SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Onboard processing”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 109 records · Page 6

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2026

CHESS 2025: Spectrometer orthorectified at-sensor radiance from NEON AOP imaging spectroscopy surveys

This dataset provides Level 1 (L1) orthorectified at-sensor radiance derived from measurements collected by the Imaging Spectrometer-1 (NIS-1) onboard the NEON (National Ecological Observatory Network) Airborne Observation Platform (AOP) for the 2025 Colorado Headwaters Ecological Spectroscopy Study (CHESS). NIS-1 captures light reflected from the Earth’s surface in 426 discrete wavelength bands as raw digital numbers (DNs; Level 0). These data are then calibrated to physical units (uW/cm²·sr·nm) following the processing steps described in the NEON Imaging Spectrometer Level 1B Calibrated Radiance Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document (ATBD; Gallery 2022). The data delivered here are the primary inputs for the surface reflectance product in “Custom surface reflectance, shade masks, and equivalent water thickness maps for the Colorado Headwaters Ecological Spectroscopy Study” (Carroll et al. 2026). For intertemporal comparison, the radiance data here are most directly relatable to the v2 radiance data in “NEON AOP Imaging Spectroscopy Survey of Upper East River Colorado Watersheds: Raw-Space Radiance and Observational Variable Dataset” (Goulden et al. 2018), to which the same processing methodology was applied. Together, the radiance and reflectance data enable users to exploit the unique reflection signatures of different surface objects for land cover classification, foliar trait mapping, plant vigor assessment, water content estimation, trace-element identification, and other scientific applications. The data were acquired over three study domains in the Upper Gunnison river basin: the upper East River watershed (CRBU); Almont Triangle and Taylor Canyon (ALMO); and Upper Taylor River watershed (UPTA) between 2025-06-13 and 2025-07-15. Within each domain, data are delivered by flightline as orthorectified and calibrated hyperspectral rasters in Hierarchical Data Format version 5 (HDF5) format, with radiance values provided in uW/cm²·sr·nm on a fixed, uniform Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) grid at 1 meter spatial resolution. The radiance rasters include all 426 NIS-1 spectral bands, along with associated quality-assurance (QA) and diagnostic and ancillary layers needed for atmospheric correction workflows. Orthorectified radiance is produced from pushbroom spectrometer observations by applying NEON’s radiometric calibration (including bad pixel masking, dark subtract, dark pedestal shift correction, electronic panel ghost correction, grating ghost correction, deblur correction and flat-fielding) and spectral calibration (using spectral response function band centers and full-width at half-maximum intensity), followed by geolocation and regridding to the fixed grid. CHESS Project Description: The Colorado Headwaters Ecological Spectroscopy Study (CHESS) comprised a multi-week airborne remote sensing and field observation campaign in the Upper Gunnison Basin, Colorado, conducted in June and July of 2025. Airborne remote sensing was conducted by the National Ecological Observatory Network Airborne Observation Platform (NEON AOP), concurrent with a field campaign run by the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL), the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Watershed Function Science Focus Area (SFA), and NASA-JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) program. Between June 10 and July 18, 2025, the NEON AOP flight team collected high-resolution aerial imaging spectroscopy and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data over three domains: the Upper East River (CRBU), Almont Triangle (ALMO), and the Upper Taylor Basin (UPTA). In coordination with the flights, a field campaign acquired ground-truth observations, including observations of vegetation composition, foliar traits, forest demography, and subsurface properties in 18 core sampling areas within the domains. Additional surface water observations were taken at over 380 point locations. All CHESS campaign datasets can be found within the CHESS ESS-DIVE data portal: https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/portals/chess. Funding Acknowledgement: Field and remote-sensing data acquisition was performed under a grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (80NSSC24K1005). This work was also supported by the Watershed Function Science Focus Area at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory funded by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.

2018 NEON and 2025 CHESS Campaigns↗

DOE OSTI2025

Host Onboarding Tool (HObT) v1.0.0

The Host OnBoarding Tool (Hobt) is a publicly accessible, web-based software designed to organize and share information about microbial hosts under development at the Agile BioFoundry (ABF). It streamlines the assessment, tracking, and sharing of information related to microbial host development and provides a centralized platform where users can rapidly evaluate hosts' readiness for various bio processes. HObT leverages the Tier System, a standardized host development framework that organizes and assesses microbial hosts based on their readiness for biomanufacturing. Each tier outlines key targets—including genetic tools, growth conditions, omics data, and predictive models—needed to transform new or emerging microbes into established production platforms. By applying clear criteria for advancement, the Tier System helps users quickly evaluate each organism's current development status, identify gaps in available knowledge or tools, and prioritize future strain improvement efforts. Through its user-friendly interface, HObT encourages contributions of new data and insights from researchers, fostering collaboration and accelerating host development. By providing structured guidance for microbial strain advancement, HObT and the Tier System support more systematic, rapid, and cost-effective development of non-traditional microbial hosts, ultimately enhancing the efficiency and impact of biomanufacturing research and applications.

Plahar, Hector [Lawrence Berkeley National Laborat↗

DOE OSTI2017

Evolution of Occator Crater on (1) Ceres

The dwarf planet Ceres (diameter 939 km) is the largest object in the main asteroid belt. Recent investigations suggest that Ceres is a thermally evolved, volatile-rich body with potential geological activity, a body which was never completely molten but possibly differentiated into a rocky core, an ice-rich mantle, and which may contain remnant internal liquid water. Thermal alteration and exogenic material infall contribute to producing a (dark) carbonaceous chondritic-like surface containing ammoniated phyllosilicates. Here we report imaging and spectroscopic analyses of Occator crater derived from the Framing Camera and the Visible and Infrared Spectrometer onboard Dawn. We found that the central bright spot (Cerealia Facula) of Occator is ∼30 Myr younger than the crater itself. The central spot is located in a central pit which contains a dome that is spectrally homogenous, exhibiting absorption features that are consistent with carbonates. Multiple radial fractures across the dome indicate an extrusive formation process. Our results lead us to conclude that the floor region was subject to past endogenic activity. Dome and bright material in its vicinity formed likely due to a long-lasting, periodic, or episodic ascent of bright material from a subsurface reservoir rich in carbonates. Originally triggered by an impact event, gases, possibly dissolved from a subsurface water/brine layer, enabled material rich in carbonates to ascend through fractures and be deposited onto the surface.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2017

HI-SCALE Nanoparticle Composition and Precursors Field Campaign Report

From 21 August to 27 September, 2016, during the second Intensive Operational Period (IOP) of the Holistic Interactions of Shallow Clouds, Aerosols, and Land-Ecoystems (HI-SCALE) field campaign, a suite of instruments were placed in the Guest Instrument Facility (GIF) at the Central Facility of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility’s Southern Great Plains (SGP) site in Lamont, Oklahoma. The goal of these measurements was to fully characterize the formation and evolution of atmospheric aerosol particles through measurements of gas-phase precursor and ambient nanoparticle composition. Specifically, we sought to: 1. investigate the role of acid-base chemistry in new-particle growth through measurements of ammonia and amines as well as organic and inorganic acids in both atmospheric nanoparticles and the gas phase; 2. investigate the contribution of other surface-area or volume-controlled processes to nanoparticle formation and growth, such as the uptake of extremely low volatility organic compounds (ELVOCs); 3. evaluate the performance of a new instrument being developed with funding from the DOE Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program for measuring gas-phase amines and related compounds; and 4. together with colleagues measuring on the ground and onboard the ARM Gulfstream-1 (G-1) aircraft during HI-SCALE, create a comprehensive data set related to new particle formation and growth that can be used in modeling efforts by the research team as well as DOE collaborators.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2026

Truck Platooning Performance with ADAS and Onboard Camera Data Describing Traffic Interactions

This project was part of the Characterizing Behaviors and Capabilities for Emerging Connected and Automated Vehicle Technologies, Sensors, and Connectivity project. The National Laboratory of the Rockies partnered with Cummins Inc. to collect data from Class 8 tractor trailer combinations in platoon (cooperative adaptive cruise control) operations on public roads in southern Indiana. Data collected include J1939 CAN bus, radar, intervehicle position, and video data. The video data could not be shared in the raw form, so they were processed to extract information on the other vehicles on the road, their relative positions, and intrusion events. This information was then columnized for modeling use and further enhanced by appending road information including road type, speed limit, altitude, and grade. The test route included free-flowing traffic, highway interchanges, and construction zones, as well as low-, medium-, and high-grade sections. Individual test conditions varied by day, with advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) features engaged or disengaged and different combined vehicle masses tested in addition to uncontrolled variables such as weather and traffic interactions.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2024

Material analysis of metal hydrides for bulk hydrogen storage

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen Storage Engineering Center of Excellence (HSECoE), 2009–2014, was established to evaluate the viability of material-based hydrogen storage for light duty vehicles. The HSECoE concluded that there were no metal hydrides that simultaneously met the DOE targets for gravimetric and volumetric capacity, and rate of onboard refueling. However, it was noted by the DOE that potential applications existed for stationary hydrogen storage systems. An application of particular interest is using a metal-hydride to store a hydrogen supply for fuel cell backup power to a 5 MWe data center. A generalized numerical model that coupled mass and energy conservation, chemical kinetics and thermodynamics was developed to simulate the discharge process for a given metal-hydride. The model was applied to an interstitial and a complex metal-hydride. In conclusion, it was found that the interstitial metal-hydride, which is discharged by a pressure swing is preferrable in a practical sense to the complex metal-hydride, which requires a temperature swing discharge process.

08 HYDROGEN↗

DOE OSTI2020

A global DSCOVR/EPIC-based hourly/daily shortwave radiation/PAR dataset

Accurate characterization of the global downward shortwave (SW) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is fundamental for Earth system modeling and global change research. Combined with a machine-learning method, we used the Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) data onboard the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) to generate the global SW/PAR dataset at both hourly and daily temporal scales and 0.1degree×0.1degree spatial resolution. Covering a period from June, 2015 to June (about 4 years), 2019, the dataset consists of total SW/PAR and their direct and diffuse components. Our dataset will be valuable for understanding the diurnal cycles and seasonal patterns of ecosystem processes, as well as the solar energy utilizations

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2019

Machine learning applied to wind turbine blades impact detection

The significant development of wind power generation worldwide brings, together with environmental benefits, wildlife concerns, especially for volant species vulnerability to interactions with wind energy facilities. For surveying such events, an automatic system for continuous monitoring of blade collisions is critical. An onboard multi-senor system capable of providing real-time collision detection using integrated vibration sensors is developed and successfully tested. However, to detect low signal-to-noise ratio impact can be challenging; hence, an advanced impact detection method has been developed and presented in this article. A robust automated detection algorithm based on support vector machine is proposed. After a preliminary signal pre-processing, geometric features specifically selected for their sensitivity to impact signals are extracted from raw vibration signal and energy distribution graph. The predictive model is formulated by training conventional support vector machine using extracted features for impact identification. Finally, the performance of the predictive model is evaluated by accuracy, precision, and recall. Results indicate a linear regression relationship between signal-to-noise ratio and model overall performance. Here, the proposed method is much reliable on higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR≥6), but it shows to be ineffective at lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR<2).

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2022

Handheld multi-sensor biometric imaging device and processing pipeline

A handheld biometric imaging device having an array of cameras configured to simultaneously capture face, iris and fingerprint biometrics of a subject. The device includes a plurality of visible-light cameras and a plurality of infrared-light cameras capable of being triggered simultaneously to obtain a plurality of images from which a 3D image of the light field can be constructed. The device includes a plurality of visible-light illuminators and a plurality of infrared-light illuminators that allow images of a subject to be captured under different lighting profiles. The device may include an onboard control system that is capable of reconstructing a face region, an iris region and a fingerprint region from the 3D light-field image, and then extract a corresponding face template, an iris template, and a fingerprint template from the respective reconstructed regions. The extracted face, iris, and fingerprint templates may be used for enrollment and/or comparison against a biometric-template database associated with one or more watchlists.

Bolme, David S.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Pseudospectral convex optimization for on-ramp merging control of connected vehicles

It can be a daunting task for human drivers to merge into highways because of the intricate vehicle negotiations and potential risk within limited time and space. Connected vehicle (CV) technologies could be a solution to this problem and offer many benefits to the road safety, traffic mobility, and energy efficiency. However, real-time optimal control of CVs is still an open challenge, due to the nonlinear vehicle dynamics, non-convex fuel consumption model, and highly dynamic uncertain inter-vehicle interactions. To tackle these issues, a novel real-time optimal control approach that balances the computational efficiency and solution optimality is proposed for the purpose of onboard application. To this end, the pseudospectral collocation method is integrated with a sequential convex programming approach to develop two new optimization algorithms, which are implemented within a model predictive control (MPC) framework to allow for real-time generation of optimal merging speed profiles. One algorithm leverages the line search technique to improve convergence, and the other benefits from the trust region method for better computational efficiency. The optimality and convergence process of both proposed algorithms are investigated by comparing their solutions with a popular non-linear solver. Furthermore, simulation results show that the proposed methods outperform the benchmark in terms of computational cost, fuel consumption, and traffic efficiency. In particular, the proposed fuel-economy merging rule can save 57.1% fuel consumption on average on four different traffic volumes. Meanwhile, the proposed optimal control algorithms can reduce 2.2% travel time on average comparing to the “first-in-first-out” merging rule.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

DOE OSTI2014

Sequencing at sea: challenges and experiences in Ion Torrent PGM sequencing during the 2013 Southern Line Islands Research Expedition

Genomics and metagenomics have revolutionized our understanding of marine microbial ecology and the importance of microbes in global geochemical cycles. However, the process of DNA sequencing has always been an abstract extension of the research expedition, completed once the samples were returned to the laboratory. During the 2013 Southern Line Islands Research Expedition, we started the first effort to bring next generation sequencing to some of the most remote locations on our planet. We successfully sequenced twenty six marine microbial genomes, and two marine microbial metagenomes using the Ion Torrent PGM platform on the Merchant Yacht Hanse Explorer. Onboard sequence assembly, annotation, and analysis enabled us to investigate the role of the microbes in the coral reef ecology of these islands and atolls. This analysis identified phosphonate as an important phosphorous source for microbes growing in the Line Islands and reinforced the importance of Lserine in marine microbial ecosystems. Sequencing in the field allowed us to propose hypotheses and conduct experiments and further sampling based on the sequences generated. By eliminating the delay between sampling and sequencing, we enhanced the productivity of the research expedition. By overcoming the hurdles associated with sequencing on a boat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean we proved the flexibility of the sequencing, annotation, and analysis pipelines.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2022

Microbial Tracking-2, a metagenomics analysis of bacteria and fungi onboard the International Space Station

The International Space Station (ISS) is a unique and complex built environment with the ISS surface microbiome originating from crew and cargo or from life support recirculation in an almost entirely closed system. The Microbial Tracking 1 (MT-1) project was the first ISS environmental surface study to report on the metagenome profiles without using whole-genome amplification. The study surveyed the microbial communities from eight surfaces over a 14-month period. The Microbial Tracking 2 (MT-2) project aimed to continue the work of MT-1, sampling an additional four flights from the same locations, over another 14 months. Eight surfaces across the ISS were sampled with sterile wipes and processed upon return to Earth. DNA extracted from the processed samples (and controls) were treated with propidium monoazide (PMA) to detect intact/viable cells or left untreated and to detect the total DNA population (free DNA/compromised cells/intact cells/viable cells). DNA extracted from PMA-treated and untreated samples were analyzed using shotgun metagenomics. Samples were cultured for bacteria and fungi to supplement the above results. Staphylococcus sp. and Malassezia sp. were the most represented bacterial and fungal species, respectively, on the ISS. Overall, the ISS surface microbiome was dominated by organisms associated with the human skin. Multi-dimensional scaling and differential abundance analysis showed significant temporal changes in the microbial population but no spatial differences. The ISS antimicrobial resistance gene profiles were however more stable over time, with no differences over the 5-year span of the MT-1 and MT-2 studies. Twenty-nine antimicrobial resistance genes were detected across all samples, with macrolide/lincosamide/streptogramin resistance being the most widespread. Metagenomic assembled genomes were reconstructed from the dataset, resulting in 82 MAGs. Functional assessment of the collective MAGs showed a propensity for amino acid utilization over carbohydrate metabolism. Co-occurrence analyses showed strong associations between bacterial and fungal genera. Culture analysis showed the microbial load to be on average 3.0 × 10 5 cfu/m 2 . Utilizing various metagenomics analyses and culture methods, we provided a comprehensive analysis of the ISS surface microbiome, showing microbial burden, bacterial and fungal species prevalence, changes in the microbiome, and resistome over time and space, as well as the functional capabilities and microbial interactions of this unique built microbiome. Data from this study may help to inform policies for future space missions to ensure an ISS surface microbiome that promotes astronaut health and spacecraft integrity.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2015

Daily QA of linear accelerators using only EPID and OBI

Purpose: As treatment delivery becomes more complex, there is a pressing need for robust quality assurance (QA) tools to improve efficiency and comprehensiveness while simultaneously maintaining high accuracy and sensitivity. This work aims to present the hardware and software tools developed for comprehensive QA of linear accelerator (LINAC) using only electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs) and kV flat panel detectors. Methods: A daily QA phantom, which includes two orthogonally positioned phantoms for QA of MV-beams and kV onboard imaging (OBI) is suspended from the gantry accessory holder to test both geometric and dosimetric components of a LINAC and an OBI. The MV component consists of a 0.5 cm water-equivalent plastic sheet incorporating 11 circular steel plugs for transmission measurements through multiple thicknesses and one resolution plug for MV-image quality testing. The kV-phantom consists of a Leeds phantom (TOR-18 FG phantom supplied by Varian) for testing low and high contrast resolutions. In the developed process, the existing LINAC tools were used to automate daily acquisition of MV and kV images and software tools were developed for simultaneous analysis of these images. A method was developed to derive and evaluate traditional QA parameters from these images [output, flatness, symmetry, uniformity, TPR{sub 20/10}, and positional accuracy of the jaws and multileaf collimators (MLCs)]. The EPID-based daily QA tools were validated by performing measurements on a detuned 6 MV beam to test its effectiveness in detecting errors in output, symmetry, energy, and MLC positions. The developed QA process was clinically commissioned, implemented, and evaluated on a Varian TrueBeam LINAC (Varian Medical System, Palo Alto, CA) over a period of three months. Results: Machine output constancy measured with an EPID (as compared against a calibrated ion-chamber) is shown to be within ±0.5%. Beam symmetry and flatness deviations measured using an EPID and a 2D ion-chamber array agree within ±0.5% and ±1.2% for crossline and inline profiles, respectively. MLC position errors of 0.5 mm can be detected using a picket fence test. The field size and phantom positioning accuracy can be determined within 0.5 mm. The entire daily QA process takes ∼15 min to perform tests for 5 photon beams, MLC tests, and imaging checks. Conclusions: The exclusive use of EPID-based QA tools, including a QA phantom and simultaneous analysis software tools, has been demonstrated as a viable, efficient, and comprehensive process for daily evaluation of LINAC performance.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2018

Copper enrichments in the Kimberley formation in Gale crater, Mars: Evidence for a Cu deposit at the source

Copper quantification with laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) using a univariate calibration model enables the ChemCam instrument onboard the Curiosity rover to measure unusually elevated Cu concentrations in potassic sandstones and Mn-oxide-bearing fracture fills in the Kimberley region of Gale crater, Mars. Mostly, the copper phases occurring in sedimentary bedrock are associated with detrital silicates, including feldspars, pyroxenes and K-phyllosilicates, likely coming from a potassic igneous source near the northern crater rim, while those present in the fractures are likely adsorbed on the surface of manganese oxides. These two different mineralogical associations imply at least two distinct processes: Cu enrichment in bedrock at the source, likely during crystallization of the igneous silicates, and adsorption of Cu on Mn-oxides precipitated from groundwater that encountered oxidizing conditions within fractures in the bedrock. Finally, the potassic sediments enriched in copper may be evidence of a porphyry copper deposit or an impact-induced hydrothermal deposit in the source region.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2018

Engineering Scale Testing of Robotic Inspection Tools for Double Shell Tanks at Hanford - 18349

Waste found in the annulus of the AY-102 double-shell tank (DST) at Hanford has prompted the need for the development of inspection tools that are able to access confined spaces around and underneath the tanks. During the last year, Florida International University (FIU) has been developing inspection tools that are capable of accessing the tank floors through the air supply line, the air refractory channels and the drain lines. This effort has led to the development of a pneumatic pipe crawler and a miniature rover. In this paper, updates to the inspection tool designs and the full scale testing of both systems are presented. The tools provide visual feedback for the operator, carrying with them onboard cameras and light sources. The images are streamed back live via a tether, which also provides power to the devices. To increase the sensing capabilities of both tools, temperature, humidity and radiation sensor modules are being integrated onto the developed systems, and can be interchanged depending on the inspection objectives. The miniature rover measures 7 cm in length and 3.8 cm in width, and travels upside down on the bottom of the tank to avoid debris accumulated in the channels. The video is also being processed real-time to provide control of the unit semi-autonomously. The pipe crawler measures approximately 76 cm in length and 6.4 cm in diameter, and travels using pneumatic actuators that emulate the peristaltic movement contractions typical of worm type robots. A full-scale sectional mock-up of the DST foundation, refractory system and annulus is currently being developed as a test-bed for the testing of the inspection tools. The intention of the test-bed is to demonstrate the viability of using both inspection tools in configurations similar to the actual tank. The test-bed includes a 2.43 m wide section of both tank liners, refractory channels and concrete foundation with drain slots. The test-bed is designed to be modular so that various plate thicknesses can be easily utilized and different refractory configurations can be incorporated. Currently, the refractory channels are of the tree type structure with turns that are approximately 30 degrees. Both inspection tools were demonstrated in the mock-up facility. The miniature rover ran successfully through the drain slots from the annulus to central plenum and had no issues making the 90-degree turns. The peristaltic crawler was able to navigate through the 7.62 cm air supply line from the annulus to the central plenum. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2025

Expedition UT-GOM2-2 Methods

Methods used during the University of Texas (UT) Deepwater Hydrate Coring Expedition (UT-GOM2-2) include work done onboard the Helix Q4000 in the offshore Gulf of America (Gulf of Mexico), herein “the Gulf”, “dockside” in Salt Lake City, Utah, and some shore-based work in individual laboratories. The goal of this report is two-fold: to provide enough detail on the methods so they can be repeated by others; and to provide a reference document for the team to enhance cross-disciplinary understanding and knowledge. Methods include drilling operations, depth references and depth modification, downhole tool deployment, coring tool performance assessment, core processing, lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, as well as physical properties, including core logging and imaging, rock magnetism, dissolved methane concentration, hydrate saturation, microbiology, and geochemistry. An extensive amount of operational work and planning was required before mobilization of the expedition to permit, build mobile labs, and test downhole tools for deepwater drilling.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

DOE OSTI2016

Multi-Angle Snowflake Camera Value-Added Product

The Multi-Angle Snowflake Camera (MASC) addresses a need for high-resolution multi-angle imaging of hydrometeors in freefall with simultaneous measurement of fallspeed. As illustrated in Figure 1, the MASC consists of three cameras, separated by 36°, each pointing at an identical focal point approximately 10 cm away. Located immediately above each camera, a light aims directly at the center of depth of field for its corresponding camera. The focal point at which the cameras are aimed lies within a ring through which hydrometeors fall. The ring houses a system of near-infrared emitter-detector pairs, arranged in two arrays separated vertically by 32 mm. When hydrometeors pass through the lower array, they simultaneously trigger all cameras and lights. Fallspeed is calculated from the time it takes to traverse the distance between the upper and lower triggering arrays. The trigger electronics filter out ambient light fluctuations associated with varying sunlight and shadows. The microprocessor onboard the MASC controls the camera system and communicates with the personal computer (PC). The image data is sent via FireWire 800 line, and fallspeed (and camera control) is sent via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) line that relies on RS232-over-USB serial conversion. See Table 1 for specific details on the MASC located at the Oliktok Point Mobile Facility on the North Slope of Alaska. The value-added product (VAP) detailed in this documentation analyzes the raw data (Section 2.0) using Python: images rely on OpenCV image processing library and derived aggregated statistics rely on some clever averaging. See Sections 4.1 and 4.2 for more details on what variables are computed.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2013

A technique for estimating 4D-CBCT using prior knowledge and limited-angle projections

Purpose: To develop a technique to estimate onboard 4D-CBCT using prior information and limited-angle projections for potential 4D target verification of lung radiotherapy.Methods: Each phase of onboard 4D-CBCT is considered as a deformation from one selected phase (prior volume) of the planning 4D-CT. The deformation field maps (DFMs) are solved using a motion modeling and free-form deformation (MM-FD) technique. In the MM-FD technique, the DFMs are estimated using a motion model which is extracted from planning 4D-CT based on principal component analysis (PCA). The motion model parameters are optimized by matching the digitally reconstructed radiographs of the deformed volumes to the limited-angle onboard projections (data fidelity constraint). Afterward, the estimated DFMs are fine-tuned using a FD model based on data fidelity constraint and deformation energy minimization. The 4D digital extended-cardiac-torso phantom was used to evaluate the MM-FD technique. A lung patient with a 30 mm diameter lesion was simulated with various anatomical and respirational changes from planning 4D-CT to onboard volume, including changes of respiration amplitude, lesion size and lesion average-position, and phase shift between lesion and body respiratory cycle. The lesions were contoured in both the estimated and “ground-truth” onboard 4D-CBCT for comparison. 3D volume percentage-difference (VPD) and center-of-mass shift (COMS) were calculated to evaluate the estimation accuracy of three techniques: MM-FD, MM-only, and FD-only. Different onboard projection acquisition scenarios and projection noise levels were simulated to investigate their effects on the estimation accuracy.Results: For all simulated patient and projection acquisition scenarios, the mean VPD (±S.D.)/COMS (±S.D.) between lesions in prior images and “ground-truth” onboard images were 136.11% (±42.76%)/15.5 mm (±3.9 mm). Using orthogonal-view 15°-each scan angle, the mean VPD/COMS between the lesion in estimated and “ground-truth” onboard images for MM-only, FD-only, and MM-FD techniques were 60.10% (±27.17%)/4.9 mm (±3.0 mm), 96.07% (±31.48%)/12.1 mm (±3.9 mm) and 11.45% (±9.37%)/1.3 mm (±1.3 mm), respectively. For orthogonal-view 30°-each scan angle, the corresponding results were 59.16% (±26.66%)/4.9 mm (±3.0 mm), 75.98% (±27.21%)/9.9 mm (±4.0 mm), and 5.22% (±2.12%)/0.5 mm (±0.4 mm). For single-view scan angles of 3°, 30°, and 60°, the results for MM-FD technique were 32.77% (±17.87%)/3.2 mm (±2.2 mm), 24.57% (±18.18%)/2.9 mm (±2.0 mm), and 10.48% (±9.50%)/1.1 mm (±1.3 mm), respectively. For projection angular-sampling-intervals of 0.6°, 1.2°, and 2.5° with the orthogonal-view 30°-each scan angle, the MM-FD technique generated similar VPD (maximum deviation 2.91%) and COMS (maximum deviation 0.6 mm), while sparser sampling yielded larger VPD/COMS. With equal number of projections, the estimation results using scattered 360° scan angle were slightly better than those using orthogonal-view 30°-each scan angle. The estimation accuracy of MM-FD technique declined as noise level increased.Conclusions: The MM-FD technique substantially improves the estimation accuracy for onboard 4D-CBCT using prior planning 4D-CT and limited-angle projections, compared to the MM-only and FD-only techniques. It can potentially be used for the inter/intrafractional 4D-localization verification.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗