Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “SAR processing”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 73 records · Page 4

CSISAR--Complete System Integrated SAR

The CSISAR tool is GUI based and very simple to use. The algorithms are robust, and the unique processing flows, that the user is stepped through, virtually eliminate the possibility of error in GEOINT production. An integrated data manager is a key part of the CSISAR system. This data manager keeps track of the data available to a user and informs the user of what data is available and what can be done with that data. This keeps the user from having to be trained in the nuances of the algorithms. CSISAR also has an integrated product manager, which helps the user identify, view and manage previously made products. CSISAR was originally developed in 2010-2011 as a Windows based system. It was updated in 2015 to be a Linux based system. This SAND report is intended to make the Product Description and User’s Guide for CSISAR (originally included within the software) more widely available. New is a brief addition of Linux-specific installation details.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

SARS-CoV2 billion-compound docking

Abstract This dataset contains ligand conformations and docking scores for 1.4 billion molecules docked against 6 structural targets from SARS-CoV2, representing 5 unique proteins: MPro, NSP15, PLPro, RDRP, and the Spike protein. Docking was carried out using the AutoDock-GPU platform on the Summit supercomputer and Google Cloud. The docking procedure employed the Solis Wets search method to generate 20 independent ligand binding poses per compound. Each compound geometry was scored using the AutoDock free energy estimate, and rescored using RFScore v3 and DUD-E machine-learned rescoring models. Input protein structures are included, suitable for use by AutoDock-GPU and other docking programs. As the result of an exceptionally large docking campaign, this dataset represents a valuable resource for discovering trends across small molecule and protein binding sites, training AI models, and comparing to inhibitor compounds targeting SARS-CoV-2. The work also gives an example of how to organize and process data from ultra-large docking screens.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Benchmark datasets for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance bioinformatics

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has spread globally and is being surveilled with an international genome sequencing effort. Surveillance consists of sample acquisition, library preparation, and whole genome sequencing. This has necessitated a classification scheme detailing Variants of Concern (VOC) and Variants of Interest (VOI), and the rapid expansion of bioinformatics tools for sequence analysis. These bioinformatic tools are means for major actionable results: maintaining quality assurance and checks, defining population structure, performing genomic epidemiology, and inferring lineage to allow reliable and actionable identification and classification. Additionally, the pandemic has required public health laboratories to reach high throughput proficiency in sequencing library preparation and downstream data analysis rapidly. However, both processes can be limited by a lack of a standardized sequence dataset. We identified six SARS-CoV-2 sequence datasets from recent publications, public databases and internal resources. In addition, we created a method to mine public databases to identify representative genomes for these datasets. Using this novel method, we identified several genomes as either VOI/VOC representatives or non-VOI/VOC representatives. To describe each dataset, we utilized a previously published datasets format, which describes accession information and whole dataset information. Additionally, a script from the same publication has been enhanced to download and verify all data from this study.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Quantum Chemical Computation of Omicron Mutations Near Cleavage Sites of the Spike Protein

The attachment of the spike protein in SARS-CoV-2 to host cells and the initiation of viral invasion are two critical processes in the viral infection and transmission in which the presence of unique furin (S1/S2) and TMPRSS2 (S2') cleavage sites play a pivotal role. We provide a detailed analysis of the impact of the BA.1 Omicron mutations vicinal to these cleavage sites using a novel computational method based on the amino acid–amino acid bond pair unit (AABPU), a specific protein structural unit as a proxy for quantifying the atomic interaction. Our study is focused mainly on the spike region between subdomain 2 (SD2) and the central helix (CH), which contains both S1/S2 and S2' cleavage sites. Based on ab initio quantum calculations, we have identified several key features related to the electronic structure and bonding of the Omicron mutations that significantly increase the size of the relevant AABPUs and the positive charge. These findings enable us to conjecture on the biological role of Omicron mutations and their specific effects on cleavage sites and identify the principles that can be of some value in analyzing new variants.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Lab Home Testing of Residential Isolation Space Control to Minimize Infectious Disease Transmission in Existing Single-Family Homes

Existing evidence strongly suggests that viral infectious diseases can be transmitted via an airborne route across distances in indoor environments. Accordingly, the risk of airborne transmission within homes should be managed. The public health emergency associated with SARS-CoV-2 makes controlling airborne transmission of respired viruses in indoor environments critical, especially in poorly ventilated indoor environments. The effectiveness of engineering interventions requiring minor efforts that create a negative-pressure isolation zone (IZ) for a contagious person has yet to be tested for existing residential homes. To mitigate the risk of airborne virus transmission and maximize health protection for the population in existing single-family homes, the relative effectiveness of several control strategies are investigated in this report. While very high-efficiency MERV filtration, high ventilation rates, and other controls can help be effective, most occupants are not likely to have the time or means for advanced measures found in hospitals. This project focused on testing relatively simple efforts that utilize existing or easy to acquire materials and simple processes.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

Soil moisture, physical and chemical properties coincident with airborne SAR data collections for 2017 and 2019, Seward Peninsula, Alaska

Soil samples were collected coincident with in-situ soil moisture and thaw depth measurements at NGEE Arctic study sites on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska in August 2017 and 2019 Field measurements and flights were conducted during both summers as a collaboration between the NASA ABoVE Project's Airborne SAR Campaign and the NGEE Arctic Project. Airborne overflights of L-band SAR instruments occurred during the soil sampling periods. Laboratory measurements of soil properties include bulk density, volumetric and gravimetric water content, carbon and nitrogen content, and particle size of mineral components. Soil samples processed and reported in this dataset were collected coincident with in situ measurements of soil moisture and thaw depth and airborne P-band and L-band SAR measurements as a collaboration between NGEE Arctic and NASA ABoVE. To learn more about how ABoVE protocols were applied for sampling site selection and making in situ measurements, see the following datasets: (2017: https://doi.org/10.5440/1423892 and 2019: https://doi.org/10.5440/1856042). Contained in this dataset are four .csv data files (including data dictionaries) and one zipped folder of *.pdf files.The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a research effort (with some overlap with Covid-19 pandemic) to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska.Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Utah FORGE: InSAR Data 2019

This dataset contains Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data used for ground deformation monitoring during Phase 2C of the Utah FORGE project. The dataset includes measurements of the mean rate of range change and associated standard errors, provided in both CSV and NetCDF formats. Supporting materials include histograms, maps, and MATLAB scripts used for data processing, as well as unit vector information describing the satellite's sensor orientation. Compressed archives contain additional metadata and masked range change data for individual interferometric pairs. A README file is included to provide further details on the dataset's structure and contents.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture RADAR for Surface Change Monitoring

Space-based and airplane-based synthetic aperture RADAR (SAR) can monitor ground height using interferometric SAR (InSAR) collections. However, fielding the airplane-based SAR is expensive and coordinating the frequency and timing of ground experiments with space-based SAR is challenging. This research explored the possibility of using a small, mobile unmanned aerial vehicle- base (UAV) SAR to see if it could provide a quick and inexpensive InSAR option for the Source Physics Experiment (SPE) Phase III project. Firstly, a local feasibility collection using a UAV-based SAR showed that InSAR products and height measurements were possible, but that in-scene fiducials were needed to assist in digital elevation model (DEM) construction. Secondly, an InSAR collection was planned and executed over the SPE Phase III site using the same platform configuration. We found that the image formation by the SAR manufacturer creates discontinuities, and that noise impacted the generation and accuracy of height maps. These processing artifacts need to be overcome to generate an accurate height map.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

A Quick Route to Multiple Highly Potent SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitors**

The COVID-19 pathogen, SARS-CoV-2, requires its main protease (SC2M Pro ) to digest two of its translated long polypeptides to form a number of mature proteins that are essential for viral replication and pathogenesis. Inhibition of this vital proteolytic process is effective in preventing the virus from replicating in infected cells and therefore provides a potential COVID-19 treatment option. Guided by previous medicinal chemistry studies about SARS-CoV-1 main protease (SC1M Pro ), we have designed and synthesized a series of SC2M Pro inhibitors that contain β-(S-2-oxopyrrolidin-3-yl)-alaninal (Opal) for the formation of a reversible covalent bond with the SC2M Pro active-site cysteine C145. All inhibitors display high potency with K i values at or below 100 nM. The most potent compound, MPI3, has as a K i value of 8.3 nM. Crystallographic analyses of SC2M Pro bound to seven inhibitors indicated both formation of a covalent bond with C145 and structural rearrangement from the apoenzyme to accommodate the inhibitors. Virus inhibition assays revealed that several inhibitors have high potency in inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2-induced cytopathogenic effect in both Vero E6 and A549/ACE2 cells. Two inhibitors, MPI5 and MPI8, completely prevented the SARS-CoV-2-induced cytopathogenic effect in Vero E6 cells at 2.5-5 μM and A549/ACE2 cells at 0.16-0.31 μM. Their virus inhibition potency is much higher than that of some existing molecules that are under preclinical and clinical investigations for the treatment of COVID-19. Our study indicates that there is a large chemical space that needs to be explored for the development of SC2M Pro inhibitors with ultra-high antiviral potency.

3C-like protease↗

Performance and automatic calibration scheme of the waveform sampler in the ETROC2 ASIC chip

The waveform sampler in the CMS ETROC2 chip for LGAD gain aging monitoring is a 2.56-GS/s 12-bit 8x-Interleaved ADC that consists of a coarse SAR stage, and a fine stage. This architecture delivers high performance on a relatively modest 65 nm process, while requires finding up to 24 calibration constants through calibration. We developed an automatic calibration method using charge injection test data. After calibration, the baseline random error is reduced by a factor of 2.5–3 compared to the default calibration, and a 5% charge measurement precision is achieved in 15 fC charge injection tests.

Fu, Tao [Unlisted, US]↗

Radar clutter suppression

I have been working on something called clutter, which is an amount of “noise” caused by the surrounding environment in a radar system photo or image. The radar system is called “synthetic aperture radar” or SAR. Our group is trying to clarify the photo and hence data of an SAR image by removing clutter (and noise) from the photograph. This is done by utilizing advanced signal processing techniques and the MATLAB programming language on our computer.

Evans, Bradley [External Affiliation]↗

Atypical Divergence of SARS-CoV-2 Orf8 from Orf7a within the Coronavirus Lineage Suggests Potential Stealthy Viral Strategies in Immune Evasion

Orf8, one of the most puzzling genes in the SARS lineage of coronaviruses, marks a unique and striking difference in genome organization between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-1. Here, using sequence comparisons, we unequivocally reveal the distant sequence similarities between SARS-CoV-2 Orf8 with its SARS-CoV-1 counterparts and the X4-like genes of coronaviruses, including its highly divergent “paralog” gene Orf7a, whose product is a potential immune antagonist of known structure. Supervised sequence space walks unravel identity levels that drop below 10% and yet exhibit subtle conservation patterns in this novel superfamily, characterized by an immunoglobulin-like beta sandwich topology. We document the high accuracy of the sequence space walk process in detail and characterize the subgroups of the superfamily in sequence space by systematic annotation of gene and taxon groups. While SARS-CoV-1 Orf7a and Orf8 genes are most similar to bat virus sequences, their SARS-CoV-2 counterparts are closer to pangolin virus homologs, reflecting the fine structure of conservation patterns within the SARS-CoV-2 genomes. The divergence between Orf7a and Orf8 is exceptionally idiosyncratic, since Orf7a is more constrained, whereas Orf8 is subject to rampant change, a peculiar feature that may be related to hitherto-unknown viral infection strategies. Despite their common origin, the Orf7a and Orf8 protein families exhibit different modes of evolutionary trajectories within the coronavirus lineage, which might be partly attributable to their complex interactions with the mammalian host cell, reflected by a multitude of functional associations of Orf8 in SARS-CoV-2 compared to a very small number of interactions discovered for Orf7a.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

US East Coast synthetic aperture radar wind atlas for offshore wind energy

We present the first synthetic aperture radar (SAR) offshore wind atlas of the US East Coast from Georgia to the Canadian border. Images from RADARSAT-1, Envisat, and Sentinel-1A/B are processed to wind maps using the geophysical model function (GMF) CMOD5.N. Extensive comparisons with 6008 collocated buoy observations of the wind speed reveal that biases of the individual systems range from -0.8 to 0.6 m s -1 . Unbiased wind retrievals are crucial for producing an accurate wind atlas, and intercalibration of the SAR observations is therefore applied. Wind retrievals from the intercalibrated SAR observations show biases in the range of to -0.2 to 0.0 m s -1 , while at the same time improving the root-mean-squared error from 1.67 to 1.46 m s -1 . The intercalibrated SAR observations are, for the first time, aggregated to create a wind atlas at the height 10 m a.s.l. (above sea level). The SAR wind atlas is used as a reference to study wind resources derived from the Wind Integration National Dataset Toolkit (WTK), which is based on 7 years of modelling output from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Comparisons focus on the spatial variation in wind resources and show that model outputs lead to lower coastal wind speed gradients than those derived from SAR. Areas designated for offshore wind development by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management are investigated in more detail; the wind resources in terms of the mean wind speed show spatial variations within each designated area between 0.3 and 0.5 m s -1 for SAR and less than 0.2m s -1 for the WTK. Our findings indicate that wind speed gradients and variations might be underestimated in mesoscale model outputs along the US East Coast.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Mitigating Effects of Missing Data for SAR Coherent Images

Missing samples within synthetic aperture radar data result in image distortions. For coherent data products, such as coherent change detection and interferometric processing, the image distortion can be devastating to these second order products, resulting in missed detections and inaccurate height maps. Earlier approaches to repair the coherent data products focus upon reconstructing the missing data samples. This study demonstrates that reconstruction is not necessary to restore the quality of the coherent data products.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Site Density Functional Theory and Structural Bioinformatics Analysis of the SARS-CoV Spike Protein and hACE2 Complex

The entry of the SARS-CoV-2, a causative agent of COVID-19, into human host cells is mediated by the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein, which critically depends on the formation of complexes involving the spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) and the human cellular membrane receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2). Using classical site density functional theory (SDFT) and structural bioinformatics methods, we investigate binding and conformational properties of these complexes and study the overlooked role of water-mediated interactions. Analysis of the three-dimensional reference interaction site model (3DRISM) of SDFT indicates that water mediated interactions in the form of additional water bridges strongly increases the binding between SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and hACE2 compared to SARS-CoV-1-hACE2 complex. By analyzing structures of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-1, we find that the homotrimer SARS-CoV-2 S receptor-binding domain (RBD) has expanded in size, indicating large conformational change relative to SARS-CoV-1 S protein. Protomer with the up-conformational form of RBD, which binds with hACE2, exhibits stronger intermolecular interactions at the RBD-ACE2 interface, with differential distributions and the inclusion of specific H-bonds in the CoV-2 complex. Further interface analysis has shown that interfacial water promotes and stabilizes the formation of CoV-2/hACE2 complex. This interaction causes a significant structural rigidification of the spike protein, favoring proteolytic processing of the S protein for the fusion of the viral and cellular membrane. Moreover, conformational dynamics simulations of RBD motions in SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-1 point to the role in modification of the RBD dynamics and their impact on infectivity.

3DRISM↗

Circadian immunometabolic states impart a temporal response to SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins in mammalian macrophages

Circadian rhythms, the 24-hour cycles that tune organismal physiology to the daily rhythms of light and dark, optimally organize cellular processes such as metabolism and mitochondrial function. In mammals, macrophage functions are regulated by these 24-hour circadian rhythms such that the immunometabolic response is coordinated across the day, consolidating macrophage physiology into temporally distinct phases to time the cellular immune response. However, while it is known that there are time-of-day specific responses to stress in a macrophage, little has been done to determine if circadian regulation coordinates the response of a macrophage to real-world pathogens. Importantly, key proteins in the response to viral infection have been found to be under circadian control, and time of day of application is known to affect the efficacy of vaccinations, including in the case of the COVID-19 virus. Therefore, to investigate if the circadian regulation of macrophage physiology imparted a time-of-day response to viral exposure, we exposed primary mouse and human macrophages to the SARS-CoV-1 and CoV-2 spike proteins at different times over the circadian day. To establish a time-of-day effect, we performed a multi-omics analysis and in vitro tissue culture assays examining macrophage responses over circadian time. We found that, conserved across the species, the timing of spike protein exposure dictated two distinct temporal responses which were characterized by hallmarks of immunometabolic suppression and modest inflammatory activation. However, these responses were primarily influenced by central metabolic and mitochondrial changes and not by classical immune activation.

Circadian Biology↗

Applicability of Sentinel-1 Terrain Observation by Progressive Scans multitemporal interferometry for monitoring slow ground motions in the San Francisco Bay Area

Data from the Sentinel-1 satellite have already proven useful for investigating seismic and volcanic events since its launch in April 2014. The requirement of ultrahigh coregistration accuracy and the current relatively short time of Sentinel-1 acquisitions make its application challenging for studying slow deformation processes, such as fault creep and land subsidence. Here in this paper we analyze a set of 14 SAR images over the San Francisco Bay Area spanning 1 year from early 2015 to 2016. We show that implementing an existing Enhanced Spectral Diversity algorithm or using precise orbits together with a reference digital elevation model both yield the required coregistration accuracy for making use of the phase measurements in time series analysis of ground deformation. Following a thorough validation test, we update our estimates of Hayward Fault creep rate and confirm uplift due to recharge of the Santa Clara Valley aquifer system during the final summer of 4 year drought.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Structural Insights into the Interaction of Coronavirus Papain-Like Proteases and Interferon-Stimulated Gene Product 15 from Different Species

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) encode multifunctional papain-like proteases (PLPs) that have the ability to process the viral polyprotein to facilitate RNA replication and antagonize the host innate immune response. The latter function involves reversing the post-translational modification of cellular proteins conjugated with either ubiquitin (Ub) or Ub-like interferon-stimulated gene product 15 (ISG15). Ub is known to be highly conserved among eukaryotes, but surprisingly, ISG15 is highly divergent among animals. The ramifications of this sequence divergence to the recognition of ISG15 by coronavirus PLPs at a structural and biochemical level are poorly understood. Therefore, the activity of PLPs from SARS-CoV, MERS–CoV, and mouse hepatitis virus was evaluated against seven ISG15s originating from an assortment of animal species susceptible, and not, to certain coronavirus infections. Excitingly, our kinetic, thermodynamic, and structural analysis revealed an array of different preferences among PLPs. Included in these studies is the first insight into a coronavirus PLP’s interface with ISG15 via SARS-CoV PLpro in complex with the principle binding domain of human ISG15 (hISG15) and mouse ISG15s (mISG15s). Here, the first X-ray structure of the full-length mISG15 protein is also reported and highlights a unique, twisted hinge region of ISG15 that is not conserved in hISG15, suggesting a potential role in differential recognition. Taken together, this new information provides a structural and biochemical understanding of the distinct specificities among coronavirus PLPs observed and addresses a critical gap of how PLPs can interact with ISG15s from a wide variety of species.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗