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The Pandora multi-algorithm approach to automated pattern recognition in LAr TPC detectors

Pattern recognition is the identification of structures and regularities in data. In high energy physics, it is a vital stage in the reconstruction of events recorded by fine-granularity detectors. The development and operation of Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers (LAr TPCs) for neutrino physics has created a need for new approaches to pattern recognition, in order to fully exploit the superb imaging capabilities offered by this technology. Whereas the human brain excels at identifying features in the recorded events, it is a significant challenge to develop an automated solution. The Pandora Software Development Kit (SDK) provides functionality to aid the process of designing, implementing and running pattern recognition algorithms. In particular, it promotes the use of a multi-algorithm approach to pattern recognition: individual algorithms each aim to address a specific task in a particular topology; a series of many tens of algorithms then carefully build-up a picture of the event and, together, provide a robust automated pattern recognition solution. Building on successful use of the Pandora SDK for pattern recognition at collider experiments, a sophisticated chain of algorithms has been created to perform pattern recognition for neutrino experiments utilising LAr TPCs like MicroBooNE. The input to the Pandora pattern recognition is a list of 2D Hits. The output from the chain of over 70 algorithms is a hierarchy of reconstructed 3D Particles, each with an identified particle type, vertex and direction. In this document, we present details of the Pandora pattern recognition algorithms used to reconstruct cosmic-ray and neutrino events in LAr TPCs. We also present metrics that assess the current reconstruction performance using simulated data from MicroBooNE.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

GDSA PFLOTRAN Development (FY2021)

The Spent Fuel & Waste Science and Technology (SFWST) Campaign of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Office of Spent Fuel & Waste Disposition (SFWD) is conducting research and development (R&D) on geologic disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level nuclear waste (HLW). A high priority for SFWST disposal R&D is to develop a disposal system modeling and analysis capability for evaluating disposal system performance for nuclear waste in geologic media. This report describes fiscal year (FY) 2021 advances of the PFLOTRAN Development group of the SFWST Campaign. The mission of this group is to develop a geologic disposal system modeling capability for nuclear waste that can be used to probabilistically assess the performance of generic disposal concepts. In FY 2021, development proceeded along three main thrusts: software infrastructure, code performance, and process model advancement. Software infrastructure improvements included implementing an Agile software development framework and making improvements to the QA Test Suite. Code performance improvements included development of advanced linear and nonlinear solvers as well as design of flexible smoothing algorithms for capillary pressure functions. Process modeling advancements included the addition of flexible thermal conductivity function definitions and refinement of multi-continuum reactive transport to support Sandia’s participation in DECOVALEX

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

PFLOTRAN Development FY2021

The Spent Fuel & Waste Science and Technology (SFWST) Campaign of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Office of Spent Fuel & Waste Disposition (SFWD) is conducting research and development (R&D) on geologic disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level nuclear waste (HLW). A high priority for SFWST disposal R&D is to develop a disposal system modeling and analysis capability for valuating disposal system performance for nuclear waste in geologic media. This report describes fiscal year (FY) 2021 advances of the PFLOTRAN Development group of the SFWST Campaign. The mission of this group is to develop a geologic disposal system modeling capability for nuclear waste that can be used to probabilistically assess the performance of generic disposal concepts. In FY 2021, development proceeded along three main thrusts: software infrastructure, code performance, and process model advancement. Software infrastructure improvements included implementing an Agile software development framework and making improvements to the QA Test Suite. Code performance improvements included development of advanced linear and nonlinear solvers as well as design of flexible smoothing algorithms for capillary pressure functions. Process modeling advancements included the addition of flexible thermal conductivity function definitions and refinement of multi-continuum reactive transport to support Sandia’s participation in DECOVALEX. This report fulfills the GDSA PFLOTRAN Development Work Package Level 3 Milestone – PFLOTRAN Development, FY2021, M3SF-21SN010304072.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Broadband Heating Rate Profile Project (BBHRP) - SGP 1bbhrpripbe1mcfarlane

The objective of the ARM Broadband Heating Rate Profile (BBHRP) Project is to provide a structure for the comprehensive assessment of our ability to model atmospheric radiative transfer for all conditions. Required inputs to BBHRP include surface albedo and profiles of atmospheric state (temperature, humidity), gas concentrations, aerosol properties, and cloud properties. In the past year, the Radiatively Important Parameters Best Estimate (RIPBE) VAP was developed to combine all of the input properties needed for BBHRP into a single gridded input file. Additionally, an interface between the RIPBE input file and the RRTM was developed using the new ARM integrated software development environment (ISDE) and effort was put into developing quality control (qc) flags and provenance information on the BBHRP output files so that analysis of the output would be more straightforward. This new version of BBHRP, sgp1bbhrpripbeC1.c1, uses the RIPBE files as input to RRTM, and calculates broadband SW and LW fluxes and heating rates at 1-min resolution using the independent column approximation. The vertical resolution is 45 m in the lower and middle troposphere to match the input cloud properties, but is at coarser resolution in the upper atmosphere. Unlike previous versions, the vertical grid is the same for both clear-sky and cloudy-sky calculations.

1bbhrpripbe1mcfarlane↗

Broadband Heating Rate Profile Project (BBHRP) - SGP ripbe1mcfarlane

The objective of the ARM Broadband Heating Rate Profile (BBHRP) Project is to provide a structure for the comprehensive assessment of our ability to model atmospheric radiative transfer for all conditions. Required inputs to BBHRP include surface albedo and profiles of atmospheric state (temperature, humidity), gas concentrations, aerosol properties, and cloud properties. In the past year, the Radiatively Important Parameters Best Estimate (RIPBE) VAP was developed to combine all of the input properties needed for BBHRP into a single gridded input file. Additionally, an interface between the RIPBE input file and the RRTM was developed using the new ARM integrated software development environment (ISDE) and effort was put into developing quality control (qc) flags and provenance information on the BBHRP output files so that analysis of the output would be more straightforward. This new version of BBHRP, sgp1bbhrpripbeC1.c1, uses the RIPBE files as input to RRTM, and calculates broadband SW and LW fluxes and heating rates at 1-min resolution using the independent column approximation. The vertical resolution is 45 m in the lower and middle troposphere to match the input cloud properties, but is at coarser resolution in the upper atmosphere. Unlike previous versions, the vertical grid is the same for both clear-sky and cloudy-sky calculations.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Broadband Heating Rate Profile Project (BBHRP) - SGP ripbe370mcfarlane

The objective of the ARM Broadband Heating Rate Profile (BBHRP) Project is to provide a structure for the comprehensive assessment of our ability to model atmospheric radiative transfer for all conditions. Required inputs to BBHRP include surface albedo and profiles of atmospheric state (temperature, humidity), gas concentrations, aerosol properties, and cloud properties. In the past year, the Radiatively Important Parameters Best Estimate (RIPBE) VAP was developed to combine all of the input properties needed for BBHRP into a single gridded input file. Additionally, an interface between the RIPBE input file and the RRTM was developed using the new ARM integrated software development environment (ISDE) and effort was put into developing quality control (qc) flags and provenance information on the BBHRP output files so that analysis of the output would be more straightforward. This new version of BBHRP, sgp1bbhrpripbeC1.c1, uses the RIPBE files as input to RRTM, and calculates broadband SW and LW fluxes and heating rates at 1-min resolution using the independent column approximation. The vertical resolution is 45 m in the lower and middle troposphere to match the input cloud properties, but is at coarser resolution in the upper atmosphere. Unlike previous versions, the vertical grid is the same for both clear-sky and cloudy-sky calculations.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Broadband Heating Rate Profile Project (BBHRP) - SGP 1bbhrpripbe1mcfarlane

The objective of the ARM Broadband Heating Rate Profile (BBHRP) Project is to provide a structure for the comprehensive assessment of our ability to model atmospheric radiative transfer for all conditions. Required inputs to BBHRP include surface albedo and profiles of atmospheric state (temperature, humidity), gas concentrations, aerosol properties, and cloud properties. In the past year, the Radiatively Important Parameters Best Estimate (RIPBE) VAP was developed to combine all of the input properties needed for BBHRP into a single gridded input file. Additionally, an interface between the RIPBE input file and the RRTM was developed using the new ARM integrated software development environment (ISDE) and effort was put into developing quality control (qc) flags and provenance information on the BBHRP output files so that analysis of the output would be more straightforward. This new version of BBHRP, sgp1bbhrpripbeC1.c1, uses the RIPBE files as input to RRTM, and calculates broadband SW and LW fluxes and heating rates at 1-min resolution using the independent column approximation. The vertical resolution is 45 m in the lower and middle troposphere to match the input cloud properties, but is at coarser resolution in the upper atmosphere. Unlike previous versions, the vertical grid is the same for both clear-sky and cloudy-sky calculations.

1bbhrpripbe1mcfarlane↗

The Space Station software support environment - Not just what, but why

The NASA environment is described with attention given to mission data systems in NASA and the strategic view. Space Station data systems are characterized into the following: distributed data systems, functionality and complexity, session oriented user interface, and distributed software development. The concept of a support software environment within the Space Station Program is elucidated and a strategic model for integrated data processing is presented.

Garman, John R.↗

Computational Modeling as a Design Tool in Microelectronics Manufacturing

Plans to introduce pilot lines or fabs for 300 mm processing are in progress. The IC technology is simultaneously moving towards 0.25/0.18 micron. The convergence of these two trends places unprecedented stringent demands on processes and equipments. More than ever, computational modeling is called upon to play a complementary role in equipment and process design. The pace in hardware/process development needs a matching pace in software development: an aggressive move towards developing "virtual reactors" is desirable and essential to reduce design cycle and costs. This goal has three elements: reactor scale model, feature level model, and database of physical/chemical properties. With these elements coupled, the complete model should function as a design aid in a CAD environment. This talk would aim at the description of various elements. At the reactor level, continuum, DSMC(or particle) and hybrid models will be discussed and compared using examples of plasma and thermal process simulations. In microtopography evolution, approaches such as level set methods compete with conventional geometric models. Regardless of the approach, the reliance on empricism is to be eliminated through coupling to reactor model and computational surface science. This coupling poses challenging issues of orders of magnitude variation in length and time scales. Finally, database development has fallen behind; current situation is rapidly aggravated by the ever newer chemistries emerging to meet process metrics. The virtual reactor would be a useless concept without an accompanying reliable database that consists of: thermal reaction pathways and rate constants, electron-molecule cross sections, thermochemical properties, transport properties, and finally, surface data on the interaction of radicals, atoms and ions with various surfaces. Large scale computational chemistry efforts are critical as experiments alone cannot meet database needs due to the difficulties associated with such controlled experiments and costs.

Meyyappan, Meyya↗

Control Systems

Boeing Commercial Airplane Company's Flight Control Department engineers relied on Langley developed software package known as ORACLS to develop an advanced control synthesis package for both continuous and discrete control system. Package was used by Boeing for computerized analysis of new system designs. Resulting applications include a multiple input/output control system for the terrain-following navigation equipment of the Air Forces B-1 Bomber, and another for controlling in flight changes of wing camber on an experimental airplane. ORACLS is one of 1,300 computer programs available from COSMIC.

Source record↗

NASA Tech Briefs, May 2010

Topics covered include: Instrument for Analysis of Greenland's Glacier Mills Cryogenic Moisture Apparatus; A Transportable Gravity Gradiometer Based on Atom Interferometry; Three Methods of Detection of Hydrazines; Crossed, Small-Deflection Energy Analyzer for Wind/Temperature Spectrometer; Wavefront Correction for Large, Flexible Antenna Reflector; Novel Micro Strip-to-Waveguide Feed Employing a Double-Y Junction; Thin-Film Ferro Electric-Coupled Microstripline Phase Shifters With Reduced Device Hysteresis; Two-Stage, 90-GHz, Low-Noise Amplifier; A 311-GHz Fundamental Oscillator Using InP HBT Technology; FPGA Coprocessor Design for an Onboard Multi-Angle Spectro-Polarimetric Imager; Serrating Nozzle Surfaces for Complete Transfer of Droplets; Turbomolecular Pumps for Holding Gases in Open Containers; Triaxial Swirl Injector Element for Liquid-Fueled Engines; Integrated Budget Office Toolbox; PLOT3D Export Tool for Tecplot; Math Description Engine Software Development Kit; Astronaut Office Scheduling System Software; ISS Solar Array Management; Probabilistic Structural Analysis Program; SPOT Program; Integrated Hybrid System Architecture for Risk Analysis; System for Packaging Planetary Samples for Return to Earth; Offset Compound Gear Drive; Low-Dead-Volume Inlet for Vacuum Chamber; Simple Check Valves for Microfluidic Devices; A Capillary-Based Static Phase Separator for Highly Variable Wetting Conditions; Gimballing Spacecraft Thruster; Finned Carbon-Carbon Heat Pipe with Potassium Working Fluid; Lightweight Heat Pipes Made from Magnesium; Ceramic Rail-Race Ball Bearings; Improved OTEC System for a Submarine Robot; Reflector Surface Error Compensation in Dual-Reflector Antennas; Enriched Storable Oxidizers for Rocket Engines; Planar Submillimeter-Wave Mixer Technology with Integrated Antenna; Widely Tunable Mode-Hop-Free External-Cavity Quantum Cascade Laser; Non-Geiger-Mode Single-Photon Avalanche Detector with Low Excess Noise; Using Whispering-Gallery-Mode Resonators for Refractometry; RF Device for Acquiring Images of the Human Body; Reactive Collision Avoidance Algorithm; Fast Solution in Sparse LDA for Binary Classification; Modeling Common-Sense Decisions in Artificial Intelligence; Graph-Based Path-Planning for Titan Balloons; Nanolaminate Membranes as Cylindrical Telescope Reflectors; Air-Sea Spray Airborne Radar Profiler Characterizes Energy Fluxes in Hurricanes; Large Telescope Segmented Primary Mirror Alignment; and Simplified Night Sky Display System.

Source record↗

Space Physics Data Facility Web Services

The Space Physics Data Facility (SPDF) Web services provides a distributed programming interface to a portion of the SPDF software. (A general description of Web services is available at http://www.w3.org/ and in many current software-engineering texts and articles focused on distributed programming.) The SPDF Web services distributed programming interface enables additional collaboration and integration of the SPDF software system with other software systems, in furtherance of the SPDF mission to lead collaborative efforts in the collection and utilization of space physics data and mathematical models. This programming interface conforms to all applicable Web services specifications of the World Wide Web Consortium. The interface is specified by a Web Services Description Language (WSDL) file. The SPDF Web services software consists of the following components: 1) A server program for implementation of the Web services; and 2) A software developer s kit that consists of a WSDL file, a less formal description of the interface, a Java class library (which further eases development of Java-based client software), and Java source code for an example client program that illustrates the use of the interface.

Candey, Robert M.↗

High Energy/LET Radiation EEE Parts Certification Handbook

Certifying electronic components is a very involved process. It includes pre-coordination with the radiation test facility for time, schedule and cost, as well as intimate work with designers to develop test procedures and hardware. It also involves work with radiation engineers to understand the effects of the radiation field on the test article/setup as well as the analysis and production of a test report. The technical content of traditional ionizing radiation testing protocol is in wide use and generally follows established standards (ref. Appendix C). This document is not intended to cover all these areas but to cover the methodology of using Variable Depth Bragg Peak (VDBP) to accomplish the goal of characterizing an electronic component. The Variable Depth Bragg Peak (VDBP) test method is primarily used for deep space applications of electronics. However, it can be used on any part for any radiation environment, especially those parts where the sensitive volume cannot be reached by the radiation beam. An example of this problem would be issues that arise in de-lidding of parts or in parts with flip-chip designs, etc. The VDBP method is ideally suited to test modern avionics designs which increasingly incorporate commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) parts and units. Johnson Space Center (JSC) developed software provides assistance to users in developing the radiation characterization data from the raw test data.

Reddell, Brandon↗

Microstructure-Oriented Scientific Analysis of Irradiated Concrete

The inventors are continuing development of this technology expanding a database of concrete irradiation samples. Said software may help the recertification process for nuclear power plants and may find use in characterization of cement infrastructure. UT-Battelle tech transfer will work with the inventors to identify software developers in the nuclear industry that may be interested in further development of this software.

Giorla, Alain B↗

Automated Operations Development for Advanced Exploration Systems

Automated space operations command and control software development and its implementation must be an integral part of the vehicle design effort. The software design must encompass autonomous fault detection, isolation, recovery capabilities and also provide "single button" intelligent functions for the crew. Development, operations and safety approval experience with the Timeliner system onboard the International Space Station (ISS), which provided autonomous monitoring with response and single command functionality of payload systems, can be built upon for future automated operations as the ISS Payload effort was the first and only autonomous command and control system to be in continuous execution (6 years), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week within a crewed spacecraft environment. Utilizing proven capabilities from the ISS Higher Active Logic (HAL) System, along with the execution component design from within the HAL 9000 Space Operating System, this design paper will detail the initial HAL System software architecture and interfaces as applied to NASA's Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) in support of the Advanced Exploration Systems, Autonomous Mission Operations project. The development and implementation of integrated simulators within this development effort will also be detailed and is the first step in verifying the HAL 9000 Integrated Test-Bed Component [2] designs effectiveness. This design paper will conclude with a summary of the current development status and future development goals as it pertains to automated command and control for the HDU.

Haddock, Angie T.↗

Automated Operations Development for Advanced Exploration Systems

Automated space operations command and control software development and its implementation must be an integral part of the vehicle design effort. The software design must encompass autonomous fault detection, isolation, recovery capabilities and also provide single button intelligent functions for the crew. Development, operations and safety approval experience with the Timeliner system on-board the International Space Station (ISS), which provided autonomous monitoring with response and single command functionality of payload systems, can be built upon for future automated operations as the ISS Payload effort was the first and only autonomous command and control system to be in continuous execution (6 years), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week within a crewed spacecraft environment. Utilizing proven capabilities from the ISS Higher Active Logic (HAL) System [1] , along with the execution component design from within the HAL 9000 Space Operating System [2] , this design paper will detail the initial HAL System software architecture and interfaces as applied to NASA s Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) in support of the Advanced Exploration Systems, Autonomous Mission Operations project. The development and implementation of integrated simulators within this development effort will also be detailed and is the first step in verifying the HAL 9000 Integrated Test-Bed Component [2] designs effectiveness. This design paper will conclude with a summary of the current development status and future development goals as it pertains to automated command and control for the HDU.

Haddock, Angie↗

Supporting Exploration Missions by Enabling Exploration Mission System Software

Future exploration missions will consist of a multitude of data sources, systems, and operators collaborating to complete mission objectives. Presently, NASA is instantiating the contractual mechanisms, such as the xEVAS and HLS contracts, to produce these mission assets. Architectural planning is also underway to establish the networking protocols and infrastructure to digitally create and connect mission elements, such as LunaNET. However, without new horizontally integrated data systems, these advancements will be limited in their ability to get mission data appropriately integrated into the plan, train, fly, explore workflow of the operations workforce. Here we describe several mission system software development efforts underway that are designed to support human spaceflight missions. We describe the current iterations of a suite of tools to support EVA procedure authoring and execution, for both ISS and Artemis missions, as well as a software solution to establish and interact with mission context and data products. These tools have been developed iteratively and continue to be tested in several NASA facilities such as the Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL), Artemis field testing, and in present-day International Space Station (ISS) operations on orbit. Our solutions demonstrate how software development can be aligned with ongoing operations development activities to discover the features that best support future human spaceflight missions.

EVA Mission System Software↗

Standards-and Component-Based Mission Operations Architecture at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) manages many of NASA s earth and space science satellite missions. A wide variety of commercial products and GSFC-developed software components are typically integrated into a unique system configuration for each mission. Independent development of the many mission operations center systems has led to systems that are expensive to integrate, difficult to infuse with new capabilities developed for other programs, and cumbersome to maintain. This traditional approach becomes even more problematic as NASA moves towards satellite constellations, new operations concepts, and even further budgets reductions. The GSFC Mission Services Evolution Center (GMSEC) is creating a new architecture for future missions at GSFC. Instead of selecting the best-in-class components and creating a standard control center system, GMSEC is developing component interface standards so that multiple products can plug-and-play into the configuration. Missions can then select the best components based on the merits of the product and not simply based on recent integration history at NASA. The GMSEC system utilizes a publish/subscribe information bus and standard XML-based key message interfaces. Functional components can either match directly to the interface standard, or adapters can be developed to match the product's interface to the GMSEC standard with out impacting the source product. Applications Program Interfaces (API's) are being developed to isolate the underlying middleware from the applications software and to allow the middleware product to be switched if necessary. Interface Control Documents (ICDs) between each pair of communicating components is replaced by a single message/API specification document. New applications must simply match to the information bus standards and need not worry about all of the other applications in the system. For legacy software, adapters can be developed to facilitate communications between the application and the information bus. As the approach has matured, it has become apparent that it can provide innovative solutions to some of the multi-satellite challenges facing GSFC.

Smith, Danford↗