Automated tracking of the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus)

The electronic, physical, biological and environmental factors involved in the automated remote tracking of the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus) are identified. The current status of the manatee as an endangered species is provided. Brief descriptions of existing tracking and position locating systems are presented to identify the state of the art in these fields. An analysis of energy media is conducted to identify those with the highest probability of success for this application. Logistic questions such as the means of attachment and position of any equipment to be placed on the manatee are also investigated. Power sources and manateeborne electronics encapsulation techniques are studied and the results of a compter generated DF network analysis are summarized

Low cost tracking Navaids error model verification

Features and characteristics of the tracking navaids (Microwave Scanning Beam Landing System, Radar Altimeter, Tacan, rendezvous radar and one way Doppler extracter) were investigated. From the investigation, a set of specifications were developed for building equipment to verify the error model of the tracking navaids. Breadboard verification equipment (BVE) was built for the Microwave Scanning Beam Landing System and the radar altimeter. The breadboard verification equipment generates signals to the tracking navaids which simulate the space shuttles trajectory in the terminal area. The BVE simulates sources of navaids error by generating pseudorandom perturbations on the navaids signals. Differences between the trajectory value and the navaid derived values are taped and form the basis for the navaids error model

Development of an image converter of radical design

A long term investigation of thin film sensors, monolithic photo-field effect transistors, and epitaxially diffused phototransistors and photodiodes to meet requirements to produce acceptable all solid state, electronically scanned imaging system, led to the production of an advanced engineering model camera which employs a 200,000 element phototransistor array (organized in a matrix of 400 rows by 500 columns) to secure resolution comparable to commercial television. The full investigation is described for the period July 1962 through July 1972, and covers the following broad topics in detail: (1) sensor monoliths; (2) fabrication technology; (3) functional theory; (4) system methodology; and (5) deployment profile. A summary of the work and conclusions are given, along with extensive schematic diagrams of the final solid state imaging system product

Radar Range Deception with Time-Modulated Scatterers

Modern radar systems are designed to have high Doppler tolerance to detect fast-moving targets. This means range and Doppler estimations are inevitably coupled, opening pathways to concealing objects by imprinting artificial Doppler signatures on the reflected echoes. Proper temporal control of the backscattered phase can cause the investigating radar to estimate wrong range and velocity, thus cloaking the real position and trajectory of the scatterer. This deception method is exploited here theoretically for arbitrary Doppler tolerant waveforms and then tested experimentally on an example of the linear frequency modulated radar, which is the most common waveform of that class used in practice. The method allows retaining radio silence with a semi passive (battery assisted) approach that can work well with time-dependent metasurfaces. Furthermore, as an insight into new capabilities, we demonstrate that temporally concealed objects could even be made to appear closer than they truly are without violating the laws of relativity

Developments in nanoparticles for use in biosensors to assess food safety and quality

The following will provide an overview on how advances in nanoparticle technology have contributed towards developing biosensors to screen for safety and quality markers associated with foods. The novel properties of nanoparticles will be described and how such characteristics have been exploited in sensor design will be provided. All the biosensor formats were initially developed for the health care sector to meet the demand for point-of-care diagnostics. As a consequence, research has been directed towards miniaturization thereby reducing the sample volume to nanolitres. However, the needs of the food sector are very different which may ultimately limit commercial application of nanoparticle based nanosensors. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd

Millimetre wave imaging for concealed target detection

PhDConcealed weapon detection (CWD) has been a hot topic as the concern about pub- lic safety increases. A variety of approaches for the detection of concealed objects on the human body based on earth magnetic ¯eld distortion, inductive magnetic ¯eld, acoustic and ultrasonic, electromagnetic resonance, MMW (millimetre wave), THz, Infrared, x-ray technologies have been suggested and developed. Among all of them, MMW holographic imaging is considered as a promising approach due to the relatively high penetration and high resolution that it can o®er. Typical concealed target detection methods are classi¯ed into 2 categories, the ¯rst one is a resonance based target identi¯cation technique, and the second one is an imaging based system. For the former, the complex natural resonance (CNR) frequencies associated with a certain target are extracted and used for identi¯cation, but this technique has an issue of high false alarm rate. The microwave/millimetre wave imaging systems can be categorized into two types: passive systems and active sys- tems. For the active microwave/millimetre wave imaging systems, the microwave holographic imaging approach was adopted in this thesis. Such a system can oper- ate at either a single frequency or multiple frequencies (wide band). An active, coherent, single frequency operation millimetre wave imaging system based on the theory of microwave holography was developed. Based on literature surveys and ¯rst hand experimental results, this thesis aims to provide system level parame- ter determination to aid the development of a target detection imager. The goal is approached step by step in 7 chapters, with topics and issues addressed rang- ing from reviewing the past work, ¯nding out the best candidate technology, i.e. the MMW holographic imaging combined with the resonance based target recog- i nition technique, the construction of the 94 GHz MMW holographic prototype imager, experimental trade-o® investigation of system parameters, imager per- formance evaluation, low pro¯le components and image enhancement techniques, feasibility investigation of resonance based technique, to system implementation based on the parameters and results achieved. The task set forth in the beginning is completed by coming up with an entire system design in the end.

Development and Characterisation of Plasmonic Devices for Sensing Applications

In recent years, discoveries and advances that utilise nano-scale (10^-9m) structures and associated phenomena have led to a number of entirely new areas of research in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology, and materials science. The photonic field of plasmonics is the study of light interaction with nanometer-scaled metal-dielectric features, which gives rise to a variety of phenomena, including surface plasmon resonance, localised surface plasmon resonance, and metal enhanced fluorescence. The focus of this thesis is on the development and characterisation of nanophotonic devices, which utilise plasmonic phenomena and have potential for sensor applications. During the course of this research a surface plasmon resonance analysis platform was devised, which utilises the gold grating of commercially available compact disks as the sensing substrate. This measurement method offers a high resolution refractive index analysis of gases and surface chemistry and is capable of analysing a large number of samples by scanning over the entire disk surface. The system implements a method of phase-polarisation contrast to improve the sensing performance. It enhances signal detection through redistributing the residual p-polarised waves, which have been strongly absorbed by the surface plasmon resonance substrate/sensor. This effectively lowers the reflected light intensity at the surface plasmon resonance minimum. The scheme results in the deepening of the intensity minimum to below 3.5% reflection and the enhancement of resonance to non-resonance contrast by up to 14 times, and thereby increasing sensitivity. A range of new nanophotonic structures have been modelled, developed, fabricated, and characterised, which we call wavelength and polarisation selective polariton generators (SPGs). These polarisation-sensitive structures combine a tuneable plasmon resonator and a subwavelength aperture to selectively generate and transmit polaritons of a desired wavelength through a central nanohole. Individual SPGs permit modulation of transmission intensity, with calculated enhanced optical transmission (ratio of output to input flux) of up to 10 and up to 4-fold measured amplitude modulation. The paired SPGs gave rise to multiple spectrally discrete transmission peaks which, when modulated, provide a multi-state operation in a single device. The measured amplitude modulation was up to 10-fold. For the linearly continuous SPG, by controlling the polarisation as a tuning variable, it selectively generated and transported polaritons of a desired wavelength. It exhibited a spectral shift of 40 nm over the full range of polarisation angles. The modelled enhanced optical transmission was calculated to be up to 17.2. An instrument was developed for measuring and characterising light transmission through single nanoholes, nanohole arrays, and other complex structures. The operational characteristics of these elements show close agreement between model predictions and experimental data. It also demonstrates new designs of plasmonic structures which utilise selective behaviour based on the polarisation of incident light

Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms

The Joint Publication 1-02, Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms sets forth standard US military and associated terminology to encompass the joint activity of the Armed Forces of the United States. These military and associated terms, together with their definitions, constitute approved Department of Defense (DOD) terminology for general use by all DOD components