Development of a fusion adaptive algorithm for marine debris detection within the post-Sandy restoration framework

Recognition of marine debris represent a difficult task due to the extreme variability of the marine environment, the possible targets, and the variable skill levels of human operators. The range of potential targets is much wider than similar fields of research such as mine hunting, localization of unexploded ordnance or pipeline detection. In order to address this additional complexity, an adaptive algorithm is being developing that appropriately responds to changes in the environment, and context. The preliminary step is to properly geometrically and radiometrically correct the collected data. Then, the core engine manages the fusion of a set of statistically- and physically-based algorithms, working at different levels (swath, beam, snippet, and pixel) and using both predictive modeling (that is, a high-frequency acoustic backscatter model) and phenomenological (e.g., digital image processing techniques) approaches. The expected outcome is the reduction of inter-algorithmic cross-correlation and, thus, the probability of false alarm. At this early stage, we provide a proof of concept showing outcomes from algorithms that dynamically adapt themselves to the depth and average backscatter level met in the surveyed environment, targeting marine debris (modeled as objects of about 1-m size). The project relies on a modular software library, called Matador (Marine Target Detection and Object Recognition)

Huddl: the Hydrographic Universal Data Description Language

Since many of the attempts to introduce a universal hydrographic data format have failed or have been only partially successful, a different approach is proposed. Our solution is the Hydrographic Universal Data Description Language (HUDDL), a descriptive XML-based language that permits the creation of a standardized description of (past, present, and future) data formats, and allows for applications like HUDDLER, a compiler that automatically creates drivers for data access and manipulation. HUDDL also represents a powerful solution for archiving data along with their structural description, as well as for cataloguing existing format specifications and their version control. HUDDL is intended to be an open, community-led initiative to simplify the issues involved in hydrographic data access

Potentially Polluting Marine Sites GeoDB: An S-100 Geospatial Database as an Effective Contribution to the Protection of the Marine Environment

Potentially Polluting Marine Sites (PPMS) are objects on, or areas of, the seabed that may release pollution in the future. A rationale for, and design of, a geospatial database to inventory and manipu-late PPMS is presented. Built as an S-100 Product Specification, it is specified through human-readable UML diagrams and implemented through machine-readable GML files, and includes auxiliary information such as pollution-control resources and potentially vulnerable sites in order to support analyses of the core data. The design and some aspects of implementation are presented, along with metadata requirements and structure, and a perspective on potential uses of the database

Developing a GIS-Database and Risk Index for Potentially Polluting Marine Sites

The increasing availability of geospatial marine data provides an opportunity for hydrographic offices to contribute to the identification of “Potentially Polluting Marine Sites” (PPMS). These include shipwrecks, oil rigs, pipelines, and dumping areas. To adequately assess the environmental risk of these sites, relevant information must be collected and converted into a multi-scale geodatabase suitable for site inventory and geo-spatial analysis. In addition, a Risk Index – representing an assessment of the magnitude of risk associated with any site – can be derived to determine the potential impacts of these PPMS. However, the successful collection and integration of PPMS information requires some effort to ‘normalize’ and standardize the data based on recognized international standards. In particular, there is benefit in structuring the data in conformance with the Universal Hydrographic Data Model (IHO S-100) recently adopted by the International Hydrographic Organization. In this paper, an S-100 compliant product specification for a PPMS geo-spatial database and associated Marine Site Risk Index is proposed which can be used by national hydrographic offices and marine protection agencies

Non-Perturbatively Improved Quenched Hadron Spectroscopy

We make a quenched lattice simulation of hadron spectroscopy at beta=6.2 with the Wilson action non-perturbatively improved. With respect to the unimproved case, the estimate of the lattice spacing is less influenced by the choice of input hadron masses. We study also the effects of using an improved quark mass in the fits to the dependence of hadron masses upon quark masses.Comment: 12 pages, including 5 postscript figure

The Near Infrared and Multiwavelength Afterglow of GRB 000301c

We present near-infrared observations of the counterpart of GRB 000301c. The K' filter (2.1 micron) light curve shows a well-sampled break in the decay slope at t=3.5 days post-burst. The early time slope is very shallow (~ -0.1), while the late time slope is steep (-2.2). Comparison with the optical (R band) light curve shows marginally significant differences, especially in the early time decay slope (which is steeper in the optical) and the break time (which occurs later in the optical). This is contrary to the general expectation that light curve breaks should either be achromatic (e.g., for breaks due to collimation effects) or should occur later at longer wavelengths (for most other breaks). The observed color variations might be intrinsic to the afterglow, or might indicate systematic errors of > 0.08 magnitude in all fluxes. Even if the break is achromatic, we argue that its sharpness poses difficulties for explanations that depend on collimated ejecta. The R light curve shows further signs of fairly rapid variability (a bump, steep drop, and plateau) that are not apparent in the K' light curve. In addition, by combining the IR-optical-UV data with millimeter and radio fluxes, we are able to constrain the locations of the self-absorption break and cooling break and to infer the location of the spectral peak at t=3 days: f_nu = 3.4 mJy at nu=1e12 Hz. Using the multiwavelength spectral energy distribution, we are able to constrain the blast wave energy, which was E > 3e53 erg if the explosion was isotropic. This implies a maximum gamma ray production efficiency of ~ 0.15 for GRB 000301C.Comment: Accepted to The Astrophysical Journal. 24 pages, 4 figures, 3 tables; uses AASTeX 5 macros. This version includes a new figure (R-K' color vs. time), a better sampled R band light curve, and more extensive discussion of the optical data and error analysi

Unveiling the nature of INTEGRAL objects through optical spectroscopy. IX. 22 more identifications, and a glance into the far hard X-ray Universe

(Abridged) Since its launch in October 2002, the INTEGRAL satellite has revolutionized our knowledge of the hard X-ray sky thanks to its unprecedented imaging capabilities and source detection positional accuracy above 20 keV. Nevertheless, many of the newly-detected sources in the INTEGRAL sky surveys are of unknown nature. The combined use of available information at longer wavelengths (mainly soft X-rays and radio) and of optical spectroscopy on the putative counterparts of these new hard X-ray objects allows us to pinpoint their exact nature. Continuing our long-standing program that has been running since 2004, and using 6 different telescopes of various sizes, we report the classification through optical spectroscopy of 22 more unidentified or poorly studied high-energy sources detected with the IBIS instrument onboard INTEGRAL. We found that 16 of them are active galactic nuclei (AGNs), while the remaining 6 objects are within our Galaxy. Among the identified extragalactic sources, 14 are Type 1 AGNs; of these, 6 lie at redshift larger than 0.5 and one has z = 3.12, which makes it the second farthest object detected in the INTEGRAL surveys up to now. The remaining AGNs are of type 2, and one of them is a pair of interacting Seyfert 2 galaxies. The Galactic objects are identified as two cataclysmic variables, one high-mass X-ray binary, one symbiotic binary and two chromospherically active stars. We thus still find that AGNs are the most abundant population among hard X-ray objects identified through optical spectroscopy. Moreover, we note that the higher sensitivity of the more recent INTEGRAL surveys is now enabling the detection of high-redshift AGNs, thus allowing the exploration of the most distant hard X-ray emitting sources and possibly of the most extreme blazars.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures, 8 tables, accepted for publication on Astronomy & Astrophysics, main journa