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At least 1,099 records · Page 61

Performance of the JPEG Estimated Spectrum Adaptive Postfilter (JPEG-ESAP) for Low Bit Rates

Frequency-based, pixel-adaptive filtering using the JPEG-ESAP algorithm for low bit rate JPEG formatted color images may allow for more compressed images while maintaining equivalent quality at a smaller file size or bitrate. For RGB, an image is decomposed into three color bands--red, green, and blue. The JPEG-ESAP algorithm is then applied to each band (e.g., once for red, once for green, and once for blue) and the output of each application of the algorithm is rebuilt as a single color image. The ESAP algorithm may be repeatedly applied to MPEG-2 video frames to reduce their bit rate by a factor of 2 or 3, while maintaining equivalent video quality, both perceptually, and objectively, as recorded in the computed PSNR values.

Linares, Irving↗

Surface Reflectance Product from Geostationary Satellite

We have generated provisional Himawari-8 AHI surface reflectance (SR) product for land and vegetation monitoring. The Himawari-8 AHI surface reflectance product is part of our GeoNEX land products, which integrate level 2 and higher remote sensing data from a set of geostationary satellite sensors (i.e. GOES-16, -17 ABI, Himawari-8 AHI, FY4-A AGRI, and MTG-I). Adapted Multiangle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) algorithm is used to process time series Himawari-8 AHI observations. Himawari-8 AHI SR provides gridded and tiled land SR in 1-km resolution with high frequency (every 10 minutes during daylight time). There are three subdatasets: 1) retrieved atmospheric properties (e.g. column water vapor at 0.86 m, aerosol optical depth at 0.47m and 0.51m); 2) spectral (AHI bands 1-6) surface reflectance, kernels of RTLS BRDF model; 3)spectral BRDF kernel weights, and extensive quality assurance flags. The evaluation results show that Himawari-8 AHI data yield much more valid pixels in a single day in the characterization of land surface, when compare to NASA flagship satellite MODIS Terra/Aqua. This observation frequency and resolution of geostationary data should allow for using continuous ecosystem monitoring in diurnal studies at continental scale. Initial evaluations indicate a stable Himawari-8 AHI land SR product.

Li, Shuang↗

Bi-static and mono-static synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging using a short-pulse laser

SAR imaging may be performed using a short-pulse laser to generate range-resolved reflection data. A short-pulse laser may be advantageous over other techniques to acquire the range-resolved data, especially in cases with very distant targets or other cases with low signal-to-noise ratio information, because a short-pulse laser can determine the range to individual reflectors with a single photon return and is more adaptable to a photon-starved inversion algorithm. This technique can be used with both mono-static and bi-static SAR configurations.

Carlsten, Bruce E.↗

From Chaos to Clarity: Autonomous Materials Discovery for Extreme Environments

The pursuit of advanced functional materials for energy applications demands an understanding of their behavior under the most challenging conditions. Extreme environments, characterized by intense radiation, high temperatures, and corrosive chemistries, push materials to their limits, often revealing unexpected behaviors and degradation pathways. Traditional materials research approaches, relying on trial-and-error experimentation, are often slow and resource-intensive, ill-suited to the complexities of extreme environments. This talk will explore the transformative potential of autonomous materials science in revolutionizing our understanding of materials synthesis and degradation in extreme environments. By integrating advanced microscopy techniques, artificial intelligence, and robotic experimentation, we can accelerate the discovery and design of resilient materials for a sustainable future. The presentation will highlight recent breakthroughs in autonomous microscopy, computer vision, and machine learning, showcasing their ability to unravel complex material transformations at the atomic scale. The talk will also delve into the challenges and opportunities associated with deploying autonomous systems to probe extreme environments, emphasizing the importance of robust algorithms, real-time data analysis, and adaptive experimentation. Our ultimate goal is to empower scientists with unprecedented capabilities to explore, understand, and engineer materials that can withstand the harshest conditions, paving the way for innovations in energy, aerospace, and beyond.

artificial intelligence↗

Poisson Log-Normal Process for Count Data Prediction

Modeling count data is important in physics and other scientific disciplines, where measurements often involve discrete, non-negative quantities such as photon or neutrino detection events. Traditional parametric approaches can be trained to generate integer-count predictions but may struggle with capturing complex, non-linear dependencies often observed in the data. Gaussian process (GP) regression provides a robust non-parametric alternative to modeling continuous data; however, it cannot generate integer outputs. We propose the Poisson Log-Normal (PoLoN) process, a framework that employs GP to model Poisson log-rates. As in GP regression, our approach relies on the correlations between data points captured via GP kernel structure rather than explicit functional parameterizations. We demonstrate that the PoLoN predictive distribution is Poisson-LogNormal and provide an algorithm for optimizing kernel hyperparameters. Furthermore, we adapt the PoLoN approach to the problem of detecting weak localized signals superimposed on a smoothly varying background - a task of considerable interest in many areas of science and engineering. Our framework allows us to predict the strength, location and width of the detected signals. We evaluate PoLoN's performance using both synthetic and real-world datasets, including the open dataset from CERN which was used to detect the Higgs boson at the Large Hadron Collider. Our results indicate that the PoLoN process can be used as a non-parametric alternative for analyzing, predicting, and extracting signals from integer-valued data.

Saha, Anushka [Rutgers U., Piscataway]↗

When and why PINNs fail to train: A neural tangent kernel perspective

Physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) have lately received great attention thanks to their flexibility in tackling a wide range of forward and inverse problems involving partial differential equations. However, despite their noticeable empirical success, little is known about how such constrained neural networks behave during their training via gradient descent. More importantly, even less is known about why such models sometimes fail to train at all. Here in this work, we aim to investigate these questions through the lens of the Neural Tangent Kernel (NTK); a kernel that captures the behavior of fully-connected neural networks in the infinite width limit during training via gradient descent. Specifically, we derive the NTK of PINNs and prove that, under appropriate conditions, it converges to a deterministic kernel that stays constant during training in the infinite-width limit. This allows us to analyze the training dynamics of PINNs through the lens of their limiting NTK and find a remarkable discrepancy in the convergence rate of the different loss components contributing to the total training error. To address this fundamental pathology, we propose a novel gradient descent algorithm that utilizes the eigenvalues of the NTK to adaptively calibrate the convergence rate of the total training error. Finally, we perform a series of numerical experiments to verify the correctness of our theory and the practical effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Low-level processing for real-time image analysis

A system that detects object outlines in television images in real time is described. A high-speed pipeline processor transforms the raw image into an edge map and a microprocessor, which is integrated into the system, clusters the edges, and represents them as chain codes. Image statistics, useful for higher level tasks such as pattern recognition, are computed by the microprocessor. Peak intensity and peak gradient values are extracted within a programmable window and are used for iris and focus control. The algorithms implemented in hardware and the pipeline processor architecture are described. The strategy for partitioning functions in the pipeline was chosen to make the implementation modular. The microprocessor interface allows flexible and adaptive control of the feature extraction process. The software algorithms for clustering edge segments, creating chain codes, and computing image statistics are also discussed. A strategy for real time image analysis that uses this system is given.

Eskenazi, R.↗

Multiple-Beam Detection of Fast Transient Radio Sources

A method has been designed for using multiple independent stations to discriminate fast transient radio sources from local anomalies, such as antenna noise or radio frequency interference (RFI). This can improve the sensitivity of incoherent detection for geographically separated stations such as the very long baseline array (VLBA), the future square kilometer array (SKA), or any other coincident observations by multiple separated receivers. The transients are short, broadband pulses of radio energy, often just a few milliseconds long, emitted by a variety of exotic astronomical phenomena. They generally represent rare, high-energy events making them of great scientific value. For RFI-robust adaptive detection of transients, using multiple stations, a family of algorithms has been developed. The technique exploits the fact that the separated stations constitute statistically independent samples of the target. This can be used to adaptively ignore RFI events for superior sensitivity. If the antenna signals are independent and identically distributed (IID), then RFI events are simply outlier data points that can be removed through robust estimation such as a trimmed or Winsorized estimator. The alternative "trimmed" estimator is considered, which excises the strongest n signals from the list of short-beamed intensities. Because local RFI is independent at each antenna, this interference is unlikely to occur at many antennas on the same step. Trimming the strongest signals provides robustness to RFI that can theoretically outperform even the detection performance of the same number of antennas at a single site. This algorithm requires sorting the signals at each time step and dispersion measure, an operation that is computationally tractable for existing array sizes. An alternative uses the various stations to form an ensemble estimate of the conditional density function (CDF) evaluated at each time step. Both methods outperform standard detection strategies on a test sequence of VLBA data, and both are efficient enough for deployment in real-time, online transient detection applications.

Thompson, David R.↗

Low-Complexity Adaptive Lossless Compression of Hyperspectral Imagery

A low-complexity, adaptive predictive technique for lossless compression of hyperspectral imagery is described. This technique is designed to be suitable for implementation in hardware such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA); such an implementation could be used for high-speed compression of hyperspectral imagery onboard a spacecraft. The predictive step of the technique makes use of the sign algorithm, which is a relative of the least mean square (LMS) algorithm from the field of low-complexity adaptive filtering. The compressed data stream consists of prediction residuals encoded using a method similar to that of the JPEG-LS lossless image compression standard. Compression results are presented for several datasets including some raw Airborne Visible/ Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) datasets and raw Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) datasets. The compression effectiveness obtained with the technique is competitive with that of the best of previously described techniques with similar complexity.

lossless data compression↗

Numerical Modeling & Optimization of the iProTech Pitching Inertial Pump (PIP) Wave Energy Converter (WEC) (CRADA Final Report)

This project represents a continuation of the collaboration between iProTech and NLR to simulate, optimize and design the iProTech Pitching Inertial Pump (PIP) device. The objectives of this TEAMER project are twofold: 1. Refining the physical characteristics of the existing iProTech PIP WEC-Sim model to enhance the model’s fidelity and include controllable components. Key model enhancements target the inclusion of Coulomb friction, the introduction of a controllable bypass valve, and the replacement of traditional check valves with advanced motorized ones. 2. Exploring traditional and advanced control algorithms. From traditional methods like latching control to cutting-edge reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms, the goal is to ensure the PIP device's adaptability and optimal performance across a range of ocean conditions. NLR is tasked with augmenting the WEC-Sim model and implementing the control algorithms, culminating in performance comparison analyses. iProTech will update their existing 3D models, advise on model improvements, and determine crucial system metrics. WEC-Sim, developed in MATLAB/SIMULINK with Simscape Multibody, is the main piece of software that will be used in this project. Coupled with the MATLAB RL Toolbox, it offers a robust platform for in-depth simulation and optimization of the iProTech PIP device. Building on previous work to explore the PIP design space and optimize its geometry, mass distribution, center of gravity and other key parameters, this project aims to refine iProTech’s existing numerical models and develop effective control algorithms that can seamlessly integrate into their future hardware testing campaigns.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

Challenges to Computational Aerothermodynamic Simulation and Validation for Planetary Entry Vehicle Analysis

Challenges to computational aerothermodynamic (CA) simulation and validation of hypersonic flow over planetary entry vehicles are discussed. Entry, descent, and landing (EDL) of high mass to Mars is a significant driver of new simulation requirements. These requirements include simulation of large deployable, flexible structures and interactions with reaction control system (RCS) and retro-thruster jets. Simulation of radiation and ablation coupled to the flow solver continues to be a high priority for planetary entry analyses, especially for return to Earth and outer planet missions. Three research areas addressing these challenges are emphasized. The first addresses the need to obtain accurate heating on unstructured tetrahedral grid systems to take advantage of flexibility in grid generation and grid adaptation. A multi-dimensional inviscid flux reconstruction algorithm is defined that is oriented with local flow topology as opposed to grid. The second addresses coupling of radiation and ablation to the hypersonic flow solver - flight- and ground-based data are used to provide limited validation of these multi-physics simulations. The third addresses the challenges of retro-propulsion simulation and the criticality of grid adaptation in this application. The evolution of CA to become a tool for innovation of EDL systems requires a successful resolution of these challenges.

Gnoffo, Peter A.↗

Challenges to Computational Aerothermodynamic Simulation and Validation for Planetary Entry Vehicle Analysis

Challenges to computational aerothermodynamic (CA) simulation and validation of hypersonic flow over planetary entry vehicles are discussed. Entry, descent, and landing (EDL) of high mass to Mars is a significant driver of new simulation requirements. These requirements include simulation of large deployable, flexible structures and interactions with reaction control system (RCS) and retro-thruster jets. Simulation of radiation and ablation coupled to the flow solver continues to be a high priority for planetary entry analyses, especially for return to Earth and outer planet missions. Three research areas addressing these challenges are emphasized. The first addresses the need to obtain accurate heating on unstructured tetrahedral grid systems to take advantage of flexibility in grid generation and grid adaptation. A multi-dimensional inviscid flux reconstruction algorithm is defined that is oriented with local flow topology as opposed to grid. The second addresses coupling of radiation and ablation to the hypersonic flow solver--flight- and ground-based data are used to provide limited validation of these multi-physics simulations. The third addresses the challenges of retro-propulsion simulation and the criticality of grid adaptation in this application. The evolution of CA to become a tool for innovation of EDL systems requires a successful resolution of these challenges.

Gnoffo, Peter A.↗

HBMax: Optimizing Memory Efficiency for Parallel Influence Maximization on Multicore Architectures

The goal of influence maximization is to select k most-influential vertices or seeds in a network, where influence is defined by a given diffusion process. The problem has a number of important applications such as viral marketing, information spread, and epidemic control. Although computing optimal seed set is NP-Hard, due to the submodular nature of the problem efficient approximation algorithms exist. However, even state-of-the-art parallel implementations are limited by a sampling step that incurs large memory footprints. This in turn limits the problem size reach and approximation quality. In this work, we study the memory footprint of the sampling process collecting reverse reachability information in the IMM algorithm over large real-world social networks. We present an adaptive and memory-efficient optimization approach for a state-of-the-art multi-threaded parallel influence maximization algorithm. Our approach,HuffMax, uses a portion of the reverse reachable (RR) sets collected by the algorithm to learn the characteristics of the graph. Then, it compresses the intermediate reverse reachability information with Huffman coding, and queries directly on the compressed data to preserve the memory savings obtained through compression. We also propose an efficient sampling strategy based on the distribution of RR sets, which can further reduce the computation time for typical social networks with long-tail distributions. Considering a NUMA architecture, we scale up our solution on 128-core CPUs and reduce the memory footprint by up to 45.7% with negligible time overhead (or even faster) and without perceivable loss of accuracy.

Chen, Xinyu↗

Cascade Error Projection: An Efficient Hardware Learning Algorithm

A new learning algorithm termed cascade error projection (CEP) is presented. CEP is an adaption of a constructive architecture from cascade correlation and the dynamical stepsize of A/D conversion from the cascade back propagation algorithm.

learning algorithm pattern recognition cascade err↗

Evaluating the Interplay between Trajectory Segmentation and Mode Inference Error

Travel behavior changes are essential to transportation decarbonization. Travel diaries, consisting of sequences of trips between places, are typically used to instrument human travel behavior. However, these diaries are only as accurate as the underlying methods used to construct them. Travel diary algorithms have been a popular research topic since the advent of Global Positioning System tracking surveys. These algorithms have typically been validated using prompted recall of presegmented trips, thus disregarding the continuity of mode inference. Phone operating systems have adopted battery-conserving techniques, but the resulting data collection errors have not been studied extensively. We introduce a framework to evaluate the accuracy of trip length computations and mode inference by analyzing continuous mode-segmented trajectories for groups of trips. We then use the framework to identify the input data quality and the impact of postprocessing. Our primary inputs to this evaluation are MobilityNet, a public dataset containing information from three artificial timelines covering 15 different travel modes, and sample open-source travel diary creation algorithms from the OpenPATH project. Our framework concretely shows that the variance of the distance error drops from (0.217, 0.0848) to (o.011, 0.0407) (Android, iOS) after postprocessing. Similarly, the weighted F-scores for mode inference increase from (0.25, 0.29) to (0.60, 0.74) (iOS, Android) between random forest and geographic information system-based models. We hope that this standardized method will be adapted to evaluate other, potentially proprietary, travel diary algorithms. Finally, the results can be used to understand and improve the state of the art in the travel diary creation field.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Mutual information-assisted adaptive variational quantum eigensolver

Adaptive construction of ansatz circuits offers a promising route towards applicable variational quantum eigensolvers on near-term quantum hardware. Those algorithms aim to build up optimal circuits for a certain problem and ansatz circuits are adaptively constructed by selecting and adding entanglers from a predefined pool. In this work, we propose a way to construct entangler pools with reduced size by leveraging classical algorithms. Our method uses mutual information between the qubits in classically approximated ground state to rank and screen the entanglers. The density matrix renormalization group method is employed for classical precomputation in this work. We corroborate our method numerically on small molecules. Our numerical experiments show that a reduced entangler pool with a small portion of the original entangler pool can achieve same numerical accuracy. Here, we believe that our method paves a new way for adaptive construction of ansatz circuits for variational quantum algorithms.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Unstructured mesh generation and adaptivity

An overview of current unstructured mesh generation and adaptivity techniques is given. Basic building blocks taken from the field of computational geometry are first described. Various practical mesh generation techniques based on these algorithms are then constructed and illustrated with examples. Issues of adaptive meshing and stretched mesh generation for anisotropic problems are treated in subsequent sections. The presentation is organized in an education manner, for readers familiar with computational fluid dynamics, wishing to learn more about current unstructured mesh techniques.

Mavriplis, D. J.↗

Algorithms For A Fast Universal Noiseless Coder

Report discusses some algorithms for fast, high-performance universal noiseless coder adaptively generating nearly optimal variable-length codes. Coders based on principles discussed in reports described in "Some Practical Universal Noiseless Coding Techniques" (NPO-18833) and "Optimality of Variable-Length Codes" (NPO-18834). Coding algorithms of present report independently implemented in custom-made very-large-scale integrated-circuit coding modules.

Yeh, Pen-Shu↗