Improved Time Resolution Research Articles

Mission and system architecture for an operational network of earth observation satellite nodes

Nowadays, constellations and distributed networks of satellites are emerging as clear development trends in the space system market to enable augmentation, enhancement, and possibilities of new applications for future Earth Observation (EO) missions. While the adoption of these satellite architectures is gaining momentum for the attaining of ever more stringent application requirements and stakeholder needs, the efforts to analyze their benefits and suitability, and to assess their impact for future programmes remains as an open challenge to the EO community. In this context, this paper presents the mission and system architecture conceived during the Horizon 2020 ONION project, a European Union research activity that proposes a systematic approach to the optimization of EO space infrastructures. In particular, ONION addressed the design of complementary assets that progressively supplement current programs and took part in the exploration of needs and implementation of architectures for the Copernicus Space Component for EO.Among several use cases considered, the ONION project focused on proposing system architectures to provide improved revisit time, data latency and image resolution for a demanding application scenario of interest: Marine Weather Forecast (MWF).A set of promising system architectures has been subject of a comprehensive assessment, based on mission analysis expertise and detailed simulation for evaluating several key parameters such as revisit time and data latency of each measurement of interest, on-board memory evolution and power budget of each satellite of the constellation, ground station contacts and inter-satellite links. The architectures are built with several heterogeneous satellite nodes distributed in different orbital planes. Each platform can embark different instrument sets, which provide the required measurements for each use case.A detailed mission analysis has then been performed to the selected architecture for the MWF use case, including a refined data flow analysis to optimize system resources; a refined power budget analysis; a delta-V and a fuel budget analysis considering all the possible phases of the mission. This includes from the correction of launcher injection errors and acquisition of nominal satellite position inside the constellation, orbit maintenance to control altitude, collision avoidance to avoid collision with space debris objects and end-of-life (EOL) disposal to comply with EOL guidelines.The relevance of the system architecture selected for the MWF has been evaluated for three use cases of interest (Arctic sea-ice monitoring, maritime fishery pressure and aquaculture, agricultural hydric stress) to show the versatility and the feasibility of the chosen architecture to be adapted for other EO applications.

Fast Operando GCMS Gas Analysis for Monitoring Electrolyte Decomposition in Lithium Ion Batteries

Lithium Ion Batteries (LIB) find not only wide use in portable devices and consumer electronics, but also attract increasing attention in stationary energy storage and the automotive sector. In this regard, LIBs play a significant role as intermediate energy storage due to their high volumetric and gravimetric energy, high power density, and long cycle life.To achieve the required performance, the interaction of novel anode and cathode materials is of paramount interest. Particularly, the safety of cell operation must be assessed with respect to the formation of volatile and reactive species during cycling which can negatively alter cell components. Gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GCMS) has proven to be a reliable tool for species detection. Unfortunately, conventional GC systems lack time resolution for in-situ gas analysis regarding fast processes, for example battery failure. Therefore, developing operando testing methods with improved time resolution is key to giving insight into electrolyte alterations during battery operation.Here one of them, a novel multiplex injection method is presented as a monitoring technique for gas species arising from the decomposition of conventional LIB electrolytes. The combination of the multiplexing technique and GCMS allows the analysis of fast decomposition processes by 15 fold increase of time resolution compared to conventional gas chromatography. In addition, FTIR allows online monitoring of selected vibration bands. Commercially produced pouch cells were monitored with respect to evolving gas species during battery operation under overcharge conditions. For the decomposition of LiPF6 / organic carbonate- based electrolytes alkanes, alcohols, ethers, esters, aldehydes and also derivatives that appear in the presence of hydrofluoric acid such as fluorinated alkane species, have been evaluated.The author gratefully acknowledges the FFG (Austrian Research Promotion Agency) for funding this research within project No. 858298.

Effect of attenuation mismatches in time of flight PET reconstruction

While the pursuit of better time resolution in positron emission tomography (PET) is rapidly evolving, little work has been performed on time of flight (TOF) image quality at high time resolution in the presence of modelling inconsistencies. This works focuses on the effect of using the wrong attenuation map in the system model, causing perturbations in the reconstructed radioactivity image. Previous work has usually considered the effects to be local to the area where there is attenuation mismatch, and has shown that the quantification errors in this area tend to reduce with improved time resolution. This publication shows however that errors in the PET image at a distance from the mismatch increase with time resolution. The errors depend on the reconstruction algorithm used. We quantify the errors in the hypothetical case of perfect time resolution for maximum likelihood reconstructions. In addition, we perform reconstructions on simulated and patient data. In particular, for respiratory-gated reconstructions from a wrong attenuation map, increased errors are observed with improved time resolutions in areas close to the lungs (e.g. from 13.3% in non-TOF to up to 20.9% at 200 ps in the left ventricle).

A review of the Oligo–Miocene larger benthic foraminifera in the Zagros basin, Iran; New insights into biozonation and palaeogeographical maps

Developing a more precise time framework in any hydrocarbon-bearing basin is potentially of great value to geologists and reservoir modelers for better understanding the hydrocarbon reservoir zonation, and identifying unconformities. In the Asmari Formation, which is the most important Oligocene–Miocene carbonate reservoirs in Iran, broad time zonation is generally used based on larger benthic foraminifera (LBF). In this study, the biostratigraphic zonation of the Asmari intra-shelf basin is re- evaluated based on the spatial and temporal distribution of LBF (i.e., different species of Nummulites, Eulepidina, Archaias, Spiroclypeus, Miogypsinoides, Miogypsina, and Borelis) as well as Sr isotope datasets. This research proposes a new zonation to improve time resolution in the Oligocene and explains the effects of environmental factors on some index fossils and the limited range of some key fauna. The newly proposed zonation consists of one biofacies and nine biozones occurring throughout the Rupelian to Burdigalian allowing differentiating Oligo-Miocene stages, and tuning the chronostratigraphic framework of the Oligocene–Miocene deposits. Moreover, based on this new biozonation, regional-scale palaeogeographical maps of the Asmari intra-shelf basin during Rupelian-Burdigalian were officially established.

Time resolution for wavefront and phase singularity tracking using activation maps in cardiac propagation models.

The dynamics of cardiac fibrillation can be described by the number, the trajectory, the stability, and the lifespan of phase singularities (PSs). Accurate PS tracking is straightforward in simple uniform tissues but becomes more challenging as fibrosis, structural heterogeneity, and strong anisotropy are combined. In this paper, we derive a mathematical formulation for PS tracking in two-dimensional reaction-diffusion models. The method simultaneously tracks wavefronts and PS based on activation maps at full spatiotemporal resolution. PS tracking is formulated as a linear assignment problem solved by the Hungarian algorithm. The cost matrix incorporates information about distances between PS, chirality, and wavefronts. A graph of PS trajectories is generated to represent the creations and annihilations of PS pairs. Structure-preserving graph transformations are applied to provide a simplified description at longer observation time scales. The approach is validated in 180 simulations of fibrillation in four different types of substrates featuring, respectively, wavebreaks, ionic heterogeneities, fibrosis, and breakthrough patterns. The time step of PS tracking is studied in the range from 0.1 to 10 ms. The results show the benefits of improving time resolution from 1 to 0.1 ms. The tracking error rate decreases by an order of magnitude because the occurrence of simultaneous events becomes less likely. As observed on PS survival curves, the graph-based analysis facilitates the identification of macroscopically stable rotors despite wavefront fragmentation by fibrosis.

Evaluating MISER chromatography as a tool for characterizing HILIC column equilibration

Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography (HILIC) is a technique for retaining polar analytes that uses polar stationary phases and acetonitrile-rich mobile phases. While this technique has several advantages over reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC), one main drawback is the reported need for longer column equilibration. The reason for this is not fully understood and is a topic of current investigation. In order to better understand and reduce the equilibration needs, accurate characterization of column equilibration under varying conditions is required. The current method of characterizing HILIC column equilibration produces limited data points per test, or low time resolution, and is highly dependent on the column and probe compounds being used. There is a need for an improved method for characterizing HILIC column equilibration, especially if trends across stationary phases are to be observed. In this work, MISER, or Multiple Injections in a Single Experimental Run, is evaluated as a possible tool for characterizing HILIC column equilibration. MISER improves time resolution by allowing for replicate injections without interruption of data collection, enabling a more thorough evaluation of column equilibration compared to traditional techniques. Experimental results gathered using MISER show that equilibration of a BEH Amide column is notably shorter when equilibrating from acetonitrile to mobile phases containing higher percentages of water. Column equilibration to a 10% aqueous mobile phase was found to be approximately 5-fold faster than equilibration to a 3% aqueous mobile phase.

Effects of the positions of scintillation detectors with fast scintillators and photomultiplier tubes on TOF–PET performance

The objective of this study is to improve the time resolution value of a coincidence spectrometer used in a time-of-flight–positron emission tomography (TOF–PET) system. This spectrometer is used in medical imaging systems. The coincidence spectrometer is manufactured by using a BC420-type plastic scintillator and R1828-01-type photomultiplier tube, and the time resolution value of the manufactured spectrometer is determined. The accuracy of the experimental results is determined using the FLUKA Monte Carlo simulation program. Detectors are first manufactured in this program. Experimental and simulation results are compared and are found to be in good agreement. Optimal positions of the detectors are investigated to improve the coincidence time resolution of the spectrometer. Time resolution improvement of the optimal detector positions enables higher time-of-flight (TOF) gain and spatial resolution, leading to better image quality, reduction in patient doses and detection of small lesions.

Search for Heavy Stable Charged Particles in the CMS Experiment using the RPC Phase II upgraded detectors

Several theoretical models inspired by the idea of supersymmetry (SUSY) accommodate the possibility of Heavy Stable Charged Particles (HSCPs). The Phase II upgrade of the CMS-RPC system will allow the trigger and identification of this kind of particles exploiting the Time-of-Flight Technique with the improved time resolution that a new Data Acquisition System (DAQ) system will provide (∼2 ns). Moreover, new Resistive Plate Chambers (RPC) detector chambers will be installed to extend the acceptance coverage up to |η|<2.4 with similar time resolution and better spatial resolution. We present a trigger strategy to detect HSCPs with the RPC detectors. Its performance is studied with Monte Carlo simulations and the expected results with the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) data are shown.

Evaluating the applicability of a low-cost sensor for measuring PM2.5 concentration in Ho Chi Minh city, Viet Nam

Introduction: Continuous monitoring provides real-time data which is helpful for measuring air quality; however, these systems are often very expensive, especially for developing countries such as Vietnam. The use of low-cost sensors for monitoring air pollution is a new approach in Vietnam and this study assesses the utility of low-cost, light-scattering-based, particulate sensors for measuring PM2.5 concentrations in Ho Chi Minh City.&#x0D; Methods: The low-cost sensors were compared with both a Beta attenuation monitor (BAM) reference method and a gravimetric method during the rainy season period of October to December 2018.&#x0D; Results: The results showed that there was a very strong correlation between two low-cost sensors (R = 0.97, slope = 1.0), and that the sensor precision varied from 0 to 21.4% with a mean of 3.1%. Both one-minute averaged data and one-hour averaged data showed similar correlations between sensors and BAM (R2 = 0.62 and 0.69, respectively), while 24-hour averaged data showed excellent agreement (R2 = 0.95, slope = 1.05). In addition, we also found a strong correlation between those instruments and a gravimetric method using 24-hour averaged data. A linear regression was used to calibrate the 24-hour averaged sensor data and, once calibrated, the bias dropped to zero.&#x0D; Conclusion: These results show that low-cost sensors can be used for daily measurements of PM2.5 concentrations in Ho Chi Minh City. The effect of air conditions, such as temperature and humidity, should be conducted. Moreover, technical methods to improve time resolution of lowcost sensors need to be developed and applied in order to provide real-time measurements at an inexpensive cost.&#x0D;

Sharp Detection of Event’s Onset in Seismic Signals With Asymmetrical Kaiser Window-Based S-Transform

The S-transform (ST) is a commonly used tool for time-frequency (TF) localization. It uses scalable Gaussian kernel for multiresolution analysis. It is widely used for the analysis of seismic signals. However, the long taper of the Gaussian window results in the degradation of the time resolution at lower frequencies and, hence, lowers its effectiveness in reliable detection of onset of events. This letter proposes an asymmetrical Kaiser window-based ST that provides better time resolution in the forward direction which facilitates sharp detection of events in seismic signals. The inherent optimal energy concentration characteristics of the Kaiser window provide better TF localization compared to existing approaches. The window parameters are also generalized to provide frequency-dependent asymmetry while avoiding unwanted degradation of frequency resolution at higher frequencies. The efficacy of the proposed approach is illustrated by testing it with a synthetic seismic trace and a real noisy seismograph. Simulation results illustrate the improvement in time resolution with the proposed approach as compared to other asymmetrical window-based STs for the detection of event's onset.

Development of Weak Signal Recognition and an Extraction Algorithm for Raman Imaging.

Improving time resolution of Raman imaging is essential for the observation of dynamic processes involved in interfacial catalysis and biological systems. The crucial step is how to recognize and extract weak Raman signals overwhelmed in the strong noise under the low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) condition. Here, by exploring the relationship between the SNR of a single Raman spectrum and the structural similarity (SSIM; the key parameter evaluating the image quality) of the whole image, we determined a semiempirical threshold with SNR = 0 dB for clear imaging for the first time. Therefore, we proposed one signal processing algorithm for fast Raman imaging by reconstructing the Raman spectrum with the aid of weak signal processing: extracting the reliable Raman signal of the target under the low SNR and then determining the suitable scanning time to obtain the Raman image with a trustworthy image quality. In the first step, fast Fourier transform (FFT), least squares, and 2-D median filter are sequentially applied to improve the SNR of each raw Raman spectrum. In the second step, a local SNR evaluation strategy is developed to predict image quality as well as the determination of clear imaging. The proposed method was successfully applied to the fast imaging of the cell under the low SNR condition.

Watching gene expression in color.

A combination of two fluorescent proteins with different half-lives allows gene expression to be followed with improved time resolution.

Azimuth Superresolution of Forward-Looking Radar Imaging Which Relies on Linearized Bregman

Forward-looking radar plays an important role in many military and civilian fields. However, the problem of low azimuth resolution has restricted its applications seriously. Although many methods have been used to achieve azimuth superresolution, the traditional methods suffer from noise amplification or limited resolution under low signal-to-noise (SNR) condition. In this paper, we proposed a Bayesian deconvolution method which relies on linearized Bregman to achieve azimuth superresolution of forward-looking radar imaging. We first used the complex Gaussian distribution and Laplace distribution to describe the distribution of noise and targets, respectively, and transformed the superresolution problem into a convex optimization problem by maximum a posteriori estimation in the Bayesian framework. Second, linearized Bregman algorithm was used to solve the convex optimization problem. The proposed method introduces the prior information of noise and target, and overcomes the ill-posedness of deconvolution. As a result, the azimuth resolution is remarkably enhanced. Besides, the proposed method has high computational efficiency by linearizing objection function, so it can take both time cost and resolution improvement into consideration. Finally, the superior performance was verified by simulation and experimental data.

Performance of the ALICE Time-Of-Flight detector at the LHC

The ALICE Time-Of-Flight (TOF) detector at LHC is based on the Multigap Resistive Plate Chambers (MRPCs). The TOF performance during LHC Run 2 is here reported. Particular attention is given to the improved time resolution reached by TOF detector of 56 ps, with the consequently improved particle identification capabilities.

MAIDENS: MIL-STD-1553 Anomaly-Based Intrusion Detection System Using Time-Based Histogram Comparison

Aircraft are becoming increasingly connected to other systems or networks, introducing attack vectors and posing a threat to their operational effectiveness. Many military aircraft function using the MIL-STD-1553 protocol in order to communicate information across its systems. Previous intrusion detection research on this type of data bus is unable to detect spoofing attacks where only data words are manipulated. This paper presents the design of a MIL-STD-1553 anomaly-based intrusion detection system able to identify those attacks through the use of a novel histogram comparison approach and time-based features. The approach includes optimizations for improved time resolution in threat identification. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach in identifying threats quickly and accurately.

A combined method for instantaneous frequency identification in low frequency structures

Civil engineering structures such as high-rise buildings and long-span cable-supported bridges usually exhibit low-frequency characteristics and the resultant response signals may be non-asymptotic (the amplitude change rate is higher than its phase change rate) and even have closely-spaced frequency components. The identification of satisfactory instantaneous frequencies of such response signals is a challenge faced by standard synchrosqueezing wavelet transform. The paper aims to propose a combined method to address this challenge. The proposed method combines an extended analytical mode decomposition (AMD) method, a recursive Hilbert transform and a zoom synchrosqueezing wavelet transform (consisting of frequency-shift operation and partial zoom synchrosqueezing operation). In the method, a multi-component signal, which may consist of closely spaced frequency components, is firstly decomposed into several mono-component signals by the extended AMD, and the extracted mono-components are then demodulated into asymptotic signals by recursively using the Hilbert transform. After that, a frequency-shift operation is employed to improve time resolution and a partial zoom synchrosqueezing operation is then applied to improve the frequency resolution in the narrow low frequency range of interest. Two numerical examples, an experiment on an aluminum cantilever beam with abrupt mass reduction and an experiment on a cable with time-varying tension forces are provided to illustrate the effectiveness, accuracy and robustness of the method.

Dual-ended readout of bismuth germanate to improve timing resolution in time-of-flight PET

The scintillator bismuth germanate (BGO) has attractive properties for positron emission tomography (PET) systems such as high stopping power, high photo-fraction, and relatively low cost. However, its moderate scintillation light yield and slow rise and decay time compared to lutetium (yttrium) oxyorthosilicate (L(Y)SO) results in a degradation of coincidence timing resolution when scintillation photons are used for timing. Recently, it has been reported that the coincidence timing resolution of BGO can be improved by detecting Cerenkov photons, while scintillation photons still provide energy information. However, the measured coincidence timing spectrum showed much longer tails compared to the single Gaussian distribution. Because of this, TOF PET detectors based on BGO will perform worse than the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the distribution, which is the most common metric for timing resolution, would suggest. From simulation studies, during the first few picoseconds, BGO generates ~16 Cerenkov photons per photoelectric interaction, following a 511 keV gamma ray interaction, while the probability of producing a scintillation photon during the first few picoseconds is very small. Therefore, when we configure a BGO crystal with dual-ended readout, the first arriving photons among the two opposing SiPMs are most likely Cerenkov photons, and by selecting the appropriate SiPM, an improvement in coincidence timing resolution can be achieved. In this study, both ends of a 3 × 3 × 20 mm3 BGO crystal were coupled to NUV-HD SiPMs. Trigger time differences from the dual-ended readout of BGO were widely distributed due to detecting a mixture of prompt Cerenkov and scintillation photons on both SiPMs. When using trigger times from only a single SiPM, the estimated coincidence timing resolution between two identical BGO detectors was 463 ps FWHM and 1463 ps FWTM. In contrast, when using trigger times from both SiPMs, the estimated coincidence timing resolution was 399 ps FWHM and 936 ps FWTM with no loss of events. Based on a recent report, high-bandwidth amplifiers were implemented and shown to further improve the estimated coincidence timing resolution to 331 ps FWHM and 923 ps FWTM. In summary, the coincidence timing resolution of BGO, most notably the FWTM, was significantly improved using time information from the dual-ended readout.

Time Resolution of a Cs2LiYCl6:Ce3+ Detector Measured with a DRS4 Waveform Digitizer

The Cs2LiYCl6:Ce3+ (CLYC) scintillator is being widely employed in nuclear physics, planetary science, radiation environmental monitoring, nuclear security, and nonproliferation communities. The time resolution of a 1 × 1-in. CLYC scintillation detector is reported in this paper. It was measured by the use of a high sampling rate DRS4 waveform digitizer and an EJ-309 liquid scintillation detector. The digitizer was first characterized with regard to its intrinsic time resolution and then the time resolution of the EJ-309 detector was investigated. It served as a reference detector in the time resolution measurements for the CLYC detector. The time pick-off techniques used were the constant fraction discrimination and leading edge discrimination methods. In addition, the Savitzky-Golay filter was used to further improve the measured time resolutions. This filter was shown to be an effective approach to improving time resolution when the signal-to-noise ratio is low.

Detector identification by waveform shape analysis for effective data acquisition: Improvements in time resolution and count rate for positron annihilation age–momentum correlation measurement

In this paper, we propose a detector identification method that uses waveform shape analysis. This method can be used in many experimental contexts involving detectors, leading to effective data acquisition. Detector identification can additionally be used for other critical tasks, such as determining detector position. In this study, we used the proposed detector identification method to perform positron annihilation age–momentum correlation measurements. Instead, of one detector, four scintillation detectors were used for detecting 1.275 keV gamma-rays from 22 Na, a positron emitter. This method resulted in a fourfold higher count rate. Therefore small scintillators that are inevitable to have a low count rate could be also used for scintillation detectors to improve the time resolution, as a favourable time resolution such as 170 ps (full width at half maximum) is often required in research.

A feasibility study on 3D interaction position estimation using deep neural network in Cherenkov-based detector: a Monte Carlo simulation study

Cherenkov-based radiation detectors have been developed for time-of-flight positron emission tomography. As Cherenkov photons are emitted in an extremely short time, their use can improve time resolution. However, only up to 10 Cherenkov photons are yielded when a 511 keV gamma ray interacts with Cherenkov radiators, such as lead tungstate and lead fluoride (PbF2). Therefore, accurate estimation of the interaction position was difficult, and intense effort has been devoted to its improvement. We propose an estimation method for the 3D interaction position using a deep neural network. The network was evaluated by Monte Carlo simulations. For the simulations, a Cherenkov-based detector with a monolithic PbF2 radiator of 40 × 40 × 10 mm3 and a photodetector array were used. The gamma-ray interaction position in the radiator was estimated in 3D space by the neural network, whose inputs were the detection positions on the photodetector plane (xy plane) and timestamps of each photon from the detector. Training and validation datasets were generated while varying the single photon time resolution (SPTR) and readout pitch of the photodetector. By comparing several neural network architectures, we determined the best configuration to be the multilayer perceptron with 3 layers and 256 units. The full widths at half maximum of the xy plane and z axis (i.e., depth of interaction) were 1.54 and 1.59 mm with SPTR σ = 10 ps, respectively, and their cumulative histograms at half maximum were 0.65 and 0.81 mm also with σ = 10 ps, respectively. The proposed method retrieved higher estimation accuracy of the interaction position than an existing method based on the center of gravity and principal component analysis. Therefore, it is feasible to estimate the 3D interaction position in the Cherenkov-based detectors using deep neural networks.