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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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NASA NTRS2003

Phase Retrieval Using a Genetic Algorithm on the Systematic Image-Based Optical Alignment Testbed

NASA s Marshall Space Flight Center s Systematic Image-Based Optical Alignment (SIBOA) Testbed was developed to test phase retrieval algorithms and hardware techniques. Individuals working with the facility developed the idea of implementing phase retrieval by breaking the determination of the tip/tilt of each mirror apart from the piston motion (or translation) of each mirror. Presented in this report is an algorithm that determines the optimal phase correction associated only with the piston motion of the mirrors. A description of the Phase Retrieval problem is first presented. The Systematic Image-Based Optical Alignment (SIBOA) Testbeb is then described. A Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) is necessary to transfer the incoming wavefront (or estimate of phase error) into the spatial frequency domain to compare it with the image. A method for reducing the DFT to seven scalar/matrix multiplications is presented. A genetic algorithm is then used to search for the phase error. The results of this new algorithm on a test problem are presented.

Taylor, Jaime R.↗

NASA NTRS2010

3D GeoWall Analysis System for Shuttle External Tank Foreign Object Debris Events

An analytical, advanced imaging method has been developed for the initial monitoring and identification of foam debris and similar anomalies that occur post-launch in reference to the space shuttle s external tank (ET). Remote sensing technologies have been used to perform image enhancement and analysis on high-resolution, true-color images collected with the DCS 760 Kodak digital camera located in the right umbilical well of the space shuttle. Improvements to the camera, using filters, have added sharpness/definition to the image sets; however, image review/analysis of the ET has been limited by the fact that the images acquired by umbilical cameras during launch are two-dimensional, and are usually nonreferenceable between frames due to rotation translation of the ET as it falls away from the space shuttle. Use of stereo pairs of these images can enable strong visual indicators that can immediately portray depth perception of damaged areas or movement of fragments between frames is not perceivable in two-dimensional images. A stereoscopic image visualization system has been developed to allow 3D depth perception of stereo-aligned image pairs taken from in-flight umbilical and handheld digital shuttle cameras. This new system has been developed to augment and optimize existing 2D monitoring capabilities. Using this system, candidate sequential image pairs are identified for transformation into stereo viewing pairs. Image orientation is corrected using control points (similar points) between frames to place the two images in proper X-Y viewing perspective. The images are then imported into the WallView stereo viewing software package. The collected control points are used to generate a transformation equation that is used to re-project one image and effectively co-register it to the other image. The co-registered, oriented image pairs are imported into a WallView image set and are used as a 3D stereo analysis slide show. Multiple sequential image pairs can be used to allow forensic review of temporal phenomena between pairs. The observer, while wearing linear polarized glasses, is able to review image pairs in passive 3D stereo.

Brown, Richard↗

NASA NTRS2019

The Inter-Calibration of the DSCOVR EPIC Imager 2 with Aqua-MODIS and NPP-VIIRS

The Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) continuously observes the illuminated disk from the Lagrange-1 point. The EPIC sensor was designed to monitor the diurnal variation of ozone, clouds, aerosols, and vegetation, especially those features that benefit from observation near-backscatter conditions. The EPIC sensor does not contain any onboard calibration systems. This study describes the inter-calibration of EPIC channels 5 (0.44 μm), 6 (0.55 μm), 7 (0.68 μm), and 10 (0.78 μm) with respect to Aqua-MODIS and NPP-VIIRS. The calibration is transferred using coincident ray-matched reflectance pairs over all-sky tropical ocean (ATO) and deep convective cloud (DCC) targets. A robust and automated image-alignment technique based on feature matching was formulated to improve the navigation quality of the EPIC images. The EPIC V02 dataset exhibits improved navigation over V01. Because the visible channels display similar spatial features, a single visible channel can be used to co-register the remaining visible bands. The VIIRS-referenced EPIC ATO and DCC ray-matched calibration coefficients are within 0.3%. The EPIC four-year calibration trends based on VIIRS are within 0.15%/year. The MODIS-based EPIC calibration coefficients were compared against the Geogdzhayev and Marshak 2018 published calibration coefficients and are found to be within 1.6%.

DSCOVR↗

NASA NTRS2005

Methodology for the Elimination of Reflection and System Vibration Effects in Particle Image Velocimetry Data Processing

A methodology to eliminate model reflection and system vibration effects from post processed particle image velocimetry data is presented. Reflection and vibration lead to loss of data, and biased velocity calculations in PIV processing. A series of algorithms were developed to alleviate these problems. Reflections emanating from the model surface caused by the laser light sheet are removed from the PIV images by subtracting an image in which only the reflections are visible from all of the images within a data acquisition set. The result is a set of PIV images where only the seeded particles are apparent. Fiduciary marks painted on the surface of the test model were used as reference points in the images. By locating the centroids of these marks it was possible to shift all of the images to a common reference frame. This image alignment procedure as well as the subtraction of model reflection are performed in a first algorithm. Once the images have been shifted, they are compared with a background image that was recorded under no flow conditions. The second and third algorithms find the coordinates of fiduciary marks in the acquisition set images and the background image and calculate the displacement between these images. The final algorithm shifts all of the images so that fiduciary mark centroids lie in the same location as the background image centroids. This methodology effectively eliminated the effects of vibration so that unbiased data could be used for PIV processing. The PIV data used for this work was generated at the NASA Langley Research Center Quiet Flow Facility. The experiment entailed flow visualization near the flap side edge region of an airfoil model. Commercial PIV software was used for data acquisition and processing. In this paper, the experiment and the PIV acquisition of the data are described. The methodology used to develop the algorithms for reflection and system vibration removal is stated, and the implementation, testing and validation of these algorithms are presented.

Bremmer, David M.↗

DOE OSTI2019

Nanoporous gold: a hierarchical and multiscale 3D test pattern for characterizing X-ray nano-tomography systems

Full-field transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM) is a well established technique, available at various synchrotron beamlines around the world as well as by laboratory benchtop devices. One of the major TXM challenges, due to its nanometre-scale resolution, is the overall instrument stability during the acquisition of the series of tomographic projections. The ability to correct for vertical and horizontal distortions of each projection image during acquisition is necessary in order to achieve the effective 3D spatial resolution. The effectiveness of such an image alignment is also heavily influenced by the absorption properties and strong contrast of specific features in the scanned sample. Here it is shown that nanoporous gold (NPG) can be used as an ideal 3D test pattern for evaluating and optimizing the performance of a TXM instrument for hard X-rays at a synchrotron beamline. Unique features of NPG, such as hierarchical structures at multiple length scales and high absorbing capabilities, makes it an ideal choice for characterization, which involves a combination of a rapid-alignment algorithm applied on the acquired projections followed by the extraction of a set of both 2D- and 3D-descriptive image parameters. This protocol can be used for comparing the efficiency of TXM instruments at different synchrotron beamlines in the world or benchtop devices, based on a reference library of scanned NPG samples, containing information about the estimated horizontal and vertical alignment values, 2D qualitative parameters and quantitative 3D parameters. The possibility to tailor the ligament sizes of NPG to match the achievable resolution in combination with the high electron density of gold makes NPG an ideal 3D test pattern for evaluating the status and performance of a given synchrotron-based or benchtop-based TXM setup.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2017

The JCMT Transient Survey: Data Reduction and Calibration Methods

Though there has been a significant amount of work investigating the early stages of low-mass star formation in recent years, the evolution of the mass assembly rate onto the central protostar remains largely unconstrained. Examining in depth the variation in this rate is critical to understanding the physics of star formation. Instabilities in the outer and inner circumstellar disk can lead to episodic outbursts. Observing these brightness variations at infrared or submillimeter wavelengths constrains the current accretion models. The JCMT Transient Survey is a three-year project dedicated to studying the continuum variability of deeply embedded protostars in eight nearby star-forming regions at a one-month cadence. We use the SCUBA-2 instrument to simultaneously observe these regions at wavelengths of 450 and 850 μ m. In this paper, we present the data reduction techniques, image alignment procedures, and relative flux calibration methods for 850 μ m data. We compare the properties and locations of bright, compact emission sources fitted with Gaussians over time. Doing so, we achieve a spatial alignment of better than 1″ between the repeated observations and an uncertainty of 2%–3% in the relative peak brightness of significant, localized emission. This combination of imaging performance is unprecedented in ground-based, single-dish submillimeter observations. Finally, we identify a few sources that show possible and confirmed brightness variations. These sources will be closely monitored and presented in further detail in additional studies throughout the duration of the survey.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2024

3D imaging of magnetic domains in Nd 2 Fe 14 B using scanning hard X-ray nanotomography

Nanoscale structural and electronic heterogeneities are prevalent in condensed matter physics. Investigating these heterogeneities in 3D has become an important task for understanding material properties. To provide a tool to unravel the connection between nanoscale heterogeneity and macroscopic emergent properties in magnetic materials, scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) is combined with X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. A vector tomography algorithm has been developed to reconstruct the full 3D magnetic vector field without any prior noise assumptions or knowledge about the sample. Two tomographic scans around the vertical axis are acquired on single-crystalline Nd 2 Fe 14 B pillars tilted at two different angles, with 2D STXM projections recorded using a focused 120 nm X-ray beam with left and right circular polarization. Image alignment and iterative registration have been implemented based on the 2D STXM projections for the two tilts. Dichroic projections obtained from difference images are used for the tomographic reconstruction to obtain the 3D magnetization distribution at the nanoscale.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Multi-frame, ultrafast, x-ray microscope for imaging shockwave dynamics

Inertial confinement fusion (ICF) holds increasing promise as a potential source of abundant, clean energy, but has been impeded by defects such as micro-voids in the ablator layer of the fuel capsules. It is critical to understand how these micro-voids interact with the laser-driven shock waves that compress the fuel pellet. At the Matter in Extreme Conditions (MEC) instrument at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), we utilized an x-ray pulse train with ns separation, an x-ray microscope, and an ultrafast x-ray imaging (UXI) detector to image shock wave interactions with micro-voids. To minimize the high- and low-frequency variations of the captured images, we incorporated principal component analysis (PCA) and image alignment for flat-field correction. After applying these techniques we generated phase and attenuation maps from a 2D hydrodynamic radiation code (xRAGE), which were used to simulate XPCI images that we qualitatively compare with experimental images, providing a one-to-one comparison for benchmarking material performance. Moreover, we implement a transport-of-intensity (TIE) based method to obtain the average projected mass density (areal density) of our experimental images, yielding insight into how defect-bearing ablator materials alter microstructural feature evolution, material compression, and shock wave propagation on ICF-relevant time scales.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

NASA NTRS2013

Support Routines for In Situ Image Processing

This software consists of a set of application programs that support ground-based image processing for in situ missions. These programs represent a collection of utility routines that perform miscellaneous functions in the context of the ground data system. Each one fulfills some specific need as determined via operational experience. The most unique aspect to these programs is that they are integrated into the large, in situ image processing system via the PIG (Planetary Image Geometry) library. They work directly with space in situ data, understanding the appropriate image meta-data fields and updating them properly. The programs themselves are completely multimission; all mission dependencies are handled by PIG. This suite of programs consists of: (1)marscahv: Generates a linearized, epi-polar aligned image given a stereo pair of images. These images are optimized for 1-D stereo correlations, (2) marscheckcm: Compares the camera model in an image label with one derived via kinematics modeling on the ground, (3) marschkovl: Checks the overlaps between a list of images in order to determine which might be stereo pairs. This is useful for non-traditional stereo images like long-baseline or those from an articulating arm camera, (4) marscoordtrans: Translates mosaic coordinates from one form into another, (5) marsdispcompare: Checks a Left Right stereo disparity image against a Right Left disparity image to ensure they are consistent with each other, (6) marsdispwarp: Takes one image of a stereo pair and warps it through a disparity map to create a synthetic opposite- eye image. For example, a right eye image could be transformed to look like it was taken from the left eye via this program, (7) marsfidfinder: Finds fiducial markers in an image by projecting their approximate location and then using correlation to locate the markers to subpixel accuracy. These fiducial markets are small targets attached to the spacecraft surface. This helps verify, or improve, the pointing of in situ cameras, (8) marsinvrange: Inverse of marsrange . given a range file, re-computes an XYZ file that closely matches the original. . marsproj: Projects an XYZ coordinate through the camera model, and reports the line/sample coordinates of the point in the image, (9) marsprojfid: Given the output of marsfidfinder, projects the XYZ locations and compares them to the found locations, creating a report showing the fiducial errors in each image. marsrad: Radiometrically corrects an image, (10) marsrelabel: Updates coordinate system or camera model labels in an image, (11) marstiexyz: Given a stereo pair, allows the user to interactively pick a point in each image and reports the XYZ value corresponding to that pair of locations. marsunmosaic: Extracts a single frame from a mosaic, which will be created such that it could have been an input to the original mosaic. Useful for creating simulated input frames using different camera models than the original mosaic used, and (12) merinverter: Uses an inverse lookup table to convert 8-bit telemetered data to its 12-bit original form. Can be used in other missions despite the name.

Deen, Robert G.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Characterization of Measurement Error Sources in Doppler Global Velocimetry

Doppler global velocimetry uses the absorption characteristics of iodine vapor to provide instantaneous three-component measurements of flow velocity within a plane defined by a laser light sheet. Although the technology is straightforward, its utilization as a flow diagnostics tool requires hardening of the optical system and careful attention to detail during data acquisition and processing if routine use in wind tunnel applications is to be achieved. A development program that reaches these goals is presented. Theoretical and experimental investigations were conducted on each technology element to determine methods that increase measurement accuracy and repeatability. Enhancements resulting from these investigations included methods to ensure iodine vapor calibration stability, single frequency operation of the laser and image alignment to sub-pixel accuracies. Methods were also developed to improve system calibration, and eliminate spatial variations of optical frequency in the laser output, spatial variations in optical transmissivity and perspective and optical distortions in the data images. Each of these enhancements is described and experimental examples given to illustrate the improved measurement performance obtained by the enhancement. The culmination of this investigation was the measured velocity profile of a rotating wheel resulting in a 1.75% error in the mean with a standard deviation of 0.5 m/s. Comparing measurements of a jet flow with corresponding Pitot measurements validated the use of these methods for flow field applications.

Meyers, James F.↗

DOE OSTI2026

Automation of Laser Plasma Focused Ion Beam Microscopy for Next-Gen Energy Materials

Automation can revolutionize the use of ultrafast laser ablation and plasma-focused ion beam (PFIB) techniques for high-throughput, reproducible cross-sectioning and various sample preparation in materials characterization. As these methods become essential for analyzing complex energy materials and next-generation devices, efficient, standardized workflows are needed to minimize variability and enhance precision. This work highlights our advancements in developing automated processes for sample preparation that integrates machine learning, workflow optimization, and large-scale data acquisition to improve efficiency and scalability in applications such as electrolyzers, photovoltaic cells, and microelectronics. To streamline cross-sectioning and lamella fabrication, we have implemented fully automated workflows that standardize laser ablation and PFIB milling sequences. These workflows incorporate pre-programmed protocols for material removal, alignment, and thinning, reducing user intervention and ensuring consistency across different sample types. Machine learning algorithms further enhance automation by predicting optimal milling strategies and adapting parameters based on material properties and sectioning requirements. This approach significantly improves throughput while maintaining the structural integrity of prepared samples for high-resolution imaging and analysis, including transmission electron microscopy. Beyond sample preparation, our automation platform enables the acquisition of large, high-resolution datasets through serial sectioning, image alignment, and 3D reconstruction. These automated routines facilitate multi-scale characterization, capturing structural and compositional details from the nanoscale to the device level. By reducing variability and increasing efficiency, our automated approach enhances defect analysis, failure diagnostics, and process optimization, accelerating advancements in materials research and device engineering.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS2018

Surface Reconstruction of a Challenging Region with Permanent Shadows on the Moon

As the Earth is orbiting the Sun, there is the region a sunlight can't be reached on the Moon, a satellite of the Earth. Usually, the permanent shadows are located near a pole area and the surface reconstruction in the permanent shadows region is challenging because of the lack of sunlight.In this research, the reconstruction method containing the permanent shadows is suggested. To apply this method, the time-varying shadow region and a permanently shadowed region are needed to be separated. In the time-varying shadow region, the pixel intensity of the image can be composed of the albedo and the reflectance model. Using the light source direction from ISIS3 of USGS, the shape of the region can be extracted from the reflectance model. Though this region is visible in the camera, the change of illumination is quite large in this region, it is hard to reconstruct the shape using stereo-photogrammetry or SfS. So, it is needed of collecting more surface normal information from several pixel level-aligned images. In this process, the albedo information can be initialized and enhanced easily from many images.In the middle of permanent shadows, the high-resolution DEM is generated by LOLA DEM. The LOLA DEM is generated by interpolation between measured data point strips, the actual scene of the permanent shadows. Using the sensor like DIVINER, the Imaginary scene generation via a trained network between the sunlight sensor and other kinds of a sensor is suggested.

Moon, Sunghyun↗

DOE OSTI2023

High-bandwidth image-based predictive laser stabilization via optimized Fourier filters

Controlling the delivery of kHz-class pulsed lasers is of interest in a variety of industrial and scientific applications, from next-generation laser-plasma acceleration to laser-based x-ray emission and high-precision manufacturing. The transverse position of the laser pulse train on the application target is often subject to fluctuations by external drivers (e.g., room cooling and heating systems, motorized optics stages and mounts, vacuum systems, chillers, and/or ground vibrations). For typical situations where the disturbance spectrum exhibits discrete peaks on top of a broad-bandwidth lower-frequency background, traditional PID (proportional-integral-derivative) controllers may struggle, since as a general rule PID controllers can be used to suppress vibrations up to only about 5%–10% of the sampling frequency. Here, a predictive feed-forward algorithm is presented that significantly enhances the stabilization bandwidth in such laser systems (up to the Nyquist limit at half the sampling frequency) by online identification and filtering of one or a few discrete frequencies using optimized Fourier filters. Furthermore, the system architecture demonstrated here uses off-the-shelf CMOS cameras and piezo-electric actuated mirrors connected to a standard PC to process the alignment images and implement the algorithm. To avoid high-end, high-cost components, a machine-learning-based model of the piezo mirror’s dynamics was integrated into the system, which enables high-precision positioning by compensating for hysteresis and other hardware-induced effects. A successful demonstration of the method was performed on a 1 kHz laser pulse train, where externally-induced vibrations of up to 400 Hz were attenuated by a factor of five, far exceeding what could be done with a standard PID scheme.

Natal, Joseph↗

DOE OSTI2025

ecospec v0.1.0

Bespoke software for segmenting plants in ecoFABs to monitor growth and health. Contains python libraries for image alignment, training neural networks and running inference.

Zwart, PetrusH [Lawrence Berkeley National Laborat↗

DOE OSTI2025

Hyperspectral segmentation of plants in fabricated ecosystems

Hyperspectral imaging provides a powerful tool for analyzing above-ground plant characteristics in fabricated ecosystems, offering rich spectral information across diverse wavelengths. This study presents an efficient workflow for hyperspectral data segmentation and subsequent data analytics, minimizing the need for user annotation through the use of ensembles of sparse mixed scale convolution neural networks. The segmentation process leverages the diversity of ensembles to achieve high accuracy with minimal labeled data, reducing labor-intensive annotation efforts. To further enhance robustness, we incorporate image alignment techniques to address spatial variability in the dataset. Downstream analysis focuses on using the segmented data for processing spectral data, enabling monitoring of plant health. This approach provides a scalable solution for spectral segmentation, and facilitates actionable insights into plant conditions in complex, controlled environments. Our results demonstrate the utility of combining advanced machine learning techniques with hyperspectral analytics for high-throughput plant monitoring.

Zwart, Petrus H.↗

DOE OSTI2019

Quantitative capabilities of STXM to measure spatially resolved organic volume fractions of mixed organic/inorganic particles

Scanning transmission X-ray microscopy coupled with near-edge X-ray absorption and fine structure (STXM-NEXAFS) spectroscopy can be used to characterize the morphology and composition of aerosol particles. Here, two inorganic/organic systems are used to validate the calculation of organic volume fraction (OVF) and determine the level of associated error by using carbon K-edge STXM data at 278, 285.4, 288.6, and 320 eV. Using the mixture of sodium chloride and sucrose as one system and ammonium sulfate and sucrose as another, three solutions were made with 10:1, 1:1, and 1:10 mass ratios (inorganic to organic). The OVFs of the organic-rich aerosols of both systems deviated from the bulk OVF by less than 1%, while the inorganic-rich aerosols deviated by approximately 1 %. Aerosols from the equal mass mixture deviated more (about 4 %) due to thick inorganic regions exceeding the linear range of Beer's law. These calculations were performed after checking the data for poor image alignment, defocusing issues, and particles too thick to be analyzed. The potential for systematic error in the OVF calculation was also tested by assuming the incorrect composition. There is a small (about 0.5 %) OVF difference if the organic is erroneously assumed to be adipic acid rather than the known organic, sucrose. A much larger difference (up to 25 %) is seen if sodium chloride is assumed instead of ammonium sulfate. These results show that the OVF calculations are fairly insensitive to the organic while being much more sensitive to the choice of inorganic.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

NASA NTRS1984

Broad band X-ray astronomical spectroscopy

The Broad Band X-Ray Telescope (BBXRT) experiment has been designed for high sensitivity, moderate resolution spectrophotometry of cosmic sources in the range 0.5 to 12 keV. Principal elements are two co-aligned imaging telescopes with cooled Si(Li) detectors at each focus. The mirror design uses an approximate geometry of tightly nested, conical, foil reflectors that allow a large filling factor (high throughput) at small grazing angles (high energy response). Each detector consists of a cluster of five elements defined with grooves on a single crystal. This arrangement affords some spatial resolution as well as a means of substantial background reduction. Shuttle borne measurements will typically be of 2000 s duration for sources with a flux of 10 to the -12 erg/sq cm-s.

Serlemitsos, P. J.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Geometric accuracy assessment of Landsat-4 Thematic Mapper p-tapes

An analysis was performed on the P-format computer compatible tapes for the Landsat-4 Thematic Mapper (TM) scene 40109-15140 acquired November 2, 1982 over Washington, D.C. and environs. Three tests of sensor geometry were undertaken: (1) band-to-band registration, (2) line-to-line registration between swaths, and (3) geometric correction of sensor and spacecraft/ephemeris characteristics. The band-to-band and line-to-line registration was measured at one hundred pixel spacings along a line using the phase correlation image alignment method developed by Kuglin and Hines and adapted to a one-dimensional FFT correlation technique. The sensor and spacecraft geometric calibration analysis was checked by identifying 75 ground control points in the TM scene and on 1:24,000 topographic maps. A least squares fit of the gaps was computed and the vector offsets of the residuals was tabulated and plotted.

Bryant, N. A.↗