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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.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Tetris-inspired detector with neural network for radiation mapping

Abstract Radiation mapping has attracted widespread research attention and increased public concerns on environmental monitoring. Regarding materials and their configurations, radiation detectors have been developed to identify the position and strength of the radioactive sources. However, due to the complex mechanisms of radiation-matter interaction and data limitation, high-performance and low-cost radiation mapping is still challenging. Here, we present a radiation mapping framework using Tetris-inspired detector pixels. Applying inter-pixel padding for enhancing contrast between pixels and neural networks trained with Monte Carlo (MC) simulation data, a detector with as few as four pixels can achieve high-resolution directional prediction. A moving detector with Maximum a Posteriori (MAP) further achieved radiation position localization. Field testing with a simple detector has verified the capability of the MAP method for source localization. Our framework offers an avenue for high-quality radiation mapping with simple detector configurations and is anticipated to be deployed for real-world radiation detection.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

A Behavioral Robotics Approach to Radiation Mapping Using Adaptive Sampling

Radiation mapping is a desirable task to automate because of the inherent risks involved and its tedious nature. A novel system was designed to address this by combining various existing technologies, utilizing behavior-based robotics and Bayesian optimization. The system uses a quadruped robot equipped with a manipulator and gamma detector to take measurements at locations that are selected based on the uncertainty of a surrogate model used to estimate the true radiation field. The robot uses input from the world with depth cameras to avoid collisions with the robot’s body, and unreachable points for the end effector are addressed by both allowing for a soft collision with the environment to occur, prompting the system to abandon that point, and varying the exploration tendency of the optimization based on consecutive collisions. This approach provides unique traversability and adaptability over other strategies in the literature. Experiments were performed by placing a Cesium-137 source on the ground and varying geometric setups and an optimization parameter demonstrating the adaptability to diverse environments and the increased robustness resulting from the designed behavior. The results additionally demonstrate that dynamically adjusting the optimization algorithm’s exploration tendency based on the arm’s collision history improves the system’s ability to navigate cluttered environments and construct accurate radiation maps without getting stuck in unreachable areas.

Adams, Joel↗
NASA NTRS1985

Radiation mapping on Spacelab 1: Experiment no. INS006

The first attempt at mapping the radiation environment inside Spacelab is described. Measurements were made by a set of passive radiation detectors distributed throughout the volume inside the Spacelab 1 module, in the access tunnel and outside on the pallet. Measurements of the low linear energy transfer (LET) component obtained from the TLD thermoluminescent detectors (TLD) ranged from 92 to 134 mrad, yielding an average low LET dose rate of 10.0 mrads/day inside the module. Because of the higher inclination orbit, substantial fluxes of highly ionizing (HZE particles) high charge and energy galactic cosmic rays were observed for the first time on an STS flight, yielding an overall average mission dose-equivalent of 295 mrem, or 29.5 mrem/day, which is about three times higher than that measured on previous STS missions. Little correlation is found between measured average dose rates or HZE fluences and the estimates shielding throughout the volume of the module.

Benton, E. V.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Means for mapping radiated fields and for measuring differential movement of antenna elements

Null seeking system uses two transponders located at selected points on dish to detect phase-front of received signal. One signal line has continuously variable phase shifter driven by reversible stepmotor. Each of two transponders on dish is a dipole with mixer crystal between elements. Crystal is driven, in turn, by 181.6MHz signal carried by miniature coaxial cable.

Lundy, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Pellet bed reactor for nuclear propelled vehicles: Part 2: Missions and vehicle integration trades

Mission and vehicle integration tradeoffs involving the use of the pellet bed reactor (PBR) for nuclear powered vehicles is discussed, with much of the information being given in viewgraph form. Information is given on propellant tank geometries, shield weight requirements for conventional tank configurations, effective specific impulse, radiation mapping, radiation dose rate after shutdown, space transfer vehicle design data, a Mars mission summary, sample pellet bed nuclear orbit transfer vehicle mass breakdown, and payload fraction vs. velocity increment.

Haloulakos, V. E.↗
NASA NTRS1970

Climatology of urban regional systems

The combining of remote sensing technologies to urban-regional energy climatology is studied. It was found to be three dimensional with a mosaic urban surface, each smaller surface with its own radiant and thermal properties. Urban patterns of radiant exchange were found to be constantly changing during diurnal and annual cycles. Results were derived from Barbados data using remote methods for monitoring and mapping radiation. Isoline maps of terrestrial radiation patterns were made generalizing the minute patterns of the scan image.

Pease, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Radiation environment mapping

An experimental set up to map the cosmic radiation field inside the Spacelab vehicle to determine the potential biological hazards present is described. In addition to the integral linear energy transfer (LET) spectrum for protons and HZE particles, the parameters to be determined include the total radiation dose; fluence of neutrons, protons, and high charge and energy (HZE) particles. These results are to be derived from measurements made in passive dosimeters.

Benton, E. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Radiation balance mapping with multispectral scanner data.

Energy budget and radiation balance relationships have been measured from the ground by investigators in several disciplines. Airborne and spaceborne multispectral sensors provide a new measurement capability for large-area synoptic mapping of these quantities. Procedures for estimating and mapping total exitance and radiation balance from multispectral scanner data are discussed, and example maps for an agricultural application are presented. This information extraction technique is an extension of the usual recognition mapping performed with multispectral scanner data, and represents a first step in the quantitative interpretation and assessment of surface conditions with remote sensor data.

Malila, W. A.↗