Radio Access Networks (O-RAN) are emerging, software-driven cellular architectures that promote flexibility by enabling components from different vendors to interoperate. Multiple control applications called xApps can independently adjust network parameters in near real time, often without awareness of each other's actions. This creates a system highly prone to unintended conflicts and performance degradation due to the inherent complexity of such openness. To model such systems and ultimately prevent or mitigate xApp conflicts, it is essential to understand the dynamic relationships between xApps (A), the control parameters they adjust (P), and the resulting KPI responses (K). While the mappings from A to P and from K to A can often be derived from xApp specifications, the relationship from P to K is typically hidden within the system’s dynamics and must be inferred from observed data. We propose a novel data-driven Boolean inference framework that uncovers the hidden P?K dependencies using machine learning and interpretable rule induction. Continuous parameters and KPIs are first binarized using decision tree classifiers, and a binary influence matrix L is then inferred by solving Boolean matrix equations over time. This compact representation improves interpretability and enables real-time tracking of dynamically evolving parameter-KPI dependencies. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method in a realistic mobile handover scenario, where it accurately recovers the underlying logic and enables proactive conflict detection.

42 - ENGINEERING↗

Results from a multi-laboratory ocean metaproteomic intercomparison: effects of LC-MS acquisition and data analysis procedures

Metaproteomics is an increasingly popular methodology that provides information regarding the metabolic functions of specific microbial taxa and has potential for contributing to ocean ecology and biogeochemical studies. A blinded multi-laboratory intercomparison was conducted to assess comparability and reproducibility of taxonomic and functional results and their sensitivity to methodological variables. Euphotic zone samples from the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) in the North Atlantic Ocean collected by in situ pumps and the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Clio were distributed with a paired metagenome, and one-dimensional (1D) liquid chromatographic data-dependent acquisition mass spectrometry analysis was stipulated. Analysis of mass spectra from seven laboratories through a common bioinformatic pipeline identified a shared set of 1056 proteins from 1395 shared peptide constituents. Quantitative analyses showed good reproducibility: pairwise regressions of spectral counts between laboratories yielded R 2 values averaged 0.62±0.11, and a Sørensen similarity analysis of the top 1000 proteins revealed 70 %–80 % similarity between laboratory groups. Taxonomic and functional assignments showed good coherence between technical replicates and different laboratories. A bioinformatic intercomparison study, involving 10 laboratories using eight software packages, successfully identified thousands of peptides within the complex metaproteomic datasets, demonstrating the utility of these software tools for ocean metaproteomic research. Lessons learned and potential improvements in methods were described. Future efforts could examine reproducibility in deeper metaproteomes, examine accuracy in targeted absolute quantitation analyses, and develop standards for data output formats to improve data interoperability. Together, these results demonstrate the reproducibility of metaproteomic analyses and their suitability for microbial oceanography research, including integration into global-scale ocean surveys and ocean biogeochemical models.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

HEAO attitude control subsystem - A multimode/multimission design

The initial three satellites in the High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO) series are in the final development stages with the first launch to be in April 1977. The overall program design concept stressed cost reduction through use of hardware standardization for the three configurations and missions. The Attitude Control and Determination Subsystem (ACDS) developed for HEAO was able to achieve significant design commonality in both hardware and software in an implementation which satisfied the performance requirements of the different missions. The ACDS thus provides an example of a multimode/multimission design which should soon be operational.

Hoffman, D. P.↗

Basic research for the geodynamics program

Further development of utility program software for analyzing final results of Earth rotation parameter determination from different space geodetic systems was completed. Main simulation experiments were performed. Results and conclusions were compiled. The utilization of range-difference observations in geodynamics is also examined. A method based on the Bayesian philosophy and entropy measure of information is given for the elucidation of time-dependent models of crustal motions as part of a proposed algorithm. The strategy of model discrimination and design of measurements is illustrated in an example for the case of crustal deformation models.

Source record↗

The UCR gamma ray telescope data acquisition system

A description is given of an electronics system based on the DEC Falcon SBC-11/23+, which has been designed and built to support a balloon-borne double Compton gamma-ray telescope. The system provides support for commands, data acquisition, data routing and compression, and photomultiplier tube gain control. The software consists of a number of interrupt-driven routines of differing priorities to handle each system task. This includes two circular buffers for onboard processing and bit encoding before transmission of the information to the ground computer. Acquisition of gamma-ray events at rates above the 200-Hz telemetry constraint is easily achieved.

O'Neill, T. J.↗

The European HST Science Data Archive

The paper describes the European HST Science Data Archive. Particular attention is given to the flow from the HST spacecraft to the Science Data Archive at the Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility (ST-ECF); the archiving system at the ST-ECF, including the hardware and software system structure; the operations at the ST-ECF and differences with the Data Management Facility; and the current developments. A diagram of the logical structure and data flow of the system managing the European HST Science Data Archive is included.

Pasian, F.↗

Extracting galactic structure parameters from multivariated density estimation

Multivariate statistical analysis, including includes cluster analysis (unsupervised classification), discriminant analysis (supervised classification) and principle component analysis (dimensionlity reduction method), and nonparameter density estimation have been successfully used to search for meaningful associations in the 5-dimensional space of observables between observed points and the sets of simulated points generated from a synthetic approach of galaxy modelling. These methodologies can be applied as the new tools to obtain information about hidden structure otherwise unrecognizable, and place important constraints on the space distribution of various stellar populations in the Milky Way. In this paper, we concentrate on illustrating how to use nonparameter density estimation to substitute for the true densities in both of the simulating sample and real sample in the five-dimensional space. In order to fit model predicted densities to reality, we derive a set of equations which include n lines (where n is the total number of observed points) and m (where m: the numbers of predefined groups) unknown parameters. A least-square estimation will allow us to determine the density law of different groups and components in the Galaxy. The output from our software, which can be used in many research fields, will also give out the systematic error between the model and the observation by a Bayes rule.

Chen, B.↗