Semi-Automated DIRSIG scene modeling from 3D lidar and passive imagery

The Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Image Generation (DIRSIG) model is an established, first-principles based scene simulation tool that produces synthetic multispectral and hyperspectral images from the visible to long wave infrared (0.4 to 20 microns). Over the last few years, significant enhancements such as spectral polarimetric and active Light Detection and Ranging (lidar) models have also been incorporated into the software, providing an extremely powerful tool for multi-sensor algorithm testing and sensor evaluation. However, the extensive time required to create large-scale scenes has limited DIRSIG’s ability to generate scenes ”on demand.” To date, scene generation has been a laborious, time-intensive process, as the terrain model, CAD objects and background maps have to be created and attributed manually. To shorten the time required for this process, this research developed an approach to reduce the man-in-the-loop requirements for several aspects of synthetic scene construction. Through a fusion of 3D lidar data with passive imagery, we were able to semi-automate several of the required tasks in the DIRSIG scene creation process. Additionally, many of the remaining tasks realized a shortened implementation time through this application of multi-modal imagery. Lidar data is exploited to identify ground and object features as well as to define initial tree location and building parameter estimates. These estimates are then refined by analyzing high-resolution frame array imagery using the concepts of projective geometry in lieu of the more common Euclidean approach found in most traditional photogrammetric references. Spectral imagery is also used to assign material characteristics to the modeled geometric objects. This is achieved through a modified atmospheric compensation applied to raw hyperspectral imagery. These techniques have been successfully applied to imagery collected over the RIT campus and the greater Rochester area. The data used include multiple-return point information provided by an Optech lidar linescanning sensor, multispectral frame array imagery from the Wildfire Airborne Sensor Program (WASP) and WASP-lite sensors, and hyperspectral data from the Modular Imaging Spectrometer Instrument (MISI) and the COMPact Airborne Spectral Sensor (COMPASS). Information from these image sources was fused and processed using the semi-automated approach to provide the DIRSIG input files used to define a synthetic scene. When compared to the standard manual process for creating these files, we achieved approximately a tenfold increase in speed, as well as a significant increase in geometric accuracy

Canonical Phase Diagrams of the 1-D Falicov-Kimball Model at T=0

The Falicov-Kimball model of spinless quantum electrons hopping on a 1-dimensional lattice and of immobile classical ions occupying some lattice sites, with only intrasite coupling between those particles, have been studied at zero temperature by means of well-controlled numerical procedures. For selected values of the unique coupling parameter $U$ the restricted phase diagrams (based on all the periodic configurations of localized particles (ions) with period not greater than 16 lattice constants, typically) have been constructed in the grand-canonical ensemble. Then these diagrams have been translated into the canonical ensemble. Compared to the diagrams obtained in other studies our ones contain more details, in particular they give better insight into the way the mixtures of periodic phases are formed. Our study has revealed several families of new characteristic phases like the generalized most homogeneous and the generalized crenel phases, a first example of a structural phase transition and a tendency to build up an additional symmetry -- the hole-particle symmetry with respect to the ions (electrons) only, as $U$ decreases.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures (not included

Thinking Historically about Data: Improving Automation Processes for Harvesting North Carolina City Directories

Scaling up to handle big data can be challenging for the Digital Humanities given the often diverse and unpredictable nature of such data. This project proposes a system for automatically harvesting North Carolina city directories by developing a historically-minded parser. City directories vary significantly in format and structure, making the use of a one-size-fits-all approach impossible. Building a smarter parser requires that historical variances be taken into account from the outset. Such an understanding may come from an analysis of directory attributes, including the presence of a header or the connotation of a resident's racial classification. When taken together, these attributes reveal patterns across directory publishers, city locations, and publication years that form the basis of parameters for adjusting the parser to improve overall automatic data extraction. This project demonstrates how applying historical thinking to computational solutions contributes to more effective tools for handling big humanities data

Semi-Automated DIRSIG Scene Modeling from 3D LIDAR and Passive Imaging Sources

The Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Image Generation (DIRSIG) model is an established, first-principles based scene simulation tool that produces synthetic multispectral and hyperspectral images from the visible to long wave infrared (0.4 to 20 microns). Over the last few years, significant enhancements such as spectral polarimetric and active Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) models have also been incorporated into the software, providing an extremely powerful tool for algorithm testing and sensor evaluation. However, the extensive time required to create large-scale scenes has limited DIRSIG’s ability to generate scenes “on demand.” To date, scene generation has been a laborious, time-intensive process, as the terrain model, CAD objects and background maps have to be created and attributed manually. To shorten the time required for this process, we are initiating a research effort that aims to reduce the man-in-the-loop requirements for several aspects of synthetic hyperspectral scene construction. Through a fusion of 3D LIDAR data with passive imagery, we are working to semi-automate several of the required tasks in the DIRSIG scene creation process. Additionally, many of the remaining tasks will also realize a shortened implementation time through this application of multi-modal imagery. This paper reports on the progress made thus far in achieving these objectives

Dancing Dreams: Performing American Identities in Postwar Hollywood Musicals, 1944-1958

With the pressures of the dawning Cold War, postwar Americans struggled to find a balance between conformity and authentic individualism. Although musical motion pictures appeared conservative, seemingly touting traditional gender roles and championing American democratic values, song-and-dance numbers (spectacles) actually functioned as sites of release for filmmakers, actors, and moviegoers. Spectacles, which film censors and red-baiting politicians considered little more than harmless entertainment and indirect forms of expression, were the least regulated aspects of musicals. These scenes provided relatively safe spaces for actors to play with and defy, but also reify, social expectations. Spectacles were also sites of resistance for performers, who relied on their voices and bodies—sometimes at odds with each other—to reclaim power that was denied them either by social strictures or an oppressive studio system. Dancing Dreams is a series of case studies about the role of spectacle—literal dances but also spectacles of discourse, nostalgia, stardom, and race—in inspiring Americans to find forms of individual self-expression with the potential to challenge prevailing norms. It explores how Gene Kelly tried to broaden definitions of dance and art to make a case for the heterosexual male dancer; how Judy Garland used her performances to strike back at studio executives who tried to mold her femininity; how racial stereotypes and the Hollywood politics of race limited Oscar Hammerstein’s liberal messages of racial inclusion and cooperation; and how fantasy dances could remold nationality and gender. Musical motion pictures thus expand the definition of rebellion to include the sort of private, and often, quiet forms of personal resistance that occurred throughout the 1950s, and helps us to understand better the radical potential of postwar America

Conformational Rearrangements in the Sensory RcsF/OMP Complex Mediate Signal Transduction Across the Bacterial Cell Envelope

Timely detection and repair of envelope damage are paramount for bacterial survival. The Regulator of Capsule Synthesis (Rcs) stress response can transduce the stress signals across the multilayered gram-negative cell envelope to regulate gene expression in the cytoplasm. Previous studies defined the overall pathway, which begins with the sensory lipoprotein RcsF interacting with several outer membrane proteins (OMPs). RcsF can also interact with the periplasmic domain of the negative regulator IgaA, derepressing the downstream RcsCDB phosphorelay. However, how the RcsF/IgaA interaction is regulated at the molecular level to activate the signaling in response to stress remains poorly understood. In this study, we used a site-saturated mutant library of rcsF to carry out several independent genetic screens to interrogate the mechanism of signal transduction from RcsF to IgaA. We analyzed several distinct classes of rcsF signaling mutants, and determined the region of RcsF that is critically important for signal transduction. This region is bifunctional as it is important for RcsF interaction with both IgaA and OMPs. The mutant analysis provides strong evidence for conformational changes in the RcsF/OMP complex mediating signal transduction to IgaA, and the first direct evidence that OMPs play an important regulatory role in Rcs signaling

Nucleosynthesis imprints from different Type Ia Supernova explosion scenarios and implications for galactic chemical evolution

We analyze the nucleosynthesis yields of various Type Ia supernova explosion simulations including pure detonations in sub- Chandrasekhar mass white dwarfs, double detonations and pure helium detonations of sub-Chandrasekhar mass white dwarfs with an accreted helium envelope, a violent merger model of two white dwarfs and deflagrations as well as delayed detonations in Chandrasekhar mass white dwarfs. We focus on the iron peak elements Mn, Zn and Cu. To this end, we also briefly review the different burning regimes and production sites of these elements as well as the results of abundance measurements and several galactic chemical evolution studies. We find that super-solar values of [Mn/Fe] are not restricted to Chandrasekhar mass explosion models. Scenarios including a helium detonation can significantly contribute to the production of Mn, in particular the models proposed for calcium-rich transients. Although Type Ia supernovae are often not accounted for as production sites of Zn and Cu, our models involving helium shell detonations can produce these elements in super-solar ratios relative to Fe. Our results suggest a re-consideration of Type Ia supernova yields in galactic chemical evolution models. A detailed comparison with observations can provide new insight into the progenitor and explosion channels of these events.Comment: 15 paged, 8 figures, accepted for publication in A&

REAM intensity modulator-enabled 10Gb/s colorless upstream transmission of real-time optical OFDM signals in a single-fiber-based bidirectional PON architecture

Reflective electro-absorption modulation-intensity modulators (REAM-IMs) are utilized, for the first time, to experimentally demonstrate colorless ONUs in single-fiber-based, bidirectional, intensity-modulation and direct-detection (IMDD), optical OFDM PONs (OOFDM-PONs) incorporating 25km SSMFs and OLT-side-seeded CW optical signals. The colorlessness of the REAM-IMs is characterized, based on which optimum REAM-IM operating conditions are identified. In the aforementioned PON architecture, 10Gb/s colorless upstream transmissions of end-to-end realtime OOFDM signals are successfully achieved for various wavelengths within the entire C-band. Over such a wavelength window, corresponding minimum received optical powers at the FEC limit vary in a range as small as <0.5dB. In addition, experimental measurements also indicate that Rayleigh backscattering imposes a 2.8dB optical power penalty on the 10Gb/s over 25km upstream OOFDM signal transmission. Furthermore, making use of on-line adaptive bit and power loading, a linear trade-off between aggregated signal line rate and optical power budget is observed, which shows that, for the present PON system, a 10% reduction in signal line rate can improve the optical power budget by 2.6dB. © 2012 Optical Society of America

Mechanical properties of geopolymer concretes reinforced with waste steel fibers

The article presents the research that try to determinate the possibilities of utilization the waste came from used tires to create the composites based on geopolymer matrix. The tire is multicomponent construction. It mainly consists of elastomer (rubber), metal and textile fibres such called textile cord. A lot of components causes difficulties in the tire recycling process. The main aim of the research was determinate the possibilities of recycling the waste steel from used tires in geopolymer composites and develop the eco-friendly material for construction industry. The matrix based on fly ash from power station located in city named Skawina (Poland) and fine sand at a ratio of 1:1. The process of activation was made by 10M sodium hydroxide solution combined with the sodium silicate solution. In order to manufacture these composites the addition of 2% and 3.5% of waste steel fibres by mass was applied. Also specimen without steel fiber reinforcement were made to get reference specimens. The waste steel fibres came from recycling company from Argentina - 'Regomax'. The specimens were prepared according to the methodology described in the standard EN 12390-1. The research methods used were: microstructure research, tensile strength and compressive strength tests as well as analysis of breakthroughs.Fil: Gailitis, R. Riga Technical University; LetoniaFil: Korniejenko, K. Cracow University Of Technology; PoloniaFil: Lach, M. Riga Technical University; LetoniaFil: Sliseris, J. Riga Technical University; LetoniaFil: Moran, Juan Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales; ArgentinaFil: Rodriguez, Exequiel Santos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales; ArgentinaFil: Mikula, J. Cracow University Of Technology; Poloni