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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 163 records · Page 9

Hyperspectral remote sensing-based plant community map for region around NGEE-Arctic intensive research watersheds at Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2017-2019

Using airborne hyperspectral remote sensing data from NASA Airborne Visible-Infrared Imaging Spectrometer- Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG) platforms in a region near NGEE-Arctic intensive watersheds at Seward peninsula of Alaska, high resolution (5m) maps of plant community distribution were developed and included in this data collected. AVIRIS-NG data collected over 2017-2019 period were used to develop deep neural networks, trained using vegetation plot observations collected at NGEE-Arctic watersheds at Kougarok, Council and Teller. A hierarchical vegetation classification scheme consisting of six classes at Level I, and 16 classes at Level II contained in two .txt files were used to developed the plant community maps for the region. Two geospatial raster data files (.tif) at both thematic levels are shared in this data collection. Data files in this collection use Alaska Albers Equal Area projection. Readme files available in three formats (*.html, *.md, *.pdf) and one *.png visualization map.The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a research effort 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↗

Visual Odometry Thinking While Driving for the Curiosity Mars Rover's Three-Year Test Campaign: Impact of Evolving Constraints on Verification and Validation

Over the first 9 years of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover's surface mission, more than 87\% of its driving has been performed using Visual Odometry (VO). The benefits of using VO during driving are that it minimizes rover position uncertainty and can be used to monitor wheel slip, halting a drive if excessive wheel slip is occurring. The VO implementation on board Curiosity acquires and processes VO images in between drive steps while the rover is stationary. A VO Thinking While Driving (VTWD) flight software capability has been developed which enables the processing of VO images during rover driving, increasing the distance Curiosity can drive with VO in a given time period up to as much as 1.75x total distance. Verification and Validation (V\&V) of the capability has been challenging due to impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic and unavailability of the JPL Mars Yard outdoor test site. The VTWD V\&V test procedures were modified to use a small indoor space with Mars-like terrain. This paper describes the 3 year V\&V effort under challenging conditions to approve the VTWD capability for use on the Curiosity rover.

Rankin, Arturo↗

ACES Study of DAA-Mitigated UAS Operations SC-228 Requirements Sub Group

Realization of the expected proliferation of Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations in the National Airspace System (NAS) depends on the development and validation of performance standards for UAS Detect and Avoid (DAA) Systems. The RTCA Special Committee 228 is charged with leading the development of draft Minimum Operational Performance Standards (MOPS) for UAS DAA Systems. NASA, as a participating member of RTCA SC-228 is committed to supporting the development and validation of draft requirements as well as the safety substantiation and end-to-end assessment of DAA system performance. A recent study conducted using NASA's ACES (Airspace Concept Evaluation System) simulation capability begins to address questions surrounding the development of draft MOPS for DAA systems by assessing DAA performance in a NAS-wide context. ACES analyses were conducted to determine the impact of varying elements of UAS pilot performance and uncertainty mitigations on DAA system performance. Simulations were conducted with recorded cooperative and non-cooperative VFR (Visual Flight Rules) traffic to accurately model UAS encounters with other NAS traffic (ATC (Air Traffic Control) being responsible for separation with other IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) aircraft) and with roughly 25, 000 simulated UAS operations The number of Loss of Well Clear (LoWC) events were recorded across the range of independent variables: pilot response time, horizontal LoWC prediction buffer and horizontal LoWC resolution buffer. The number of LoWC events was compared to the unmitigated case (without the benefit of a DAA system) to determine the resultant risk-ratio for each of 8 simulation conditions. The parameter trades presented by the resultant DAA system performance (risk ratio) will be used by SC 228 to inform decisions about future requirements development and validation efforts.

Detect-and-Avoid↗

Report for the ASCR Workshop on Visualization for Scientific Discovery, Decision-Making, and Communication

Visualization—the use of visual elements to explore data, form hypotheses, or convey conclusions—is an integral part of the scientific process. Starting from an initial exploration of new data to illustrating outcomes for the general public, visualization is one of the most intuitive and powerful modes of communication. With the explosion of new data sources and types, unprecedented volumes of data, and new technologies, such as virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI), visualization has become increasingly essential but also ever more challenging. The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) sponsored a Basic Research Needs workshop in January 2022 to understand the major opportunities and grand challenges in visualization tools and technologies for scientific computing as well as for DOE-relevant applications and goals in general. The workshop identified five priority research directions (PRDs) for visualization to support scientific discovery, decision making, and communication. The first three PRDs describe interconnected research themes addressing the need for new techniques to deal with complex data, uncertainty, and interpretability (PRD 1); the need for scalable and interoperable software stacks (PRD 2); and the challenges and opportunities inherent in new technologies, such as VR, cloud, or exascale computing (PRD 3). The remaining two PRDs describe foundational research themes that recognize the potential of visualizations to provide equitable access to information and to strengthen the scientific discourse (PRD 4); and the need to consider human factors when designing visualizations (PRD 5). Collectively, these PRDs form the pillars for a coherent, long-term research and development strategy in Visualization for Scientific Discovery, Decision-Making, and Communication in the context of the Office of Science’s mission scope.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

SNF Data Visualization on the Centralized Used Fuel Resource for Information Exchange (CURIE) Website

To better inform stakeholders regarding the nature of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) at utility sites, an online data visualization system has been created for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy (DOENE). The data visualization system is part of the Centralized Used Fuel Resource for Information Exchange (CURIE) website, hosted by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for DOE-NE. The visualization employs a database that is part of an analysis tool known as the Used Nuclear Fuel Storage, Transportation and Disposal Analysis Resource and Data System (UNF-ST[and]DARDS). Because many of the previous document management and sharing tools related to SNF have been terminated (or are inaccessible), a new tool, the CURIE, was developed for DOE-NE and launched on March 1, 2013 at http://curie.ornl.gov. In addition to supporting DOE SNF programs, CURIE is a national resource that is accessible to industry, vendor, federal, and laboratory partners, as well as other stakeholders. CURIE's architecture was initially based on previous work that supported DOE's Bioenergy Technologies Office on the Bioenergy Knowledge Discovery Framework (KDF). The site uses an open-source search engine, Apache Solr, which provides intuitive search results based on a faceted search method similar to that used by Amazon.com{sup R}. This algorithm helps to ensure that finding documents and data is straightforward. SNF data visualization capability was added to the CURIE website which provides a capability to post and access documents and data related to the management of SNF. CURIE currently maintains over 4,100 documents and the Siting Experience Database (SED), which was developed in response to a near-term recommendation by the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future (BRC). The SED is a database of the experience that has been gained and relevant documentation that has been produced in efforts to site nuclear waste facilities, both in the US and abroad. Most of these documents are publicly accessible. In addition, CURIE maintains a current calendar of related events, an SNF image gallery, featured documents, and external links to related databases and websites. CURIE also maintains private groups (or communities) to facilitate collaborative development through sharing and editing documents that are not publicly available. There are more than 250 registered users in 23 different communities within CURIE.ORNL has also been developing UNF-ST[and]DARDS to provide a controlled source of technical data for various waste management system analysis/evaluation tools, access to key technical data, and analysis capabilities for characterizing the SNF inventory. UNF-ST[and]DARDS also provides enhanced capabilities to assess safety, risk, and uncertainty throughout the integrated waste management system. This paper describes the UNF-ST[and]DARDS data available for visualization and the associated visualization techniques used by CURIE to display this data.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Heavy element abundances in Ap stars from ultraviolet data. I - The bright reference stars Alpha Lyrae and Alpha Canis Majoris A

Curve-of-growth analysis is used to derive chemical abundances in Alpha Lyr and Alpha CMa, based on ultraviolet spectra obtained with Copernicus. This analysis is part of a program to study the abundances of the heavy elements mercury and platinum and the short-lived element technetium in the atmospheres of Ap and Am stars. Ultraviolet Fe II lines are used to establish the curves of growth for Alpha Lyr and Alpha CMa A; abundances of a variety of elements, along with upper limits on Hg, Pt, and Tc, are derived. In cases where previous studies based on visual spectra have included elements in common with the present analysis, the agreement is good within the known uncertainties. One new element, cadmium, is observed for these two stars. The upper limits on Pt and Hg, as well as Tc, show that these elements are probably not enhanced in Alpha CMa A by more than about one order of magnitude.

Boiarchuk, A. A.↗

Acting to gain information

This report is concerned with agents that act to gain information. In previous work, we developed agent models combining qualitative modeling with real-time control. That work, however, focused primarily on actions that affect physical states of the environment. The current study extends that work by explicitly considering problems of active information-gathering and by exploring specialized aspects of information-gathering in computational perception, learning, and language. In our theoretical investigations, we analyzed agents into their perceptual and action components and identified these with elements of a state-machine model of control. The mathematical properties of each was developed in isolation and interactions were then studied. We considered the complexity dimension and the uncertainty dimension and related these to intelligent-agent design issues. We also explored active information gathering in visual processing. Working within the active vision paradigm, we developed a concept of 'minimal meaningful measurements' suitable for demand-driven vision. We then developed and tested an architecture for ongoing recognition and interpretation of visual information. In the area of information gathering through learning, we explored techniques for coping with combinatorial complexity. We also explored information gathering through explicit linguistic action by considering the nature of conversational rules, coordination, and situated communication behavior.

Rosenchein, Stanley J.↗

Lyapunov exponents from CHUA's circuit time series using artificial neural networks

In this paper we present the general problem of identifying if a nonlinear dynamic system has a chaotic behavior. If the answer is positive the system will be sensitive to small perturbations in the initial conditions which will imply that there is a chaotic attractor in its state space. A particular problem would be that of identifying a chaotic oscillator. We present an example of three well known different chaotic oscillators where we have knowledge of the equations that govern the dynamical systems and from there we can obtain the corresponding time series. In a similar example we assume that we only know the time series and, finally, in another example we have to take measurements in the Chua's circuit to obtain sample points of the time series. With the knowledge about the time series the phase plane portraits are plotted and from them, by visual inspection, it is concluded whether or not the system is chaotic. This method has the problem of uncertainty and subjectivity and for that reason a different approach is needed. A quantitative approach is the computation of the Lyapunov exponents. We describe several methods for obtaining them and apply a little known method of artificial neural networks to the different examples mentioned above. We end the paper discussing the importance of the Lyapunov exponents in the interpretation of the dynamic behavior of biological neurons and biological neural networks.

Gonzalez, J. Jesus↗

Path following using visual odometry for Mars Rover in high-slip environments.

An architecture for autonomous operation of Mars rovers in high slip environments has been designed, implemented, and tested. This architecture is composed of several key technologies that enable the rover to accurately follow a designated path, compensate for slippage, and reach intended goals independent of the terrain over which it is traversing (within the mechanical constraints of the mobility system). These technologies include: visual odometry, full vehicle kinematics, a Kalman filter, and a slop compensation/path follower. Visual odometry tracks distinctive scene features in stereo imagery to estimate rover motion between successively acquired stereo image pairs using a maximum likelihood motion estimation algorithm. The full vehicle kinematics for a rocker-bogie suspension system estimates motion, with a no-slip assumption, by measuring wheel, rates, and rocker, bogie, and steering angles. The Kalman filter merges data from an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and visual odometry. This merged estimate is then compared to the kinematic estimate to determining (tracking into account estimate uncertainties) if and how much slippage has occurred then a slip vector is calculated by differencing the current Kalman filter estimate from the kinematic estimate. This slip vector is then used, in conjunction with the inverse kinematics, to determine the necessary wheel velocities and steering angles to compensate for slip and follow the desired path.

Roumeliotis, Stergios I.↗

Romie: A Domain-Independent Tool for Computer-Aided Robust Operations Management

Romie is a decision support tool based on AI's latest advances in the domain of robust scheduling. Unlike all its predecessors, the tool allows to (i) visually model the operational problem and context entirely (ii) optimize to find near-optimal schedules while taking uncertainty into account and deals with (iii) a combination of various {key performance indicators (KPIs). It comes with a web user interface. Part or all of the modelled activities may be associated to random variables describing their stochastic durations, in order to produce schedules that are robust w.r.t. temporal uncertainty. Hence, depending on the pursued KPIs, the schedules maximize a combination of the following terms: the probability of satisfying the problem constraints, the expected return/efficiency, the expected outcome quality, and even the operators' wellness by minimizing its expected extra-hours. Initially developed for spatial exploration and demonstration in the context of Mars analog missions, this versatile tool is here applied to operations management in both biotechnology manufacturing and robots parametrization in a cave exploration context.

Chien, Steve A.↗

Concepts to Support HRP Integration Using Publications and Modeling

Initial efforts are underway to enhance the Human Research Program (HRP)'s identification and support of potential cross-disciplinary scientific collaborations. To increase the emphasis on integration in HRP's science portfolio management, concepts are being explored through the development of a set of tools. These tools are intended to enable modeling, analysis, and visualization of the state of the human system in the spaceflight environment; HRP's current understanding of that state with an indication of uncertainties; and how that state changes due to HRP programmatic progress and design reference mission definitions. In this talk, we will discuss proof-of-concept work performed using a subset of publications captured in the HRP publications database. The publications were tagged in the database with words representing factors influencing health and performance in spaceflight, as well as with words representing the risks HRP research is reducing. Analysis was performed on the publication tag data to identify relationships between factors and between risks. Network representations were then created as one type of visualization of these relationships. This enables future analyses of the structure of the networks based on results from network theory. Such analyses can provide insights into HRP's current human system knowledge state as informed by the publication data. The network structure analyses can also elucidate potential improvements by identifying network connections to establish or strengthen for maximized information flow. The relationships identified in the publication data were subsequently used as inputs to a model captured in the Systems Modeling Language (SysML), which functions as a repository for relationship information to be gleaned from multiple sources. Example network visualization outputs from a simple SysML model were then also created to compare to the visualizations based on the publication data only. We will also discuss ideas for building upon this proof-of-concept work to further support an integrated approach to human spaceflight risk reduction.

Mindock, J.↗

Quantifying uncertainty in Pareto estimates of global lake area

Abstract Size is a critical factor determining the rate and occurrence of specific lake processes such as carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions and emerging evidence suggests that small lakes in particular have particularly large CO 2 flux rates. Because we do not have a complete census of all lakes, upscaling estimates of such processes to small lakes at broad spatial scales requires the use of lake size‐abundance distributions rather than empirical measurements of area. Existing lake census efforts are incomplete such that as lakes become smaller, they are more likely to be omitted either because they are too small to be resolved from remote sensing products or because of limited ground surveying effort (i.e., “censoring” of small lakes relative to large lakes). The present study explores one potential shortcoming of prior approaches estimating global lake area using lake size‐abundance distributions. Namely, that these prior approaches rely on frequentist curve fitting techniques combined with an ad‐hoc cutoff determination strategy (visual inspection to determine a likely censoring point). This yields an over‐exact lake area estimate that is typically reported with no uncertainty bounds. I show how these shortcomings can be addressed with a Bayesian model that produces larger estimates of lake area uncertainty relative to the typical approach. When used as part of a sensitivity analysis, such an approach has the potential to enable more robust intercomparisons among studies of aquatic processes upscaling.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Visualization of the Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study: Preprint

The Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study (ERGIS), explores the operational impacts of the wide spread adoption of wind and solar photovoltaics (PV) resources in the U.S. Eastern Interconnection and Quebec Interconnection (collectively, EI). In order to understand some of the economic and reliability challenges of managing hundreds of gigawatts of wind and PV generation, we developed state of the art tools, data, and models for simulating power system operations using hourly unit commitment and 5-minute economic dispatch over an entire year. Using NREL's high-performance computing capabilities and new methodologies to model operations, we found that the EI, as simulated with evolutionary change in 2026, could balance the variability and uncertainty of wind and PV at a 5-minute level under a variety of conditions. A large-scale display and a combination of multiple coordinated views and small multiples were used to visually analyze the four large highly multivariate scenarios with high spatial and temporal resolutions. state of the art tools, data, and models for simulating power system operations using hourly unit commitment and 5-minute economic dispatch over an entire year. Using NRELs high-performance computing capabilities and new methodologies to model operations, we found that the EI, as simulated with evolutionary change in 2026, could balance the variability and uncertainty of wind and PV at a 5-minute level under a variety of conditions. A large-scale display and a combination of multiple coordinated views and small multiples were used to visually analyze the four large highly multivariate scenarios with high spatial and temporal resolutions.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Visual Attention to Radar Displays

A model is described which predicts the allocation of attention to the features of a radar display. It uses the growth of uncertainty and the probability of near collision to call the eye to a feature of the display. The main source of uncertainty is forgetting following a fixation, which is modelled as a two dimensional diffusion process. The model was used to predict information overload in intercept controllers, and preliminary validation obtained by recording eye movements of intercept controllers in simulated and live (practice) interception.

Moray, N.↗

Dakota Graphical User Interface

The Dakota GUI is an interactive graphical analysis environment for creating, running, and interpreting Dakota optimization and uncertainty quantification studies. It includes problem (Dakota study) set-up, option specification, simulation interfacing, analysis execution, and results visualization. Through the use of wizards, templates, and views, Dakota GUI helps uses navigate Dakota’s complex capability landscape.

Glickman, Matthew↗

CSRI Summer Proceedings 2021

The Computer Science Research Institute (CSRI) brings university faculty and students to Sandia National Laboratories for focused collaborative research on Department of Energy (DOE) computer and computational science problems. The institute provides an opportunity for university researches to learn about problems in computer and computational science at DOE laboratories, and help transfer results of their research to programs at the labs. Some specific CSRI research interest areas are: scalable solvers, optimization, algebraic preconditioners, graph-based, discrete, and combinatorial algorithms, uncertainty estimation, validation and verification methods, mesh generation, dynamic load-balancing, virus and other malicious-code defense, visualization, scalable cluster computers, beyond Moore’s Law computing, exascale computing tools and application design, reduced order and multiscale modeling, parallel input/output, and theoretical computer science. The CSRI Summer Program is organized by CSRI and includes a weekly seminar series and the publication of a summer proceedings.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

CSRI Summer Proceedings 2021

The Computer Science Research Institute (CSRI) brings university faculty and students to Sandia National Laboratories for focused collaborative research on Department of Energy (DOE) computer and computational science problems. The institute provides an opportunity for university researches to learn about problems in computer and computational science at DOE laboratories, and help transfer results of their research to programs at the labs. Some specific CSRI research interest areas are: scalable solvers, optimization, algebraic preconditioners, graph-based, discrete, and combinatorial algorithms, uncertainty estimation, validation and verification methods, mesh generation, dynamic load-balancing, virus and other malicious-code defense, visualization, scalable cluster computers, beyond Moore’s Law computing, exascale computing tools and application design, reduced order and multiscale modeling, parallel input/output, and theoretical computer science. The CSRI Summer Program is organized by CSRI and includes a weekly seminar series and the publication of a summer proceedings.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

UV/VUV radiometric calibrations at SURF II

Since 1981 more than 150 instrument calibrations have been performed on the radiometric instrumentation calibration beamline at the Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility (SURF II) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. This 300 MeV electron storage ring operates routinely at electron currents greater than 250 mA. The spectrometer calibration beamline provides a continuum of radiation from 4 nm through the visual spectral region in the form of an intense beam with total angular divergence of 1.2 mrad. The probable uncertainty for the flux ranges from about 5 percent at 4 nm to less than 2 percent above 20 nm. The new system will radiometrically trace to SURF II, and thus is expected to reduce the calibration uncertainty for diodes in this region by a factor of five to the 1-2 percent level.

Furst, Mitchell L.↗