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At least 1,441 records · Page 80

The ZTF Source Classification Project. I. Methods and Infrastructure

The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) has been observing the entire northern sky since the start of 2018 down to a magnitude of 20.5 (5σ for 30 s exposure) in the g, r, and i filters. Over the course of two years, ZTF has obtained light curves of more than a billion sources, each with 50–1000 epochs per light curve in g and r, and fewer in i. To be able to use the information contained in the light curves of variable sources for new scientific discoveries, an efficient and flexible framework is needed to classify them. In this paper, we introduce the methods and infrastructure that will be used to classify all ZTF light curves. Our approach aims to be flexible and modular and allows the use of a dynamical classification scheme and labels, continuously evolving training sets, and the use of different machine-learning classifier types and architectures. Finally with this setup, we are able to continuously update and improve the classification of ZTF light curves as new data become available, training samples are updated, and new classes need to be incorporated.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Aircraft ground vibration testing at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility, 1993

The NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility performs ground vibration testing to assess the structural characteristics of new and modified research vehicles. This paper updates the research activities, techniques used, and experiences in applying this technology to aircraft since 1987. Test equipment, data analysis methods, and test procedures used for typical test programs are discussed. The data presented illustrate the use of modal test and analysis in flight research programs for a variety of aircraft. This includes a technique to acquire control surface free-play measurements on the X-31 airplane more efficiently, and to assess the effects of structural modifications on the modal characteristics of an F-18 aircraft. In addition, the status and results from current research activities are presented. These data show the effectiveness of the discrete modal filter as a preprocessor to uncouple response measurements into simple single-degree-of-freedom responses, a database for the comparison of different excitation methods on a JetStar airplane, and the effect of heating on modal frequency and damping.

Kehoe, Michael W.↗

An efficient approach for statistical calculations with globally gridded filtered time series

The formulas for performing several statistical calculations based on Fourier coefficients are presented for use in atmospheric observational studies. The calculations discussed include a method for estimating the degree of temporal freedoms of two correlated time series and a method for performing seasonal analyses using a half-year summer/winter projection operator in the frequency domain. A modified lag-correlation calculation is proposed for obtaining lag correlations in the frequency domain. Also, a spectral approach for Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) and Extended EOF analysis is given which reduces the size of the matrix to be solved in the eigenproblem.

Gao, X. H.↗

Computer-generated 3D ultrasound images of the carotid artery

A method is under development to measure carotid artery lesions from a computer-generated three-dimensional ultrasound image. For each image, the position of the transducer in six coordinates (x, y, z, azimuth, elevation, and roll) is recorded and used to position each B-mode picture element in its proper spatial position in a three-dimensional memory array. After all B-mode images have been assembled in the memory, the three-dimensional image is filtered and resampled to produce a new series of parallel-plane two-dimensional images from which arterial boundaries are determined using edge tracking methods.

Selzer, Robert H.↗

AlphaBuilding ResCommunity: A multi-agent virtual testbed for community-level load coordination

Training and validating algorithms in a simulation testbed can accelerate research and applications of optimal control of residential loads to improve energy flexibility and grid resilience. We developed an open-source simulation environment, AlphaBuilding ResCommunity, that can be used to train and validate algorithms to control a single thermostatically controlled load (TCL) or coordinate a group of TCLs. We used reduced-order models to simulate the thermodynamics of TCLs, and the parameter values were determined from the connected smart thermostat data of real households. The environment was built upon the standardized OpenAI Gym interface. Ancillary functions, such as retrieving the parameters and weather forecasts, are provided to facilitate control strategies that require predictive information. Compared with existing efforts, AlphaBuilding ResCommunity has three advantages: (1) more realistic model settings because the parameter values are identified from actual household operating data, and modelling and measurement uncertainty are considered; (2) passive thermal storage control; and (3) ease of use due to a simple software dependency and standardized interface. We demonstrated the applications of the environment by implementing a Kalman Filter and Model Predictive Control on a single TCL and a Priority-Stack-Based Control and Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers to coordinate multiple TCLs for load tracking.

Wang, Z↗

DART-PFLOTRAN: An ensemble-based data assimilation system for estimating subsurface flow and transport model parameters

Ensemble-based Data Assimilation (EDA), based on the Monte Carlo approach, has been effectively applied to estimate model parameters through inverse modeling in subsurface flow and transport problems. However, implementation of EDA approach involves a complicated workflow that include setting up and executing ensemble forward model simulations, processing observations and model simulation results for parameter updates, and repeat for sequential or iterative EDA. To facilitate the management of such workflow and lower the barriers for adopting EDA-based parameter estimation in subsurface science, we develop a generic software frame-work linking the Data Assimilation Research Testbed (DART) with a massively parallel subsurface FLOw and TRANsport code PFLOTRAN. The new DART-PFLOTRAN leverages both the core data assimilation engines in DART and the computational power afforded by PFLOTRAN. In addition to the standard smoother and filtering options, DART-PFLOTRAN enables an iterative EDA workflow based on the Ensemble Smoother for Multiple Data Assimilation method (ES-MDA) to improve estimation accuracy for nonlinear forward problems. Here, we verify the implementation of ES-MDA in DART-PFLOTRAN using two synthetic cases designed to estimate static permeability and dynamic exchange fluxes across the riverbed, respectively, from continuous temperature measurements made across a depth profile. One-dimensional hydro-thermal simulations are performed in both cases to relate temperature responses with the parameters of interest. In the case of estimating dynamic parameters, we demonstrate the flexibility of DART-PFLOTRAN in automating sequential ES-MDA workflow, which will significantly reduce the time researchers spend on managing complex workflows in similar applications. Both studies yield accurate estimations of the parameters compared to their synthetic truth, while ES-MDA leads to more accurate estimation when a high level of nonlinearity exist between observed responses and unknown parameters. With a code base in Python and Fortran, DART-PFLOTRAN paves the way for applications in large-scale subsurface inverse modeling by automating the complex workflow of sequential ES-MDA that can be executed on various computing platforms.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Seeing through nuclear fuel: Three-dimensional, nondestructive X-ray microscopy and volumetric analyses of neutron-irradiated TRISO-coated fuel kernels

The three-dimensional (3D) characterization of nuclear fuel with X-ray microscopy has historically proven difficult, due to uranium’s high attenuation of easily accessible X-rays, both in a laboratory setting and at a synchrotron user facility. However, this imaging modality provides nondestructive information that can be used to investigate morphological changes arising from external stimuli (e.g., neutron irradiation, high-temperature testing). Using an appropriate X-ray energy spectrum and an adequate X-ray filter, suitable transmissions through properly sized nuclear fuel specimens can be achieved. Here, in this study, we present the methods and results of using a commercially available, laboratory-based X-ray microscope (XRM) to examine the extent of 3D morphological changes of tristructural isotropic (TRISO)-coated fuel particles, specifically uranium oxide/uranium carbide fuel kernels, after high-temperature neutron irradiation.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Analysis of ISOCS Measurements to Establish Methodology Uncertainty

Qualification measurements were performed at the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) on a variety of measurement standards. These measurements will be used to qualify the In-Situ Object Counting System (ISOCS) measurement method with a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector for use at ORNL. Measured items include uranium isotopic standards, filter papers coated with uranium oxide (U 3 O 8 ), U 3 O 8 line sources, and a uranium tetrafluoride (UF 4 ) source. The 235 U mass was estimated using the ISOCS calibration software for each source and compared with the declared isotope mass value.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Machine Learning-driven Molecular Design for Therapeutic Discovery

The ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has highlighted the need for new therapeutics to counter the threat of emerging viral pathogens. The main proteases are a promising target for developing antiviral inhibitors. In this work, we utilized a novel combination of artificial intelligence-driven iterative design of covalent inhibitor candidates, physics-based computational modeling of protein-inhibitor interactions, and “All in One” Native MS biophysical assay screening and characterization of therapeutic candidates. With our existing expertise in hit generation using a particular scaffold as a starting point, we first generated tens of thousands of compounds that preserve the key scaffold. In order to optimize the candidates, we calculated about 136 descriptors consisting of 2D and 3D features for molecules targeting the SARS-CoV-2 Main protease (Mpro). These compounds were initially filtered according to properties and further sorted by predicted binding affinity using our automated docking modeling and machine learning methods. We tested a handful of candidates and identified two as inhibitors of Mpro with micromolar affinities.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Digital controllers for VTOL aircraft

Using linear-optimal estimation and control techniques, digital-adaptive control laws have been designed for a tandem-rotor helicopter which is equipped for fully automatic flight in terminal area operations. Two distinct discrete-time control laws are designed to interface with velocity-command and attitude-command guidance logic, and each incorporates proportional-integral compensation for non-zero-set-point regulation, as well as reduced-order Kalman filters for sensor blending and noise rejection. Adaptation to flight condition is achieved with a novel gain-scheduling method based on correlation and regression analysis. The linear-optimal design approach is found to be a valuable tool in the development of practical multivariable control laws for vehicles which evidence significant coupling and insufficient natural stability.

Stengel, R. F.↗

Explicit large time-step schemes for the shallow water equations

Modifications to explicit finite difference schemes for solving the shallow water equations for meteorological applications by increasing the time step for the fast gravity waves are analyzed. Terms associated with the gravity waves in the shallow water equations are treated on a coarser grid than those associated with the slow Rossby waves, which contain much more of the available energy and must be treated with higher accuracy, enabling a several-fold increase in time step without degrading the accuracy of the solution. The method is presented in Cartesian and spherical coordinates for a rotating earth, using generalized leapfrog, frozen coefficient, and Fourier filtering finite difference schemes. Computational results verify the numerical stability of the approach.

Turkel, E.↗

Determination of instrumentation errors from measured data using maximum likelihood method

The maximum likelihood method is used for estimation of unknown initial conditions, constant bias and scale factor errors in measured flight data. The model for the system to be identified consists of the airplane six-degree-of-freedom kinematic equations, and the output equations specifying the measured variables. The estimation problem is formulated in a general way and then, for practical use, simplified by ignoring the effect of process noise. The algorithm developed is first applied to computer generated data having different levels of process noise for the demonstration of the robustness of the method. Then the real flight data are analyzed and the results compared with those obtained by the extended Kalman filter algorithm.

Keskar, D. A.↗

Data processing techniques used with MST radars: A review

The data processing methods used in high power radar probing of the middle atmosphere are examined. The radar acts as a spatial filter on the small scale refractivity fluctuations in the medium. The characteristics of the received signals are related to the statistical properties of these fluctuations. A functional outline of the components of a radar system is given. Most computation intensive tasks are carried out by the processor. The processor computes a statistical function of the received signals, simultaneously for a large number of ranges. The slow fading of atmospheric signals is used to reduce the data input rate to the processor by coherent integration. The inherent range resolution of the radar experiments can be improved significant with the use of pseudonoise phase codes to modulate the transmitted pulses and a corresponding decoding operation on the received signals. Commutability of the decoding and coherent integration operations is used to obtain a significant reduction in computations. The limitations of the processors are outlined. At the next level of data reduction, the measured function is parameterized by a few spectral moments that can be related to physical processes in the medium. The problems encountered in estimating the spectral moments in the presence of strong ground clutter, external interference, and noise are discussed. The graphical and statistical analysis of the inferred parameters are outlined. The requirements for special purpose processors for MST radars are discussed.

Rastogi, P. K.↗

Chemical warfare protection for the cockpit of future aircraft

Currently systems are being developed which will filter chemical and biological contaminants from crew station air. In order to maximize the benefits of these systems, a method of keeping the cockpit contaminant free during pilot ingress and egress is needed. One solution is to use a rectangular plastic curtain to seal the four edges of the canopy frame to the canopy sill. The curtain is stored in a tray which is recessed into the canopy sill and unfolds in accordion fashion as the canopy is raised. A two way zipper developed by Calspan could be used as an airlock between the pilot's oversuit and the cockpit. This system eliminates the pilot's need for heavy and restrictive CB gear because he would never be exposed to the chemical warfare environment.

Pickl, William C.↗

Wavelength division multiplexed fiber optic absolute position encoder

A wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) method for fiber optic sensors is proposed which uses a broadband light source and narrow bandpass thin film optical filter coatings on cylindrical graded index lenses. In the WDM system described here, all bits are multiplexed onto a single signal return fiber by assigning each bit a unique wavelength. A multielement photodetector array is used as the encoded position information is in parallel. Preliminary prototype test results are presented.

Park, Eric D.↗

Water vapor absorption coefficients in the 8-13-micron spectral region - A critical review

Measurements of water vapor absorption coefficients in the thermal IR atmospheric window (8-13 microns) during the past 20 years obtained by a variety of techniques are reviewed for consistency and compared with computed values based on the AFGL spectral data tapes. The methods of data collection considered were atmospheric long path absorption with a CO2 laser or a broadband source and filters, a White cell and a CO2 laser or a broadband source and a spectrometer, and a spectrophone with a CO2 laser. Advantages and disadvantages of each measurement approach are given as a guide to further research. Continuum absorption has apparently been measured accurately to about the 5-10 percent level in five of the measurements reported.

Grant, William B.↗

A morphological filter for removing 'Cirrus-like' emission from far-infrared extragalactic IRAS fields

The presence of diffuse extended IR emission from the Galaxy in the form of the so called 'Galactic Cirrus' emission has hampered the exploration of the extragalactic sky at long IR wavelengths. We describe the development of a filter based on mathematical morphology which appears to be a promising approach to the problem of cirrus removal. The method of Greyscale Morphology was applied to a 100 micron IRAS image of the M81 group of galaxies. This is an extragalactic field which suffers from serious contamination from foreground Galactic 'cirrus'. Using a technique called 'sieving', it was found that the cirrus emission has a characteristic behavior which can be quantified in terms of an average spatial structure spectrum or growth function. This function was then used to attempt to remove 'cirrus' from the entire image. The result was a significant reduction of cirrus emission by an intensity factor of 15 compared with the original input image. The method appears to preserve extended emission in the spatially extended IR disks of M81 and M82 as well as distinguishing fainter galaxies within bright regions of galactic cirrus. The techniques may also be applicable to IR databases obtained with the Cosmic Background Explorer.

Appleton, P. N.↗

Using AVIRIS for in-flight calibration of the spectral shifts of SPOT-HRV and of AVHRR?

The response of a satellite sensor varies during its lifetime; internal calibration devices can be used to follow the sensor degradation or in-flight calibrations are conducted from estimates of the radiance at satellite level for well predictable situations. Changes in gain are evaluated assuming that the spectral response of the sensor is stable with time; i.e., that the filter response as well as the optics or the electronics are not modified since the prelaunch determinations. Nevertheless, there is some evidence that the SPOT interferometer filters are affected by outgassing effects during the launch. Tests in vacuum chambers indicated a narrowing of the filters with a shift of the upper side towards the blue of about 10 nm which is more over consistant with the loss of gain observed during the launch. Also, during the lifetime of SPOT, the relationship between the loss of sensitivity and the filter bandwidth may correspond to this effect. On the other hand, the inconsistancy of the NOAA7 calibration between two methods (desert and ocean) having a different spectral sensitivity may indicate a spectral problem with a shift of the central wavelength of -20 nm. The basic idea here is to take advantage of the good spectral definition of AVIRIS to monitor these potential spectral degradations with an experimental opportunity provided by a field campaign held in La Crau (S.E. of France) in June 1991 which associated ground-based measurements and AVIRIS, SPOT2, NOAA-11 overpasses over both the calibration site of La Crau and an agricultural area.

Willart-Soufflet, Veronique↗