Voyager 1 Encounter with the Saturnian System

An overview of the Voyager 1 encounter with Saturn is presented, including a brief discussion of the flight, trajectory, science plan formulation, and highlights of the results described in the subsequent reports

Neurogenesis Deep Learning

Neural machine learning methods, such as deep neural networks (DNN), have achieved remarkable success in a number of complex data processing tasks. These methods have arguably had their strongest impact on tasks such as image and audio processing - data processing domains in which humans have long held clear advantages over conventional algorithms. In contrast to biological neural systems, which are capable of learning continuously, deep artificial networks have a limited ability for incorporating new information in an already trained network. As a result, methods for continuous learning are potentially highly impactful in enabling the application of deep networks to dynamic data sets. Here, inspired by the process of adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus, we explore the potential for adding new neurons to deep layers of artificial neural networks in order to facilitate their acquisition of novel information while preserving previously trained data representations. Our results on the MNIST handwritten digit dataset and the NIST SD 19 dataset, which includes lower and upper case letters and digits, demonstrate that neurogenesis is well suited for addressing the stability-plasticity dilemma that has long challenged adaptive machine learning algorithms.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures, Accepted to 2017 International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN 2017

The Voyager Encounter with Neptune

The Voyager Neptune/Interstellar Mission is the continuation of the NASA program of exploration of the outer solar system. The prior phases of the Voyager program included encounters with Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus as summarized in the Journal of Geophysical Research (volume 86, pages 8121–8841, 1981; volume 88, pages 8625–9018, 1983; and volume 92, pages 14,873–15,375, 1987). Following the successes of these prior phases of the Voyager mission, a new phase was undertaken with the objectives of exploring the Neptune system and continuing the investigation of the interplanetary and interstellar media. An additional objective was to preserve the capability to extend the investigations to include a search for the heliopause. Summaries of results from the Neptune and Triton encounters are reported in the following papers

Scientific questions for the exploration of the terrestrial planets and Jupiter - Advanced planetary missions technology program Progress report

Scientific questions and experimental design for planetary exploration of Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Venu