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At least 1,153 records · Page 64

Method and Apparatus for Evaluating the Visual Quality of Processed Digital Video Sequences

A Digital Video Quality (DVQ) apparatus and method that incorporate a model of human visual sensitivity to predict the visibility of artifacts. The DVQ method and apparatus are used for the evaluation of the visual quality of processed digital video sequences and for adaptively controlling the bit rate of the processed digital video sequences without compromising the visual quality. The DVQ apparatus minimizes the required amount of memory and computation. The input to the DVQ apparatus is a pair of color image sequences: an original (R) non-compressed sequence, and a processed (T) sequence. Both sequences (R) and (T) are sampled, cropped, and subjected to color transformations. The sequences are then subjected to blocking and discrete cosine transformation, and the results are transformed to local contrast. The next step is a time filtering operation which implements the human sensitivity to different time frequencies. The results are converted to threshold units by dividing each discrete cosine transform coefficient by its respective visual threshold. At the next stage the two sequences are subtracted to produce an error sequence. The error sequence is subjected to a contrast masking operation, which also depends upon the reference sequence (R). The masked errors can be pooled in various ways to illustrate the perceptual error over various dimensions, and the pooled error can be converted to a visual quality measure.

Watson, Andrew B.↗

Estimating Relative Positions of Outer-Space Structures

A computer program estimates the relative position and orientation of two structures from measurements, made by use of electronic cameras and laser range finders on one structure, of distances and angular positions of fiducial objects on the other structure. The program was written specifically for use in determining errors in the alignment of large structures deployed in outer space from a space shuttle. The program is based partly on equations for transformations among the various coordinate systems involved in the measurements and on equations that account for errors in the transformation operators. It computes a least-squares estimate of the relative position and orientation. Sequential least-squares estimates, acquired at a measurement rate of 4 Hz, are averaged by passing them through a fourth-order Butterworth filter. The program is executed in a computer aboard the space shuttle, and its position and orientation estimates are displayed to astronauts on a graphical user interface.

Balian, Harry↗

Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) - Optimizing X-Band Usage

The NASA version of the low-density parity check (LDPC) 7/8-rate code, shortened to the dimensions of (8160, 7136), has been implemented as the forward error correction (FEC) schema for the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM). This is the first flight application of this code. In order to place a 440 Msps link within the 375 MHz wide X band we found it necessary to heavily bandpass filter the satellite transmitter output . Despite the significant amplitude and phase distortions that accompanied the spectral truncation, the mission required BER is maintained at < 10(exp -12) with less than 2 dB of implementation loss. We utilized a band-pass filter designed ostensibly to replicate the link distortions to demonstrate link design viability. The same filter was then used to optimize the adaptive equalizer in the receiver employed at the terminus of the downlink. The excellent results we obtained could be directly attributed to the implementation of the LDPC code and the amplitude and phase compensation provided in the receiver. Similar results were obtained with receivers from several vendors.

Garon, H. M.↗

A First Order Wavefront Estimation Algorithm for P1640 Calibrator

P1640 calibrator is a wavefront sensor working with the P1640 coronagraph and the Palomar 3000 actuator adaptive optics system (P3K) at the Palomar 200 inch Hale telescope. It measures the wavefront by interfering post-coronagraph light with a reference beam formed by low-pass filtering the blocked light from the coronagraph focal plane mask. The P1640 instrument has a similar architecture to the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) and its performance is currently limited by the quasi-static speckles due to non-common path wavefront errors, which comes from the non-common path for the light to arrive at the AO wavefront sensor and the coronagraph mask. By measuring the wavefront after the coronagraph mask, the non-common path wavefront error can be estimated and corrected by feeding back the error signal to the deformable mirror (DM) of the P3K AO system. Here, we present a first order wavefront estimation algorithm and an instrument calibration scheme used in experiments done recently at Palomar observatory. We calibrate the P1640 calibrator by measuring its responses to poking DM actuators with a sparse checkerboard pattern at different amplitudes. The calibration yields a complex normalization factor for wavefront estimation and establishes the registration of the DM actuators at the pupil camera of the P1640 calibrator, necessary for wavefront correction. Improvement of imaging quality after feeding back the wavefront correction to the AO system demonstrated the efficacy of the algorithm.

Wavefront sensing↗

Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) Pathfinder Intercalibration Data Analysis Strategy

One of the prime science objectives of NASA’s Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) Pathfinder (CPF) mission is to acquire unprecedentedly accurate Système Internationale (SI)-traceable Earth-view measurements that can be used as reference for intercalibrating the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) and Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instruments onboard NOAA-20 satellite. The hyperspectral nature of CPF measurements will significantly reduce spectrally induced biases when intercalibrating multiband or broadband satellite instruments with CPF. This advancement eliminates the requirement for spectral band adjustment factors, representing a substantial improvement in sensor intercalibration studies. The CPF intercalibration team is aiming to achieve a maximum intercalibration methodology uncertainty of 0.3 % (k=1). Our studies have revealed that the most significant contribution to the targeted uncertainty budget originates from the combined effects of spatial and temporal matching errors. Spatial matching error arises from discrepancies in CPF and target instrument pixel resolution and geolocation uncertainty, while temporal matching error is caused by changes in scene radiances over time, occurring between when the target and reference instruments observe the same scenes. To estimate the maximum expected uncertainty contribution from these sources, spatial and temporal matching noise analyses were conducted using algorithmically filtered Landsat 9 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-16 ABI CONUS scan data as proxies for CPF and target instruments. In the upcoming conference presentation, we will elaborate on the methodology employed in these experiments, provide details of the data filtering algorithms, and present results of the spatial and temporal matching uncertainty analyses.

Intercalibration↗

Failure detection and isolation analysis of a redundant strapdown inertial measurement unit

The objective of this study was to define and develop techniques for failure detection and isolation (FDI) algorithms for a dual fail/operational redundant strapdown inertial navigation system are defined and developed. The FDI techniques chosen include provisions for hard and soft failure detection in the context of flight control and navigation. Analyses were done to determine error detection and switching levels for the inertial navigation system, which is intended for a conventional takeoff or landing (CTOL) operating environment. In addition, investigations of false alarms and missed alarms were included for the FDI techniques developed, along with the analyses of filters to be used in conjunction with FDI processing. Two specific FDI algorithms were compared: the generalized likelihood test and the edge vector test. A deterministic digital computer simulation was used to compare and evaluate the algorithms and FDI systems.

Motyka, P.↗

A test of the adhesion approximation for gravitational clustering

We quantitatively compare a particle implementation of the adhesion approximation to fully non-linear, numerical 'N-body' simulations. Our primary tool, cross-correlation of N-body simulations with the adhesion approximation, indicates good agreement, better than that found by the same test performed with the Zel-dovich approximation (hereafter ZA). However, the cross-correlation is not as good as that of the truncated Zel-dovich approximation (TZA), obtained by applying the Zel'dovich approximation after smoothing the initial density field with a Gaussian filter. We confirm that the adhesion approximation produces an excessively filamentary distribution. Relative to the N-body results, we also find that: (a) the power spectrum obtained from the adhesion approximation is more accurate than that from ZA or TZA, (b) the error in the phase angle of Fourier components is worse than that from TZA, and (c) the mass distribution function is more accurate than that from ZA or TZA. It appears that adhesion performs well statistically, but that TZA is more accurate dynamically, in the sense of moving mass to the right place.

Melott, Adrian L.↗

A test of the adhesion approximation for gravitational clustering

We quantitatively compare a particle implementation of the adhesion approximation to fully nonlinear, numerical 'N-body' simulations. Our primary tool, cross-correlation of N-body simulations with the adhesion approximation, indicates good agreement, better than that found by the same test performed with the Zel'dovich approximation (hereafter ZA). However, the cross-correlation is not as good as that of the truncated Zel'dovich approximation (TZA), obtained by applying the Zel'dovich approximation after smoothing the initial density field with a Gaussian filter. We confirm that the adhesion approximation produces an excessively filamentary distribution. Relative to the N-body results, we also find that: (a) the power spectrum obtained from the adhesion approximation is more accurate that that from ZA to TZA, (b) the error in the phase angle of Fourier components is worse that that from TZA, and (c) the mass distribution function is more accurate than that from ZA or TZA. It appears that adhesion performs well statistically, but that TZA is more accurate dynamically, in the sense of moving mass to the right place.

Melott, Adrian L.↗

Solar and Magnetic Attitude Determination for Small Spacecraft

During the Phase B development of the NASA New Millennium Program (NMP) Earth Orbiter-1 (EO-1) spacecraft, detailed analyses were performed for on-board attitude determination using the Sun and the Earth's magnetic field. This work utilized the TRMM 'Contingency Mode' as a starting point but concentrated on implementation for a small spacecraft without a high performance mechanical gyro package. The analyses and simulations performed demonstrate a geographic dependence due to diurnal variations in the Earth magnetic field with respect to the Sun synchronous, nearly polar orbit. Sensitivity to uncompensated residual magnetic fields of the spacecraft and field modeling errors is shown to be the most significant obstacle for maximizing performance. Performance has been evaluated with a number of inertial reference units and various mounting orientations for the two-axis Fine Sun Sensors. Attitude determination accuracy using the six state Kalman Filter executing at 2 Hz is approximately 0.2 deg, 3-sigma, per axis. Although EO-1 was subsequently driven to a stellar-based attitude determination system as a result of tighter pointing requirements, solar/magnetic attitude determination is demonstrated to be applicable to a range of small spacecraft with medium precision pointing requirements.

Woodham, Kurt↗

Proximity Navigation of Highly Constrained Spacecraft

Bandit is a 3-kg automated spacecraft in development at Washington University in St. Louis. Bandit's primary mission is to demonstrate proximity navigation, including docking, around a 25-kg student-built host spacecraft. However, because of extreme constraints in mass, power and volume, traditional sensing and actuation methods are not available. In particular, Bandit carries only 8 fixed-magnitude cold-gas thrusters to control its 6 DOF motion. Bandit lacks true inertial sensing, and the ability to sense position relative to the host has error bounds that approach the size of the Bandit itself. Some of the navigation problems are addressed through an extremely robust, error-tolerant soft dock. In addition, we have identified a control methodology that performs well in this constrained environment: behavior-based velocity potential functions, which use a minimum-seeking method similar to Lyapunov functions. We have also adapted the discrete Kalman filter for use on Bandit for position estimation and have developed a similar measurement vs. propagation weighting algorithm for attitude estimation. This paper provides an overview of Bandit and describes the control and estimation approach. Results using our 6DOF flight simulator are provided, demonstrating that these methods show promise for flight use.

Scarritt, S.↗

Advances in Raman Lidar Measurements of Water Vapor, Cirrus Clouds and Carbon Dioxide

Narrow-band interference filters with improved transmission in the ultraviolet have been developed under NASA-funded research and used in the Raman Airborne Spectroscopic Lidar (RASL) in ground- based, upward-looking tests. RASL is an airborne Raman Lidar system designed to measure water vapor mixing ratio, and aerosol backscatter/extinction/depolarization. It also possesses the capability to make experimental measurements of cloud liquid water and carbon dioxide. It is being prepared for first flight tests during the summer of 2006. With the newly developed filters installed in RASL, measurements were made of atmospheric water vapor, cirrus cloud optical properties and carbon dioxide that improve upon any previously demonstrated using Raman lidar. Daytime boundary layer profiling of water vapor mixing ratio is performed with less than 5% random error using temporal and spatial resolution of 2-minutes and 60 - 210, respectively. Daytime cirrus cloud optical depth and extinction- to-backscatter ratio measurements are made using 1-minute average. Sufficient signal strength is demonstrated to permit the simultaneous profiling of carbon dioxide and water vapor mixing ratio into the free troposphere during the nighttime. Downward-looking from an airborne RASL should possess the same measurement statistics with approximately a factor of 5 - 10 decrease in averaging time. A description of the technology improvements are provided followed by examples of the improved Raman lidar measurements.

Whiteman, David N.↗

Soft x-ray spectrum unfold of K-edge filtered x-ray diode arrays using cubic splines

Cubic spline interpolation is able to recover temporally and spectrally resolved soft x-ray flux from an array of K-edge filtered x-ray diodes without the need for a priori assumptions about the spectrum or the geometry of the emitting volume. The mathematics of the cubic spline interpolation is discussed in detail. The analytic nature of the cubic spline solution allows for analytical error propagation, and the method of calculating the error for radiation temperature, spectral power, and confidence intervals of the unfolded spectrally resolved flux is explained. An unfold of a blackbody model demonstrates the accuracy of the cubic spline unfold. Tests of cubic spline performance using spectrally convolved detailed atomic model simulation results have been performed to measure the method's ability to conserve spectral power to within a factor of 2 or better in line-dominated regimes. The unfold is also demonstrated to work when information from the x-ray diode array is limited due to high signal-to-noise ratios or lack of signal due to over-attenuation or over-filtration of the x-ray diode signal. Here, the robustness of the unfold with respect to background subtraction and raw signal processing, signal alignment between diode traces, limited signal information, and initial conditions is discussed. Results from an example analysis of a halfraum drive are presented to demonstrate the capabilities of the unfold in comparison with previously established methods.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Machine learning based unfolding of x-ray spectra from filter stack spectrometer data

We demonstrate the application of neural networks to perform x-ray spectra unfolding from data collected by filter stack spectrometers. A filter stack spectrometer consists of a series of filter-detector pairs, where the detectors behind each filter measure the energy deposition through each layer as photo-stimulated luminescence (PSL). The network is trained on synthetic data, assuming x-rays of energies < 1 MeV and of two different distribution functions (Maxwellian and Gaussian) and the corresponding measured PSL values obtained from five different filter stack spectrometer designs. Predicted unfolds of single distributions are near identical reproductions of the ground truth spectra, with differences in the values lower than 20% at the higher energy end in some cases. The neural network has also demonstrated robustness to experimental measurement errors of < 5% and some capability of performing unfolds for linear combinations of the two distributions without previous training. The network can perform unfolds at rates > 1 Hz, ideal for application to some high-repetition-rate systems.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Differential versus limiter-discriminator detection of narrow-band FM

The error probability performance of differential detection of narrow-band FM is determined and compared with the analogous results for limiter-discriminator detection of the same modulation. It is shown that over a large class of benign and hostile environments, e.g., Gaussian IF filter, AWGN, partial-band noise jamming, the differential detector offers no theoretical performance advantage over the limiter-discriminator receiver with integrate-and-dump postdetection filtering.

Simon, M. K.↗

Synchronous response modelling and control of an annular momentum control device

Research on the synchronous response modelling and control of an advanced Annular Momentun Control Device (AMCD) used to control the attitude of a spacecraft is described. For the flexible rotor AMCD, two sources of synchronous vibrations were identified. One source, which corresponds to the mass unbalance problem of rigid rotors suspended in conventional bearings, is caused by measurement errors of the rotor center of mass position. The other sources of synchronous vibrations is misalignment between the hub and flywheel masses of the AMCD. Four different control algorithms were examined. These were lead-lag compensators that mimic conventional bearing dynamics, tracking notch filters used in the feedback loop, tracking differential-notch filters, and model-based compensators. The tracking differential-notch filters were shown to have a number of advantages over more conventional approaches for both rigid-body rotor applications and flexible rotor applications such as the AMCD. Hardware implementation schemes for the tracking differential-notch filter were investigated. A simple design was developed that can be implemented with analog multipliers and low bandwidth, digital hardware.

Hockney, Richard↗

Digital filtering of plume emission spectra

Fourier transformation and digital filtering techniques were used to separate the superpositioned spectral phenomena observed in the exhaust plumes of liquid propellant rocket engines. Space shuttle main engine (SSME) spectral data were used to show that extraction of spectral lines in the spatial frequency domain does not introduce error, and extraction of the background continuum introduces only minimal error. Error introduced during band extraction could not be quantified due to poor spectrometer resolution. Based on the atomic and molecular species found in the SSME plume, it was determined that spectrometer resolution must be 0.03 nm for SSME plume spectral monitoring.

Madzsar, George C.↗

Digital filtering of plume emission spectra

Fourier transformation and digital filtering techniques were used to separate the superpositioned spectral phenomena observed in the exhaust plumes of liquid propellant rocket engines. Space shuttle main engine (SSME) spectral data were used to show that extraction of spectral lines in the spatial frequency domain does not introduce error, and extraction of the background continuum introduces only minimal error. Error introduced during band extraction could not be quantified due to poor spectrometer resolution. Based on the atomic and molecular species found in the SSME plume, it was determined that spectrometer resolution must be 0.03 nm for SSME plume spectral monitoring.

Madzsar, George C.↗

Study of a co-designed decision feedback equalizer, deinterleaver, and decoder

A technique that promises better quality data from band limited channels at lower received power in digital transmission systems is presented. Data transmission, in such systems often suffers from intersymbol interference (ISI) and noise. Two separate techniques, channel coding and equalization, have caused considerable advances in the state of communication systems and both concern themselves with removing the undesired effects of a communication channel. Equalizers mitigate the ISI whereas coding schemes are used to incorporate error-correction. In the past, most of the research in these two areas has been carried out separately. However, the individual techniques have strengths and weaknesses that are complementary in many applications: an integrated approach realizes gains in excess to that of a simple juxtaposition. Coding schemes have been successfully used in cascade with linear equalizers which in the absence of ISI provide excellent performance. However, when both ISI and the noise level are relatively high, nonlinear receivers like the decision feedback equalizer (DFE) perform better. The DFE has its drawbacks: it suffers from error propagation. The technique presented here takes advantage of interleaving to integrate the two approaches so that the error propagation in DFE can be reduced with the help of error correction provided by the decoder. The results of simulations carried out for both, binary, and non-binary, channels confirm that significant gain can be obtained by codesigning equalizer and decoder. Although, systems with time-invariant channels and simple DFE having linear filters were looked into, the technique is fairly general and can easily be modified for more sophisticated equalizers to obtain even larger gains.

Peile, Robert E.↗