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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 55 records · Page 3

Algorithms for airborne Doppler radar wind shear detection

Honeywell has developed algorithms for the detection of wind shear/microburst using airborne Doppler radar. The Honeywell algorithms use three dimensional pattern recognition techniques and the selection of an associated scanning pattern forward of the aircraft. This 'volumetric scan' approach acquires reflectivity, velocity, and spectral width from a three dimensional volume as opposed to the conventional use of a two dimensional azimuthal slice of data at a fixed elevation. The algorithm approach is based on detection and classification of velocity patterns which are indicative of microburst phenomenon while minimizing the false alarms due to ground clutter return. Simulation studies of microburst phenomenon and x-band radar interaction with the microburst have been performed and results of that study are presented. Algorithm performance indetection of both 'wet' and 'dry' microbursts is presented.

Gillberg, Jeff↗

Aquarius RFI Detection and Mitigation Algorithm: Assessment and Examples

Aquarius is an L-band radiometer system designed to map sea surface salinity from space. This is a sensitive measurement, and protection from radio frequency interference (RFI) is important for success. An initial look at the performance of the Aquarius RFI detection and mitigation algorithm is reported together with examples of the global distribution of RFI at the L-band. To protect against RFI, Aquarius employs rapid sampling (10 ms) and a "glitch" detection algorithm that looks for outliers among the samples. Samples identified as RFI are removed, and the remainder is averaged to produce an RFI-free signal for the salinity retrieval algorithm. The RFI detection algorithm appears to work well over the ocean with modest rates for false alarms (5%) and missed detection. The global distribution of RFI coincides well with population centers and is consistent with observations reported by the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity mission.

remote sensing↗

Stochastic performance modeling and evaluation of obstacle detectability with imaging range sensors

Statistical modeling and evaluation of the performance of obstacle detection systems for Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) is essential for the design, evaluation, and comparison of sensor systems. In this report, we address this issue for imaging range sensors by dividing the evaluation problem into two levels: quality of the range data itself and quality of the obstacle detection algorithms applied to the range data. We review existing models of the quality of range data from stereo vision and AM-CW LADAR, then use these to derive a new model for the quality of a simple obstacle detection algorithm. This model predicts the probability of detecting obstacles and the probability of false alarms, as a function of the size and distance of the obstacle, the resolution of the sensor, and the level of noise in the range data. We evaluate these models experimentally using range data from stereo image pairs of a gravel road with known obstacles at several distances. The results show that the approach is a promising tool for predicting and evaluating the performance of obstacle detection with imaging range sensors.

Matthies, Larry↗

Synthetic aperture radar target detection, feature extraction, and image formation techniques

This report presents new algorithms for target detection, feature extraction, and image formation with the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology. For target detection, we consider target detection with SAR and coherent subtraction. We also study how the image false alarm rates are related to the target template false alarm rates when target templates are used for target detection. For feature extraction from SAR images, we present a computationally efficient eigenstructure-based 2D-MODE algorithm for two-dimensional frequency estimation. For SAR image formation, we present a robust parametric data model for estimating high resolution range signatures of radar targets and for forming high resolution SAR images.

Li, Jian↗

Health monitoring system for the SSME - Program overview

This paper considers the design of a health management system (HMS) program for enhancement of the safety of SSME operations during ground tests and space missions. The fault detection techniques based on time series, nonlinear regression, and clustering algorithms were developed and were demonstrated based on data from SSME ground test failures. The fault detection algorithms of the HMS system exhibited 100 percent detection of faults and an extremely low fault alarm rate, and were robust to sensor loss. A preliminary design of hardware architecture capable of supporting real-time operation of the HMS functions is described.

Hawman, Michael W.↗

Next generation fire suppressants

Spectrex, Inc., located in Cedar Grove, NJ is a manufacturer of fire detection and suppression equipment. Spectrex is one of the original pioneers in high speed fire detection and suppression systems for combat vehicles. Spectrex has installed fire suppressions systems in thousands of combat vehicles and ships throughout the world. Additionally, they manufacture flame explosion detectors, ship damage control systems, and optical gas and vapor detectors. The culmination of several years of research and development has recently produced an innovative electro-optical continuous monitoring systems called SharpEye 20/20I IR(sup 3) and SAFEYE that provide fast and reliable gas, vapor, aerosol, flame, and explosion detection. SharpEye 20/20I IR(sup 3) is a self-contained triple spectrum flame detector which scans for oscillating IR radiation (1 to 10 Hz) in the spectral bands ranging from 4.0 to 5.0 microns and uses programmed algorithms to check the ratio and correlation of data received by the three sensors to make the system highly immune to false alarms. It is extremely sensitive as it can detect a 1 x 1 square foot gasoline pan fire at 200 feet in less than 3 seconds. The sensitivity is user programmable, offering 4 ranges of detection. SAFEYE is comprised of a selected number of multispectral ban microprocessors controlled detectors which are in communication with one or more radiation sources that is projected along a 600 feet optical path. The signals from the selected narrow bands are processed and analyzed by highly sophisticated algorithms. It is ideal for high risk, remote, large areas such as petroleum and chemical manufacturing sites, waste dumps, aircraft cargo bays, and ship compartments. The SAFEYE will perform direct readings of the presence or rate of rise of concentrations of gases, vapors, or aerosols at the range of parts per million and provide alarms at various set points at different levels of concentrations.

Brown, Jerry A.↗

STRV RADMON: An Integrated High-Energy Particle Detector

The RADMON (Radiation Monitor) was developed as a compact device with a 4-kbit SRAM particle detector and two p-FET total dose monitors. Thus it can be used as a spacecraft radiation alarm and in situ total dose monitor. This paper discusses the design and calibration of the SRAM for proton, alpha, and heavy ion detection. Upset rates for the RADMON, based on a newly developed space particle flux algorithm, are shown to vary over eight orders of magnitude.

RADMON↗

Design for Vibration Monitoring: A Methodology for Reliable and Cost-Effective Vibration Monitoring

The purpose of health monitoring systems is to detect failures or defects for increased safety and performance and to provide on-condition maintenance with reduced costs. The problems associated with health monitoring systems include high rates of false alarms and missed failures, which make monitoring an unreliable and costly task. The reason for this is that unaccounted variations invalidate signal modeling assumptions. Our approach was to focus on vibration monitoring of rotating components. We analyzed baseline signals to determine statistical variations, identify and model factors that influence vibrations (pre-production vs. post-production variations), determine hit and false alarm rates with baseline flight data, model and predict effects of defects and variations on vibrations, and develop algorithms and metrics for failure and anomaly detection in the presence of variations.

Tumer, Irem Y.↗

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.↗

Detection and Modeling of High-Dimensional Thresholds for Fault Detection and Diagnosis

Many Fault Detection and Diagnosis (FDD) systems use discrete models for detection and reasoning. To obtain categorical values like oil pressure too high, analog sensor values need to be discretized using a suitablethreshold. Time series of analog and discrete sensor readings are processed and discretized as they come in. This task isusually performed by the wrapper code'' of the FDD system, together with signal preprocessing and filtering. In practice,selecting the right threshold is very difficult, because it heavily influences the quality of diagnosis. If a threshold causesthe alarm trigger even in nominal situations, false alarms will be the consequence. On the other hand, if threshold settingdoes not trigger in case of an off-nominal condition, important alarms might be missed, potentially causing hazardoussituations. In this paper, we will in detail describe the underlying statistical modeling techniques and algorithm as well as the Bayesian method for selecting the most likely shape and its parameters. Our approach will be illustrated by several examples from the Aerospace domain.

Computer Systems↗

Lightning Jump Algorithm Development for the GOES·R Geostationary Lightning Mapper

Current work on the lightning jump algorithm to be used in GOES‐R Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM)'s data stream is multifaceted due to the intricate interplay between the storm tracking, GLM proxy data, and the performance of the lightning jump itself. This work outlines the progress of the last year, where analysis and performance of the lightning jump algorithm with automated storm tracking and GLM proxy data were assessed using over 700 storms from North Alabama. The cases analyzed coincide with previous semi‐objective work performed using total lightning mapping array (LMA) measurements in Schultz et al. (2011). Analysis shows that key components of the algorithm (flash rate and sigma thresholds) have the greatest influence on the performance of the algorithm when validating using severe storm reports. Automated objective analysis using the GLM proxy data has shown probability of detection (POD) values around 60% with false alarm rates (FAR) around 73% using similar methodology to Schultz et al. (2011). However, when applying verification methods similar to those employed by the National Weather Service, POD values increase slightly (69%) and FAR values decrease (63%). The relationship between storm tracking and lightning jump has also been tested in a real‐time framework at NSSL. This system includes fully automated tracking by radar alone, real‐time LMA and radar observations and the lightning jump. Results indicate that the POD is strong at 65%. However, the FAR is significantly higher than in Schultz et al. (2011) (50‐80% depending on various tracking/lightning jump parameters) when using storm reports for verification. Given known issues with Storm Data, the performance of the real‐time jump algorithm is also being tested with high density radar and surface observations from the NSSL Severe Hazards Analysis & Verification Experiment (SHAVE).

Schultz. E.↗

Dynamics Questions Associated with the AERCam Sprint Free-Flyer

The International Space Station will require the development of small robotic vehicles for such tasks as external inspection, monitoring of extravehicular activities (EVA's) and station build-up, and providing additional lighting at EVA worksites. The Autonomous EVA Robotic Camera (AERCam) family of free-flyers is currently being developed at NASA Johnson Space Center to perform these functions; the first member of the family is the AERCam Sprint vehicle. Many interesting dynamical questions are associated with the Sprint free-flyer. For instance, the reaction of a vehicle which is nearly spherically symmetric (such as Sprint) to a stuck-on thruster is significantly more complicated than that obtained for an idealized, perfectly spherical, spacecraft model. In particular, the real spacecraft will experience a form of forced nutation, with convergence towards either its major or minor principal axis, depending on both the applied torque and the mass properties of the vehicle. Furthermore, the body-fixed jet force vector may have a significant component along this principal axis, so giving rise to a considerable net linear acceleration of the spacecraft. The large velocity that can result is very important, as it may lead to collision with the nearby Orbiter, and is completely overlooked in the idealized analysis. This report will firstly briefly describe the stuck-on thruster dynamics of the real vehicle, and outline how the small products of inertia of the spacecraft determine the time constants of the motion. Secondly, the dynamical effects of a failed-off jet on the Sprint free-flyer will be described in more detail, and compared with the stuck-on thruster case. This will help to show whether the two malfunctions should be dealt with differently in flight. Finally, the stuck-on thruster detection software (known as the uncommanded motion algorithm) that is proposed to be flown on the Sprint vehicle will be analyzed, and all possible perturbation sources that may tend to give rise to false stuck-on thruster alarms quantified. It will be shown that false alarms can be triggered by discrete events such as a failed-off thruster, a glancing collision with Orbiter structure, or thruster saturation. They can also be triggered by a combination of errors introduced by constantly present sources such as thrust level errors, thruster misalignment, inertial cross-coupling, angular rate sensor noise, and structural vibrations induced by thruster firings. Based on this fact, the original plan to have the spacecraft enter safe mode whenever the uncommanded motion algorithm is triggered does not appear to be advisable. A better approach seems to be to provide the Sprint pilot with a warning whenever uncommanded motion is detected, and then allow the crew to determine whether safing the vehicle is appropriate.

Williams, Trevor↗

Performance analysis of a generalized concurrent error detection procedure

A general procedure for error detection in complex systems, called the data block capture and analysis monitoring process, is described and analyzed. It is assumed that, in addition to being exposed to potential external fault sources, a complex system will in general always contain embedded hardware and software fault mechanisms which can cause the system to perform incorrect computations and/or produce incorrect output. Thus, in operation, the system continuously moves back and forth between error and no-error states. These external fault sources or internal fault mechanisms are extremely difficult to detect. The data block capture and analysis monitoring process is concerned with detecting deviations from the normal performance of the system, known as errors, which are symptomatic of fault conditions. The process consists of repeatedly recording a fixed amount of data from a set of predetermined observation lines of the system being monitored (i.e., capturing a block of data) and then analyzing the captured block in an attempt to determine whether the system is functioning correctly. The performances of linear, quadratic, and logarithmic data analysis algorithms are rigorously characterized in terms of the probability of correctly detecting an error, the expectation and variance of the number of false alarms per error, and the expectation and variance of the latency in detection of errors. Insight into the nature of the general problem of error detection is obtained.

Blough, Douglas M.↗

Echo size and asymmetry - Impact on NEXRAD storm identification

The effects of echo shape and radar viewing angle on detecting small thunderstorms with the NEXRAD storm identification algorithms are examined. The amorphous low-level echo shapes are modeled as ellipses with major axes ranging from 5-15 km and minor axes varying between 2-5 km. The model echoes are then used to create a 'probability of detection' chart that demonstrates the impact of storm asymmetry on cell identification. The algorithm performance on small thunderstorms observed near Huntsville, Alabama and Kennedy Space Center, Florida is examined. A new algorithm based on the analysis of 15 storms observed in Florida, Alabama, and New Mexico is proposed that would identify storms as having lightning if 40 dBZ reflectivity is present at the -10 C level and the echo top exceeds 9 km. This algorithm would have a 100 percent probability of detecting lightning producing storms 4-33 min before the first flash, a 7 percent false alarm rate and a critical success index of 93 percent.

Buechler, Dennis E.↗

Obstacle Detection Algorithms for Rotorcraft Navigation

In this research we addressed the problem of obstacle detection for low altitude rotorcraft flight. In particular, the problem of detecting thin wires in the presence of image clutter and noise was studied. Wires present a serious hazard to rotorcrafts. Since they are very thin, their detection early enough so that the pilot has enough time to take evasive action is difficult, as their images can be less than one or two pixels wide. After reviewing the line detection literature, an algorithm for sub-pixel edge detection proposed by Steger was identified as having good potential to solve the considered task. The algorithm was tested using a set of images synthetically generated by combining real outdoor images with computer generated wire images. The performance of the algorithm was evaluated both, at the pixel and the wire levels. It was observed that the algorithm performs well, provided that the wires are not too thin (or distant) and that some post processing is performed to remove false alarms due to clutter.

Kasturi, Rangachar↗

Comparison of ASGARD and UFOCapture

The Meteoroid Environment Office is undertaking a comparison between UFOCapture/Analyzer and ASGARD (All Sky and Guided Automatic Realtime Detection). To accomplish this, video output from a Watec video camera on a 17 mm Schneider lens (25 degree field of view) was split and input into the two different meteor detection softwares. The purpose of this study is to compare the sensitivity of the two systems, false alarm rates and trajectory information, among other quantities. The important components of each software will be highlighted and comments made about the detection/rejection algorithms and the amount of user-labor required for each system.

Blaauw, Rhiannon C.↗

Semi-Supervised Novelty Detection with Adaptive Eigenbases, and Application to Radio Transients

We present a semi-supervised online method for novelty detection and evaluate its performance for radio astronomy time series data. Our approach uses adaptive eigenbases to combine 1) prior knowledge about uninteresting signals with 2) online estimation of the current data properties to enable highly sensitive and precise detection of novel signals. We apply the method to the problem of detecting fast transient radio anomalies and compare it to current alternative algorithms. Tests based on observations from the Parkes Multibeam Survey show both effective detection of interesting rare events and robustness to known false alarm anomalies.

anomaly detection↗

Empirical Analysis and Automated Classification of Security Bug Reports

With the ever expanding amount of sensitive data being placed into computer systems, the need for effective cybersecurity is of utmost importance. However, there is a shortage of detailed empirical studies of security vulnerabilities from which cybersecurity metrics and best practices could be determined. This thesis has two main research goals: (1) to explore the distribution and characteristics of security vulnerabilities based on the information provided in bug tracking systems and (2) to develop data analytics approaches for automatic classification of bug reports as security or non-security related. This work is based on using three NASA datasets as case studies. The empirical analysis showed that the majority of software vulnerabilities belong only to a small number of types. Addressing these types of vulnerabilities will consequently lead to cost efficient improvement of software security. Since this analysis requires labeling of each bug report in the bug tracking system, we explored using machine learning to automate the classification of each bug report as a security or non-security related (two-class classification), as well as each security related bug report as specific security type (multiclass classification). In addition to using supervised machine learning algorithms, a novel unsupervised machine learning approach is proposed. An ac- curacy of 92%, recall of 96%, precision of 92%, probability of false alarm of 4%, F-Score of 81% and G-Score of 90% were the best results achieved during two-class classification. Furthermore, an accuracy of 80%, recall of 80%, precision of 94%, and F-score of 85% were the best results achieved during multiclass classification.

Cybersecurity↗