Sample records for acoustic landmine detection

  1. Nonlinear acoustic detection of weathered, low compliance landmines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sabatier, James M.; Alberts, W. C. Kirkpatrick; Korman, Murray S.

    2005-09-01

    Two potential impediments to acoustic landmine detection are soil weathering processes and low compliance landmines. To bury landmines, the soil within a mine diameter is removed and replaced such that bulk density, compression, and shear strength all decrease, leaving an acoustic scar detectable with the linear acoustic measurement technique. After a few soil wetting and drying cycles, this contrast is reduced. Linear acoustic mine detection measurements were made on a low impedance contrast landmine before the first rainfall on several occasions over the subsequent 5 years. During this period of time, both the spatial and frequency resolution had to be increased to maintain an on/off target velocity ratio that allowed detection. In some cases, the landmine remains undetectable. To address this, two-tone nonlinear acoustic measurements have been made on these landmines. When the landmine is detectable with linear acoustics, two tones are broadcast at the frequency where the on/off target velocity ratio is the largest. For the cases when the landmine is undetectable, a two-tone sweep is performed and the operator observes the real-time velocity FFT, noting nonlinear sidebands. Next, two-tone tests are conducted at these sidebands to determine nonlinear velocity profiles. [Work supported by U.S. Army RDECOM, NVESD.

  2. Nonlinear acoustic techniques for landmine detection.

    PubMed

    Korman, Murray S; Sabatier, James M

    2004-12-01

    Measurements of the top surface vibration of a buried (inert) VS 2.2 anti-tank plastic landmine reveal significant resonances in the frequency range between 80 and 650 Hz. Resonances from measurements of the normal component of the acoustically induced soil surface particle velocity (due to sufficient acoustic-to-seismic coupling) have been used in detection schemes. Since the interface between the top plate and the soil responds nonlinearly to pressure fluctuations, characteristics of landmines, the soil, and the interface are rich in nonlinear physics and allow for a method of buried landmine detection not previously exploited. Tuning curve experiments (revealing "softening" and a back-bone curve linear in particle velocity amplitude versus frequency) help characterize the nonlinear resonant behavior of the soil-landmine oscillator. The results appear to exhibit the characteristics of nonlinear mesoscopic elastic behavior, which is explored. When two primary waves f1 and f2 drive the soil over the mine near resonance, a rich spectrum of nonlinearly generated tones is measured with a geophone on the surface over the buried landmine in agreement with Donskoy [SPIE Proc. 3392, 221-217 (1998); 3710, 239-246 (1999)]. In profiling, particular nonlinear tonals can improve the contrast ratio compared to using either primary tone in the spectrum.

  3. Nonlinear Acoustic Landmine Detection: Profiling Soil Surface Vibrations and Modeling Mesoscopic Elastic Behavior

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-05-04

    TITLE AND SUBTITLE Nonlinear Acoustic Landmine Detection: Profiling Soil Surface Vibrations and Modeling Mesoscopic Elastic Behavior 6. AUTHOR(S...project report; no. 352 (2007) NONLINEAR ACOUSTIC LANDMINE DETECTION: PROFILING SOIL SURFACE VIBRATIONS AND MODELING MESOSCOPIC ELASTIC... model (Caughey 1966). Nonlinear acoustic landmine detection experiments are performed in the anechoic chamber facility using both a buried acrylic

  4. Advances in Acoustic Landmine Detection

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-10-01

    8] A. Petculescu and J. M. Sabatier, “ Feasibility study of an air - coupled acoustic sensor for measuring small vibrations, Proc. SPIE 17th...the acoustic-to-seismic (A/S) coupling of airborne sound into the ground for buried anti-personnel and anti-tank landmine detection is well established...113, pp.1333-1341 (2003)]. A sound source is used to insonify the ground surface. The airborne sound couples into the soil and excites the

  5. Nonlinear acoustic experiments involving landmine detection: Connections with mesoscopic elasticity and slow dynamics in geomaterials, Part III

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Korman, Murray S.; Sabatier, James M.

    2005-09-01

    In nonlinear acoustic detection schemes, airborne sound at two primary tones, f1, f2 (closely spaced near an 80-Hz resonance) excites the soil surface over a buried landmine. Due to soil wave interactions with the landmine, a scattered surface profile can be measured by a geophone. Profiles at f1, f2, f1-(f2-f1) and f2+(f2-f1) exhibit single peaks; those at 2f1-(f2-f1), f1+f2 and 2f2+(f2-f1) involve higher order mode shapes for a VS 2.2 plastic, inert, anti-tank landmine, buried at 3.6 cm in sifted loess soil [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 116, 3354-3369 (2004)]. Near resonance, the bending (softening) of a family of increasing amplitude tuning curves, involving the vibration over the landmine, exhibits a linear relationship between the peak particle velocity and corresponding frequency. Results are similar to nonlinear mesoscopic/nanoscale effects that are observed in granular solids like Berea sandstone. New experiments show that first sweeping up through resonance and then immediately sweeping back down result in different tuning curve behavior that might be explained by ``slow dynamics'' where an effective modulus reduction persists following periods of high strain. Results are similar to those described by TenCate et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 1020-1023 (2000)]. [Work supported by U.S. Army RDECOM CERDEC, NVESD.

  6. An overview of landmine detection with emphasis on electromagnetic approaches

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Das, Yogadhish

    2003-04-01

    Human suffering caused by antipersonnel landmines left over from previous conflicts has only recently received significant public exposure. However, considerable amount of research on how to detect and deal with buried landmines has been carried out at least since the second world war. The research has encompassed a wide range of technologies and large sums of money have been spent. Despite these efforts there is still no operationally satisfactory solution, especially to the detection problem. This lack of success is attributable to the difficulty of the problem and the high degree of effectiveness demanded of any proposed solution. The many landmine detection approaches can be divided into two broad categories: (1)approaches primarily aimed at detecting the casing of the landmine (physical properties of its explosive content may also have some influence) and (2)approaches aimed at directly detecting the explosive contents. Examples of techniques belonging to the first group are electromagnetic induction, ground probing radar and other high frequency electromagnetic techniques, acoustics and other mechanical techniques, and infrared. Trace explosive vapour detection, thermalneutron activation and nuclear quadrupole resonance are examples of the second group. Following a brief introduction to nature of the landmine problem and the many technologies that have been explored to solve it, the presentation will focus on some of the detection approaches based on electromagnetic techniques. In particular, the state of the art in electromagnetic induction detection will be reviewed and required future research and development in this area will be presented.

  7. Demonstration of nonlinear effects in acoustic landmine experiments using a clamped-plate soil oscillator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Korman, Murray S.; Bond, Emilia

    2005-09-01

    Current nonlinear experiments involving the detection of plastic landmines using acoustic-to-seismic coupling have been developed from Sabatier's (linear) and Donskoy's (nonlinear) earlier methods. A laboratory apparatus called the soil-plate oscillator has been developed at the National Center for Physical Acoustics, and later at the U.S. Naval Academy, to model acoustic mine detection. The apparatus consists of a thick-walled cylinder filled with sifted homogeneous soil resting on a thin elastic plate that is clamped to the bottom of the column. It represents a good simplified physical model for VS 1.6 and VS 2.2 inert anti-tank plastic buried landmines. Using a loudspeaker (located over the soil) that is driven by a swept sinusoid, tuning curve experiments are performed. The vibration amplitude versus frequency is measured on a swept spectrum analyzer using an accelerometer located on the soil-air interface or under the plate. The backbone curve shows a linear decrease in peak frequency versus increasing amplitude. A two-tone test experiment is performed using two loudspeakers generating acoustic frequencies (closely spaced on either side of resonance, typically ~100 Hz). A rich vibration spectrum of combination frequency tones (along with the primaries) is observed which is characteristic of actual nonlinear detection schemes.

  8. Nonlinear Acoustic Experiments Involving Landmine Detection: Connections with Mesoscopic Elasticity and Slow Dynamics in Geomaterials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Korman, Murray S.; Sabatier, James M.

    2006-05-01

    The vibration interaction between the top-plate of a buried VS 2.2 plastic, anti-tank landmine and the soil above it appears to exhibit similar characteristics to the nonlinear mesoscopic/nanoscale effects that are observed in geomaterials like rocks or granular materials. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 116, 3354-3369 (2004)]. When airborne sound at two primary frequencies f1 and f2 (closely spaced near resonance) undergo acoustic-to-seismic coupling, (A/S), interactions with the mine and soil generate combination frequencies | n f1 ± m f2 | which affect the surface vibration velocity. Profiles at f1, f2, f1 -(f2 - f1) and f2 +(f2 - f1) exhibit single peaks whereas other combination frequencies may involve higher order modes. A family of increasing amplitude tuning curves, involving the surface vibration over the landmine, exhibits a linear relationship between the peak particle velocity and corresponding resonant frequency. Subsequent decreasing amplitude tuning curves exhibit hysteresis effects. New experiments for a buried VS 1.6 anti-tank landmine and a "plastic drum head" mine simulant behave similarly. Slow dynamics explains the amplitude difference in tuning curves for first sweeping upward and then downward through resonance, provided the soil modulus drops after periods of high strain. [Support by U.S. Army RDECOM CERDEC, NVESD, Fort Belvoir, VA.

  9. Controlled biological and biomimetic systems for landmine detection.

    PubMed

    Habib, Maki K

    2007-08-30

    Humanitarian demining requires to accurately detect, locate and deactivate every single landmine and other buried mine-like objects as safely and as quickly as possible, and in the most non-invasive manner. The quality of landmine detection affects directly the efficiency and safety of this process. Most of the available methods to detect explosives and landmines are limited by their sensitivity and/or operational complexities. All landmines leak with time small amounts of their explosives that can be found on surrounding ground and plant life. Hence, explosive signatures represent the robust primary indicator of landmines. Accordingly, developing innovative technologies and efficient techniques to identify in real-time explosives residue in mined areas represents an attractive and promising approach. Biological and biologically inspired detection technology has the potential to compete with or be used in conjunction with other artificial technology to complement performance strengths. Biological systems are sensitive to many different scents concurrently, a property that has proven difficult to replicate artificially. Understanding biological systems presents unique opportunities for developing new capabilities through direct use of trained bio-systems, integration of living and non-living components, or inspiring new design by mimicking biological capabilities. It is expected that controlled bio-systems, biotechnology and microbial techniques will contribute to the advancement of mine detection and other application domains. This paper provides directions, evaluation and analysis on the progress of controlled biological and biomimetic systems for landmine detection. It introduces and discusses different approaches developed, underlining their relative advantages and limitations, and highlighting trends, safety and ecology concern, and possible future directions.

  10. Nonlinear acoustic experiments involving landmine detection: Connections with mesoscopic elasticity and slow dynamics in geomaterials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Korman, Murray S.; Fenneman, Douglas J.; Sabatier, James M.

    2004-10-01

    The vibration interaction between the top-plate of a buried VS 1.6 plastic, anti-tank landmine and the soil above it appears to exhibit similar characteristics to the nonlinear mesoscopic/nanoscale effects that are observed in geomaterials like rocks or granular materials. In nonlinear detection schemes, airborne sound at two primary frequencies f1 and f2 (chosen several Hz apart on either side of resonance) undergo acoustic-to-seismic coupling. Interactions with the compliant mine and soil generate combination frequencies that, through scattering, can effect the vibration velocity at the surface. Profiles at f1, f2, f1-(f2-f1) and f2+(f2-f1) exhibit a single peak while profiles at 2f1-(f2-f1), f1+f2 and 2f2+(f2-f1) are attributed to higher order mode shapes. Near resonance (~125 Hz for a mine buried 3.6 cm deep), the bending (softening) of a family of increasing amplitude tuning curves (involving the surface vibration over the landmine) exhibits a linear relationship between the peak particle velocity and corresponding frequency. Subsequent decreasing amplitude tuning curves exhibit hysteresis effects. Slow dynamics explains the amplitude difference in tuning curves for first sweeping upward and then downward through resonance, provided the soil modulus drops after periods of high strain. [Work supported by U.S. Army RDECOM, CERDEC, NVESD, Fort Belvoir, VA.

  11. A survey of landmine detection using hyperspectral imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Makki, Ihab; Younes, Rafic; Francis, Clovis; Bianchi, Tiziano; Zucchetti, Massimo

    2017-02-01

    Hyperspectral imaging is a trending technique in remote sensing that finds its application in many different areas, such as agriculture, mapping, target detection, food quality monitoring, etc. This technique gives the ability to remotely identify the composition of each pixel of the image. Therefore, it is a natural candidate for the purpose of landmine detection, thanks to its inherent safety and fast response time. In this paper, we will present the results of several studies that employed hyperspectral imaging for the purpose of landmine detection, discussing the different signal processing techniques used in this framework for hyperspectral image processing and target detection. Our purpose is to highlight the progresses attained in the detection of landmines using hyperspectral imaging and to identify possible perspectives for future work, in order to achieve a better detection in real-time operation mode.

  12. Nonlinear acoustic experiments involving landmine detection: A connection between mesoscopic/nanoscale effects in geomaterials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Korman, Murray S.

    2004-05-01

    The vibration interaction between the top-plate interface of a buried plastic landmine and the soil above it appears to exhibit many characteristics of the mesoscopic/nanoscale nonlinear effects that are observed in geomaterials like rocks (sandstone) or granular materials. Experiments are performed with an inert VS 1.6 anti-tank mine that is buried 3.6 cm deep in dry sifted loess soil. Airborne sound at two primary frequencies f1=120 Hz and f2=130 Hz undergo acoustic-to-seismic coupling. Interactions with the compliant mine and soil generate combination frequencies that, through scattering, can affect the vibration velocity at the surface. Profiles of the soil surface particle velocity at f1 and f2 and the nonlinearly generated f1-(f2-f1) component are characterized by a single peak. Doubly peaked profiles at 2f1+f2 and 2f2+f1 are attributed to the familiar mode shape of a timpani drum. Near resonance, the bending (a softening) of a family of tuning curves for the soil surface vibration over a landmine exhibits a linear relationship between the peak frequency and the corresponding peak particle velocity, which also exhibit hysteresis effects. [Work supported by U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command RDEC, NVESD, Fort Belvoir, VA.

  13. Multirobot autonomous landmine detection using distributed multisensor information aggregation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jumadinova, Janyl; Dasgupta, Prithviraj

    2012-06-01

    We consider the problem of distributed sensor information fusion by multiple autonomous robots within the context of landmine detection. We assume that different landmines can be composed of different types of material and robots are equipped with different types of sensors, while each robot has only one type of landmine detection sensor on it. We introduce a novel technique that uses a market-based information aggregation mechanism called a prediction market. Each robot is provided with a software agent that uses sensory input of the robot and performs calculations of the prediction market technique. The result of the agent's calculations is a 'belief' representing the confidence of the agent in identifying the object as a landmine. The beliefs from different robots are aggregated by the market mechanism and passed on to a decision maker agent. The decision maker agent uses this aggregate belief information about a potential landmine and makes decisions about which other robots should be deployed to its location, so that the landmine can be confirmed rapidly and accurately. Our experimental results show that, for identical data distributions and settings, using our prediction market-based information aggregation technique increases the accuracy of object classification favorably as compared to two other commonly used techniques.

  14. Characterization of binary string statistics for syntactic landmine detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nasif, Ahmed O.; Mark, Brian L.; Hintz, Kenneth J.

    2011-06-01

    Syntactic landmine detection has been proposed to detect and classify non-metallic landmines using ground penetrating radar (GPR). In this approach, the GPR return is processed to extract characteristic binary strings for landmine and clutter discrimination. In our previous work, we discussed the preprocessing methodology by which the amplitude information of the GPR A-scan signal can be effectively converted into binary strings, which identify the impedance discontinuities in the signal. In this work, we study the statistical properties of the binary string space. In particular, we develop a Markov chain model to characterize the observed bit sequence of the binary strings. The state is defined as the number of consecutive zeros between two ones in the binarized A-scans. Since the strings are highly sparse (the number of zeros is much greater than the number of ones), defining the state this way leads to fewer number of states compared to the case where each bit is defined as a state. The number of total states is further reduced by quantizing the number of consecutive zeros. In order to identify the correct order of the Markov model, the mean square difference (MSD) between the transition matrices of mine strings and non-mine strings is calculated up to order four using training data. The results show that order one or two maximizes this MSD. The specification of the transition probabilities of the chain can be used to compute the likelihood of any given string. Such a model can be used to identify characteristic landmine strings during the training phase. These developments on modeling and characterizing the string statistics can potentially be part of a real-time landmine detection algorithm that identifies landmine and clutter in an adaptive fashion.

  15. Chemical Sensing for Buried Landmines - Fundamental Processes Influencing Trace Chemical Detection

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    PHELAN, JAMES M.

    2002-05-01

    Mine detection dogs have a demonstrated capability to locate hidden objects by trace chemical detection. Because of this capability, demining activities frequently employ mine detection dogs to locate individual buried landmines or for area reduction. The conditions appropriate for use of mine detection dogs are only beginning to emerge through diligent research that combines dog selection/training, the environmental conditions that impact landmine signature chemical vapors, and vapor sensing performance capability and reliability. This report seeks to address the fundamental soil-chemical interactions, driven by local weather history, that influence the availability of chemical for trace chemical detection. The processes evaluated include:more » landmine chemical emissions to the soil, chemical distribution in soils, chemical degradation in soils, and weather and chemical transport in soils. Simulation modeling is presented as a method to evaluate the complex interdependencies among these various processes and to establish conditions appropriate for trace chemical detection. Results from chemical analyses on soil samples obtained adjacent to landmines are presented and demonstrate the ultra-trace nature of these residues. Lastly, initial measurements of the vapor sensing performance of mine detection dogs demonstrates the extreme sensitivity of dogs in sensing landmine signature chemicals; however, reliability at these ultra-trace vapor concentrations still needs to be determined. Through this compilation, additional work is suggested that will fill in data gaps to improve the utility of trace chemical detection.« less

  16. Development of a Landmine Detection Sensor Final Report CRADA No. TC02133.0

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Romero, C. E.; Sheppard, C.

    2017-09-06

    This was one of two CRADAs between Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC as manager and operator of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and First Alliance Technologies, LLC (First Alliance), to conduct research and development activity toward an integrated system for the detecting, locating, and destroying of landmines and unexploded ordinance using a laser to destroy landmines and unexploded ordinance and First Alliance’s Land Mine Locator (LML) system. The focus of this CRADA was on developing a sensor system that accurately detects landmines, and provides exact location information in a timely manner with extreme reliability.

  17. Theoretical and experimental analysis of an equivalent circuit model for the investigation of shallow landmines with acoustic methods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Borgioli, G.; Bulletti, A.; Calzolai, M.; Capineri, L.; Falorni, P.; Masotti, L.; Valentini, S.; Windsor, C.

    2007-10-01

    Acoustic methods have been recently investigated for the detection of shallow landmines. Some plastic landmines have a flexible case which can made to vibrate by an airborne excitation like a loudspeaker. The soil-mine system shows a resonant behavior which is used as a signature to discriminate from other rigid objects. The mechanical resonance can be detected at the soil surface by a remote sensing systems like a laser interferometer. An equivalent physical model of the mine-soil system has been investigated having the known physical characteristics of mine simulants. The authors designed and built a test-object with known mechanical characteristics (mass, elasticity, damping factor). The model has been characterized in laboratory and the results compared with the classic mass-spring loss oscillator described by Voigt. The vibrations at the soil surface have been measured in various positions with a micro machined accelerometer. The results of the simulations for the acceleration of the soil-mine system agree well with the experiment. The calibrated mine model is useful to investigate the variation of the resonance frequency for various buried depths and to compare the results for different soils in different environmental conditions.

  18. Examination of soil effect upon GPR detectability of landmine with different orientations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ebrahim, Shereen M.; Medhat, N. I.; Mansour, Khamis K.; Gaber, A.

    2018-06-01

    Landmines represent a serious environmental problem for several countries as it causes severe injured and many victims. In this paper, the response of GPR from different parameters of the landmine targets has been shown and the data is correlated with observed field experiment made in 2012 at Miami Crandon Park test site. The ability of GPR for detecting non-metallic mines with different orientations was revealed and soil effect upon the GPR signal was examined putting into consideration the soil parameters in different locations in Egypt such as in Sinai and El Alamein. The simulation results showed that PMN-2 landmine was detected at 5 cm and 15 cm depths, even at the minimum radar cross section vertical orientation. The B-Scan (2D GPR profiles) of PMN-2 target at 15 cm depth figured out high reflectivity for Wadi deposits due to large contrast between PMN-2 landmine material and soil of sand dunes.

  19. Nonlinear acoustic landmine detection: Comparison of ``off target'' soil background and ``on target'' soil-mine nonlinear effects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Korman, Murray S.

    2005-09-01

    When airborne sound at two primary tones, f1, f2 (closely spaced near a resonance) excites the soil surface over a buried landmine, soil wave motion interacts with the landmine generating a scattered surface profile which can be measured over the ``target.'' Profiles at f1, f2, and f1-(f2-f1), f2+(f2-f1), 2f1-(f2-f1), f1+f2 and 2f2+(f2-f1) (among others) are measured for a VS 1.6 plastic, inert, anti-tank landmine, buried at 3.6 cm in sifted loess soil. It is observed that the ``on target'' to ``off target'' contrast ratio for the sum frequency component can be ~20 dB higher than for either primary. The vibration interaction between the top-plate interface of a buried plastic landmine and the soil above it appears to exhibit many characteristics of the mesoscopic/nanoscale nonlinear effects that are observed in geomaterials like sandstone. Near resonance, the bending (softening) of a family of increasing amplitude tuning curves, involving the vibration over the landmine, exhibits a linear relationship between the peak particle velocity and corresponding frequency. Tuning curve experiments along with two-tone tests are performed both on and off the mine in an effort to understand the nonlinearities in each case. [Work supported by U.S. Army RDECOM CERDEC, NVESD.

  20. Aerodynamic sampling for landmine trace detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Settles, Gary S.; Kester, Douglas A.

    2001-10-01

    Electronic noses and similar sensors show promise for detecting buried landmines through the explosive trace signals they emit. A key step in this detection is the sampler or sniffer, which acquires the airborne trace signal and presents it to the detector. Practicality demands no physical contact with the ground. Further, both airborne particulates and molecular traces must be sampled. Given a complicated minefield terrain and microclimate, this becomes a daunting chore. Our prior research on canine olfactory aerodynamics revealed several ways that evolution has dealt with such problems: 1) proximity of the sniffer to the scent source is important, 2) avoid exhaling back into the scent source, 3) use an aerodynamic collar on the sniffer inlet, 4) use auxiliary airjets to stir up surface particles, and 5) manage the 'impedance mismatch' between sniffer and sensor airflows carefully. Unfortunately, even basic data on aerodynamic sniffer performance as a function of inlet-tube and scent-source diameters, standoff distance, etc., have not been previously obtained. A laboratory-prototype sniffer was thus developed to provide guidance for landmine trace detectors. Initial experiments with this device are the subject of this paper. For example, a spike in the trace signal is observed upon starting the sniffer airflow, apparently due to rapid depletion of the available signal-laden air. Further, shielding the sniffer from disruptive ambient airflows arises as a key issue in sampling efficiency.

  1. Monte Carlo Simulation of Soil Moisture Effects on Anti-Tank Landmines Detection by Neutron Backscattering Technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mowlawi, Ali Asghar; Yazdani, Majed

    The detection of landmines using available technologies is a time consuming, expensive, and extremely dangerous job, so that there is a need for technological breakthroughs in this field. One of the safest and most effective technologies to landmine and explosive detection is the neutron backscattering technique. The slowing-down of fast neutrons to the thermal energy is a direct measure of the concentration of hydrogen, one of the main elements present in explosive materials. The elastic scattering of fast neutrons is affected by the strong resonances in the cross-section of the three other elements of explosives: nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon. In this work, Monte Carlo estimations of the soil moisture effects on landmine detection are presented.

  2. Nonlinear acoustic experiments for landmine detection: the significance of the top-plate normal modes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Korman, Murray S.; Alberts, W. C. K., II; Sabatier, James M.

    2004-09-01

    In nonlinear acoustic detection experiments involving a buried inert VS 2.2 anti-tank landmine, airborne sound at two closely spaced primary frequencies f1 and f2 couple into the ground and interact nonlinearly with the soil-top pressure plate interface. Scattering generates soil vibration at the surface at the combination frequencies | m f1 +- n f2 | , where m and n are integers. The normal component of the particle velocity at the soil surface has been measured with a laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) and with a geophone by Sabatier et. al. [SPIE Proceedings Vol. 4742, (695-700), 2002; Vol. 5089, (476-486), 2003] at the gravel lane test site. Spatial profiles of the particle velocity measured for both primary components and for various combination frequencies indicate that the modal structure of the mine is playing an important role. Here, an experimental modal analysis is performed on a VS 1.6 inert anti-tank mine that is resting on sand but is not buried. Five top-plate mode shapes are described. The mine is then buried in dry finely sifted natural loess soil and excited at f1 = 120 Hz and f2 = 130 Hz. Spatial profiles at the primary components and the nonlinearly generated f1 - (f2 - f1) component are characterized by a single peak. For the 2f1+f2 and 2f2 + f1 components, the doubly peaked profiles can be attributed to the familiar mode shape of a timpani drum (that is shifted lower in frequency due to soil mass loading). Other nonlinear profiles appear to be due to a mixture of modes. This material is based upon work supported by the U. S. Army RDECOM CERDEC Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate under Contract DAAB15-02-C-0024.

  3. Detection of Landmines by Neutron Backscattering: Effects of Soil Moisture on the Detection System

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Baysoy, D. Y.; Subasi, M.

    2010-01-21

    Detection of buried land mines by using neutron backscattering technique (NBS) is a well established method. It depends on detecting a hydrogen anomaly in dry soil. Since a landmine and its plastic casing contain much more hydrogen atoms than the dry soil, this anomaly can be detected by observing a rise in the number of neutrons moderated to thermal or epithermal energy. But, the presence of moisture in the soil limits the effectiveness of the measurements. In this work, a landmine detection system using the NBS technique was designed. A series of Monte Carlo calculations was carried out to determinemore » the limits of the system due to the moisture content of the soil. In the simulations, an isotropic fast neutron source ({sup 252}Cf, 100 mug) and a neutron detection system which consists of five {sup 3}He detectors were used in a practicable geometry. In order to see the effects of soil moisture on the efficiency of the detection system, soils with different water contents were tested.« less

  4. Whole-field digital vibrometer system for buried landmine detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lal, Amit; Hess, Cecil; Scott, Eddie; Dang, Michael; Nichols, Robert

    2005-06-01

    Previous results have shown the potential of acoustic-to-seismic coupling with Laser Doppler Vibrometry for the detection of buried landmines. An important objective of the present technology is to improve the spatial resolution and the speed of the measurement. In this paper, MetroLaser reports on a whole-field digital vibrometer (WDV) that measures an entire one meter area with sub-centimeter spatial resolution in just a few seconds. The WDV is based on a dual-pulsed laser such that each pulse illuminates a one meter area on the ground, and the temporal separation between the two laser pulses can be adjusted to match the ground excitation frequency. By sweeping this excitation frequency, a displacement map of the ground at each frequency can be quickly generated. In addition, an innovative speckle repositioning strategy allows for movement of the measurement platform at reasonable speeds while still obtaining measurements with interferometric precision. This paper describes the WDV instrument and presents preliminary experimental results obtained with this system. This research is being supported by the U.S. Army RDECOM CERDEC NVESD under Contract W909MY04-C-0004.

  5. Polarization differences in airborne ground penetrating radar performance for landmine detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dogaru, Traian; Le, Calvin

    2016-05-01

    The U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has investigated the ultra-wideband (UWB) radar technology for detection of landmines, improvised explosive devices and unexploded ordnance, for over two decades. This paper presents a phenomenological study of the radar signature of buried landmines in realistic environments and the performance of airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) in detecting these targets as a function of multiple parameters: polarization, depression angle, soil type and burial depth. The investigation is based on advanced computer models developed at ARL. The analysis includes both the signature of the targets of interest and the clutter produced by rough surface ground. Based on our numerical simulations, we conclude that low depression angles and H-H polarization offer the highest target-to-clutter ratio in the SAR images and therefore the best radar performance of all the scenarios investigated.

  6. An affordable modular vehicle radar for landmine and IED detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Daniels, David; Curtis, Paul; Dittmer, Jon; Hunt, Nigel; Graham, Blair; Allan, Robert

    2009-05-01

    This paper describes a vehicle mounted 8-channel radar system suitable for buried landmine and IED detection. The system is designed to find Anti Tank (AT) landmines and buried Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The radar uses field-proven ground penetrating radar sub-system modules and is scalable to 16, 32 or 64 channels, for covering greater swathe widths and for providing higher cross track resolution. This offers the capability of detecting smaller targets down to a minimum dimension of 100mm. The current rate of advance of the technology demonstrator is 10 kph; this can be increased to 20 kph where required. The data output is triggered via shaft encoder or via GPS and, for each forward increment; the data output is variable from a single byte per channel through to the 512 samples per channel. Trials using an autonomous vehicle, combined with a COFDM wireless link for data and telemetry back to a base station, have proven successful and the system architecture is described in this paper. The GPR array can be used as a standalone sensor or can be integrated with off-the-shelf software and a metal detection array.

  7. An unmanned ground vehicle for landmine remediation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wasson, Steven R.; Guilberto, Jose; Ogg, Wade; Wedeward, Kevin; Bruder, Stephen; El-Osery, Aly

    2004-09-01

    Anti-tank (AT) landmines slow down and endanger military advances and present sizeable humanitarian problems. The remediation of these mines by direct human intervention is both dangerous and costly. The Intelligent Systems & Robotics Group (ISRG) at New Mexico Tech has provided a partial solution to this problem by developing an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) to remediate these mines without endangering human lives. This paper presents an overview of the design and operation of this UGV. Current results and future work are also described herein. To initiate the remediation process the UGV is given the GPS coordinates of previously detected landmines. Once the UGV autonomously navigates to an acceptable proximity of the landmine, a remote operator acquires control over a wireless network link using a joystick on a base station. Utilizing two cameras mounted on the UGV, the operator is able to accurately position the UGV directly over the landmine. The UGV houses a self-contained drill system equipped with its own processing resources, sensors, and actuators. The drill system deploys a neutralizing device over the landmine to neutralize it. One such device, developed by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), employs incendiary materials to melt through the container of the landmine and slowly burn the explosive material, thereby safely and remotely disabling the landmine.

  8. Feature-Based Methods for Landmine Detection with Ground Penetrating Radar

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-09-27

    of abstraction without having to resort to assumptions about the events. DS fusion was applied to handwriting recognition [67], decision making [68...has been applied to landmine detection [80], and (in a different way) to handwriting recognition [46], and fusion of social choices (voting...applications to handwriting recognition, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics 22 (3) (1992) 418–435. [68] M. Beynon, D. Cosker, A.D. Marshall

  9. Economics of Landmines and Demining

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-06-01

    they are deployed, killing or injuring civilians and rendering land impassable and unusable. Historically, studies of the impact of landmines mostly...in the reconstruction of mine-affected nations. There are many ways to reduce the impact of landmines, but the most common practice is demining...PAGES 133 14. SUBJECT TERMS Economics of landmines, demining, economic impact of landmines, solutions to landmine problem, alternatives to demining

  10. New Mexico Tech landmine, UXO, IED detection sensor test facility: measurements in real field soils

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hendrickx, Jan M. H.; Alkov, Nicole; Hong, Sung-ho; Van Dam, Remke L.; Kleissl, Jan; Shannon, Heather; Meason, John; Borchers, Brian; Harmon, Russell S.

    2006-05-01

    Modeling studies and experimental work have demonstrated that the dynamic behavior of soil physical properties has a significant effect on most sensors for the detection of buried land mines. An outdoor test site has been constructed allowing full control over soil water content and continuous monitoring of important soil properties and environmental conditions. Time domain reflectometry sensors and thermistors measure soil water1 content and temperature, respectively, at different depths above and below the land mines as well as in homogeneous soil away from the land mines. During the two-year operation of the test-site, the soils have evolved to reflect real field soil conditions. This paper compares visual observations as well as ground-penetrating radar and thermal infrared measurements at this site taken immediately after construction in early 2004 with measurements from early 2006. The visual observations reveal that the 2006 soil surfaces exhibit a much higher spatial variability due to the development of mini-reliefs, "loose" and "connected" soil crusts, cracks in clay soils, and vegetation. Evidence is presented that the increased variability of soil surface characteristics leads to a higher natural spatial variability of soil surface temperatures and, thus, to a lower probability to detect landmines using thermal imagery. No evidence was found that the soil surface changes affect the GPR signatures of landmines under the soil conditions encountered in this study. The New Mexico Tech outdoor Landmine Detection Sensor Test Facility is easily accessible and anyone interested is welcome to use it for sensor testing.

  11. Landmine detection using two-tapped joint orthogonal matching pursuits

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goldberg, Sean; Glenn, Taylor; Wilson, Joseph N.; Gader, Paul D.

    2012-06-01

    Joint Orthogonal Matching Pursuits (JOMP) is used here in the context of landmine detection using data obtained from an electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensor. The response from an object containing metal can be decomposed into a discrete spectrum of relaxation frequencies (DSRF) from which we construct a dictionary. A greedy iterative algorithm is proposed for computing successive residuals of a signal by subtracting away the highest matching dictionary element at each step. The nal condence of a particular signal is a combination of the reciprocal of this residual and the mean of the complex component. A two-tap approach comparing signals on opposite sides of the geometric location of the sensor is examined and found to produce better classication. It is found that using only a single pursuit does a comparable job, reducing complexity and allowing for real-time implementation in automated target recognition systems. JOMP is particularly highlighted in comparison with a previous EMI detection algorithm known as String Match.

  12. Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Soil Heterogeneity around Landmines in Natural Soil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wallen, B.; Smits, K. M.; Howington, S. E.

    2015-12-01

    The environment in which landmines are placed is oftentimes highly heterogeneous. These heterogeneities such as differences in soil type, packing and moisture, combined with changes in surface and climate conditions can oftentimes mask the presence of the mine. Understanding the impact of heterogeneity on heat and mass transfer behavior in the vicinity of landmines is paramount to properly identifying landmine locations for demining operations. This study investigates the impact of soil heterogeneity on soil moisture and temperature distributions around buried objects with the goal of increasing our ability to model and predict the environmental conditions that are most dynamic to mine detection performance. A ten-day field experiment was conducted in which two anti-personnel landmines at different depths and a limestone block of comparable size were buried. The site was instrumented with a series of sensors, monitoring atmospheric, surface and subsurface conditions to include measurements of soil moisture, soil and air temperature, relative humidity, vapor concentration, and meteorological conditions such as wind speed and net radiation. Infrared thermal imaging was used to provide continuous profiles of surface temperature conditions. The soil was well characterized in the laboratory to provide good understanding of field conditions for numerical modeling efforts. Experimental results demonstrate the strongest thermal contrast between shallow landmine emplacement and the surrounding soil occurring as the sun approaches its zenith and two hours after sunset until the sun directly impacts the soil above the landmine. A finite-element model of fluid flow and heat transport through porous media is compared against experimental observations, capturing the diurnal variation. A validated model, like this one, offers the opportunity to improve landmine detection probabilities and reduce false alarms caused by environmental variability.

  13. On the use of a (252Cf-3He) assembly for landmine detection by the neutron back-scattering method.

    PubMed

    Elsheikh, N; Viesti, G; ElAgib, I; Habbani, F

    2012-04-01

    Experiments were carried out to optimize the performance of the neutron back-scattering (NBS) technique in landmine detection using an assembly consisting of three different layers placed above a (252)Cf neuron source, producing about 10(4)s(-1), in conjunction with a (3)He detector. The assembly was optimized experimentally. The selected assembly configuration was then examined against different (252)Cf stand-off distances and mine burial depths using dummy landmines. Furthermore, Monte Carlo simulations were performed to study the effect of the shield when a (252)Cf source in the range 10(4)-10(7)s(-1) was employed, and to optimize the geometry for future prototypes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Investigations on landmine detection by neutron-based techniques.

    PubMed

    Csikai, J; Dóczi, R; Király, B

    2004-07-01

    Principles and techniques of some neutron-based methods used to identify the antipersonnel landmines (APMs) are discussed. New results have been achieved in the field of neutron reflection, transmission, scattering and reaction techniques. Some conclusions are as follows: The neutron hand-held detector is suitable for the observation of anomaly caused by a DLM2-like sample in different soils with a scanning speed of 1m(2)/1.5 min; the reflection cross section of thermal neutrons rendered the determination of equivalent thickness of different soil components possible; a simple method was developed for the determination of the thermal neutron flux perturbation factor needed for multi-elemental analysis of bulky samples; unfolded spectra of elastically backscattered neutrons using broad-spectrum sources render the identification of APMs possible; the knowledge of leakage spectra of different source neutrons is indispensable for the determination of the differential and integrated reaction rates and through it the dimension of the interrogated volume; the precise determination of the C/O atom fraction requires the investigations on the angular distribution of the 6.13MeV gamma-ray emitted in the (16)O(n,n'gamma) reaction. These results, in addition to the identification of landmines, render the improvement of the non-intrusive neutron methods possible.

  15. Landmines on the Table: A Negotiations Analysis of the Global Campaign to Ban Landmines

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-12-01

    regard landmines as very cheap and effective weapons in defending troops and non-protected land against insurgents or attacking armies. The...weapons, including any which may be deemed to be excessively injurious or to have indiscriminate effects ‖ (UNGA, 1977). Resolution 32/152 paved the...Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects ‖ (CCW) and its annexed Protocols, of which Protocol II dealt specifically with landmines. The US

  16. Overseas testing of a multisensor landmine detection system: results and lessons learned

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Keranen, Joe G.; Topolosky, Zeke

    2009-05-01

    The Nemesis detection system has been developed to provide an efficient and reliable unmanned, multi-sensor, groundbased platform to detect and mark landmines. The detection system consists of two detection sensor arrays: a Ground Penetrating Synthetic Aperture Radar (GPSAR) developed by Planning Systems, Inc. (PSI) and an electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensor array developed by Minelab Electronics, PTY. Limited. Under direction of the Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD), overseas testing was performed at Kampong Chhnang Test Center (KCTC), Cambodia, from May 12-30, 2008. Test objectives included: evaluation of detection performance, demonstration of real-time visualization and alarm generation, and evaluation of system operational efficiency. Testing was performed on five sensor test lanes, each consisting of a unique soil mixture and three off-road lanes which include curves, overgrowth, potholes, and non-uniform lane geometry. In this paper, we outline the test objectives, procedures, results, and lessons learned from overseas testing. We also describe the current state of the system, and plans for future enhancements and modifications including clutter rejection and feature-level fusion.

  17. Remote detection of buried land-mines and IEDs using LWIR polarimetric imaging.

    PubMed

    Gurton, Kristan P; Felton, Melvin

    2012-09-24

    We report results of an ongoing study designed to assess the ability for enhanced detection of recently buried land-mines and/or improvised explosive devices (IED) devices using passive long-wave infrared (LWIR) polarimetric imaging. Polarimetric results are presented for a series of field tests conducted at various locations and soil types. Well-calibrated Stokes images, S0, S1, S2, and the degree-of-linear-polarization (DoLP) are recorded for different line-of-sight (LOS) slant paths at varying distances. Results span a three-year time period in which three different LWIR polarimetric camera systems are used. All three polarimetric imaging platforms used a spinning-achromatic-retarder (SAR) design capable of achieving high polarimetric frame rates and good radiometric throughput without the loss of spatial resolution inherent in other optical designs. Receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) analysis and a standardized contrast parameter are used to compare detectability between conventional LWIR thermal and polarimetric imagery. Results suggest improved detectability, regardless of geographic location or soil type.

  18. Rehabilitation of landmine victims--the ultimate challenge.

    PubMed Central

    Walsh, Nicolas E.; Walsh, Wendy S.

    2003-01-01

    Antipersonnel landmines are often used indiscriminately and frequently result in injury or death of non-combatants. In the last 65 years, over 110 million mines have been spread throughout the world into an estimated 70 countries. Landmine victims use a disproportionately high amount of medical resources; the vast majority of incidents occur in regions and countries without a sophisticated medical infrastructure and with limited resources, where rehabilitation is difficult in the best of circumstances. It is suggested that only a quarter of the patients with amputation secondary to landmines receive appropriate care. PMID:14710508

  19. Development of a Laser for Landmine Destruction Final Report CRADA No. TC02126.0

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yamamoto, R.; Sheppard, C.

    2017-08-31

    This was one of two CRADAs between Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC as manager and operator of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and First Alliance Technologies, LLC (First Alliance), to conduct research and development activity toward an integrated system for the detecting, locating, and destroying of landmines and unexploded ordinance using a laser to destroy landmines and unexploded ordinance and First Alliance’s Land Mine Locator (LML) system.

  20. Landmine research: technology solutions looking for problems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trevelyan, James P.

    2004-09-01

    The global landmine problem came to the attention of researchers in the mid 1990's and by 1997 several advanced and expensive sensor research programs had started. Yet, by the end of 2003, there is little sign of a major advance in the technology available to humanitarian demining programs. Given the motivation and dedication of researchers, public goodwill to support such programs, and substantial research resources devoted to the problem, it is worth asking why these programs do not seem to have had an impact on demining costs or casualty rates. Perhaps there are factors that have been overlooked. This paper reviews several research programs to gain a deeper understanding of the problem. A possible explanation is that researchers have accepted mistaken ideas on the nature of the landmine problems that need to be solved. The paper provides several examples where the realities of minefield conditions are quite different to what researchers have been led to believe. Another explanation may lie in the political and economic realities that drive the worldwide effort to eliminate landmines. Most of the resources devoted to landmine clearance programs come from humanitarian aid budgets: landmine affected countries often contribute only a small proportion because they have different priorities based on realistic risk-based assessment of needs and political views of local people. Some aid projects have been driven by the need to find a market for demining technologies rather than by user needs. Finally, there is a common misperception that costs in less developed countries are intrinsically low, reflecting low rates paid for almost all classes of skilled labour. When actual productivity is taken into account, real costs can be higher than industrialized countries. The costs of implementing technological solutions (even using simple technologies) are often significantly under-estimated. Some political decisions may have discouraged thorough investigation of cost

  1. Spectroscopic characterization of nitroaromatic landmine signature explosives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hernandez-Rivera, Samuel P.; Manrique-Bastidas, Cesar A.; Blanco, Alejandro; Primera, Oliva M.; Pacheco, Leonardo C.; Castillo-Chara, Jairo; Castro, Miguel E.; Mina, Nairmen

    2004-09-01

    TNT and DNT are important explosives used as base charges of landmines and other explosive devices. They are often combined with RDX in specific explosive formulations. Their detection in vapor phase as well as in soil in contact with the explosives is important in landmine detection technology. The spectroscopic signatures of nitroaromatic compounds in neat forms: crystals, droplets, and recrystallized samples were determined by Raman Microspectroscopy (RS), Fourier Transform Infrared Microscopy (FTIR) and Fiber Optics Coupled - Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FOC-FTIR) using a grazing angle (GA) probe. TNT exhibits a series of characteristic bands: vibrational signatures, which allow its detection in soil. The spectroscopic signature of neat TNT is dominated by strong bands about 1380 and 2970 cm-1. The intensity and position of these bands were found remarkably different in soil samples spiked with TNT. The 1380 cm-1 band is split into a number of bands in that region. The 2970 cm-1 band is reduced in intensity and new bands are observed about 2880 cm-1. The results are consistent with a different chemical environment of TNT in soil as compared to neat TNT. Interactions were found to be dependent on the physical source of the explosive. In the case of DNT-sand interactions, shifts in vibrational frequencies of the explosives as well as the substrates were found.

  2. SIRE: a MIMO radar for landmine/IED detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ojowu, Ode; Wu, Yue; Li, Jian; Nguyen, Lam

    2013-05-01

    Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar systems have been shown to have significant performance improvements over their single-input multiple-output (SIMO) counterparts. For transmit and receive elements that are collocated, the waveform diversity afforded by this radar is exploited for performance improvements. These improvements include but are not limited to improved target detection, improved parameter identifiability and better resolvability. In this paper, we present the Synchronous Impulse Reconstruction Radar (SIRE) Ultra-wideband (UWB) radar designed by the Army Research Lab (ARL) for landmine and improvised explosive device (IED) detection as a 2 by 16 MIMO radar (with collocated antennas). Its improvement over its SIMO counterpart in terms of beampattern/cross range resolution are discussed and demonstrated using simulated data herein. The limitations of this radar for Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) suppression are also discussed in this paper. A relaxation method (RELAX) combined with averaging of multiple realizations of the measured data is presented for RFI suppression; results show no noticeable target signature distortion after suppression. In this paper, the back-projection (delay and sum) data independent method is used for generating SAR images. A side-lobe minimization technique called recursive side-lobe minimization (RSM) is also discussed for reducing side-lobes in this data independent approach. We introduce a data-dependent sparsity based spectral estimation technique called Sparse Learning via Iterative Minimization (SLIM) as well as a data-dependent CLEAN approach for generating SAR images for the SIRE radar. These data-adaptive techniques show improvement in side-lobe reduction and resolution for simulated data for the SIRE radar.

  3. Fusion of KLMS and blob based pre-screener for buried landmine detection using ground penetrating radar

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baydar, Bora; Akar, Gözde Bozdaǧi.; Yüksel, Seniha E.; Öztürk, Serhat

    2016-05-01

    In this paper, a decision level fusion using multiple pre-screener algorithms is proposed for the detection of buried landmines from Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) data. The Kernel Least Mean Square (KLMS) and the Blob Filter pre-screeners are fused together to work in real time with less false alarms and higher true detection rates. The effect of the kernel variance is investigated for the KLMS algorithm. Also, the results of the KLMS and KLMS+Blob filter algorithms are compared to the LMS method in terms of processing time and false alarm rates. Proposed algorithm is tested on both simulated data and real data collected at the field of IPA Defence at METU, Ankara, Turkey.

  4. A neutron Albedo system with time rejection for landmine and IED detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kovaltchouk, V. D.; Andrews, H. R.; Clifford, E. T. H.; Faust, A. A.; Ing, H.; McFee, J. E.

    2011-10-01

    A neutron Albedo system has been developed for imaging of buried landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). It involves irradiating the ground with fast neutrons and subsequently detecting the thermalized neutrons that return. A scintillating 6Li loaded ZnS(Ag) screen with a sensitive area of 40 cm×40 cm is used as a thermal neutron detector. Scintillation light is captured by orthogonal arrays of wavelength-shifting fibers placed on either side of the scintillator surface and then transferred to X and Y multi-pixel PMTs. A timing circuit, used with pulsed neutron sources, records the time when a neutron detection takes place relative to an external synchronization pulse from the pulsed source. Experimental tests of the Albedo system performance have been done in a sand box with a 252Cf neutron source (no time gating) and with pulsed D-D (2.6 MeV) neutrons from the Defense R&D Ottawa Van de Graaff accelerator (with time gating). Information contained in the time evolution of the thermal neutron field provided improved detection capability and image reconstruction. The detector design is described and experimental results are discussed.

  5. LIBS: a new versatile field-deployable real-time detector system with potential for landmine detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harmon, Russell S.; De Lucia, Frank C.; Winkel, Raymond J., Jr.; LaPointe, Aaron; Grossman, Scott L.; McNesby, Kevin L.; Miziolek, Andrzej W.

    2003-09-01

    Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is an atomic emission spectroscopic technique that utilizes a pulsed laser to create a microplasma on the target together with an array spectrometer to capture the transient light for elemental identification and quantification. LIBS has certain important characteristics that make it a very attractive sensor technology for military uses. Such attributes include that facts that LIBS (1) is relatively simple and straightforward, (2) requires no sample preparation, (3) generates a real-time response, and (4) only engages a very small sample (pg-ng) of matter in each laser shot and microplasma event, (5) has inherent high sensitivity, and (6) responds to all forms of unknowns, and, therefore, is particularly suited for the sensing of dangerous materials. Additionally, a LIBS sensor system can be inexpensive, configured to be man-portable, and designed for both in-situ point sensing and remote stand-off detection with distances of up to 20-25 meters. Broadband LIBS results covering the spectral region from 200-970 nm acquired at the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) under laboratory conditions for a variety of landmine casings and explosive materials. This data will illustrate the potential that LIBS has to be developed into a hand-deployable device that could be utilized as a confirmatory sensor in landmine detection. The concept envisioned is a backpack-size system in which an eyesafe micro-laser is contained in the handle of a deminer's probe and light is delivered and collected through an optical fiber in the tapered tip of the probe. In such a configuration, analyses can be made readily by touching the buried object that one is interested in identifying.

  6. Enhanced operator interface for hand-held landmine detector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herman, Herman; McMahill, Jeffrey D.; Kantor, George

    2001-10-01

    As landmines get harder to detect, the complexity of landmine detectors has also been increasing. To increase the probability of detection and decrease the false alarm rate of low metallic landmines, many detectors employ multiple sensing modalities, which include radar and metal detector. Unfortunately, the operator interface for these new detectors stays pretty much the same as for the older detectors. Although the amount of information that the new detectors acquire has increased significantly, the interface has been limited to a simple audio interface. We are currently developing a hybrid audiovisual interface for enhancing the overall performance of the detector. The hybrid audiovisual interface combines the simplicity of the audio output with the rich spatial content of the video display. It is designed to optimally present the output of the detector and also to give the proper feedback to the operator. Instead of presenting all the data to the operator simultaneously, the interface allows the operator to access the information as needed. This capability is critical to avoid information overload, which can significantly reduce the performance of the operator. The audio is used as the primary notification signal, while the video is used for further feedback, discrimination, localization and sensor fusion. The idea is to let the operator gets the feedback that he needs and enable him to look at the data in the most efficient way. We are also looking at a hybrid man-machine detection system which utilizes precise sweeping by the machine and powerful human cognitive ability. In such a hybrid system, the operator is free to concentrate on discriminant task, such as manually fusing the output of the different sensing modalities, instead of worrying about the proper sweep technique. In developing this concept, we have been using the virtual mien lane to validate some of these concepts. We obtained some very encouraging results form our preliminary test. It clearly

  7. Discrimination between landmine and mine-like targets using wavelets and spectral analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mohana, Mahmoud A.; Abbas, Abbas M.; Gomaa, Mohamed L.; Ebrahim, Shereen M.

    2013-06-01

    Landmine is an explosive apparatus hidden in or on the ground, which blows up when a person or vehicle passes over it. Egypt is one of the countries suffering due to the unexploded ordnance (UXO). Around 2 million UXO are present in the Egyptian soil especially at Al-Alameen province, north of the western desert. Detection of buried landmines is a problem of military and humanitarian importance. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a powerful and non-destructive geophysical approach with a wide range of advantages in the field of landmine inspection. In the present paper, we apply different simulation models with Vivaldi antenna and mine-like targets by using the CST Microwave studio program. The field work is carried out by using a GPR device of model SIR 2000 from GSSI (Geophysical Survey Systems Incorporation) connected to 900 MHz antenna where the targets were buried in sand soil. Depending on the fact that the receiving powers (reflected, refracted and scattered) from the different materials are different, we study the spectral power densities for the received power from the different targets. The techniques used in this study are: direct fast Fourier transform, short time Fourier transform (spectrogram), wavelets transform and denoising techniques. Our results ought to be considered as finger prints for different scanned targets during this work. So we can discriminate between landmines and mine-like targets.

  8. Analysis of Landmine Fatalities and Injuries in the Kurdistan Region.

    PubMed

    Heshmati, Almas; Khayyat, Nabaz T

    2015-09-01

    This study analyzes landmine victim data in the Kurdistan Region during the period 1960 to 2005. A regression analysis is used to identify the determinants and impact of the probability of getting killed by mines and unexploded ordnances. The rates of killed/injured victims are explained using a set of socioeconomic variables. As the data are a repeated cross-section in which the individuals are observed when they are subjected to landmine incidents, and to account for the dynamic aspect of the process and heterogeneity by location as well as to control for unobserved location and time effects, a pseudo panel data are created where districts are observed over the entire time period forming a panel data. The results show that (a) males, children, and the elderly are more susceptible to a higher level of landmine risks; (b) landmine training and awareness programs do not reduce the rate of landmine mortality; and (c) the rate of incidents are declining over time. This result can be used in the planning, monitoring, and resource allocation for mine action, as well as labor market programs and rehabilitation activities. © The Author(s) 2014.

  9. Nonlinear Acoustic Characterization of Targets

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-01-01

    these technologies, however, are limited in their ability to differentiate targets from other debris in the soil . 2 Furthermore, they must heavily rely...for landmine detection in which two tones are used to insonify the soil . Here insonify is used to describe the process of exposing the target to...the surrounding soil . Because of the compliant nature of the landmine top plate, a nonlinear interaction is created between it and the soil above. It is

  10. Quantification and aging of the post-blast residue of TNT landmines.

    PubMed

    Oxley, Jimmie C; Smith, James L; Resende, Elmo; Pearce, Evan

    2003-07-01

    Post-blast residues are potential interferents to chemical detection of landmines. To assess the potential problem related to 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), its post-blast residue was identified and quantified. In the first part of this study laboratory-scale samples of TNT (2 g) were detonated in a small-scale explosivity device (SSED) to evaluate the explosive power and collect post-blast residue for chemical analysis. Initiator size was large relative to the TNT charge; thus, issues arose regarding choice of initiator, residue from the initiator, and afterburning of TNT. The second part of this study detonated 75 to 150 g of military-grade TNT (typical of antipersonnel mines) in 55-gal barrels containing various witness materials (metal plates, sand, barrel walls, the atmosphere). The witness materials were analyzed for explosive residue. In a third set of tests, 75-g samples of TNT were detonated over soil (from Fort Leonard Wood or Sandia National Laboratory) in an indoor firing chamber (100 by 4.6 by 2.7 m high). Targeted in these studies were TNT and four explosive-related compounds (ERC): 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT), 1,3-dinitrobenzene (DNB), 2- and 4-aminodinitrotoluene (2-ADNT and 4-ADNT). The latter two are microbial degradation products of TNT. Post-blast residue was allowed to age in the soils as a function of moisture contents (5 and 10%) in order to quantify the rate of degradation of the principal residues (TNT, DNT, and DNB) and formation of the TNT microbial degradation products (2-ADNT and 4-ADNT). The major distinction between landmine leakage and post-blast residue was not the identity of the species but relative ratios of amounts. In landmine leakage the DNT/TNT ratio was usually greater than 1. In post-blast residue it was on the order of 1 to 1/100th of a percent, and the total amount of pre-blast residue (landmine leakage) was a factor of 1/100 to 1/1000 less than post-blast. In addition, landmine leakage resulted in low DNT/ADNT ratios, usually

  11. Detection of land mines by amplified fluorescence quenching of polymer films: a man-portable chemical sniffer for detection of ultratrace concentrations of explosives emanating from land mines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    la Grone, Marcus J.; Cumming, Colin J.; Fisher, Mark E.; Fox, Michael J.; Jacob, Sheena; Reust, Dennis; Rockley, Mark G.; Towers, Eric

    2000-08-01

    The explosive charge within a landmine is the source for a mixture of chemical vapors that form a distinctive 'chemical signature' indicative of a landmine. The concentration of these compounds in the air over landmines is extremely low, well below the minimum detection limits of most field- portable chemical sensors. Described in this paper is a man- portable landmine detection system that has for the first time demonstrated the ability to detect landmines by direct sensing of the vapors of signature compounds in the air over landmines. The system utilizes fluorescent polymers developed by collaborators at the MIT. The sensor can detect ultra-trace concentrations of TNT vapor and other nitroaromatic compounds found in many landmine explosives. Thin films of the polymers exhibit intense fluorescence, but when exposed to vapors of nitroaromatic explosives the intensity of the light emitted from the films decreases. A single molecule of TNT binding to a receptor site quenches the fluorescence from many polymer repeat units, increasing the sensitivity by orders of magnitude. A sensor prototype has been develop that response in near real-time to low femtogram quantities of nitroaromatic explosives. The prototype is portable, lightweight, has low power consumption, is simple to operate, and is relatively inexpensive. Simultaneous field testing of the sensor and experienced canine landmine detection teams was recently completed. Although the testing was limited in scope, the performance of the senor met or exceeded that of the canines against buried landmines.

  12. Acoustic detection of pneumothorax

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mansy, Hansen A.; Royston, Thomas J.; Balk, Robert A.; Sandler, Richard H.

    2003-04-01

    This study aims at investigating the feasibility of using low-frequency (<2000 Hz) acoustic methods for medical diagnosis. Several candidate methods of pneumothorax detection were tested in dogs. In the first approach, broadband acoustic signals were introduced into the trachea during end-expiration and transmitted waves were measured at the chest surface. Pneumothorax was found to consistently decrease pulmonary acoustic transmission in the 200-1200-Hz frequency band, while less change was observed at lower frequencies (p<0.0001). The ratio of acoustic energy between low (<220 Hz) and mid (550-770 Hz) frequency bands was significantly different in the control (healthy) and pneumothorax states (p<0.0001). The second approach measured breath sounds in the absence of an external acoustic input. Pneumothorax was found to be associated with a preferential reduction of sound amplitude in the 200- to 700-Hz range, and a decrease of sound amplitude variation (in the 300 to 600-Hz band) during the respiration cycle (p<0.01 for each). Finally, chest percussion was implemented. Pneumothorax changed the frequency and decay rate of percussive sounds. These results imply that certain medical conditions may be reliably detected using appropriate acoustic measurements and analysis. [Work supported by NIH/NHLBI #R44HL61108.

  13. Indigenous Acoustic Detection.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-01-26

    RESEARCH Contract #NO0014-80-C--0829 Task No. NR 139-004 FINAL REPORT Indigenous Acoustic Detection by James J. Whitesefl Secondary Education/Biology...methodology. DTIC. CD-58-PL. Lloyd, J. E. 1981. Personnel communication . Nevo, E. and S. A. Blondheim. 1972. Acoustic isolation in the speciation of...6. Walker, T. J. 1981. Personnel communication . *Walker, T. J. and J. J. Whitesell. 1981. Singing schedules and sites for a tropical burrowing

  14. Detecting Structural Failures Via Acoustic Impulse Responses

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bayard, David S.; Joshi, Sanjay S.

    1995-01-01

    Advanced method of acoustic pulse reflectivity testing developed for use in determining sizes and locations of failures within structures. Used to detect breaks in electrical transmission lines, detect faults in optical fibers, and determine mechanical properties of materials. In method, structure vibrationally excited with acoustic pulse (a "ping") at one location and acoustic response measured at same or different location. Measured acoustic response digitized, then processed by finite-impulse-response (FIR) filtering algorithm unique to method and based on acoustic-wave-propagation and -reflection properties of structure. Offers several advantages: does not require training, does not require prior knowledge of mathematical model of acoustic response of structure, enables detection and localization of multiple failures, and yields data on extent of damage at each location.

  15. Novel methods for detecting buried explosive devices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kercel, Stephen W.; Burlage, Robert S.; Patek, David R.; Smith, Cyrus M.; Hibbs, Andrew D.; Rayner, Timothy J.

    1997-07-01

    Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Quantum Magnetics, Inc. are exploring novel landmine detection technologies. Technologies considered here include bioreporter bacteria, swept acoustic resonance, nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR), and semiotic data fusion. Bioreporter bacteria look promising for third-world humanitarian applications; they are inexpensive, and deployment does not require high-tech methods. Swept acoustic resonance may be a useful adjunct to magnetometers in humanitarian demining. For military demining, NQR is a promising method for detecting explosive substances; of 50,000 substances that have been tested, one has an NQR signature that can be mistaken for RDX or TNT. For both military and commercial demining, sensor fusion entails two daunting tasks, identifying fusible features in both present-day and emerging technologies, and devising a fusion algorithm that runs in real-time on cheap hardware. Preliminary research in these areas is encouraging. A bioreporter bacterium for TNT detection is under development. Investigation has just started in swept acoustic resonance as an approach to a cheap mine detector for humanitarian use. Real-time wavelet processing appears to be a key to extending NQR bomb detection into mine detection, including TNT-based mines. Recent discoveries in semiotics may be the breakthrough that will lead to a robust fused detection scheme.

  16. Experiments on nonlinear acoustic landmine detection: Tuning curve studies of soil-mine and soil-mass oscillators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Korman, Murray S.; Witten, Thomas R.; Fenneman, Douglas J.

    2004-10-01

    Donskoy [SPIE Proc. 3392, 211-217 (1998); 3710, 239-246 (1999)] has suggested a nonlinear technique that is insensitive to relatively noncompliant targets that can detect an acoustically compliant buried mine. Airborne sound at two primary frequencies eventually causes interactions with the soil and mine generating combination frequencies that can affect the vibration velocity at the surface. In current experiments, f1 and f2 are closely spaced near a mine resonance and a laser Doppler vibrometer profiles the surface. In profiling, certain combination frequencies have a much greater contrast ratio than the linear profiles at f1 and f2-but off the mine some nonlinearity exists. Near resonance, the bending (a softening) of a family of tuning curves (over the mine) exhibits a linear relationship between peak velocity and corresponding frequency, which is characteristic of nonlinear mesoscopic elasticity effects that are observed in geomaterials like rocks or granular media. Results are presented for inert plastic VS 1.6, VS 2.2 and M14 mines buried 3.6 cm in loose soil. Tuning curves for a rigid mass plate resting on a soil layer exhibit similar results, suggesting that nonresonant conditions off the mine are desirable. [Work supported by U.S. Army RDECOM, CERDEC, NVESD, Fort Belvoir, VA.

  17. The Canadian Forces ILDS: a militarily fielded multisensor vehicle-mounted teleoperated landmine detection system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McFee, John E.; Russell, Kevin L.; Chesney, Robert H.; Faust, Anthony A.; Das, Yogadhish

    2006-05-01

    The Improved Landmine Detection System (ILDS) is intended to meet Canadian military mine clearance requirements in rear area combat situations and peacekeeping on roads and tracks. The system consists of two teleoperated vehicles and a command vehicle. The teleoperated protection vehicle precedes, clearing antipersonnel mines and magnetic and tilt rod-fuzed antitank mines. It consists of an armoured personnel carrier with a forward looking infrared imager, a finger plow or roller and a magnetic signature duplicator. The teleoperated detection vehicle follows to detect antitank mines. The purpose-built vehicle carries forward looking infrared and visible imagers, a 3 m wide, down-looking sensitive electromagnetic induction detector array and a 3 m wide down-looking ground probing radar, which scan the ground in front of the vehicle. Sensor information is combined using navigation sensors and custom navigation, registration, spatial correspondence and data fusion algorithms. Suspicious targets are then confirmed by a thermal neutron activation detector. The prototype, designed and built by Defence R&D Canada, was completed in October 1997. General Dynamics Canada delivered four production units, based on the prototype concept and technologies, to the Canadian Forces (CF) in 2002. ILDS was deployed in Afghanistan in 2003, making the system the first militarily fielded, teleoperated, multi-sensor vehicle-mounted mine detector and the first with a fielded confirmation sensor. Performance of the prototype in Canadian and independent US trials is summarized and recent results from the production version of the confirmation sensor are discussed. CF operations with ILDS in Afghanistan are described.

  18. Epidemiological Study of Child Casualties of Landmines and Unexploded Ordnances: A National Study from Iran.

    PubMed

    Mousavi, Batool; Soroush, Mohammad Reza; Masoumi, Mehdi; Khateri, Shahriar; Modirian, Ehsan; Shokoohi, Hamid; Fatemi, Mohammad Javad; Ali Hematti, Mohammad; Soroush, Mansour; Ghassemi-Broumand, Mohammad; Rassafiani, Mehdi; Allami, Mostafa; Nouri, Farshad; Yavari, Amir; Ganjparvar, Zohreh; Kamyab, Mojtaba; Mirsadeghi, Seyed Abbas

    2015-10-01

    Despite landmine-risk education programs and extensive demining activities on the Western border of Iran, landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXOs) still cause civilian and child casualties three decades after the Iraq-Iran war (1980-1988). The objective of this study was to understand the epidemiological patterns and risk factors of injury in child casualties of landmines and UXOs in Western and Southwestern Iran. Children who were 18 years old or younger at the time of study and who sustained injuries from landmines and UXOs were identified through a search at the Iranian National Veterans Registry. These children participated in a 5-day gathering. The information on socioeconomic status, health-related issues, quality of life, health care utilization, and clinical profiles concerning the landmine and UXO injuries were collected. The method of data collection consisted of three component surveys: health interview, social survey, and medical examinations. Social surveys and health interviews were conducted in a face-to-face method by utilizing a questionnaire consisting of 39 questions addressing household and individual components, including information on time and type of injuries, physical activity, mental health, and quality of life. A comprehensive team of physicians in different subspecialties evaluated and examined children to assess the current medical and psychiatric conditions and physical activity, and recommended and arranged further medical, rehabilitation, or surgical planning. Seventy-eight child casualties were identified and participated in the study. The mean age of the participants at the time of study was 16.11 years old (SD=2 years). The mean age of victims at the time of injury was 8.2 years (SD=3.12 years; ranged from 2 to 15 years old). Sixty-seven (85.9%) of the children were male. Provinces of Kurdistan and Kermanshah had the highest number of casualties, with a total number of 54 children (68.3%). Eighty percent of the injuries were

  19. Design and performance of an ultra-wideband stepped-frequency radar with precise frequency control for landmine and IED detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Phelan, Brian R.; Sherbondy, Kelly D.; Ranney, Kenneth I.; Narayanan, Ram M.

    2014-05-01

    The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has developed an impulse-based vehicle-mounted forward-looking ultra- wideband (UWB) radar for imaging buried landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). However, there is no control of the radiated spectrum in this system. As part of ARL's Partnerships in Research Transition (PIRT) program, the above deficiency is addressed by the design of a Stepped-Frequency Radar (SFR) which allows for precise control over the radiated spectrum, while still maintaining an effective ultra-wide bandwidth. The SFR utilizes a frequency synthesizer which can be configured to excise prohibited and interfering frequency bands and also implement frequency-hopping capabilities. The SFR is designed to be a forward-looking ground- penetrating (FLGPR) Radar utilizing a uniform linear array of sixteen (16) Vivaldi notch receive antennas and two (2) Quad-ridge horn transmit antennas. While a preliminary SFR consisting of four (4) receive channels has been designed, this paper describes major improvements to the system, and an analysis of expected system performance. The 4-channel system will be used to validate the SFR design which will eventually be augmented in to the full 16-channel system. The SFR has an operating frequency band which ranges from 300 - 2000 MHz, and a minimum frequency step-size of 1 MHz. The radar system is capable of illuminating range swaths that have maximum extents of 30 to 150 meters (programmable). The transmitter has the ability to produce approximately -2 dBm/MHz average power over the entire operating frequency range. The SFR will be used to determine the practicality of detecting and classifying buried and concealed landmines and IEDs from safe stand-off distances.

  20. Landmine Warfare in Support of Multi-domain Battle: Balancing Discrimination and Military Effectiveness

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-05-25

    Combat Team CCW Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons CTC Combat Training Center EMS Electro- Magnetic Spectrum FASCAM Family of...of a person or vehicle .”13 In the immediate aftermath of WWII, the economy of force, counter- mobility, and protection functions of landmines were...threat posed by the Soviet Union and the need for discrimination in the employment of persistent landmines by organizing them into well-marked fields

  1. Development and Performance of an Ultrawideband Stepped-Frequency Radar for Landmine and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Phelan, Brian R.; Gallagher, Kyle A.; Sherbondy, Kelly D.; Ranney, Kenneth I.; Narayanan, Ram M.

    2014-11-01

    Under support from the Army Research Laboratory's Partnerships in Research Transition program, a stepped-frequency radar (SFR) is currently under development, which allows for manipulation of the radiated spectrum while still maintaining an effective ultra-wide bandwidth. The SFR is a vehicle-mounted forward-looking ground-penetrating radar designed for high-resolution detection of buried landmines and improvised explosive devices. The SFR can be configured to precisely excise prohibited or interfering frequency bands and also possesses frequency-hopping capabilities. This paper discusses the expected performance features of the SFR as derived from laboratory testing and characterization. Ghosts and artifacts appearing in the range profile arise from gaps in the operating band when the system is configured to omit specific frequencies. An analysis of these effects is discussed and our current solution is presented. Future prospects for the SFR are also discussed, including data collection campaigns at the Army's Adelphi Laboratory Center and the Countermine Test Site.

  2. The lasting legacy of war: epidemiology of injuries from landmines and unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan, 2002-2006.

    PubMed

    Bilukha, Oleg O; Brennan, Muireann; Anderson, Mark

    2008-01-01

    Due to several decades of armed conflict and civil unrest, Afghanistan is one of the countries most affected by landmines and unexploded ordnance worldwide. The study was performed to assess the magnitude of injuries due to landmines and unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan during 2002-2006 and to describe epidemiological patterns and potential risk factors for these events. Surveillance data including 5,471 injuries caused by landmines and unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan during 2002-2006 were analyzed. The International Committee of the Red Cross collects data on such injuries from 490 reporting health facilities and volunteers throughout the country. These surveillance data were used to describe injury trends, victim demographics, injury types, risk behaviors, and explosive types related to landmine and unexploded ordnance accidents. The largest number of injuries (1,706) occurred in 2002. The number declined sharply to 1,049 injuries in 2003, and remained relatively stable with slight decline thereafter. Overall, 92% of victims were civilians, 91% were males, and 47% were children <18 years of age. The case-fatality ratio was 17%. Approximately 50% of all injuries were caused by unexploded ordnance and 42% by landmines. Among children, 65% of injuries were caused by unexploded ordnance and only 27% by landmines, whereas in adults, most injuries (56%) were caused by landmines. The most common risk behaviors among children were tending animals, playing, and tampering with explosive devices. In adults, most common risk behaviors were traveling, performing activities of economic necessity, and tampering with explosives. Twenty-eight percent of the surviving victims who received mine awareness training and 2% of those who did not receive such training reported that the area where event occurred was marked. The large number of injuries and high proportion of child victims suggest that clearance and risk education activities fall short of achieving their goals, and

  3. Acoustic intrusion detection and positioning system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berman, Ohad; Zalevsky, Zeev

    2002-08-01

    Acoustic sensors are becoming more and more applicable as a military battlefield technology. Those sensors allow a detection and direciton estimation with low false alarm rate and high probability of detection. The recent technological progress related to these fields of reserach, together with an evolution of sophisticated algorithms, allow the successful integration of those sensoe in battlefield technologies. In this paper the performances of an acoustic sensor for a detection of avionic vessels is investigated and analyzed.

  4. Acoustic change detection algorithm using an FM radio

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goldman, Geoffrey H.; Wolfe, Owen

    2012-06-01

    The U.S. Army is interested in developing low-cost, low-power, non-line-of-sight sensors for monitoring human activity. One modality that is often overlooked is active acoustics using sources of opportunity such as speech or music. Active acoustics can be used to detect human activity by generating acoustic images of an area at different times, then testing for changes among the imagery. A change detection algorithm was developed to detect physical changes in a building, such as a door changing positions or a large box being moved using acoustics sources of opportunity. The algorithm is based on cross correlating the acoustic signal measured from two microphones. The performance of the algorithm was shown using data generated with a hand-held FM radio as a sound source and two microphones. The algorithm could detect a door being opened in a hallway.

  5. Seen but not heard: injuries and deaths from landmines and unexploded ordnance in Chechnya, 1994-2005.

    PubMed

    Bilukha, Oleg O; Brennan, Muireann; Anderson, Mark; Tsitsaev, Zaur; Murtazaeva, Eliza; Ibragimov, Ramzan

    2007-01-01

    Due to more than a decade of armed conflict and civil unrest, Chechnya is among the regions most affected by landmines and unexploded ordnance worldwide. The study was performed to assess the magnitude of injuries and deaths due to landmines and unexploded ordnance in Chechnya between 1994 and 2005 and to describe epidemiologic patterns and risk factors for these events. Surveillance data that included 3,021 civilian non-combatants injured by landmines and unexploded ordnance in Chechnya during 1994-2005 were analyzed. Local non-governmental organizations in collaboration with the United Nations Children's Fund conducted victim data collection using trained staff to interview victims or their families. Surveillance data were used to describe injury trends, victim demographics, injury types, risk behaviors, and types of explosives related to landmine and unexploded ordnance events. The largest number of injuries occurred in 2000 (716, injury rate 6.6 per 10,000) and 2001 (640, injury rate 5.9 per 10,000). One-quarter of all victims were younger than 18 years, and 19% were females. The case-fatality rate was 23%. Approximately 40% of victims were injured by landmines, 30% by unexploded ordnance, and 7% by booby traps. A large proportion of children and adults were injured while traveling or performing activities of economic necessity; 29% of children were injured while tampering with explosives or playing in a contaminated area. The proportion of victims with lower limb amputations was similar among children and adults (14% and 17%, respectively), whereas the proportion ofvictims with upper limb amputations was three times higher in children than in adults (12% and 4%, respectively). Most accidents that occurred while the victim was traveling or performing activities of economic necessity were caused by landmines, while most accidents that occurred while the victim was playing near an explosive device or tampering with it were caused by unexploded ordnance. Civilians

  6. An exploratory study of the perceived impact of health problems of landmine/UXO victims versus another disability group

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background The purpose of this exploratory study is to pilot a biopsychosocial instrument called the Perceived Impact of Problem Profile (PIPP) on a cohort of landmine/Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) victims with lower limb disability versus a cohort of persons with similar disability due to other trauma or medical causes. The aim is to provide greater understanding of the psychosocial impact of landmine/UXO injury to inform victim assistance a interventions within Lao PDR. Methods This study employs a mixed methods design, which involved piloting the PIPP instrument through an interviewer administered questionnaire and demographic questionnaire. Fifty one participants were interviewed in both urban and rural locations within Lao PDR. Results An analysis of the data reveals significant differences in perceived impact for pain, anxiety and how recently the injury/illness occurred. Both groups complained of high levels of anxiety and depression; landmine/UXO victims who complained of anxiety and depression reported a much greater impact on life satisfaction and mood. Conclusion The perceived impact of the disability is greatest on psychosocial factors for both cohorts, but especially in landmine/UXO victims emphasising the need to focus on improving psychosocial interventions for landmine/UXO victims within Victim assistance programmes in Lao PDR. PMID:23016958

  7. Research on the Energy Characteristics of Battlefield Blasting Noise Based on Wavelet Packet

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ding, Kai; Yan, Shoucheng; Zhu, Yichao; Zhao, Ming; Mei, Bi

    2017-12-01

    When the acoustic fuse of smart landmines tries to detect and recognize a ground vehicle target, it is usually affected by gun shooting, explosive blasting or other similar noises on the actual battlefield. To improve the target recognition of smart landmines, it would be necessary to study the characteristics of these acoustic signals. Using sample data of the shooting noise of a certain type of rifle, the blasting noise of TNT, and the acoustic signals of a certain type of WAV, the energy characteristics of these noise signals are compared and analyzed. The result shows that the wavelet-packet energy method is effective in describing the characteristics of these acoustic signals with distinct intertype variations, and the frequency at the peak energy value can serve as a signature parameter for recognizing battlefield blasting noise signals from vehicle target signals.

  8. Evolution of United States Military Landmine Doctrine and Employment

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-06-12

    landmine descends is that of devices which ancient armies used to hinder and wound the enemy. This was a diverse group of devices which could make...factories in Egypt once it had fallen to Allied advances, the use of enemy mines was still commonplace. The British mine factories in Egypt also had no

  9. Electrodynamic soil plate oscillator: Modeling nonlinear mesoscopic elastic behavior and hysteresis in nonlinear acoustic landmine detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Korman, M. S.; Duong, D. V.; Kalsbeck, A. E.

    2015-10-01

    An apparatus (SPO), designed to study flexural vibrations of a soil loaded plate, consists of a thin circular elastic clamped plate (and cylindrical wall) supporting a vertical soil column. A small magnet attached to the center of the plate is driven by a rigid AC coil (located coaxially below the plate) to complete the electrodynamic soil plate oscillator SPO design. The frequency dependent mechanical impedance Zmech (force / particle velocity, at the plate's center) is inversely proportional to the electrical motional impedance Zmot. Measurements of Zmot are made using the complex output to input response of a Wheatstone bridge that has an identical coil element in one of its legs. Near resonance, measurements of Zmot (with no soil) before and after a slight point mass loading at the center help determine effective mass, spring, damping and coupling constant parameters of the system. "Tuning curve" behavior of real{ Zmot } and imaginary{ Zmot } at successively higher vibration amplitudes of dry sifted masonry sand are measured. They exhibit a decrease "softening" in resonance frequency along with a decrease in the quality Q factor. In soil surface vibration measurements a bilinear hysteresis model predicts the tuning curve shape for this nonlinear mesoscopic elastic SPO behavior - which also models the soil vibration over an actual plastic "inert" VS 1.6 buried landmine. Experiments are performed where a buried 1m cube concrete block supports a 12 inch deep by 30 inch by 30 inch concrete soil box for burying a VS 1.6 in dry sifted masonry sand for on-the-mine and off-the-mine soil vibration experiments. The backbone curve (a plot of the peak amplitude vs. corresponding resonant frequency from a family of tuning curves) exhibits mostly linear behavior for "on target" soil surface vibration measurements of the buried VS 1.6 or drum-like mine simulants for relatively low particle velocities of the soil. Backbone curves for "on target" measurements exhibit

  10. Soldier detection using unattended acoustic and seismic sensors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Naz, P.; Hengy, S.; Hamery, P.

    2012-06-01

    During recent military conflicts, as well as for security interventions, the urban zone has taken a preponderant place. Studies have been initiated in national and in international programs to stimulate the technical innovations for these specific scenarios. For example joint field experiments have been organized by the NATO group SET-142 to evaluate the capability for the detection and localization of snipers, mortars or artillery guns using acoustic devices. Another important operational need corresponds to the protection of military sites or buildings. In this context, unattended acoustic and seismic sensors are envisaged to contribute to the survey of specific points by the detection of approaching enemy soldiers. This paper describes some measurements done in an anechoic chamber and in free field to characterize typical sounds generated by the soldier activities (walking, crawling, weapon handling, radio communication, clothing noises...). Footstep, speech and some specific impulsive sounds are detectable at various distances from the source. Such detection algorithms may be easily merged with the existing weapon firing detection algorithms to provide a more generic "battlefield acoustic" early warning system. Results obtained in various conditions (grassy terrain, gravel path, road, forest) will be presented. A method to extrapolate the distances of detection has been developed, based on an acoustic propagation model and applied to the laboratory measurements.

  11. Automatic detection of unattended changes in room acoustics.

    PubMed

    Frey, Johannes Daniel; Wendt, Mike; Jacobsen, Thomas

    2015-01-01

    Previous research has shown that the human auditory system continuously monitors its acoustic environment, detecting a variety of irregularities (e.g., deviance from prior stimulation regularity in pitch, loudness, duration, and (perceived) sound source location). Detection of irregularities can be inferred from a component of the event-related brain potential (ERP), referred to as the mismatch negativity (MMN), even in conditions in which participants are instructed to ignore the auditory stimulation. The current study extends previous findings by demonstrating that auditory irregularities brought about by a change in room acoustics elicit a MMN in a passive oddball protocol (acoustic stimuli with differing room acoustics, that were otherwise identical, were employed as standard and deviant stimuli), in which participants watched a fiction movie (silent with subtitles). While the majority of participants reported no awareness for any changes in the auditory stimulation, only one out of 14 participants reported to have become aware of changing room acoustics or sound source location. Together, these findings suggest automatic monitoring of room acoustics. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Detection and Identification of Acoustic Signatures

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-08-01

    represent complex scenarios such as urban scenes with multiple sources in the soundscape and significant amount of reverberation and diffraction effects... soundscape . In either case it is necessary to understand that the probability of detection is a function of both the vehicle acoustic signature and...the acoustic masking component, or soundscape . And that both signals must be defined in greater depth than overall level, or average frequency

  13. Holographic neural networks versus conventional neural networks: a comparative evaluation for the classification of landmine targets in ground-penetrating radar images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mudigonda, Naga R.; Kacelenga, Ray; Edwards, Mark

    2004-09-01

    This paper evaluates the performance of a holographic neural network in comparison with a conventional feedforward backpropagation neural network for the classification of landmine targets in ground penetrating radar images. The data used in the study was acquired from four different test sites using the landmine detection system developed by General Dynamics Canada Ltd., in collaboration with the Defense Research and Development Canada, Suffield. A set of seven features extracted for each detected alarm is used as stimulus inputs for the networks. The recall responses of the networks are then evaluated against the ground truth to declare true or false detections. The area computed under the receiver operating characteristic curve is used for comparative purposes. With a large dataset comprising of data from multiple sites, both the holographic and conventional networks showed comparable trends in recall accuracies with area values of 0.88 and 0.87, respectively. By using independent validation datasets, the holographic network"s generalization performance was observed to be better (mean area = 0.86) as compared to the conventional network (mean area = 0.82). Despite the widely publicized theoretical advantages of the holographic technology, use of more than the required number of cortical memory elements resulted in an over-fitting phenomenon of the holographic network.

  14. Landmine policy in the near-term: a framework for technology analysis and action

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Eimerl, D., LLNL

    1997-08-01

    Any effective solution to the problem of leftover landmines and other post-conflict unexploded ordnance (UXO) must take into account the real capabilities of demining technologies and the availability of sufficient resources to carry out demining operations. Economic and operational factors must be included in analyses of humanitarian demining. These factors will provide a framework for using currently available resources and technologies to complete this task in a time frame that is both practical and useful. Since it is likely that reliable advanced technologies for demining are still several years away, this construct applies to the intervening period. It may alsomore » provide a framework for utilizing advanced technologies as they become available. This study is an economic system model for demining operations carried out by the developed nations that clarifies the role and impact of technology on the economic performance and viability of these operations. It also provides a quantitative guide to assess the performance penalties arising from gaps in current technology, as well as the potential advantages and desirable features of new technologies that will significantly affect the international community`s ability to address this problem. Implications for current and near-term landmine and landmine technology policies are drawn.« less

  15. Feasibility of fast neutron analysis for the detection of explosives buried in soil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faust, A. A.; McFee, J. E.; Bowman, C. L.; Mosquera, C.; Andrews, H. R.; Kovaltchouk, V. D.; Ing, H.

    2011-12-01

    A commercialized thermal neutron analysis (TNA) sensor has been developed to confirm the presence of buried bulk explosives as part of a multi-sensor anti-tank landmine detection system. Continuing improvements to the TNA system have included the use of an electronic pulsed neutron generator that offers the possibility of applying fast neutron analysis (FNA) methods to improve the system's detection capability. This paper describes an investigation into the use of FNA as a complementary component in such a TNA system. The results of a modeling study using simple geometries and a full model of the TNA sensor head are presented, as well as preliminary results from an experimental associated particle imaging (API) system that supports the modeling study results. The investigation has concluded that the pulsed beam FNA approach would not improve the detection performance of a TNA system for landmine or buried IED detection in a confirmation role, and could not be made into a practical stand-alone detection system for buried anti-tank landmines. Detection of buried landmines and IEDs by FNA remains a possibility, however, through the use of the API technique.

  16. Acoustic emission beamforming for enhanced damage detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McLaskey, Gregory C.; Glaser, Steven D.; Grosse, Christian U.

    2008-03-01

    As civil infrastructure ages, the early detection of damage in a structure becomes increasingly important for both life safety and economic reasons. This paper describes the analysis procedures used for beamforming acoustic emission techniques as well as the promising results of preliminary experimental tests on a concrete bridge deck. The method of acoustic emission offers a tool for detecting damage, such as cracking, as it occurs on or in a structure. In order to gain meaningful information from acoustic emission analyses, the damage must be localized. Current acoustic emission systems with localization capabilities are very costly and difficult to install. Sensors must be placed throughout the structure to ensure that the damage is encompassed by the array. Beamforming offers a promising solution to these problems and permits the use of wireless sensor networks for acoustic emission analyses. Using the beamforming technique, the azmuthal direction of the location of the damage may be estimated by the stress waves impinging upon a small diameter array (e.g. 30mm) of acoustic emission sensors. Additional signal discrimination may be gained via array processing techniques such as the VESPA process. The beamforming approach requires no arrival time information and is based on very simple delay and sum beamforming algorithms which can be easily implemented on a wireless sensor or mote.

  17. Using paired visual and passive acoustic surveys to estimate passive acoustic detection parameters for harbor porpoise abundance estimates.

    PubMed

    Jacobson, Eiren K; Forney, Karin A; Barlow, Jay

    2017-01-01

    Passive acoustic monitoring is a promising approach for monitoring long-term trends in harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) abundance. Before passive acoustic monitoring can be implemented to estimate harbor porpoise abundance, information about the detectability of harbor porpoise is needed to convert recorded numbers of echolocation clicks to harbor porpoise densities. In the present study, paired data from a grid of nine passive acoustic click detectors (C-PODs, Chelonia Ltd., United Kingdom) and three days of simultaneous aerial line-transect visual surveys were collected over a 370 km 2 study area. The focus of the study was estimating the effective detection area of the passive acoustic sensors, which was defined as the product of the sound production rate of individual animals and the area within which those sounds are detected by the passive acoustic sensors. Visually estimated porpoise densities were used as informative priors in a Bayesian model to solve for the effective detection area for individual harbor porpoises. This model-based approach resulted in a posterior distribution of the effective detection area of individual harbor porpoises consistent with previously published values. This technique is a viable alternative for estimating the effective detection area of passive acoustic sensors when other experimental approaches are not feasible.

  18. Acoustic mirror effect increases prey detection distance in trawling bats

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Siemers, Björn M.; Baur, Eric; Schnitzler, Hans-Ulrich

    2005-06-01

    Many different and phylogenetically distant species of bats forage for insects above water bodies and take insects from and close to the surface; the so-called ‘trawling behaviour’. Detection of surface-based prey by echolocation is facilitated by acoustically smooth backgrounds such as water surfaces that reflect sound impinging at an acute angle away from the bat and thereby render a prey object acoustically conspicuous. Previous measurements had shown that the echo amplitude of a target on a smooth surface is higher than that of the same target in mid-air, due to an acoustic mirror effect. In behavioural experiments with three pond bats (Myotis dasycneme), we tested the hypothesis that the maximum distances at which bats can detect prey are larger for prey on smooth surfaces than for the same prey in an airborne situation. We determined the moment of prey detection from a change in echolocation behaviour and measured the detection distance in 3D space from IR-video recordings using stereo-photogrammetry. The bats showed the predicted increase in detection distance for prey on smooth surfaces. The acoustic mirror effect therefore increases search efficiency and contributes to the acoustic advantages encountered by echolocating bats when foraging at low heights above smooth water surfaces. These acoustic advantages may have favoured the repeated evolution of trawling behaviour.

  19. Acoustic mirror effect increases prey detection distance in trawling bats.

    PubMed

    Siemers, Björn M; Baur, Eric; Schnitzler, Hans-Ulrich

    2005-06-01

    Many different and phylogenetically distant species of bats forage for insects above water bodies and take insects from and close to the surface; the so-called 'trawling behaviour'. Detection of surface-based prey by echolocation is facilitated by acoustically smooth backgrounds such as water surfaces that reflect sound impinging at an acute angle away from the bat and thereby render a prey object acoustically conspicuous. Previous measurements had shown that the echo amplitude of a target on a smooth surface is higher than that of the same target in mid-air, due to an acoustic mirror effect. In behavioural experiments with three pond bats (Myotis dasycneme), we tested the hypothesis that the maximum distances at which bats can detect prey are larger for prey on smooth surfaces than for the same prey in an airborne situation. We determined the moment of prey detection from a change in echolocation behaviour and measured the detection distance in 3D space from IR-video recordings using stereo-photogrammetry. The bats showed the predicted increase in detection distance for prey on smooth surfaces. The acoustic mirror effect therefore increases search efficiency and contributes to the acoustic advantages encountered by echolocating bats when foraging at low heights above smooth water surfaces. These acoustic advantages may have favoured the repeated evolution of trawling behaviour.

  20. Acoustic enhancement for photo detecting devices

    DOEpatents

    Thundat, Thomas G; Senesac, Lawrence R; Van Neste, Charles W

    2013-02-19

    Provided are improvements to photo detecting devices and methods for enhancing the sensitivity of photo detecting devices. A photo detecting device generates an electronic signal in response to a received light pulse. An electro-mechanical acoustic resonator, electrically coupled to the photo detecting device, damps the electronic signal and increases the signal noise ratio (SNR) of the electronic signal. Increased photo detector standoff distances and sensitivities will result.

  1. Improving Accuracy in Detecting Acoustic Onsets

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duyck, Wouter; Anseel, Frederik; Szmalec, Arnaud; Mestdagh, Pascal; Tavernier, Antoine; Hartsuiker, Robert J.

    2008-01-01

    In current cognitive psychology, naming latencies are commonly measured by electronic voice keys that detect when sound exceeds a certain amplitude threshold. However, recent research (e.g., K. Rastle & M. H. Davis, 2002) has shown that these devices are particularly inaccurate in precisely detecting acoustic onsets. In this article, the authors…

  2. Acoustic detection and monitoring for transportation infrastructure security.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-09-01

    Acoustical methods have been extensively used to locate, identify, and track objects underwater. Some of these applications include detecting and tracking submarines, marine mammal detection and identification, detection of mines and ship wrecks and ...

  3. Detecting Human Activity Using Acoustic, Seismic, Accelerometer, Video, and E-field Sensors

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-09-01

    Detecting Human Activity using Acoustic, Seismic, Accelerometer, Video, and E-field Sensors by Sarah H. Walker and Geoffrey H. Goldman...Adelphi, MD 20783-1197 ARL-TR-5729 September 2011 Detecting Human Activity using Acoustic, Seismic, Accelerometer, Video, and E-field Sensors...DD-MM-YYYY) September 2011 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Detecting Human Activity using Acoustic

  4. Aircraft IR/acoustic detection evaluation. Volume 2: Development of a ground-based acoustic sensor system for the detection of subsonic jet-powered aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kraft, Robert E.

    1992-01-01

    The design and performance of a ground-based acoustic sensor system for the detection of subsonic jet-powered aircraft is described and specified. The acoustic detection system performance criteria will subsequently be used to determine target detection ranges for the subject contract. Although the defined system has never been built and demonstrated in the field, the design parameters were chosen on the basis of achievable technology and overall system practicality. Areas where additional information is needed to substantiate the design are identified.

  5. Genetically engineered microorganisms for the detection of explosives’ residues

    PubMed Central

    Shemer, Benjamin; Palevsky, Noa; Yagur-Kroll, Sharon; Belkin, Shimshon

    2015-01-01

    The manufacture and use of explosives throughout the past century has resulted in the extensive pollution of soils and groundwater, and the widespread interment of landmines imposes a major humanitarian risk and prevents civil development of large areas. As most current landmine detection technologies require actual presence at the surveyed areas, thus posing a significant risk to personnel, diverse research efforts are aimed at the development of remote detection solutions. One possible means proposed to fulfill this objective is the use of microbial bioreporters: genetically engineered microorganisms “tailored” to generate an optical signal in the presence of explosives’ vapors. The use of such sensor bacteria will allow to pinpoint the locations of explosive devices in a minefield. While no study has yet resulted in a commercially operational system, significant progress has been made in the design and construction of explosives-sensing bacterial strains. In this article we review the attempts to construct microbial bioreporters for the detection of explosives, and analyze the steps that need to be undertaken for this strategy to be applicable for landmine detection. PMID:26579085

  6. Detection of explosive remnants of war by neutron thermalisation.

    PubMed

    Brooks, F D; Drosg, M; Smit, F D; Wikner, C

    2012-01-01

    The HYDAD-D landmine detector (Brooks and Drosg, 2005) has been modified and field-tested for 17 months in a variety of soil conditions. Test objects containing about the same mass of hydrogen (20g) as small explosive remnants of war, such as antipersonnel landmines, were detected with efficiency 100% when buried at cover depths up to 10cm. The false alarm rate under the same conditions was 9%. Plots of detection efficiency versus false alarm rate are presented. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Detection of hidden explosives in different scenarios with the use of nuclear probes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nebbia, G.; Pesente, S.; Lunardon, M.; Moretto, S.; Viesti, G.; Cinausero, M.; Barbui, M.; Fioretto, E.; Filippini, V.; Sudac, D.; Nađ, K.; Blagus, S.; Valković, V.

    2005-04-01

    The detection of landmines by using available technologies is a time consuming, expensive and extremely dangerous job, so that there is a need for a technological breakthrough in this field. Atomic and nuclear physics based sensors might offer new possibilities in de-mining. Technology and methods derived from the studies applied to the detection of landmines can be successfully applied to the screening of cargo in customs inspections.

  8. Plant Ethylene Detection Using Laser-Based Photo-Acoustic Spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Van de Poel, Bram; Van Der Straeten, Dominique

    2017-01-01

    Analytical detection of the plant hormone ethylene is an important prerequisite in physiological studies. Real-time and super sensitive detection of trace amounts of ethylene gas is possible using laser-based photo-acoustic spectroscopy. This Chapter will provide some background on the technique, compare it with conventional gas chromatography, and provide a detailed user-friendly hand-out on how to operate the machine and the software. In addition, this Chapter provides some tips and tricks for designing and performing physiological experiments suited for ethylene detection with laser-based photo-acoustic spectroscopy.

  9. Theoretical detection threshold of the proton-acoustic range verification technique.

    PubMed

    Ahmad, Moiz; Xiang, Liangzhong; Yousefi, Siavash; Xing, Lei

    2015-10-01

    Range verification in proton therapy using the proton-acoustic signal induced in the Bragg peak was investigated for typical clinical scenarios. The signal generation and detection processes were simulated in order to determine the signal-to-noise limits. An analytical model was used to calculate the dose distribution and local pressure rise (per proton) for beams of different energy (100 and 160 MeV) and spot widths (1, 5, and 10 mm) in a water phantom. In this method, the acoustic waves propagating from the Bragg peak were generated by the general 3D pressure wave equation implemented using a finite element method. Various beam pulse widths (0.1-10 μs) were simulated by convolving the acoustic waves with Gaussian kernels. A realistic PZT ultrasound transducer (5 cm diameter) was simulated with a Butterworth bandpass filter with consideration of random noise based on a model of thermal noise in the transducer. The signal-to-noise ratio on a per-proton basis was calculated, determining the minimum number of protons required to generate a detectable pulse. The maximum spatial resolution of the proton-acoustic imaging modality was also estimated from the signal spectrum. The calculated noise in the transducer was 12-28 mPa, depending on the transducer central frequency (70-380 kHz). The minimum number of protons detectable by the technique was on the order of 3-30 × 10(6) per pulse, with 30-800 mGy dose per pulse at the Bragg peak. Wider pulses produced signal with lower acoustic frequencies, with 10 μs pulses producing signals with frequency less than 100 kHz. The proton-acoustic process was simulated using a realistic model and the minimal detection limit was established for proton-acoustic range validation. These limits correspond to a best case scenario with a single large detector with no losses and detector thermal noise as the sensitivity limiting factor. Our study indicated practical proton-acoustic range verification may be feasible with approximately 5

  10. Chemical sensing thresholds for mine detection dogs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Phelan, James M.; Barnett, James L.

    2002-08-01

    Mine detection dogs have been found to be an effective method to locate buried landmines. The capabilities of the canine olfaction method are from a complex combination of training and inherent capacity of the dog for odor detection. The purpose of this effort was to explore the detection thresholds of a limited group of dogs that were trained specifically for landmine detection. Soils were contaminated with TNT and 2,4-DNT to develop chemical vapor standards to present to the dogs. Soils contained ultra trace levels of TNT and DNT, which produce extremely low vapor levels. Three groups of dogs were presented the headspace vapors from the contaminated soils in work environments for each dog group. One positive sample was placed among several that contained clean soils and, the location and vapor source (strength, type) was frequently changed. The detection thresholds for the dogs were determined from measured and extrapolated dilution of soil chemical residues and, estimated soil vapor values using phase partitioning relationships. The results showed significant variances in dog sensing thresholds, where some dogs could sense the lowest levels and others had trouble with even the highest source. The remarkable ultra-trace levels detectable by the dogs are consistent with the ultra-trace chemical residues derived from buried landmines; however, poor performance may go unnoticed without periodic challenge tests at levels consistent with performance requirements.

  11. Method and apparatus of spectro-acoustically enhanced ultrasonic detection for diagnostics

    DOEpatents

    Vo-Dinh, Tuan; Norton, Stephen J.

    2001-01-01

    An apparatus for detecting a discontinuity in a material includes a source of electromagnetic radiation has a wavelength and an intensity sufficient to induce an enhancement in contrast between a manifestation of an acoustic property in the material and of the acoustic property in the discontinuity, as compared to when the material is not irradiated by the electromagnetic radiation. An acoustic emitter directs acoustic waves to the discontinuity in the material. The acoustic waves have a sensitivity to the acoustic property. An acoustic receiver receives the acoustic waves generated by the acoustic emitter after the acoustic waves have interacted with the material and the discontinuity. The acoustic receiver also generates a signal representative of the acoustic waves received by the acoustic receiver. A processor, in communication with the acoustic receiver and responsive to the signal generated by the acoustic receiver, is programmed to generate informational output about the discontinuity based on the signal generated by the acoustic receiver.

  12. Passive acoustic monitoring to detect spawning in large-bodied catostomids

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Straight, Carrie A.; Freeman, Byron J.; Freeman, Mary C.

    2014-01-01

    Documenting timing, locations, and intensity of spawning can provide valuable information for conservation and management of imperiled fishes. However, deep, turbid or turbulent water, or occurrence of spawning at night, can severely limit direct observations. We have developed and tested the use of passive acoustics to detect distinctive acoustic signatures associated with spawning events of two large-bodied catostomid species (River Redhorse Moxostoma carinatum and Robust Redhorse Moxostoma robustum) in river systems in north Georgia. We deployed a hydrophone with a recording unit at four different locations on four different dates when we could both record and observe spawning activity. Recordings captured 494 spawning events that we acoustically characterized using dominant frequency, 95% frequency, relative power, and duration. We similarly characterized 46 randomly selected ambient river noises. Dominant frequency did not differ between redhorse species and ranged from 172.3 to 14,987.1 Hz. Duration of spawning events ranged from 0.65 to 11.07 s, River Redhorse having longer durations than Robust Redhorse. Observed spawning events had significantly higher dominant and 95% frequencies than ambient river noises. We additionally tested software designed to automate acoustic detection. The automated detection configurations correctly identified 80–82% of known spawning events, and falsely indentified spawns 6–7% of the time when none occurred. These rates were combined over all recordings; rates were more variable among individual recordings. Longer spawning events were more likely to be detected. Combined with sufficient visual observations to ascertain species identities and to estimate detection error rates, passive acoustic recording provides a useful tool to study spawning frequency of large-bodied fishes that displace gravel during egg deposition, including several species of imperiled catostomids.

  13. Remote detection of buried explosives by fluorescent and bioluminescent microbial sensors (Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Belkin, Shimshon; Yagur-Kroll, Sharon; Zohar, Cheinat; Rabinovitz, Zahi; Nussinovitch, Amos; Kabessa, Yossi; Agranat, Aharon J.

    2017-06-01

    Current landmine detection methodologies are not much different in principle from those employed 75 years ago, in that they require actual presence in the minefield, with obvious risks to personnel and equipment. Other limitations include an extremely large ratio of false positives, as well as a very limited ability to detect non-metallic landmines. In this lecture a microbial-based solution for the remote detection of buried landmines described. The small size requirements, rapid responses and sensing versatility of bacterial bioreporters allow their integration into diverse types of devices, for laboratory as well as field applications. The relative ease by which molecular sensing and reporting elements can be fused together to generate dose-dependent quantifiable physical (luminescent, fluorescent, colorimetric, electrochemical) responses to pre-determined conditions allows the construction of diverse classes of sensors. Over the last two decades we and others have employed this principle to design and construct microbial bioreporter strains for the sensitive detection of (a) specific chemicals of environmental concern (heavy metals, halogenated organics etc.) or (b) their deleterious biological effects on living systems (such as toxicity or genotoxicity). In many of these cases, additional molecular manipulations beyond the initial sensor-reporter fusion may be highly beneficial for enhancing the performance of the engineered sensor systems. This presentation highlights several of the approaches we have adopted over the years to achieve this aim, while focusing on the application of live cell microbeads for the remote detection of buried landmines and other explosive devices.

  14. Integrated immunoassay using tuneable surface acoustic waves and lensfree detection.

    PubMed

    Bourquin, Yannyk; Reboud, Julien; Wilson, Rab; Zhang, Yi; Cooper, Jonathan M

    2011-08-21

    The diagnosis of infectious diseases in the Developing World is technologically challenging requiring complex biological assays with a high analytical performance, at minimal cost. By using an opto-acoustic immunoassay technology, integrating components commonly used in mobile phone technologies, including surface acoustic wave (SAW) transducers to provide pressure driven flow and a CMOS camera to enable lensfree detection technique, we demonstrate the potential to produce such an assay. To achieve this, antibody functionalised microparticles were manipulated on a low-cost disposable cartridge using the surface acoustic waves and were then detected optically. Our results show that the biomarker, interferon-γ, used for the diagnosis of diseases such as latent tuberculosis, can be detected at pM concentrations, within a few minutes (giving high sensitivity at a minimal cost). This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

  15. Theoretical detection threshold of the proton-acoustic range verification technique

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ahmad, Moiz; Yousefi, Siavash; Xing, Lei, E-mail: lei@stanford.edu

    2015-10-15

    Purpose: Range verification in proton therapy using the proton-acoustic signal induced in the Bragg peak was investigated for typical clinical scenarios. The signal generation and detection processes were simulated in order to determine the signal-to-noise limits. Methods: An analytical model was used to calculate the dose distribution and local pressure rise (per proton) for beams of different energy (100 and 160 MeV) and spot widths (1, 5, and 10 mm) in a water phantom. In this method, the acoustic waves propagating from the Bragg peak were generated by the general 3D pressure wave equation implemented using a finite element method.more » Various beam pulse widths (0.1–10 μs) were simulated by convolving the acoustic waves with Gaussian kernels. A realistic PZT ultrasound transducer (5 cm diameter) was simulated with a Butterworth bandpass filter with consideration of random noise based on a model of thermal noise in the transducer. The signal-to-noise ratio on a per-proton basis was calculated, determining the minimum number of protons required to generate a detectable pulse. The maximum spatial resolution of the proton-acoustic imaging modality was also estimated from the signal spectrum. Results: The calculated noise in the transducer was 12–28 mPa, depending on the transducer central frequency (70–380 kHz). The minimum number of protons detectable by the technique was on the order of 3–30 × 10{sup 6} per pulse, with 30–800 mGy dose per pulse at the Bragg peak. Wider pulses produced signal with lower acoustic frequencies, with 10 μs pulses producing signals with frequency less than 100 kHz. Conclusions: The proton-acoustic process was simulated using a realistic model and the minimal detection limit was established for proton-acoustic range validation. These limits correspond to a best case scenario with a single large detector with no losses and detector thermal noise as the sensitivity limiting factor. Our study indicated practical proton-acoustic

  16. Theoretical detection threshold of the proton-acoustic range verification technique

    PubMed Central

    Ahmad, Moiz; Xiang, Liangzhong; Yousefi, Siavash; Xing, Lei

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: Range verification in proton therapy using the proton-acoustic signal induced in the Bragg peak was investigated for typical clinical scenarios. The signal generation and detection processes were simulated in order to determine the signal-to-noise limits. Methods: An analytical model was used to calculate the dose distribution and local pressure rise (per proton) for beams of different energy (100 and 160 MeV) and spot widths (1, 5, and 10 mm) in a water phantom. In this method, the acoustic waves propagating from the Bragg peak were generated by the general 3D pressure wave equation implemented using a finite element method. Various beam pulse widths (0.1–10 μs) were simulated by convolving the acoustic waves with Gaussian kernels. A realistic PZT ultrasound transducer (5 cm diameter) was simulated with a Butterworth bandpass filter with consideration of random noise based on a model of thermal noise in the transducer. The signal-to-noise ratio on a per-proton basis was calculated, determining the minimum number of protons required to generate a detectable pulse. The maximum spatial resolution of the proton-acoustic imaging modality was also estimated from the signal spectrum. Results: The calculated noise in the transducer was 12–28 mPa, depending on the transducer central frequency (70–380 kHz). The minimum number of protons detectable by the technique was on the order of 3–30 × 106 per pulse, with 30–800 mGy dose per pulse at the Bragg peak. Wider pulses produced signal with lower acoustic frequencies, with 10 μs pulses producing signals with frequency less than 100 kHz. Conclusions: The proton-acoustic process was simulated using a realistic model and the minimal detection limit was established for proton-acoustic range validation. These limits correspond to a best case scenario with a single large detector with no losses and detector thermal noise as the sensitivity limiting factor. Our study indicated practical proton-acoustic range

  17. Method and apparatus for acoustic plate mode liquid-solid phase transition detection

    DOEpatents

    Blair, Dianna S.; Freye, Gregory C.; Hughes, Robert C.; Martin, Stephen J.; Ricco, Antonio J.

    1993-01-01

    A method and apparatus for sensing a liquid-solid phase transition event is provided which comprises an acoustic plate mode detecting element placed in contact with a liquid or solid material which generates a high-frequency acoustic wave that is attenuated to an extent based on the physical state of the material is contact with the detecting element. The attenuation caused by the material in contact with the acoustic plate mode detecting element is used to determine the physical state of the material being detected. The method and device are particularly suited for detecting conditions such as the icing and deicing of wings of an aircraft. In another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided wherein the adhesion of a solid material to the detecting element can be measured using the apparatus of the invention.

  18. Detection of acoustic waves by NMR using a radiofrequency field gradient.

    PubMed

    Madelin, Guillaume; Baril, Nathalie; Lewa, Czeslaw J; Franconi, Jean Michel; Canioni, Paul; Thiaudiére, Eric; de Certaines, Jacques D

    2003-03-01

    A B(1) field gradient-based method previously described for the detection of mechanical vibrations has been applied to detect oscillatory motions in condensed matter originated from acoustic waves. A ladder-shaped coil generating a quasi-constant RF-field gradient was associated with a motion-encoding NMR sequence consisting in a repetitive binomial 13;31; RF pulse train (stroboscopic acquisition). The NMR response of a gel phantom subject to acoustic wave excitation in the 20-200 Hz range was investigated. Results showed a linear relationship between the NMR signal and the wave amplitude and a spectroscopic selectivity of the NMR sequence with respect to the input acoustic frequency. Spin displacements as short as a few tens of nanometers were able to be detected with this method.

  19. Acoustic detectability of Rhynchophorus cruentatus (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The palmetto weevil, Rhynchophorus cruentatus Fabricius, native to Florida, attacks palm trees. Like its economically destructive relatives, R. ferrugineus (Olivier) and R. palmarum L., it feeds internally and often is not detected until irreparable damage occurs. Acoustic methods previously used su...

  20. Acoustic-sensor-based detection of damage in composite aircraft structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Foote, Peter; Martin, Tony; Read, Ian

    2004-03-01

    Acoustic emission detection is a well-established method of locating and monitoring crack development in metal structures. The technique has been adapted to test facilities for non-destructive testing applications. Deployment as an operational or on-line automated damage detection technology in vehicles is posing greater challenges. A clear requirement of potential end-users of such systems is a level of automation capable of delivering low-level diagnosis information. The output from the system is in the form of "go", "no-go" indications of structural integrity or immediate maintenance actions. This level of automation requires significant data reduction and processing. This paper describes recent trials of acoustic emission detection technology for the diagnosis of damage in composite aerospace structures. The technology comprises low profile detection sensors using piezo electric wafers encapsulated in polymer film ad optical sensors. Sensors are bonded to the structure"s surface and enable acoustic events from the loaded structure to be located by triangulation. Instrumentation has been enveloped to capture and parameterise the sensor data in a form suitable for low-bandwidth storage and transmission.

  1. Detection of acoustic waves by NMR using a radiofrequency field gradient

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Madelin, Guillaume; Baril, Nathalie; Lewa, Czeslaw J.; Franconi, Jean-Michel; Canioni, Paul; Thiaudiére, Eric; de Certaines, Jacques D.

    2003-03-01

    A B1 field gradient-based method previously described for the detection of mechanical vibrations has been applied to detect oscillatory motions in condensed matter originated from acoustic waves. A ladder-shaped coil generating a quasi-constant RF-field gradient was associated with a motion-encoding NMR sequence consisting in a repetitive binomial 1 3¯3 1¯ RF pulse train (stroboscopic acquisition). The NMR response of a gel phantom subject to acoustic wave excitation in the 20-200 Hz range was investigated. Results showed a linear relationship between the NMR signal and the wave amplitude and a spectroscopic selectivity of the NMR sequence with respect to the input acoustic frequency. Spin displacements as short as a few tens of nanometers were able to be detected with this method.

  2. Acoustic Emission Beamforming for Detection and Localization of Damage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rivey, Joshua Callen

    The aerospace industry is a constantly evolving field with corporate manufacturers continually utilizing innovative processes and materials. These materials include advanced metallics and composite systems. The exploration and implementation of new materials and structures has prompted the development of numerous structural health monitoring and nondestructive evaluation techniques for quality assurance purposes and pre- and in-service damage detection. Exploitation of acoustic emission sensors coupled with a beamforming technique provides the potential for creating an effective non-contact and non-invasive monitoring capability for assessing structural integrity. This investigation used an acoustic emission detection device that employs helical arrays of MEMS-based microphones around a high-definition optical camera to provide real-time non-contact monitoring of inspection specimens during testing. The study assessed the feasibility of the sound camera for use in structural health monitoring of composite specimens during tensile testing for detecting onset of damage in addition to nondestructive evaluation of aluminum inspection plates for visualizing stress wave propagation in structures. During composite material monitoring, the sound camera was able to accurately identify the onset and location of damage resulting from large amplitude acoustic feedback mechanisms such as fiber breakage. Damage resulting from smaller acoustic feedback events such as matrix failure was detected but not localized to the degree of accuracy of larger feedback events. Findings suggest that beamforming technology can provide effective non-contact and non-invasive inspection of composite materials, characterizing the onset and the location of damage in an efficient manner. With regards to the nondestructive evaluation of metallic plates, this remote sensing system allows us to record wave propagation events in situ via a single-shot measurement. This is a significant improvement over

  3. Acoustic Detection of Phase Transitions at the Nanoscale

    DOE PAGES

    Vasudevan, Rama K.; Khassaf, Hamidreza; Cao, Ye; ...

    2016-01-25

    On page 478, N. Bassiri-Gharb and co-workers demonstrate acoustic detection in nanoscale volumes by use of an atomic force microscope tip technique. Elastic changes in volume are measured by detecting changes in resonance of the cantilever. Also, the electric field in this case causes a phase transition, which is modeled by Landau theory.

  4. Site specific probability of passive acoustic detection of humpback whale calls from single fixed hydrophones.

    PubMed

    Helble, Tyler A; D'Spain, Gerald L; Hildebrand, John A; Campbell, Gregory S; Campbell, Richard L; Heaney, Kevin D

    2013-09-01

    Passive acoustic monitoring of marine mammal calls is an increasingly important method for assessing population numbers, distribution, and behavior. A common mistake in the analysis of marine mammal acoustic data is formulating conclusions about these animals without first understanding how environmental properties such as bathymetry, sediment properties, water column sound speed, and ocean acoustic noise influence the detection and character of vocalizations in the acoustic data. The approach in this paper is to use Monte Carlo simulations with a full wave field acoustic propagation model to characterize the site specific probability of detection of six types of humpback whale calls at three passive acoustic monitoring locations off the California coast. Results show that the probability of detection can vary by factors greater than ten when comparing detections across locations, or comparing detections at the same location over time, due to environmental effects. Effects of uncertainties in the inputs to the propagation model are also quantified, and the model accuracy is assessed by comparing calling statistics amassed from 24,690 humpback units recorded in the month of October 2008. Under certain conditions, the probability of detection can be estimated with uncertainties sufficiently small to allow for accurate density estimates.

  5. Thermal Acoustic Oscillation: Causes, Detection, Analysis and Prevention

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Christie, Robert J.; Hartwig, Jason W.

    2014-01-01

    The presentation discusses the causes of Thermal Acoustic Oscillations, how it can be detected, analyzed and prevented. It also discusses where it can occur, where it doesn't occur and practical mitigation techniques.

  6. Acoustical Detection Of Leakage In A Combustor

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Puster, Richard L.; Petty, Jeffrey L.

    1993-01-01

    Abnormal combustion excites characteristic standing wave. Acoustical leak-detection system gives early warning of failure, enabling operating personnel to stop combustion process and repair spray bar before leak grows large enough to cause damage. Applicable to engines, gas turbines, furnaces, and other machines in which acoustic emissions at known frequencies signify onset of damage. Bearings in rotating machines monitored for emergence of characteristic frequencies shown in previous tests associated with incipient failure. Also possible to monitor for signs of trouble at multiple frequencies by feeding output of transducer simultaneously to multiple band-pass filters and associated circuitry, including separate trigger circuit set to appropriate level for each frequency.

  7. Investigation of acoustic sensors to detect coconut rhinoceros beetle in Guam

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The coconut rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros, was accidentally introduced into Guam last year and now threatens the Island’s forests and tourist industry. These large insects can be detected easily with acoustic sensors, and procedures are being developed to incorporate acoustic technology int...

  8. Detection and dispersal of explosives by ants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McFee, John E.; Achal, Steve; Faust, Anthony A.; Puckrin, Eldon; House, Andrew; Reynolds, Damon; McDougall, William; Asquini, Adam

    2009-05-01

    The ability of animals to detect explosives is well documented. Mammalian systems, insects and even single celled organisms have all been studied and in a few cases employed to detect explosives. This paper will describe the potential ability of ants to detect, disperse and possibly neutralize bulk explosives. In spring 2008 a team of DRDC and Itres scientists conducted experiments on detecting surface-laid and buried landmines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and their components. Measurements were made using state-of-the-art short wave and thermal infrared hyperspectral imagers mounted on a personnel lift. During one of the early morning measurement sessions, a wispy, long linear trail was seen to emanate several meters from piles of explosives that were situated on the ground. Upon close visual inspection, it was observed that ants had found the piles of explosives and were carrying it to their ant hill, a distance of almost 20 meters from the piles. Initial analysis of the hyperspectral images clearly revealed the trail to the ant hill of explosives, despite being present in quantities not visible to the unaided eye. This paper details these observations and discusses them in the context of landmine and IED detection and neutralization. Possible reasons for such behaviour are presented. A number of questions regarding the behaviour, many pertinent to the use of ants in a counter-landmine/IED role, are presented and possible methods of answering them are discussed. Anecdotal evidence from deminers of detection and destruction of explosives by ants are presented.

  9. Acoustic detection of manatee vocalizations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Niezrecki, Christopher; Phillips, Richard; Meyer, Michael; Beusse, Diedrich O.

    2003-09-01

    The West Indian manatee (trichechus manatus latirostris) has become endangered partly because of a growing number of collisions with boats. A system to warn boaters of the presence of manatees, that can signal to boaters that manatees are present in the immediate vicinity, could potentially reduce these boat collisions. In order to identify the presence of manatees, acoustic methods are employed. Within this paper, three different detection algorithms are used to detect the calls of the West Indian manatee. The detection systems are tested in the laboratory using simulated manatee vocalizations from an audio compact disk. The detection method that provides the best overall performance is able to correctly identify ~96% of the manatee vocalizations. However, the system also results in a false alarm rate of ~16%. The results of this work may ultimately lead to the development of a manatee warning system that can warn boaters of the presence of manatees.

  10. Robotic vehicle uses acoustic sensors for voice detection and diagnostics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Young, Stuart H.; Scanlon, Michael V.

    2000-07-01

    An acoustic sensor array that cues an imaging system on a small tele- operated robotic vehicle was used to detect human voice and activity inside a building. The advantage of acoustic sensors is that it is a non-line of sight (NLOS) sensing technology that can augment traditional LOS sensors such as visible and IR cameras. Acoustic energy emitted from a target, such as from a person, weapon, or radio, will travel through walls and smoke, around corners, and down corridors, whereas these obstructions would cripple an imaging detection system. The hardware developed and tested used an array of eight microphones to detect the loudest direction and automatically setter a camera's pan/tilt toward the noise centroid. This type of system has applicability for counter sniper applications, building clearing, and search/rescue. Data presented will be time-frequency representations showing voice detected within rooms and down hallways at various ranges. Another benefit of acoustics is that it provides the tele-operator some situational awareness clues via low-bandwidth transmission of raw audio data for the operator to interpret with either headphones or through time-frequency analysis. This data can be useful to recognize familiar sounds that might indicate the presence of personnel, such as talking, equipment, movement noise, etc. The same array also detects the sounds of the robot it is mounted on, and can be useful for engine diagnostics and trouble shooting, or for self-noise emanations for stealthy travel. Data presented will characterize vehicle self noise over various surfaces such as tiles, carpets, pavement, sidewalk, and grass. Vehicle diagnostic sounds will indicate a slipping clutch and repeated unexpected application of emergency braking mechanism.

  11. Alternatives to Anti-Personnel Landmines (Solutions de remplacement aux mines antipersonnel)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2003-05-01

    remplacement ont un prix : elles sont plus pesantes sur le plan logistique et impliquent des risques opérationnels pour les forces de l’OTAN. En...très importante, de l’interopérabilité dans le transfert de secteurs qui ont été minés par un pays non-signataire de la Convention d’Ottawa. Le...SEINE CEDEX, FRANCE RTO TECHNICAL REPORT 40(I) Alternatives to Anti-Personnel Landmines (Solutions de remplacement aux mines antipersonnel) Military

  12. A novel fiber optic geophone with high sensitivity for geo-acoustic detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Zhenhui; Yang, Huayong; Xiong, Shuidong; Luo, Hong; Cao, Chunyan; Ma, Shuqing

    2014-12-01

    A novel interferometric fiber optic geophone is introduced in this paper. This geophone is mainly used for geo-acoustic signal detection. The geophone use one of the three orthogonal components of mandrel type push-pull structure in mechanically and single-mode fiber optic Michelson interferometer structure with Faraday Rotation Mirror (FRM) elements in optically. The resonance frequency of the geophone is larger than 1000Hz. The acceleration sensitivity is as high as 56.6 dB (0dB re 1rad/g) with a slight sensitivity fluctuation of +/-0. 2dB within the frequency band from 20Hz to 200Hz. The geo-acoustic signals generated by underwater blasting are detected successfully. All the channels show good uniformity in the detected wave shape and the amplitudes exhibit very slight differences. The geo-acoustic signal excitated by the engine of surface vehicles was also detected successfully.

  13. On the Detectability of Acoustic Waves Induced Following Irradiation by a Radiotherapy Linear Accelerator.

    PubMed

    Hickling, Susannah; Leger, Pierre; El Naqa, Issam

    2016-02-11

    Irradiating an object with a megavoltage photon beam generated by a clinical radiotherapy linear accelerator (linac) induces acoustic waves through the photoacoustic effect. The detection and characterization of such acoustic waves has potential applications in radiation therapy dosimetry. The purpose of this work was to gain insight into the properties of such acoustic waves by simulating and experimentally detecting them in a well-defined system consisting of a metal block suspended in a water tank. A novel simulation workflow was developed by combining radiotherapy Monte Carlo and acoustic wave transport simulation techniques. Different set-up parameters such as photon beam energy, metal block depth, metal block width, and metal block material were varied, and the simulated and experimental acoustic waveforms showed the same relative amplitude trends and frequency variations for such setup changes. The simulation platform developed in this work can easily be extended to other irradiation situations, and will be an invaluable tool for developing a radiotherapy dosimetry system based on the detection of the acoustic waves induced following linear accelerator irradiation.

  14. Acoustic Event Detection and Classification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Temko, Andrey; Nadeu, Climent; Macho, Dušan; Malkin, Robert; Zieger, Christian; Omologo, Maurizio

    The human activity that takes place in meeting rooms or classrooms is reflected in a rich variety of acoustic events (AE), produced either by the human body or by objects handled by humans, so the determination of both the identity of sounds and their position in time may help to detect and describe that human activity. Indeed, speech is usually the most informative sound, but other kinds of AEs may also carry useful information, for example, clapping or laughing inside a speech, a strong yawn in the middle of a lecture, a chair moving or a door slam when the meeting has just started. Additionally, detection and classification of sounds other than speech may be useful to enhance the robustness of speech technologies like automatic speech recognition.

  15. Acoustic sensors using microstructures tunable with energy other than acoustic energy

    DOEpatents

    Datskos, Panagiotis G.

    2003-11-25

    A sensor for detecting acoustic energy includes a microstructure tuned to a predetermined acoustic frequency and a device for detecting movement of the microstructure. A display device is operatively linked to the movement detecting device. When acoustic energy strikes the acoustic sensor, acoustic energy having a predetermined frequency moves the microstructure, where the movement is detected by the movement detecting device.

  16. Acoustic sensors using microstructures tunable with energy other than acoustic energy

    DOEpatents

    Datskos, Panagiotis G.

    2005-06-07

    A sensor for detecting acoustic energy includes a microstructure tuned to a predetermined acoustic frequency and a device for detecting movement of the microstructure. A display device is operatively linked to the movement detecting device. When acoustic energy strikes the acoustic sensor, acoustic energy having a predetermined frequency moves the microstructure, where the movement is detected by the movement detecting device.

  17. Imaging and detection of mines from acoustic measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Witten, Alan J.; DiMarzio, Charles A.; Li, Wen; McKnight, Stephen W.

    1999-08-01

    A laboratory-scale acoustic experiment is described where a buried target, a hockey puck cut in half, is shallowly buried in a sand box. To avoid the need for source and receiver coupling to the host sand, an acoustic wave is generated in the subsurface by a pulsed laser suspended above the air-sand interface. Similarly, an airborne microphone is suspended above this interface and moved in unison with the laser. After some pre-processing of the data, reflections for the target, although weak, could clearly be identified. While the existence and location of the target can be determined by inspection of the data, its unique shape can not. Since target discrimination is important in mine detection, a 3D imaging algorithm was applied to the acquired acoustic data. This algorithm yielded a reconstructed image where the shape of the target was resolved.

  18. All-optical in-depth detection of the acoustic wave emitted by a single gold nanorod

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Feng; Guillet, Yannick; Ravaine, Serge; Audoin, Bertrand

    2018-04-01

    A single gold nanorod dropped on the surface of a silica substrate is used as a transient optoacoustic source of gigahertz hypersounds. We demonstrate the all-optical detection of the as-generated acoustic wave front propagating in the silica substrate. For this purpose, time-resolved femtosecond pump-probe experiments are performed in a reflection configuration. The fundamental breathing mode of the nanorod is detected at 23 GHz by interferometry, and the longitudinal acoustic wave radiated in the silica substrate is detected by time-resolved Brillouin scattering. By tuning the optical probe wavelength from 750 to 900 nm, hypersounds with wavelengths of 260-315 nm are detected in the silica substrate, with corresponding acoustic frequencies in the range of 19-23 GHz. To confirm the origin of these hypersounds, we theoretically analyze the influence of the acoustic excitation spectrum on the temporal envelope of the transient reflectivity. This analysis proves that the acoustic wave detected in the silica substrate results from the excitation of the breathing mode of the nanorod. These results pave the way for performing local in-depth elastic nanoscopy.

  19. Background Studies for Acoustic Neutrino Detection at the South Pole

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Abbasi, R.; Abdou, Y.; Adams, J.; Aguilar, J. A.; Ahlers, M.; Andeen, K.; Auffenberg, J.; Bai, X.; Baker, M.; Barwick, S. W.; hide

    2011-01-01

    The detection of acoustic signals from ultra-high energy neutrino interactions is a promising method to measure the flux of cosmogenic neutrinos expected on Earth. The energy threshold for this process depends strongly on the absolute noise level in the target material. The South Pole Acoustic Test Setup (SPATS), deployed in the upper part of four boreholes of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, has monitored the noise in Antarctic ice at the geographic South Pole for more than two years down to 500m depth. The noise is very stable and Gaussian distributed. Lacking an in-situ calibration up to now, laboratory measurements have been used to estimate the absolute noise level in the 10 to 50 kHz frequency range to be smaller than 20mPa. Using a threshold trigger, sensors of the South Pole Acoustic Test Setup registered acoustic events in the IceCube detector volume and its vicinity. Acoustic signals from refreezing IceCube holes and from anthropogenic sources have been used to test the localization of acoustic events. An upper limit on the neutrino flux at energies E > 10(exp 11) GeV is derived from acoustic data taken over eight months.

  20. Background studies for acoustic neutrino detection at the South Pole

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abbasi, R.; Abdou, Y.; Abu-Zayyad, T.; Adams, J.; Aguilar, J. A.; Ahlers, M.; Andeen, K.; Auffenberg, J.; Bai, X.; Baker, M.; Barwick, S. W.; Bay, R.; Bazo Alba, J. L.; Beattie, K.; Beatty, J. J.; Bechet, S.; Becker, J. K.; Becker, K.-H.; Benabderrahmane, M. L.; Benzvi, S.; Berdermann, J.; Berghaus, P.; Berley, D.; Bernardini, E.; Bertrand, D.; Besson, D. Z.; Bindig, D.; Bissok, M.; Blaufuss, E.; Blumenthal, J.; Boersma, D. J.; Bohm, C.; Bose, D.; Böser, S.; Botner, O.; Braun, J.; Brown, A. M.; Buitink, S.; Carson, M.; Chirkin, D.; Christy, B.; Clem, J.; Clevermann, F.; Cohen, S.; Colnard, C.; Cowen, D. F.; D'Agostino, M. V.; Danninger, M.; Daughhetee, J.; Davis, J. C.; de Clercq, C.; Demirörs, L.; Denger, T.; Depaepe, O.; Descamps, F.; Desiati, P.; de Vries-Uiterweerd, G.; Deyoung, T.; Díaz-Vélez, J. C.; Dierckxsens, M.; Dreyer, J.; Dumm, J. P.; Ehrlich, R.; Eisch, J.; Ellsworth, R. W.; Engdegård, O.; Euler, S.; Evenson, P. A.; Fadiran, O.; Fazely, A. R.; Fedynitch, A.; Feusels, T.; Filimonov, K.; Finley, C.; Fischer-Wasels, T.; Foerster, M. M.; Fox, B. D.; Franckowiak, A.; Franke, R.; Gaisser, T. K.; Gallagher, J.; Geisler, M.; Gerhardt, L.; Gladstone, L.; Glüsenkamp, T.; Goldschmidt, A.; Goodman, J. A.; Grant, D.; Griesel, T.; Groß, A.; Grullon, S.; Gurtner, M.; Ha, C.; Hallgren, A.; Halzen, F.; Han, K.; Hanson, K.; Heinen, D.; Helbing, K.; Herquet, P.; Hickford, S.; Hill, G. C.; Hoffman, K. D.; Homeier, A.; Hoshina, K.; Hubert, D.; Huelsnitz, W.; Hülß, J.-P.; Hulth, P. O.; Hultqvist, K.; Hussain, S.; Ishihara, A.; Jacobsen, J.; Japaridze, G. S.; Johansson, H.; Joseph, J. M.; Kampert, K.-H.; Kappes, A.; Karg, T.; Karle, A.; Kelley, J. L.; Kenny, P.; Kiryluk, J.; Kislat, F.; Klein, S. R.; Köhne, J.-H.; Kohnen, G.; Kolanoski, H.; Köpke, L.; Kopper, S.; Koskinen, D. J.; Kowalski, M.; Kowarik, T.; Krasberg, M.; Krings, T.; Kroll, G.; Kuehn, K.; Kuwabara, T.; Labare, M.; Lafebre, S.; Laihem, K.; Landsman, H.; Larson, M. J.; Lauer, R.; Lünemann, J.; Madsen, J.; Majumdar, P.; Marotta, A.; Maruyama, R.; Mase, K.; Matis, H. S.; Meagher, K.; Merck, M.; Mészáros, P.; Meures, T.; Middell, E.; Milke, N.; Miller, J.; Montaruli, T.; Morse, R.; Movit, S. M.; Nahnhauer, R.; Nam, J. W.; Naumann, U.; Nießen, P.; Nygren, D. R.; Odrowski, S.; Olivas, A.; Olivo, M.; O'Murchadha, A.; Ono, M.; Panknin, S.; Paul, L.; Pérez de Los Heros, C.; Petrovic, J.; Piegsa, A.; Pieloth, D.; Porrata, R.; Posselt, J.; Price, P. B.; Prikockis, M.; Przybylski, G. T.; Rawlins, K.; Redl, P.; Resconi, E.; Rhode, W.; Ribordy, M.; Rizzo, A.; Rodrigues, J. P.; Roth, P.; Rothmaier, F.; Rott, C.; Ruhe, T.; Rutledge, D.; Ruzybayev, B.; Ryckbosch, D.; Sander, H.-G.; Santander, M.; Sarkar, S.; Schatto, K.; Schmidt, T.; Schönwald, A.; Schukraft, A.; Schultes, A.; Schulz, O.; Schunck, M.; Seckel, D.; Semburg, B.; Seo, S. H.; Sestayo, Y.; Seunarine, S.; Silvestri, A.; Slipak, A.; Spiczak, G. M.; Spiering, C.; Stamatikos, M.; Stanev, T.; Stephens, G.; Stezelberger, T.; Stokstad, R. G.; Stössl, A.; Stoyanov, S.; Strahler, E. A.; Straszheim, T.; Stür, M.; Sullivan, G. W.; Swillens, Q.; Taavola, H.; Taboada, I.; Tamburro, A.; Tepe, A.; Ter-Antonyan, S.; Tilav, S.; Toale, P. A.; Toscano, S.; Tosi, D.; Turčan, D.; van Eijndhoven, N.; Vandenbroucke, J.; van Overloop, A.; van Santen, J.; Vehring, M.; Voge, M.; Walck, C.; Waldenmaier, T.; Wallraff, M.; Walter, M.; Weaver, Ch.; Wendt, C.; Westerhoff, S.; Whitehorn, N.; Wiebe, K.; Wiebusch, C. H.; Williams, D. R.; Wischnewski, R.; Wissing, H.; Wolf, M.; Woschnagg, K.; Xu, C.; Xu, X. W.; Yanez, J. P.; Yodh, G.; Yoshida, S.; Zarzhitsk, P.

    2012-01-01

    The detection of acoustic signals from ultra-high energy neutrino interactions is a promising method to measure the flux of cosmogenic neutrinos expected on Earth. The energy threshold for this process depends strongly on the absolute noise level in the target material. The South Pole Acoustic Test Setup (SPATS), deployed in the upper part of four boreholes of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, has monitored the noise in Antarctic ice at the geographic South Pole for more than two years down to 500 m depth. The noise is very stable and Gaussian distributed. Lacking an in situ calibration up to now, laboratory measurements have been used to estimate the absolute noise level in the 10-50 kHz frequency range to be smaller than 20 mPa. Using a threshold trigger, sensors of the South Pole Acoustic Test Setup registered acoustic events in the IceCube detector volume and its vicinity. Acoustic signals from refreezing IceCube holes and from anthropogenic sources have been used to test the localization of acoustic events. An upper limit on the neutrino flux at energies Eν > 1011 GeV is derived from acoustic data taken over eight months.

  1. Feasibility of detecting orthopaedic screw overtightening using acoustic emission.

    PubMed

    Pullin, Rhys; Wright, Bryan J; Kapur, Richard; McCrory, John P; Pearson, Matthew; Evans, Sam L; Crivelli, Davide

    2017-03-01

    A preliminary study of acoustic emission during orthopaedic screw fixation was performed using polyurethane foam as the bone-simulating material. Three sets of screws, a dynamic hip screw, a small fragment screw and a large fragment screw, were investigated, monitoring acoustic-emission activity during the screw tightening. In some specimens, screws were deliberately overtightened in order to investigate the feasibility of detecting the stripping torque in advance. One set of data was supported by load cell measurements to directly measure the axial load through the screw. Data showed that acoustic emission can give good indications of impending screw stripping; such indications are not available to the surgeon at the current state of the art using traditional torque measuring devices, and current practice relies on the surgeon's experience alone. The results suggest that acoustic emission may have the potential to prevent screw overtightening and bone tissue damage, eliminating one of the commonest sources of human error in such scenarios.

  2. Object detection and imaging with acoustic time reversal mirrors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fink, Mathias

    1993-11-01

    Focusing an acoustic wave on an object of unknown shape through an inhomogeneous medium of any geometrical shape is a challenge in underground detection. Optimal detection and imaging of objects needs the development of such focusing techniques. The use of a time reversal mirror (TRM) represents an original solution to this problem. It realizes in real time a focusing process matched to the object shape, to the geometries of the acoustic interfaces and to the geometries of the mirror. It is a self adaptative technique which compensates for any geometrical distortions of the mirror structure as well as for diffraction and refraction effects through the interfaces. Two real time 64 and 128 channel prototypes have been built in our laboratory and TRM experiments demonstrating the TRM performance through inhomogeneous solid and liquid media are presented. Applications to medical therapy (kidney stone detection and destruction) and to nondestructive testing of metallurgical samples of different geometries are described. Extension of this study to underground detection and imaging will be discussed.

  3. RELIABILITY OF THE DETECTION OF THE BARYON ACOUSTIC PEAK

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    MartInez, Vicent J.; Arnalte-Mur, Pablo; De la Cruz, Pablo

    2009-05-01

    The correlation function of the distribution of matter in the universe shows, at large scales, baryon acoustic oscillations, which were imprinted prior to recombination. This feature was first detected in the correlation function of the luminous red galaxies of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Recently, the final release (DR7) of the SDSS has been made available, and the useful volume is about two times bigger than in the old sample. We present here, for the first time, the redshift-space correlation function of this sample at large scales together with that for one shallower, but denser volume-limited subsample drawn frommore » the Two-Degree Field Redshift Survey. We test the reliability of the detection of the acoustic peak at about 100 h {sup -1} Mpc and the behavior of the correlation function at larger scales by means of careful estimation of errors. We confirm the presence of the peak in the latest data although broader than in previous detections.« less

  4. Piezoelectric and Electrostatic Polymeric Transducers for Acoustic Emission Detection.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1984-12-01

    the fabrication of ultrasonic transducers for acoustic emission (A.E.) detection using polyvinylidene fluoride ( PVDF ) active elements. ii) the...characterization of PVDF transducers. The second report compared the sensitivity of PVDF transducers with polypropylene electrostatic transducer...detection using polyvinylidene 1uoride ( PVDF ) active elements. ii) the fabrication of electrostatic transducers using thin film of non-polar

  5. Acoustic thermometry for detecting quenches in superconducting coils and conductor stacks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marchevsky, M.; Gourlay, S. A.

    2017-01-01

    Quench detection capability is essential for reliable operation and protection of superconducting magnets, coils, cables, and machinery. We propose a quench detection technique based on sensing local temperature variations in the bulk of a superconducting winding by monitoring its transient acoustic response. Our approach is primarily aimed at coils and devices built with high-temperature superconductor materials where quench detection using standard voltage-based techniques may be inefficient due to the slow velocity of quench propagation. The acoustic sensing technique is non-invasive, fast, and capable of detecting temperature variations of less than 1 K in the interior of the superconductor cable stack in a 77 K cryogenic environment. We show results of finite element modeling and experiments conducted on a model superconductor stack demonstrating viability of the technique for practical quench detection, discuss sensitivity limits of the technique, and its various applications.

  6. Probability of acoustic transmitter detections by receiver lines in Lake Huron: results of multi-year field tests and simulations

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hayden, Todd A.; Holbrook, Christopher M.; Binder, Thomas; Dettmers, John M.; Cooke, Steven J.; Vandergoot, Christopher S.; Krueger, Charles C.

    2016-01-01

    BackgroundAdvances in acoustic telemetry technology have led to an improved understanding of the spatial ecology of many freshwater and marine fish species. Understanding the performance of acoustic receivers is necessary to distinguish between tagged fish that may have been present but not detected and from those fish that were absent from the area. In this study, two stationary acoustic transmitters were deployed 250 m apart within each of four acoustic receiver lines each containing at least 10 receivers (i.e., eight acoustic transmitters) located in Saginaw Bay and central Lake Huron for nearly 2 years to determine whether the probability of detecting an acoustic transmission varied as a function of time (i.e., season), location, and distance between acoustic transmitter and receiver. Distances between acoustic transmitters and receivers ranged from 200 m to >10 km in each line. The daily observed probability of detecting an acoustic transmission was used in simulation models to estimate the probability of detecting a moving acoustic transmitter on a line of receivers.ResultsThe probability of detecting an acoustic transmitter on a receiver 1000 m away differed by month for different receiver lines in Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay but was similar for paired acoustic transmitters deployed 250 m apart within the same line. Mean probability of detecting an acoustic transmitter at 1000 m calculated over the study period varied among acoustic transmitters 250 m apart within a line and differed among receiver lines in Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay. The simulated probability of detecting a moving acoustic transmitter on a receiver line was characterized by short periods of time with decreased detection. Although increased receiver spacing and higher fish movement rates decreased simulated detection probability, the location of the simulated receiver line in Lake Huron had the strongest effect on simulated detection probability.ConclusionsPerformance of receiver

  7. Detection and Classification of Whale Acoustic Signals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xian, Yin

    This dissertation focuses on two vital challenges in relation to whale acoustic signals: detection and classification. In detection, we evaluated the influence of the uncertain ocean environment on the spectrogram-based detector, and derived the likelihood ratio of the proposed Short Time Fourier Transform detector. Experimental results showed that the proposed detector outperforms detectors based on the spectrogram. The proposed detector is more sensitive to environmental changes because it includes phase information. In classification, our focus is on finding a robust and sparse representation of whale vocalizations. Because whale vocalizations can be modeled as polynomial phase signals, we can represent the whale calls by their polynomial phase coefficients. In this dissertation, we used the Weyl transform to capture chirp rate information, and used a two dimensional feature set to represent whale vocalizations globally. Experimental results showed that our Weyl feature set outperforms chirplet coefficients and MFCC (Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients) when applied to our collected data. Since whale vocalizations can be represented by polynomial phase coefficients, it is plausible that the signals lie on a manifold parameterized by these coefficients. We also studied the intrinsic structure of high dimensional whale data by exploiting its geometry. Experimental results showed that nonlinear mappings such as Laplacian Eigenmap and ISOMAP outperform linear mappings such as PCA and MDS, suggesting that the whale acoustic data is nonlinear. We also explored deep learning algorithms on whale acoustic data. We built each layer as convolutions with either a PCA filter bank (PCANet) or a DCT filter bank (DCTNet). With the DCT filter bank, each layer has different a time-frequency scale representation, and from this, one can extract different physical information. Experimental results showed that our PCANet and DCTNet achieve high classification rate on the whale

  8. Acoustic leak-detection system for railroad transportation security

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Womble, P. C.; Spadaro, J.; Harrison, M. A.; Barzilov, A.; Harper, D.; Hopper, L.; Houchins, E.; Lemoff, B.; Martin, R.; McGrath, C.; Moore, R.; Novikov, I.; Paschal, J.; Rogers, S.

    2007-04-01

    Pressurized rail tank cars transport large volumes of volatile liquids and gases throughout the country, much of which is hazardous and/or flammable. These gases, once released in the atmosphere, can wreak havoc with the environment and local populations. We developed a system which can non-intrusively and non-invasively detect and locate pinhole-sized leaks in pressurized rail tank cars using acoustic sensors. The sound waves from a leak are produced by turbulence from the gas leaking to the atmosphere. For example, a 500 μm hole in an air tank pressurized to 689 kPa produces a broad audio frequency spectrum with a peak near 40 kHz. This signal is detectable at 10 meters with a sound pressure level of 25 dB. We are able to locate a leak source using triangulation techniques. The prototype of the system consists of a network of acoustic sensors and is located approximately 10 meters from the center of the rail-line. The prototype has two types of acoustic sensors, each with different narrow frequency response band: 40 kHz and 80 kHz. The prototype is connected to the Internet using WiFi (802.11g) transceiver and can be remotely operated from anywhere in the world. The paper discusses the construction, operation and performance of the system.

  9. Efficient source separation algorithms for acoustic fall detection using a microsoft kinect.

    PubMed

    Li, Yun; Ho, K C; Popescu, Mihail

    2014-03-01

    Falls have become a common health problem among older adults. In previous study, we proposed an acoustic fall detection system (acoustic FADE) that employed a microphone array and beamforming to provide automatic fall detection. However, the previous acoustic FADE had difficulties in detecting the fall signal in environments where interference comes from the fall direction, the number of interferences exceeds FADE's ability to handle or a fall is occluded. To address these issues, in this paper, we propose two blind source separation (BSS) methods for extracting the fall signal out of the interferences to improve the fall classification task. We first propose the single-channel BSS by using nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) to automatically decompose the mixture into a linear combination of several basis components. Based on the distinct patterns of the bases of falls, we identify them efficiently and then construct the interference free fall signal. Next, we extend the single-channel BSS to the multichannel case through a joint NMF over all channels followed by a delay-and-sum beamformer for additional ambient noise reduction. In our experiments, we used the Microsoft Kinect to collect the acoustic data in real-home environments. The results show that in environments with high interference and background noise levels, the fall detection performance is significantly improved using the proposed BSS approaches.

  10. Detection and tracking of drones using advanced acoustic cameras

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Busset, Joël.; Perrodin, Florian; Wellig, Peter; Ott, Beat; Heutschi, Kurt; Rühl, Torben; Nussbaumer, Thomas

    2015-10-01

    Recent events of drones flying over city centers, official buildings and nuclear installations stressed the growing threat of uncontrolled drone proliferation and the lack of real countermeasure. Indeed, detecting and tracking them can be difficult with traditional techniques. A system to acoustically detect and track small moving objects, such as drones or ground robots, using acoustic cameras is presented. The described sensor, is completely passive, and composed of a 120-element microphone array and a video camera. The acoustic imaging algorithm determines in real-time the sound power level coming from all directions, using the phase of the sound signals. A tracking algorithm is then able to follow the sound sources. Additionally, a beamforming algorithm selectively extracts the sound coming from each tracked sound source. This extracted sound signal can be used to identify sound signatures and determine the type of object. The described techniques can detect and track any object that produces noise (engines, propellers, tires, etc). It is a good complementary approach to more traditional techniques such as (i) optical and infrared cameras, for which the object may only represent few pixels and may be hidden by the blooming of a bright background, and (ii) radar or other echo-localization techniques, suffering from the weakness of the echo signal coming back to the sensor. The distance of detection depends on the type (frequency range) and volume of the noise emitted by the object, and on the background noise of the environment. Detection range and resilience to background noise were tested in both, laboratory environments and outdoor conditions. It was determined that drones can be tracked up to 160 to 250 meters, depending on their type. Speech extraction was also experimentally investigated: the speech signal of a person being 80 to 100 meters away can be captured with acceptable speech intelligibility.

  11. Dual-foci detection in photoacoustic computed tomography with coplanar light illumination and acoustic detection: a phantom study.

    PubMed

    Lin, Xiangwei; Liu, Chengbo; Meng, Jing; Gong, Xiaojing; Lin, Riqiang; Sun, Mingjian; Song, Liang

    2018-05-01

    A dual-foci transducer with coplanar light illumination and acoustic detection was applied for the first time. It overcame the small directivity angle, low-sensitivity, and large datasets in conventional circular scanning or array-based photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT). The custom-designed transducer is focused on both the scanning plane with virtual-point detection and the elevation direction for large field of view (FOV) cross-sectional imaging. Moreover, a coplanar light illumination and acoustic detection configuration can provide ring-shaped light irradiation with highly efficient acoustic detection, which in principle has a better adaptability when imaging samples of irregular surfaces. Phantom experiments showed that our PACT system can achieve high resolution (∼0.5  mm), enhanced signal-to-noise ratio (16-dB improvement), and a more complete structure in a greater FOV with an equal number of sampling points compared with the results from a flat aperture transducer. This study provides the proof of concept for the fabrication of a sparse array with the dual-foci property and large aperture size for high-quality, low-cost, and high-speed photoacoustic imaging. (2018) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

  12. Acoustic signal detection of manatee calls

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Niezrecki, Christopher; Phillips, Richard; Meyer, Michael; Beusse, Diedrich O.

    2003-04-01

    The West Indian manatee (trichechus manatus latirostris) has become endangered partly because of a growing number of collisions with boats. A system to warn boaters of the presence of manatees, that can signal to boaters that manatees are present in the immediate vicinity, could potentially reduce these boat collisions. In order to identify the presence of manatees, acoustic methods are employed. Within this paper, three different detection algorithms are used to detect the calls of the West Indian manatee. The detection systems are tested in the laboratory using simulated manatee vocalizations from an audio compact disc. The detection method that provides the best overall performance is able to correctly identify ~=96% of the manatee vocalizations. However the system also results in a false positive rate of ~=16%. The results of this work may ultimately lead to the development of a manatee warning system that can warn boaters of the presence of manatees.

  13. Observations of acoustic ray detection by aircraft wake vortices

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1972-03-15

    Acoustic ray deflection by aircraft wake vortex flow has been observed during landing operations of large aircraft. The phenomenon has been used to detect and locate vortex traces in a plane perpendicular to the runway centerline. The maximum deflect...

  14. Based on optical fiber Michelson interferometer for acoustic emission detection experimental research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liang, Yijun; Qu, Dandan; Deng, Hu

    2013-08-01

    A type of Michelson interferometer with two optical fiber loop reflectors acoustic emission sensor is proposed in the article to detect the vibrations produced by ultrasonic waves propagating in a solid body. Two optical fiber loop reflectors are equivalent to the sensing arm and the reference arm instead of traditional Michelson interferometer end reflecter Theoretical analyses indicate that the sensitivity of the system has been remarkably increased because of the decrease of the losses of light energy. The best operating point of optical fiber sensor is fixed by theoretical derivation and simulation of computer, and the signal frequency which is detected by the sensor is the frequency of input signal. PZT (Piezoelectric Ceramic) is powered by signal generator as known ultrasonic source, The Polarization controller is used to make the reflected light interference,The fiber length is changed by adjusting the DC voltage on the PZT with the fiber loop to make the sensor system response that ΔΦ is closed to π/2. the signal basis frequency detected by the sensor is the frequency of the input signal. Then impacts the surface of the marble slab with home-made mechanical acoustic emission source. And detect it. and then the frequency characteristic of acoustic emission signal is obtained by Fourier technique. The experimental results indicate that the system can identify the frequency characteristic of acoustic emission signal, and it can be also used to detect the surface feeble vibration which is generated by ultrasonic waves propagating in material structure.

  15. Detection of impulsive sources from an aerostat-based acoustic array data collection system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prather, Wayne E.; Clark, Robert C.; Strickland, Joshua; Frazier, Wm. Garth; Singleton, Jere

    2009-05-01

    An aerostat based acoustic array data collection system was deployed at the NATO TG-53 "Acoustic Detection of Weapon Firing" Joint Field Experiment conducted in Bourges, France during the final two weeks of June 2008. A variety of impulsive sources including mortar, artillery, gunfire, RPG, and explosive devices were fired during the test. Results from the aerostat acoustic array will be presented against the entire range of sources.

  16. Signal processing for passive detection and classification of underwater acoustic signals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chung, Kil Woo

    2011-12-01

    This dissertation examines signal processing for passive detection, classification and tracking of underwater acoustic signals for improving port security and the security of coastal and offshore operations. First, we consider the problem of passive acoustic detection of a diver in a shallow water environment. A frequency-domain multi-band matched-filter approach to swimmer detection is presented. The idea is to break the frequency contents of the hydrophone signals into multiple narrow frequency bands, followed by time averaged (about half of a second) energy calculation over each band. Then, spectra composed of such energy samples over the chosen frequency bands are correlated to form a decision variable. The frequency bands with highest Signal/Noise ratio are used for detection. The performance of the proposed approach is demonstrated for experimental data collected for a diver in the Hudson River. We also propose a new referenceless frequency-domain multi-band detector which, unlike other reference-based detectors, does not require a diver specific signature. Instead, our detector matches to a general feature of the diver spectrum in the high frequency range: the spectrum is roughly periodic in time and approximately flat when the diver exhales. The performance of the proposed approach is demonstrated by using experimental data collected from the Hudson River. Moreover, we present detection, classification and tracking of small vessel signals. Hydroacoustic sensors can be applied for the detection of noise generated by vessels, and this noise can be used for vessel detection, classification and tracking. This dissertation presents recent improvements aimed at the measurement and separation of ship DEMON (Detection of Envelope Modulation on Noise) acoustic signatures in busy harbor conditions. Ship signature measurements were conducted in the Hudson River and NY Harbor. The DEMON spectra demonstrated much better temporal stability compared with the full ship

  17. Leak detection in gas pipeline by acoustic and signal processing - A review

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adnan, N. F.; Ghazali, M. F.; Amin, M. M.; Hamat, A. M. A.

    2015-12-01

    The pipeline system is the most important part in media transport in order to deliver fluid to another station. The weak maintenance and poor safety will contribute to financial losses in term of fluid waste and environmental impacts. There are many classifications of techniques to make it easier to show their specific method and application. This paper's discussion about gas leak detection in pipeline system using acoustic method will be presented in this paper. The wave propagation in the pipeline is a key parameter in acoustic method when the leak occurs and the pressure balance of the pipe will generated by the friction between wall in the pipe. The signal processing is used to decompose the raw signal and show in time- frequency. Findings based on the acoustic method can be used for comparative study in the future. Acoustic signal and HHT is the best method to detect leak in gas pipelines. More experiments and simulation need to be carried out to get the fast result of leaking and estimation of their location.

  18. Evaluation of acoustic tomography for tree decay detection

    Treesearch

    Shanquing Liang; Xiping Wang; Janice Wiedenbeck; Zhiyong Cai; Feng Fu

    2008-01-01

    In this study, the acoustic tomography technique was used to detect internal decay in high value black cherry (Prunus seratina) trees. Two-dimensional images of the cross sections of the tree samples were constructed using PiCUS Q70 software. The trees were felled following the field test, and a disc from each testing elevation was subsequently cut...

  19. Detection of significant variation in acoustic output of an electromagnetic lithotriptor.

    PubMed

    Pishchalnikov, Yuri A; McAteer, James A; Vonderhaar, R Jason; Pishchalnikova, Irina V; Williams, James C; Evan, Andrew P

    2006-11-01

    We describe the observation of significant instability in the output of an electromagnetic lithotriptor. This instability had a form that was not detected by routine assessment, but rather was observed only by collecting many consecutive shock waves in nonstop regimen. A Dornier DoLi-50 lithotriptor used exclusively for basic research was tested and approved by the regional technician. This assessment included hydrophone measures at select power levels with the collection of about 25 shock waves per setting. Subsequent laboratory characterization used a fiberoptic hydrophone and storage oscilloscope for data acquisition. Waveforms were collected nonstop for hundreds of pulses. Output was typically stable for greater than 1,000 shock waves but substantial fluctuations in acoustic pressures were also observed. For example, output at power level 3 (mean peak positive acoustic pressure +/- SD normally 44 +/- 2 MPa) increased dramatically to greater than 50 MPa or decreased significantly to approximately 30 MPa for hundreds of shock waves. The cause of instability was eventually traced to a faulty lithotriptor power supply. Instability in lithotriptor acoustic output can occur and it may not be detected by routine assessment. Collecting waveforms in a nonstop regimen dramatically increases sampling size, improving the detection of instability. Had the instability that we observed occurred during patient treatment, the energy delivered may well have exceeded the planned dose. Since the potential for adverse effects in lithotripsy increases as the dose is increased, it would be valuable to develop ways to better monitor the acoustic output of lithotriptors.

  20. Crack detection in fastener holes using surface acoustic wave

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bao, Xiao-Qi; Varadan, Vasundara V.; Varadan, Vijay K.

    1995-05-01

    This paper presents an investigation of the monitoring of cracks at the edge of fastener holes on plates using an ultrasonic pulse-echo technique. Our studies show that, if the surface of the plate surrounding the hold is free, an acoustic wave on the surface of the plate is able to detect the cracks located in an arc of 60 degree(s). When the inner surface of the hole is free, surface acoustic waves on the inner surface are alternate choices. For the case when all these surfaces are in tight contact with other parts, hence unavailable for mounting transducers, a particular type of Lamb wave mode is presented.

  1. Optical detection of buried explosive hazards: a longitudinal comparison of three types of imagery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Staszewski, James J.; Hibbitts, Charles H.; Davis, Luke; Bursley, James

    2013-06-01

    Visual detection of soil disturbances is a surprisingly effective, but far from perfect way of detecting buried explosive threats such as landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). This effort builds upon the few systematic studies of optical detection in this area. It investigates observer sensitivity to optical information produced by the burial of anti-tank and small anti-personnel landmines asking "How detectable are disturbed soil signatures captured in visible (VIS), shortwave infrared (SWIR), and thermal infrared (TIR), bands?" "Which band or bands are most effective for detection?" and "How well does each band support detection in the natural environment over time?" Using signal detection procedures this study presented young adults photographs showing soil disturbed by landmine burial or adjacent undisturbed surfaces with instructions to make decisions about the presence or absence of a disturbance. Stimuli spanned a six-week time period over which VIS, SWIR, and TIR imagery was collected. Results show that (a) signal strength persists surprisingly well over the observation period, (b) generally, SWIR and VIS show consistently strong performance for large anti-tank mines and SWIR shows the soil signature for the small, anti-personnel mine remarkably well. TIR lags the other two bands when using d' to measure performance, but shows promising hit rates for anti-tank mine signatures under appropriate conditions. Generally, results show that the SWIR and VIS bands show most promise as a practical means of explosive hazards detection, although TIR can work effectively for large anti-tank mines under certain conditions. Limitations and implications for further research are discussed.

  2. Detection and quantification of bacterial biofilms combining high-frequency acoustic microscopy and targeted lipid microparticles

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Immuno-compromised patients such as those undergoing cancer chemotherapy are susceptible to bacterial infections leading to biofilm matrix formation. This surrounding biofilm matrix acts as a diffusion barrier that binds up antibiotics and antibodies, promoting resistance to treatment. Developing non-invasive imaging methods that detect biofilm matrix in the clinic are needed. The use of ultrasound in conjunction with targeted ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) may provide detection of early stage biofilm matrix formation and facilitate optimal treatment. Results Ligand-targeted UCAs were investigated as a novel method for pre-clinical non-invasive molecular imaging of early and late stage biofilms. These agents were used to target, image and detect Staphylococcus aureus biofilm matrix in vitro. Binding efficacy was assessed on biofilm matrices with respect to their increasing biomass ranging from 3.126 × 103 ± 427 UCAs per mm2 of biofilm surface area within 12 h to 21.985 × 103 ± 855 per mm2 of biofilm matrix surface area at 96 h. High-frequency acoustic microscopy was used to ultrasonically detect targeted UCAs bound to a biofilm matrix and to assess biofilm matrix mechanoelastic physical properties. Acoustic impedance data demonstrated that biofilm matrices exhibit impedance values (1.9 MRayl) close to human tissue (1.35 - 1.85 MRayl for soft tissues). Moreover, the acoustic signature of mature biofilm matrices were evaluated in terms of integrated backscatter (0.0278 - 0.0848 mm-1 × sr-1) and acoustic attenuation (3.9 Np/mm for bound UCAs; 6.58 Np/mm for biofilm alone). Conclusions Early diagnosis of biofilm matrix formation is a challenge in treating cancer patients with infection-associated biofilms. We report for the first time a combined optical and acoustic evaluation of infectious biofilm matrices. We demonstrate that acoustic impedance of biofilms is similar to the impedance of human tissues, making in vivo imaging and detection of biofilm

  3. Detection and quantification of bacterial biofilms combining high-frequency acoustic microscopy and targeted lipid microparticles.

    PubMed

    Anastasiadis, Pavlos; Mojica, Kristina D A; Allen, John S; Matter, Michelle L

    2014-07-06

    Immuno-compromised patients such as those undergoing cancer chemotherapy are susceptible to bacterial infections leading to biofilm matrix formation. This surrounding biofilm matrix acts as a diffusion barrier that binds up antibiotics and antibodies, promoting resistance to treatment. Developing non-invasive imaging methods that detect biofilm matrix in the clinic are needed. The use of ultrasound in conjunction with targeted ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) may provide detection of early stage biofilm matrix formation and facilitate optimal treatment. Ligand-targeted UCAs were investigated as a novel method for pre-clinical non-invasive molecular imaging of early and late stage biofilms. These agents were used to target, image and detect Staphylococcus aureus biofilm matrix in vitro. Binding efficacy was assessed on biofilm matrices with respect to their increasing biomass ranging from 3.126 × 103 ± 427 UCAs per mm(2) of biofilm surface area within 12 h to 21.985 × 103 ± 855 per mm(2) of biofilm matrix surface area at 96 h. High-frequency acoustic microscopy was used to ultrasonically detect targeted UCAs bound to a biofilm matrix and to assess biofilm matrix mechanoelastic physical properties. Acoustic impedance data demonstrated that biofilm matrices exhibit impedance values (1.9 MRayl) close to human tissue (1.35 - 1.85 MRayl for soft tissues). Moreover, the acoustic signature of mature biofilm matrices were evaluated in terms of integrated backscatter (0.0278 - 0.0848 mm(-1) × sr(-1)) and acoustic attenuation (3.9 Np/mm for bound UCAs; 6.58 Np/mm for biofilm alone). Early diagnosis of biofilm matrix formation is a challenge in treating cancer patients with infection-associated biofilms. We report for the first time a combined optical and acoustic evaluation of infectious biofilm matrices. We demonstrate that acoustic impedance of biofilms is similar to the impedance of human tissues, making in vivo imaging and detection of biofilm matrices difficult

  4. Micro-nano-bio acoustic system for the detection of foodborne pathogens in real samples.

    PubMed

    Papadakis, George; Murasova, Pavla; Hamiot, Audrey; Tsougeni, Katerina; Kaprou, Georgia; Eck, Michael; Rabus, David; Bilkova, Zuzana; Dupuy, Bruno; Jobst, Gerhard; Tserepi, Angeliki; Gogolides, Evangelos; Gizeli, Electra

    2018-07-15

    The fast and efficient detection of foodborne pathogens is a societal priority, given the large number of food-poisoning outbreaks, and a scientific and technological challenge, given the need to detect as little as 1 viable cell in 25 gr of food. Here, we present the first approach that achieves the above goal, thanks to the use of a micro/nano-technology and the detection capability of acoustic wave sensors. Starting from 1 Salmonella cell in 25 ml of milk, we employ immuno-magnetic beads to capture cells after only 3 h of pre-enrichment and subsequently demonstrate efficient DNA amplification using the Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification method (LAMP) and acoustic detection in an integrated platform, within an additional ½ h. The demonstrated 4 h sample-to-analysis time comes as a huge improvement to the current need of few days to obtain the same result. In addition, the work presents the first reported Lab-on-Chip platform that comprises an acoustic device as the sensing element, exhibiting impressive analytical features, namely, an acoustic limit of detection of 2 cells/μl or 3 aM of the DNA target and ability to detect in a label-free manner dsDNA amplicons in impure samples. The use of food samples together with the incorporation of the necessary pre-enrichment step and ability for multiple analysis with an internal control, make the proposed methodology highly relevant to real-world applications. Moreover, the work suggests that acoustic wave devices can be used as an attractive alternative to electrochemical sensors in integrated platforms for applications in food safety and the point-of-care diagnostics. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  5. Helmet-mounted acoustic array for hostile fire detection and localization in an urban environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scanlon, Michael V.

    2008-04-01

    The detection and localization of hostile weapons firing has been demonstrated successfully with acoustic sensor arrays on unattended ground sensors (UGS), ground-vehicles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Some of the more mature systems have demonstrated significant capabilities and provide direct support to ongoing counter-sniper operations. The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is conducting research and development for a helmet-mounted system to acoustically detect and localize small arms firing, or other events such as RPG, mortars, and explosions, as well as other non-transient signatures. Since today's soldier is quickly being asked to take on more and more reconnaissance, surveillance, & target acquisition (RSTA) functions, sensor augmentation enables him to become a mobile and networked sensor node on the complex and dynamic battlefield. Having a body-worn threat detection and localization capability for events that pose an immediate danger to the soldiers around him can significantly enhance their survivability and lethality, as well as enable him to provide and use situational awareness clues on the networked battlefield. This paper addresses some of the difficulties encountered by an acoustic system in an urban environment. Complex reverberation, multipath, diffraction, and signature masking by building structures makes this a very harsh environment for robust detection and classification of shockwaves and muzzle blasts. Multifunctional acoustic detection arrays can provide persistent surveillance and enhanced situational awareness for every soldier.

  6. Real-time reporting of baleen whale passive acoustic detections from ocean gliders.

    PubMed

    Baumgartner, Mark F; Fratantoni, David M; Hurst, Thomas P; Brown, Moira W; Cole, Tim V N; Van Parijs, Sofie M; Johnson, Mark

    2013-09-01

    In the past decade, much progress has been made in real-time passive acoustic monitoring of marine mammal occurrence and distribution from autonomous platforms (e.g., gliders, floats, buoys), but current systems focus primarily on a single call type produced by a single species, often from a single location. A hardware and software system was developed to detect, classify, and report 14 call types produced by 4 species of baleen whales in real time from ocean gliders. During a 3-week deployment in the central Gulf of Maine in late November and early December 2012, two gliders reported over 25,000 acoustic detections attributed to fin, humpback, sei, and right whales. The overall false detection rate for individual calls was 14%, and for right, humpback, and fin whales, false predictions of occurrence during 15-min reporting periods were 5% or less. Transmitted pitch tracks--compact representations of sounds--allowed unambiguous identification of both humpback and fin whale song. Of the ten cases when whales were sighted during aerial or shipboard surveys and a glider was within 20 km of the sighting location, nine were accompanied by real-time acoustic detections of the same species by the glider within ±12 h of the sighting time.

  7. Exploring results of the possibility on detecting cosmic ray particles by acoustic way

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jiang, Y.; Yuan, Y.; Li, Y.; Chen, D.; Zheng, R.; Song, J.

    1985-01-01

    It has been demonstrated experimentally and theoretically that high energy particles produce detectable sounds in water. However, no one has been able to detect an acoustic signal generated by a high energy cosmic ray particle in water. Results show that transient ultrasonic signals in a large lake or reservoir are fairly complex and that the transient signals under water may arise mainly from sound radiation from microbubbles. This field is not explored in detail. Perhaps, the sounds created by cosmic ray particles hide in these ultrasonic signals. In order to develop the technique of acoustic detection, it is most important to make a thorough investigation of these ultrasonic signals in water.

  8. Physical mechanism of coherent acoustic phonons generation and detection in GaAs semiconductor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Babilotte, P.; Morozov, E.; Ruello, P.; Mounier, D.; Edely, M.; Breteau, J.-M.; Bulou, A.; Gusev, V.

    2007-12-01

    We first describe the picosecond acoustic interferometry study of GaAs with two-colors pump-probe laser pulses. The dependence of the generation process on the pump wavelength and the detection process on the probe wavelength both can cause the shift in the phase of the Brillouin signal. Secondly, in order to distinguish the short high frequency wideband acoustic pulse from low frequency Brillouin contribution, we accomplished experiments with (100)GaAs semiconductor coated by a transparent and photoelastically inactive thin film, serving a delay line for the acoustic pulse. Even with highly penetrating pump light (approx 680nm), short acoustic disturbances of approx 7ps of duration have been registered.

  9. Early Forest Fire Detection Using Radio-Acoustic Sounding System

    PubMed Central

    Sahin, Yasar Guneri; Ince, Turker

    2009-01-01

    Automated early fire detection systems have recently received a significant amount of attention due to their importance in protecting the global environment. Some emergent technologies such as ground-based, satellite-based remote sensing and distributed sensor networks systems have been used to detect forest fires in the early stages. In this study, a radio-acoustic sounding system with fine space and time resolution capabilities for continuous monitoring and early detection of forest fires is proposed. Simulations show that remote thermal mapping of a particular forest region by the proposed system could be a potential solution to the problem of early detection of forest fires. PMID:22573967

  10. Accuracy of Perceptual and Acoustic Methods for the Detection of Inspiratory Loci in Spontaneous Speech

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Yu-Tsai; Nip, Ignatius S. B.; Green, Jordan R.; Kent, Ray D.; Kent, Jane Finley; Ullman, Cara

    2012-01-01

    The current study investigates the accuracy of perceptually and acoustically determined inspiratory loci in spontaneous speech for the purpose of identifying breath groups. Sixteen participants were asked to talk about simple topics in daily life at a comfortable speaking rate and loudness while connected to a pneumotach and audio microphone. The locations of inspiratory loci were determined based on the aerodynamic signal, which served as a reference for loci identified perceptually and acoustically. Signal detection theory was used to evaluate the accuracy of the methods. The results showed that the greatest accuracy in pause detection was achieved (1) perceptually based on the agreement between at least 2 of the 3 judges; (2) acoustically using a pause duration threshold of 300 ms. In general, the perceptually-based method was more accurate than was the acoustically-based method. Inconsistencies among perceptually-determined, acoustically-determined, and aerodynamically-determined inspiratory loci for spontaneous speech should be weighed in selecting a method of breath-group determination. PMID:22362007

  11. Optimized acoustic biochip integrated with microfluidics for biomarkers detection in molecular diagnostics.

    PubMed

    Papadakis, G; Friedt, J M; Eck, M; Rabus, D; Jobst, G; Gizeli, E

    2017-09-01

    The development of integrated platforms incorporating an acoustic device as the detection element requires addressing simultaneously several challenges of technological and scientific nature. The present work was focused on the design of a microfluidic module, which, combined with a dual or array type Love wave acoustic chip could be applied to biomedical applications and molecular diagnostics. Based on a systematic study we optimized the mechanics of the flow cell attachment and the sealing material so that fluidic interfacing/encapsulation would impose minimal losses to the acoustic wave. We have also investigated combinations of operating frequencies with waveguide materials and thicknesses for maximum sensitivity during the detection of protein and DNA biomarkers. Within our investigations neutravidin was used as a model protein biomarker and unpurified PCR amplified Salmonella DNA as the model genetic target. Our results clearly indicate the need for experimental verification of the optimum engineering and analytical parameters, in order to develop commercially viable systems for integrated analysis. The good reproducibility of the signal together with the ability of the array biochip to detect multiple samples hold promise for the future use of the integrated system in a Lab-on-a-Chip platform for application to molecular diagnostics.

  12. Acoustic impact testing and waveform analysis for damage detection in glued laminated timber

    Treesearch

    Feng Xu; Xiping Wang; Marko Teder; Yunfei Liu

    2017-01-01

    Delamination and decay are common structural defects in old glued laminated timber (glulam) buildings, which, if left undetected, could cause severe structural damage. This paper presents a new damage detection method for glulam inspection based on moment analysis and wavelet transform (WT) of impact acoustic signals. Acoustic signals were collected from a glulam arch...

  13. New acoustic techniques for leak detection in fossil fuel plant components

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parini, G.; Possa, G.

    Two on-line acoustic monitoring techniques for leak detection in feedwater preheaters and boilers of fossil fuel power plants are presented. The leak detection is based on the acoustic noise produced by the turbulent leak outflow. The primary sensors are piezoelectric pressure transducers, installed near the feedwater preheater inlets, in direct contact with the water, or mounted on boiler observation windows. The frequency band of the auscultation ranges from a few kHz, to 10 to 15 kHz. The signals are characterized by their rms value, continuously recorded by means of potentiometric strip chart recorders. The leak occurrence is signalled by the signal rms overcoming predetermined threshold levels. Sensitivity, reliability, acceptance in plant control practice, and costs-benefits balance are satisfactory.

  14. Feasibility of Flaw Detection in Railroad Wheels Using Acoustic Signatures

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1976-10-01

    The feasibility study on the use of acoustic signatures for detection of flaws in railway wheels was conducted with the ultimate objective of development of an intrack device for moving cars. Determinations of the natural modes of vibrating wheels un...

  15. Acoustic Emission Detection of Impact Damage on Space Shuttle Structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Prosser, William H.; Gorman, Michael R.; Madaras, Eric I.

    2004-01-01

    The loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia as a result of impact damage from foam debris during ascent has led NASA to investigate the feasibility of on-board impact detection technologies. AE sensing has been utilized to monitor a wide variety of impact conditions on Space Shuttle components ranging from insulating foam and ablator materials, and ice at ascent velocities to simulated hypervelocity micrometeoroid and orbital debris impacts. Impact testing has been performed on both reinforced carbon composite leading edge materials as well as Shuttle tile materials on representative aluminum wing structures. Results of these impact tests will be presented with a focus on the acoustic emission sensor responses to these impact conditions. These tests have demonstrated the potential of employing an on-board Shuttle impact detection system. We will describe the present plans for implementation of an initial, very low frequency acoustic impact sensing system using pre-existing flight qualified hardware. The details of an accompanying flight measurement system to assess the Shuttle s acoustic background noise environment as a function of frequency will be described. The background noise assessment is being performed to optimize the frequency range of sensing for a planned future upgrade to the initial impact sensing system.

  16. Waveform Based Acoustic Emission Detection and Location of Matrix Cracking in Composites

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Prosser, W. H.

    1995-01-01

    The operation of damage mechanisms in a material or structure under load produces transient acoustic waves. These acoustic waves are known as acoustic emission (AE). In composites they can be caused by a variety of sources including matrix cracking, fiber breakage, and delamination. AE signals can be detected and analyzed to determine the location of the acoustic source by triangulation. Attempts are also made to analyze the signals to determine the type and severity of the damage mechanism. AE monitoring has been widely used for both laboratory studies of materials, and for testing the integrity of structures in the field. In this work, an advanced, waveform based AE system was used in a study of transverse matrix cracking in cross-ply graphite/epoxy laminates. This AE system featured broad band, high fidelity sensors, and high capture rate digital acquisition and storage of acoustic signals. In addition, analysis techniques based on plate wave propagation models were employed. These features provided superior source location and noise rejection capabilities.

  17. Fuel Line Based Acoustic Flame-Out Detection System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Puster, Richard L. (Inventor); Franke, John M. (Inventor)

    1997-01-01

    An acoustic flame-out detection system that renders a large high pressure combustor safe in the event of a flame-out and possible explosive reignition. A dynamic pressure transducer is placed in the fuel and detects the stabilizing fuel pressure oscillations, caused by the combustion process. An electric circuit converts the signal from the combustion vortices, and transmitted to the fuel flow to a series of pulses. A missing pulse detector counts the pulses and continuously resets itself. If three consecutive pulses are missing, the circuit closes the fuel valve. With fuel denied the combustor is shut down or restarted under controlled conditions.

  18. High Sensitivity Detection of Broadband Acoustic Vibration Using Optical Demodulation Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Zhen

    Measuring the high frequency acoustic vibrations represents the fundamental interest in revealing the intrinsic dynamic characteristic of board range of systems, such as the growth of the fetus, blood flow in human palms, and vibrations of carbon nanotube. However, the acoustic wave detection capability is limited by the detection bandwidth and sensitivity of the commonly used piezoelectric based ultrasound detectors. To overcome these limitations, this thesis focuses on exploring the optical demodulation method for highly sensitive detection of broadband acoustic vibration. First, a transparent optical ultrasonic detector has been developed using micro-ring resonator (MRR) made of soft polymeric materials. It outperforms the traditional piezoelectric detectors with broader detection bandwidth, miniaturized size and wide angular sensitivity. Its ease of integration into photoacoustic microscopy system has resulted in the great improvement of the imaging resolution. A theoretic framework has been developed to establish the quantitative understanding of its unique distance and angular dependent detection characteristics and was subsequently validated experimentally. The developed theoretic framework provides a guideline to fully accounts for the trade-offs between axial and lateral resolution, working distance, and the field of view in developing optimal imaging performance for a wide range of biological and clinical applications. MRR-based ultrasonic detector is further integrated into confocal fluorescence microscopy to realize the simultaneous imaging of fluorescence and optical absorption of retinal pigment epithelium, achieving multi-contrast imaging at sub-cellular level. The needs to resolve the fine details of the biological specimen with the resolution beyond the diffraction limit further motivate the development of optical demodulated ultrasonic detection method based on near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM). The nano-focusing probe was developed

  19. AMADEUS—The acoustic neutrino detection test system of the ANTARES deep-sea neutrino telescope

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aguilar, J. A.; Al Samarai, I.; Albert, A.; Anghinolfi, M.; Anton, G.; Anvar, S.; Ardid, M.; Assis Jesus, A. C.; Astraatmadja, T.; Aubert, J.-J.; Auer, R.; Barbarito, E.; Baret, B.; Basa, S.; Bazzotti, M.; Bertin, V.; Biagi, S.; Bigongiari, C.; Bou-Cabo, M.; Bouwhuis, M. C.; Brown, A.; Brunner, J.; Busto, J.; Camarena, F.; Capone, A.; Cârloganu, C.; Carminati, G.; Carr, J.; Cassano, B.; Castorina, E.; Cavasinni, V.; Cecchini, S.; Ceres, A.; Charvis, Ph.; Chiarusi, T.; Chon Sen, N.; Circella, M.; Coniglione, R.; Costantini, H.; Cottini, N.; Coyle, P.; Curtil, C.; de Bonis, G.; Decowski, M. P.; Dekeyser, I.; Deschamps, A.; Distefano, C.; Donzaud, C.; Dornic, D.; Drouhin, D.; Eberl, T.; Emanuele, U.; Ernenwein, J.-P.; Escoffier, S.; Fehr, F.; Fiorello, C.; Flaminio, V.; Fritsch, U.; Fuda, J.-L.; Gay, P.; Giacomelli, G.; Gómez-González, J. P.; Graf, K.; Guillard, G.; Halladjian, G.; Hallewell, G.; van Haren, H.; Heijboer, A. J.; Heine, E.; Hello, Y.; Hernández-Rey, J. J.; Herold, B.; Hößl, J.; de Jong, M.; Kalantar-Nayestanaki, N.; Kalekin, O.; Kappes, A.; Katz, U.; Keller, P.; Kooijman, P.; Kopper, C.; Kouchner, A.; Kretschmer, W.; Lahmann, R.; Lamare, P.; Lambard, G.; Larosa, G.; Laschinsky, H.; Le Provost, H.; Lefèvre, D.; Lelaizant, G.; Lim, G.; Lo Presti, D.; Loehner, H.; Loucatos, S.; Louis, F.; Lucarelli, F.; Mangano, S.; Marcelin, M.; Margiotta, A.; Martinez-Mora, J. A.; Mazure, A.; Mongelli, M.; Montaruli, T.; Morganti, M.; Moscoso, L.; Motz, H.; Naumann, C.; Neff, M.; Ostasch, R.; Palioselitis, D.; Păvălaş, G. E.; Payre, P.; Petrovic, J.; Picot-Clemente, N.; Picq, C.; Popa, V.; Pradier, T.; Presani, E.; Racca, C.; Radu, A.; Reed, C.; Riccobene, G.; Richardt, C.; Rujoiu, M.; Ruppi, M.; Russo, G. V.; Salesa, F.; Sapienza, P.; Schöck, F.; Schuller, J.-P.; Shanidze, R.; Simeone, F.; Spurio, M.; Steijger, J. J. M.; Stolarczyk, Th.; Taiuti, M.; Tamburini, C.; Tasca, L.; Toscano, S.; Vallage, B.; van Elewyck, V.; Vannoni, G.; Vecchi, M.; Vernin, P.; Wijnker, G.; de Wolf, E.; Yepes, H.; Zaborov, D.; Zornoza, J. D.; Zúñiga, J.

    2011-01-01

    The AMADEUS (ANTARES Modules for the Acoustic Detection Under the Sea) system which is described in this article aims at the investigation of techniques for acoustic detection of neutrinos in the deep sea. It is integrated into the ANTARES neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean Sea. Its acoustic sensors, installed at water depths between 2050 and 2300 m, employ piezo-electric elements for the broad-band recording of signals with frequencies ranging up to 125 kHz. The typical sensitivity of the sensors is around -145 dB re 1 V/μPa (including preamplifier). Completed in May 2008, AMADEUS consists of six “acoustic clusters”, each comprising six acoustic sensors that are arranged at distances of roughly 1 m from each other. Two vertical mechanical structures (so-called lines) of the ANTARES detector host three acoustic clusters each. Spacings between the clusters range from 14.5 to 340 m. Each cluster contains custom-designed electronics boards to amplify and digitise the acoustic signals from the sensors. An on-shore computer cluster is used to process and filter the data stream and store the selected events. The daily volume of recorded data is about 10 GB. The system is operating continuously and automatically, requiring only little human intervention. AMADEUS allows for extensive studies of both transient signals and ambient noise in the deep sea, as well as signal correlations on several length scales and localisation of acoustic point sources. Thus the system is excellently suited to assess the background conditions for the measurement of the bipolar pulses expected to originate from neutrino interactions.

  20. Does detection range matter for inferring social networks in a benthic shark using acoustic telemetry?

    PubMed Central

    Bass, Nathan Charles; Guttridge, Tristan L.; Day, Joanna; Brown, Culum

    2017-01-01

    Accurately estimating contacts between animals can be critical in ecological studies such as examining social structure, predator–prey interactions or transmission of information and disease. While biotelemetry has been used successfully for such studies in terrestrial systems, it is still under development in the aquatic environment. Acoustic telemetry represents an attractive tool to investigate spatio-temporal behaviour of marine fish and has recently been suggested for monitoring underwater animal interactions. To evaluate the effectiveness of acoustic telemetry in recording interindividual contacts, we compared co-occurrence matrices deduced from three types of acoustic receivers varying in detection range in a benthic shark species. Our results demonstrate that (i) associations produced by acoustic receivers with a large detection range (i.e. Vemco VR2W) were significantly different from those produced by receivers with smaller ranges (i.e. Sonotronics miniSUR receivers and proximity loggers) and (ii) the position of individuals within their network, or centrality, also differed. These findings suggest that acoustic receivers with a large detection range may not be the best option to represent true social networks in the case of a benthic marine animal. While acoustic receivers are increasingly used by marine ecologists, we recommend users first evaluate the influence of detection range to depict accurate individual interactions before using these receivers for social or predator–prey studies. We also advocate for combining multiple receiver types depending on the ecological question being asked and the development of multi-sensor tags or testing of new automated proximity loggers, such as the Encounternet system, to improve the precision and accuracy of social and predator–prey interaction studies. PMID:28989756

  1. Acoustic sensors in the helmet detect voice and physiology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scanlon, Michael V.

    2003-09-01

    The Army Research Laboratory has developed body-contacting acoustic sensors that detect diverse physiological sounds such as heartbeats and breaths, high quality speech, and activity. These sensors use an acoustic impedance-matching gel contained in a soft, compliant pad to enhance the body borne sounds, yet significantly repel airborne noises due to an acoustic impedance mismatch. The signals from such a sensor can be used as a microphone with embedded physiology, or a dedicated digital signal processor can process packetized data to separate physiological parameters from voice, and log parameter trends for performance surveillance. Acoustic sensors were placed inside soldier helmets to monitor voice, physiology, activity, and situational awareness clues such as bullet shockwaves from sniper activity and explosions. The sensors were also incorporated into firefighter breathing masks, neck and wrist straps, and other protective equipment. Heart rate, breath rate, blood pressure, voice and activity can be derived from these sensors (reports at www.arl.army.mil/acoustics). Having numerous sensors at various locations provides a means for array processing to reduce motion artifacts, calculate pulse transit time for passive blood pressure measurement, and the origin of blunt/penetrating traumas such as ballistic wounding. These types of sensors give us the ability to monitor soldiers and civilian emergency first-responders in demanding environments, and provide vital signs information to assess their health status and how that person is interacting with the environment and mission at hand. The Objective Force Warrior, Scorpion, Land Warrior, Warrior Medic, and other military and civilian programs can potentially benefit from these sensors.

  2. Innovative Acoustic Sensor Technologies for Leak Detection in Challenging Pipe Types

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-12-30

    correlation features to detect and pinpoint leaks in challenging pipe types, as well as metallic pipes. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Leak detection; acoustic... correlation ; water distribution systems 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT 18.NUMBER OF PAGES 109 19a. NAME OF...6 1.3.2 State Regulations and Voluntary Water Industry Standards .......................... 7 2.0 TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION

  3. Effect of passive acoustic sampling methodology on detecting bats after declines from white nose syndrome

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Coleman, Laci S.; Ford, W. Mark; Dobony, Christopher A.; Britzke, Eric R.

    2014-01-01

    Concomitant with the emergence and spread of white-nose syndrome (WNS) and precipitous decline of many bat species in North America, natural resource managers need modified and/or new techniques for bat inventory and monitoring that provide robust occupancy estimates. We used Anabat acoustic detectors to determine the most efficient passive acoustic sampling design for optimizing detection probabilities of multiple bat species in a WNS-impacted environment in New York, USA. Our sampling protocol included: six acoustic stations deployed for the entire duration of monitoring as well as a 4 x 4 grid and five transects of 5-10 acoustic units that were deployed for 6-8 night sample durations surveyed during the summers of 2011-2012. We used Program PRESENCE to determine detection probability and site occupancy estimates. Overall, the grid produced the highest detection probabilities for most species because it contained the most detectors and intercepted the greatest spatial area. However, big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) and species not impacted by WNS were detected easily regardless of sampling array. Endangered Indiana (Myotis sodalis) and little brown (Myotis lucifugus) and tri-colored bats (Perimyotis subflavus) showed declines in detection probabilities over our study, potentially indicative of continued WNS-associated declines. Identification of species presence through efficient methodologies is vital for future conservation efforts as bat populations decline further due to WNS and other factors.   

  4. COMSOL in the Academic Environment at USNA

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-10-01

    figure shows the electric field calculated and the right shows the electron density at one point in time. 3.3 Acoustic Detection of Landmines – 3...industries heavy investment in computer graphics and modeling. Packages such as Maya , Zbrush, Mudbox and others excel at this type of modeling. A...like Sketch-Up, Maya or AutoCAD. An extensive library of pre-built models would include all of the Platonic solids, combinations of Platonic

  5. Autonomous mine detection system (AMDS) neutralization payload module

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Majerus, M.; Vanaman, R.; Wright, N.

    2010-04-01

    The Autonomous Mine Detection System (AMDS) program is developing a landmine and explosive hazards standoff detection, marking, and neutralization system for dismounted soldiers. The AMDS Capabilities Development Document (CDD) has identified the requirement to deploy three payload modules for small robotic platforms: mine detection and marking, explosives detection and marking, and neutralization. This paper addresses the neutralization payload module. There are a number of challenges that must be overcome for the neutralization payload module to be successfully integrated into AMDS. The neutralizer must meet stringent size, weight, and power (SWaP) requirements to be compatible with a small robot. The neutralizer must be effective against a broad threat, to include metal and plastic-cased Anti-Personnel (AP) and Anti-Tank (AT) landmines, explosive devices, and Unexploded Explosive Ordnance (UXO.) It must adapt to a variety of threat concealments, overburdens, and emplacement methods, to include soil, gravel, asphalt, and concrete. A unique neutralization technology is being investigated for adaptation to the AMDS Neutralization Module. This paper will describe review this technology and how the other two payload modules influence its design for minimizing SWaP. Recent modeling and experimental efforts will be included.

  6. Automated acoustic analysis in detection of spontaneous swallows in Parkinson's disease.

    PubMed

    Golabbakhsh, Marzieh; Rajaei, Ali; Derakhshan, Mahmoud; Sadri, Saeed; Taheri, Masoud; Adibi, Peyman

    2014-10-01

    Acoustic monitoring of swallow frequency has become important as the frequency of spontaneous swallowing can be an index for dysphagia and related complications. In addition, it can be employed as an objective quantification of ingestive behavior. Commonly, swallowing complications are manually detected using videofluoroscopy recordings, which require expensive equipment and exposure to radiation. In this study, a noninvasive automated technique is proposed that uses breath and swallowing recordings obtained via a microphone located over the laryngopharynx. Nonlinear diffusion filters were used in which a scale-space decomposition of recorded sound at different levels extract swallows from breath sounds and artifacts. This technique was compared to manual detection of swallows using acoustic signals on a sample of 34 subjects with Parkinson's disease. A speech language pathologist identified five subjects who showed aspiration during the videofluoroscopic swallowing study. The proposed automated method identified swallows with a sensitivity of 86.67 %, a specificity of 77.50 %, and an accuracy of 82.35 %. These results indicate the validity of automated acoustic recognition of swallowing as a fast and efficient approach to objectively estimate spontaneous swallow frequency.

  7. Interpreting the Acoustic Characteristics of Rpw Towards Its Detection- A Review

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leena Nangai, V.; Martin, Betty, Dr.

    2017-08-01

    Red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) is also known as Asian palm weevil or Sago weevil. This is a lethal pest of palms which can attack about 17 varieties of palm trees. The growth rate of the weevil depends upon the type of palm tree it feeds on. It attacks the palm trees which is less than 20 years. The presence of the weevil in the palm tree is not evident when seen by the naked eye. Hence palm tree cultivation is affected very badly by the red palm weevil larvae. The larva bores the trunk of the palm trees by feeding on the soft tissues which is present at the centre. The chewing activity produces a kind of sound. Other movements like crawling, emission also produces very feeble sound. The sound produced by the larvae lies between specific ranges of frequency and has its own spectral features. The spectral features extracted from the acoustic movement of the RPW larvae helps the early detection and protect the palm tree from further infestation. Here a survey on acoustic detection and development of instrument or sensors based on acoustic characteristic of RPW larvae is conducted.

  8. An Amplitude-Based Estimation Method for International Space Station (ISS) Leak Detection and Localization Using Acoustic Sensor Networks

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tian, Jialin; Madaras, Eric I.

    2009-01-01

    The development of a robust and efficient leak detection and localization system within a space station environment presents a unique challenge. A plausible approach includes the implementation of an acoustic sensor network system that can successfully detect the presence of a leak and determine the location of the leak source. Traditional acoustic detection and localization schemes rely on the phase and amplitude information collected by the sensor array system. Furthermore, the acoustic source signals are assumed to be airborne and far-field. Likewise, there are similar applications in sonar. In solids, there are specialized methods for locating events that are used in geology and in acoustic emission testing that involve sensor arrays and depend on a discernable phase front to the received signal. These methods are ineffective if applied to a sensor detection system within the space station environment. In the case of acoustic signal location, there are significant baffling and structural impediments to the sound path and the source could be in the near-field of a sensor in this particular setting.

  9. Workshop on the Detection, Classification, Localization and Density Estimation of Marine Mammals Using Passive Acoustics - 2015

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-09-30

    together the research community working on marine mammal acoustics to discuss detection, classification, localization and density estimation methods...and Density Estimation of Marine Mammals Using Passive Acoustics - 2015 John A. Hildebrand Scripps Institution of Oceanography UCSD La Jolla...dclde LONG-TERM GOALS The goal of this project was to bring together the community of researchers working on methods for detection

  10. Arc Fault Detection & Localization by Electromagnetic-Acoustic Remote Sensing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vasile, C.; Ioana, C.

    2017-05-01

    Electrical arc faults that occur in photovoltaic systems represent a danger due to their economic impact on production and distribution. In this paper we propose a complete system, with focus on the methodology, that enables the detection and localization of the arc fault, by the use of an electromagnetic-acoustic sensing system. By exploiting the multiple emissions of the arc fault, in conjunction with a real-time detection signal processing method, we ensure accurate detection and localization. In its final form, this present work will present in greater detail the complete system, the methods employed, results and performance, alongside further works that will be carried on.

  11. Acoustic firearm discharge detection and classification in an enclosed environment

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Luzi, Lorenzo; Gonzalez, Eric; Bruillard, Paul

    2016-05-01

    Two different signal processing algorithms are described for detection and classification of acoustic signals generated by firearm discharges in small enclosed spaces. The first is based on the logarithm of the signal energy. The second is a joint entropy. The current study indicates that a system using both signal energy and joint entropy would be able to both detect weapon discharges and classify weapon type, in small spaces, with high statistical certainty.

  12. A numerical study of defect detection in a plaster dome ceiling using structural acoustics.

    PubMed

    Bucaro, J A; Romano, A J; Valdivia, N; Houston, B H; Dey, S

    2009-07-01

    A numerical study is carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of using measured surface displacements resulting from acoustic speaker excitation to detect and localize flaws in a domed, plaster ceiling. The response of the structure to an incident acoustic pressure is obtained at four frequencies between 100 and 400 Hz using a parallel h-p structural acoustic finite element-based code. Three ceiling conditions are modeled: the pristine ceiling considered rigidly attached to the domed-shape support, partial detachment of a segment of the plaster layer from the support, and an interior pocket of plaster deconsolidation modeled as a heavy fluid. Spatial maps of the normal displacement resulting from speaker excitation are interpreted with the help of predictions based on static analysis. It is found that acoustic speaker excitation can provide displacement levels readily detected by commercially available laser Doppler vibrometer systems. Further, it is concluded that for 1 in. thick plaster layers, detachment sizes as small as 4 cm are detectable by direct observation of the measured displacement maps. Finally, spatial structure differences are observed in the displacement maps beneath the two defect types, which may provide a wavenumber-based feature useful for distinguishing plaster detachment from other defects such as deconsolidation.

  13. Translational illusion of acoustic sources by transformation acoustics.

    PubMed

    Sun, Fei; Li, Shichao; He, Sailing

    2017-09-01

    An acoustic illusion of creating a translated acoustic source is designed by utilizing transformation acoustics. An acoustic source shifter (ASS) composed of layered acoustic metamaterials is designed to achieve such an illusion. A practical example where the ASS is made with naturally available materials is also given. Numerical simulations verify the performance of the proposed device. The designed ASS may have some applications in, e.g., anti-sonar detection.

  14. To See or Not to See: Investigating Detectability of Ganges River Dolphins Using a Combined Visual-Acoustic Survey

    PubMed Central

    Richman, Nadia I.; Gibbons, James M.; Turvey, Samuel T.; Akamatsu, Tomonari; Ahmed, Benazir; Mahabub, Emile; Smith, Brian D.; Jones, Julia P. G.

    2014-01-01

    Detection of animals during visual surveys is rarely perfect or constant, and failure to account for imperfect detectability affects the accuracy of abundance estimates. Freshwater cetaceans are among the most threatened group of mammals, and visual surveys are a commonly employed method for estimating population size despite concerns over imperfect and unquantified detectability. We used a combined visual-acoustic survey to estimate detectability of Ganges River dolphins (Platanista gangetica gangetica) in four waterways of southern Bangladesh. The combined visual-acoustic survey resulted in consistently higher detectability than a single observer-team visual survey, thereby improving power to detect trends. Visual detectability was particularly low for dolphins close to meanders where these habitat features temporarily block the view of the preceding river surface. This systematic bias in detectability during visual-only surveys may lead researchers to underestimate the importance of heavily meandering river reaches. Although the benefits of acoustic surveys are increasingly recognised for marine cetaceans, they have not been widely used for monitoring abundance of freshwater cetaceans due to perceived costs and technical skill requirements. We show that acoustic surveys are in fact a relatively cost-effective approach for surveying freshwater cetaceans, once it is acknowledged that methods that do not account for imperfect detectability are of limited value for monitoring. PMID:24805782

  15. To see or not to see: investigating detectability of Ganges River dolphins using a combined visual-acoustic survey.

    PubMed

    Richman, Nadia I; Gibbons, James M; Turvey, Samuel T; Akamatsu, Tomonari; Ahmed, Benazir; Mahabub, Emile; Smith, Brian D; Jones, Julia P G

    2014-01-01

    Detection of animals during visual surveys is rarely perfect or constant, and failure to account for imperfect detectability affects the accuracy of abundance estimates. Freshwater cetaceans are among the most threatened group of mammals, and visual surveys are a commonly employed method for estimating population size despite concerns over imperfect and unquantified detectability. We used a combined visual-acoustic survey to estimate detectability of Ganges River dolphins (Platanista gangetica gangetica) in four waterways of southern Bangladesh. The combined visual-acoustic survey resulted in consistently higher detectability than a single observer-team visual survey, thereby improving power to detect trends. Visual detectability was particularly low for dolphins close to meanders where these habitat features temporarily block the view of the preceding river surface. This systematic bias in detectability during visual-only surveys may lead researchers to underestimate the importance of heavily meandering river reaches. Although the benefits of acoustic surveys are increasingly recognised for marine cetaceans, they have not been widely used for monitoring abundance of freshwater cetaceans due to perceived costs and technical skill requirements. We show that acoustic surveys are in fact a relatively cost-effective approach for surveying freshwater cetaceans, once it is acknowledged that methods that do not account for imperfect detectability are of limited value for monitoring.

  16. Acoustic tomography for decay detection in black cherry trees

    Treesearch

    Xiping Wang; Jan Wiedenbeck; Shanqing Liang

    2009-01-01

    This study investigated the potential of using acoustic tomography for detecting internal decay in high-value hardwood trees in the forest. Twelve black cherry (Prunus serotina) trees that had a wide range of physical characteristics were tested in a stand of second-growth hardwoods in Kane, PA, using a PiCUS Sonic Tomograph tool. The trees were felled after the field...

  17. Marine mammal acoustic detections in the northeastern Chukchi Sea, September 2007-July 2011

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hannay, David E.; Delarue, Julien; Mouy, Xavier; Martin, Bruce S.; Leary, Del; Oswald, Julie N.; Vallarta, Jonathan

    2013-09-01

    Several cetacean and pinniped species use the northeastern Chukchi Sea as seasonal or year-round habitat. This area has experienced pronounced reduction in the extent of summer sea ice over the last decade, as well as increased anthropogenic activity, particularly in the form of oil and gas exploration. The effects of these changes on marine mammal species are presently unknown. Autonomous passive acoustic recorders were deployed over a wide area of the northeastern Chukchi Sea off the coast of Alaska from Cape Lisburne to Barrow, at distances from 8 km to 200 km from shore: up to 44 each summer and up to 8 each winter. Acoustic data were acquired at 16 kHz continuously during summer and on a duty cycle of 40 or 48 min within each 4-h period during winter. Recordings were analyzed manually and using automated detection and classification systems to identify calls. Bowhead (Balaena mysticetus) and beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) whale calls were detected primarily from April through June and from September to December during their migrations between the Bering and Beaufort seas. Summer detections were rare and usually concentrated off Wainwright and Barrow, Alaska. Gray (Eschrichtius robustus) whale calls were detected between July and October, their occurrence decreasing with increasing distance from shore. Fin (Balaenoptera physalus), killer (Orcinus orca), minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), and humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) whales were detected sporadically in summer and early fall. Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) was the most commonly detected species between June and October, primarily occupying the southern edge of Hanna Shoal and haul-outs near coastal recording stations off Wainwright and Point Lay. Ringed (Pusa hispida) and bearded (Erignathus barbatus) seals occur year-round in the Chukchi Sea. Ringed seal acoustic detections occurred throughout the year but detection numbers were low, likely due to low vocalization rates. Bearded seal acoustic detections

  18. Crack detection on wind turbine blades in an operating environment using vibro-acoustic modulation technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, S.; Adams, D. E.; Sohn, H.

    2013-01-01

    As the wind power industry has grown rapidly in the recent decade, maintenance costs have become a significant concern. Due to the high repair costs for wind turbine blades, it is especially important to detect initial blade defects before they become structural failures leading to other potential failures in the tower or nacelle. This research presents a method of detecting cracks on wind turbine blades using the Vibo-Acoustic Modulation technique. Using Vibro-Acoustic Modulation, a crack detection test is conducted on a WHISPER 100 wind turbine in its operating environment. Wind turbines provide the ideal conditions in which to utilize Vibro-Acoustic Modulation because wind turbines experience large structural vibrations. The structural vibration of the wind turbine balde was used as a pumping signal and a PZT was used to generate the probing signal. Because the non-linear portion of the dynamic response is more sensitive to the presence of a crack than the environmental conditions or operating loads, the Vibro-Acoustic Modulation technique can provide a robust structural health monitoring approach for wind turbines. Structural health monitoring can significantly reduce maintenance costs when paired with predictive modeling to minimize unscheduled maintenance.

  19. Surface Generated Acoustic Wave Biosensors for the Detection of Pathogens: A Review

    PubMed Central

    Rocha-Gaso, María-Isabel; March-Iborra, Carmen; Montoya-Baides, Ángel; Arnau-Vives, Antonio

    2009-01-01

    This review presents a deep insight into the Surface Generated Acoustic Wave (SGAW) technology for biosensing applications, based on more than 40 years of technological and scientific developments. In the last 20 years, SGAWs have been attracting the attention of the biochemical scientific community, due to the fact that some of these devices - Shear Horizontal Surface Acoustic Wave (SH-SAW), Surface Transverse Wave (STW), Love Wave (LW), Flexural Plate Wave (FPW), Shear Horizontal Acoustic Plate Mode (SH-APM) and Layered Guided Acoustic Plate Mode (LG-APM) - have demonstrated a high sensitivity in the detection of biorelevant molecules in liquid media. In addition, complementary efforts to improve the sensing films have been done during these years. All these developments have been made with the aim of achieving, in a future, a highly sensitive, low cost, small size, multi-channel, portable, reliable and commercially established SGAW biosensor. A setup with these features could significantly contribute to future developments in the health, food and environmental industries. The second purpose of this work is to describe the state-of-the-art of SGAW biosensors for the detection of pathogens, being this topic an issue of extremely importance for the human health. Finally, the review discuses the commercial availability, trends and future challenges of the SGAW biosensors for such applications. PMID:22346725

  20. INNOVATIVE ACOUSTIC SENSOR TECHNOLOGIES FOR LEAK DETECTION IN CHALLENGING PIPE TYPES

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-12-30

    through focused acoustic surveys that are typically conducted at the correlated location prior to marking the leak location. All three technologies were...shift” survey with cross- correlation Echologics LeakFinderRTT M Field survey of leak signatures. Recommended every 3-5 years Contractor...cross- correlation features to detect and pinpoint leaks in challenging pipe types, as well as metallic pipes. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Leak detection

  1. Acoustic Methods to Monitor Protein Crystallization and to Detect Protein Crystals in Suspensions of Agarose and Lipidic Cubic Phase.

    PubMed

    Ericson, Daniel L; Yin, Xingyu; Scalia, Alexander; Samara, Yasmin N; Stearns, Richard; Vlahos, Harry; Ellson, Richard; Sweet, Robert M; Soares, Alexei S

    2016-02-01

    Improvements needed for automated crystallography include crystal detection and crystal harvesting. A technique that uses acoustic droplet ejection to harvest crystals was previously reported. Here a method is described for using the same acoustic instrument to detect protein crystals and to monitor crystal growth. Acoustic pulses were used to monitor the progress of crystallization trials and to detect the presence and location of protein crystals. Crystals were detected, and crystallization was monitored in aqueous solutions and in lipidic cubic phase. Using a commercially available acoustic instrument, crystals measuring ~150 µm or larger were readily detected. Simple laboratory techniques were used to increase the sensitivity to 50 µm by suspending the crystals away from the plastic surface of the crystallization plate. This increased the sensitivity by separating the strong signal generated by the plate bottom that can mask the signal from small protein crystals. It is possible to further boost the acoustic reflection from small crystals by reducing the wavelength of the incident sound pulse, but our current instrumentation does not allow this option. In the future, commercially available sound-emitting transducers with a characteristic frequency near 300 MHz should detect and monitor the growth of individual 3 µm crystals. © 2015 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

  2. Acoustic Methods to Monitor Protein Crystallization and to Detect Protein Crystals in Suspensions of Agarose and Lipidic Cubic Phase

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ericson, Daniel L.; Yin, Xingyu; Scalia, Alexander

    2016-02-01

    Improvements needed for automated crystallography include crystal detection and crystal harvesting. A technique that uses acoustic droplet ejection to harvest crystals was previously reported. Here a method is described for using the same acoustic instrument to detect protein crystals and to monitor crystal growth. Acoustic pulses were used to monitor the progress of crystallization trials and to detect the presence and location of protein crystals. Crystals were detected, and crystallization was monitored in aqueous solutions and in lipidic cubic phase. Using a commercially available acoustic instrument, crystals measuring ~150 µm or larger were readily detected. Simple laboratory techniques were usedmore » to increase the sensitivity to 50 µm by suspending the crystals away from the plastic surface of the crystallization plate. This increased the sensitivity by separating the strong signal generated by the plate bottom that can mask the signal from small protein crystals. It is possible to further boost the acoustic reflection from small crystals by reducing the wavelength of the incident sound pulse, but our current instrumentation does not allow this option. In the future, commercially available sound-emitting transducers with a characteristic frequency near 300 MHz should detect and monitor the growth of individual 3 µm crystals.« less

  3. Wideband radar for airborne minefield detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clark, William W.; Burns, Brian; Dorff, Gary; Plasky, Brian; Moussally, George; Soumekh, Mehrdad

    2006-05-01

    Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) has been applied for several years to the problem of detecting both antipersonnel and anti-tank landmines. RDECOM CERDEC NVESD is developing an airborne wideband GPR sensor for the detection of minefields including surface and buried mines. In this paper, we describe the as-built system, data and image processing techniques to generate imagery, and current issues with this type of radar. Further, we will display images from a recent field test.

  4. Multiple-Array Detection, Association and Location of Infrasound and Seismo-Acoustic Events - Utilization of Ground Truth Information

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-09-01

    MULTIPLE-ARRAY DETECTION, ASSOCIATION AND LOCATION OF INFRASOUND AND SEISMO-ACOUSTIC EVENTS – UTILIZATION OF GROUND TRUTH INFORMATION Stephen J...and infrasound data from seismo-acoustic arrays and apply the methodology to regional networks for validation with ground truth information. In the...initial year of the project automated techniques for detecting, associating and locating infrasound signals were developed. Recently, the location

  5. Acoustics of snoring and automatic snore sound detection in children.

    PubMed

    Çavuşoğlu, M; Poets, C F; Urschitz, M S

    2017-10-31

    Acoustic analyses of snoring sounds have been used to objectively assess snoring and applied in various clinical problems for adult patients. Such studies require highly automatized tools to analyze the sound recordings of the whole night's sleep, in order to extract clinically relevant snore- related statistics. The existing techniques and software used for adults are not efficiently applicable to snoring sounds in children, basically because of different acoustic signal properties. In this paper, we present a broad range of acoustic characteristics of snoring sounds in children (N  =  38) in comparison to adult (N  =  30) patients. Acoustic characteristics of the signals were calculated, including frequency domain representations, spectrogram-based characteristics, spectral envelope analysis, formant structures and loudness of the snoring sounds. We observed significant differences in spectral features, formant structures and loudness of the snoring signals of children compared to adults that may arise from the diversity of the upper airway anatomy as the principal determinant of the snore sound generation mechanism. Furthermore, based on the specific audio features of snoring children, we proposed a novel algorithm for the automatic detection of snoring sounds from ambient acoustic data specifically in a pediatric population. The respiratory sounds were recorded using a pair of microphones and a multi-channel data acquisition system simultaneously with full-night polysomnography during sleep. Brief sound chunks of 0.5 s were classified as either belonging to a snoring event or not with a multi-layer perceptron, which was trained in a supervised fashion using stochastic gradient descent on a large hand-labeled dataset using frequency domain features. The method proposed here has been used to extract snore-related statistics that can be calculated from the detected snore episodes for the whole night's sleep, including number of snore episodes

  6. Deep Recurrent Neural Network-Based Autoencoders for Acoustic Novelty Detection

    PubMed Central

    Vesperini, Fabio; Schuller, Björn

    2017-01-01

    In the emerging field of acoustic novelty detection, most research efforts are devoted to probabilistic approaches such as mixture models or state-space models. Only recent studies introduced (pseudo-)generative models for acoustic novelty detection with recurrent neural networks in the form of an autoencoder. In these approaches, auditory spectral features of the next short term frame are predicted from the previous frames by means of Long-Short Term Memory recurrent denoising autoencoders. The reconstruction error between the input and the output of the autoencoder is used as activation signal to detect novel events. There is no evidence of studies focused on comparing previous efforts to automatically recognize novel events from audio signals and giving a broad and in depth evaluation of recurrent neural network-based autoencoders. The present contribution aims to consistently evaluate our recent novel approaches to fill this white spot in the literature and provide insight by extensive evaluations carried out on three databases: A3Novelty, PASCAL CHiME, and PROMETHEUS. Besides providing an extensive analysis of novel and state-of-the-art methods, the article shows how RNN-based autoencoders outperform statistical approaches up to an absolute improvement of 16.4% average F-measure over the three databases. PMID:28182121

  7. Trackline and point detection probabilities for acoustic surveys of Cuvier's and Blainville's beaked whales.

    PubMed

    Barlow, Jay; Tyack, Peter L; Johnson, Mark P; Baird, Robin W; Schorr, Gregory S; Andrews, Russel D; Aguilar de Soto, Natacha

    2013-09-01

    Acoustic survey methods can be used to estimate density and abundance using sounds produced by cetaceans and detected using hydrophones if the probability of detection can be estimated. For passive acoustic surveys, probability of detection at zero horizontal distance from a sensor, commonly called g(0), depends on the temporal patterns of vocalizations. Methods to estimate g(0) are developed based on the assumption that a beaked whale will be detected if it is producing regular echolocation clicks directly under or above a hydrophone. Data from acoustic recording tags placed on two species of beaked whales (Cuvier's beaked whale-Ziphius cavirostris and Blainville's beaked whale-Mesoplodon densirostris) are used to directly estimate the percentage of time they produce echolocation clicks. A model of vocal behavior for these species as a function of their diving behavior is applied to other types of dive data (from time-depth recorders and time-depth-transmitting satellite tags) to indirectly determine g(0) in other locations for low ambient noise conditions. Estimates of g(0) for a single instant in time are 0.28 [standard deviation (s.d.) = 0.05] for Cuvier's beaked whale and 0.19 (s.d. = 0.01) for Blainville's beaked whale.

  8. Development of a Coded Aperture X-Ray Backscatter Imager for Explosive Device Detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faust, Anthony A.; Rothschild, Richard E.; Leblanc, Philippe; McFee, John Elton

    2009-02-01

    Defence R&D Canada has an active research and development program on detection of explosive devices using nuclear methods. One system under development is a coded aperture-based X-ray backscatter imaging detector designed to provide sufficient speed, contrast and spatial resolution to detect antipersonnel landmines and improvised explosive devices. The successful development of a hand-held imaging detector requires, among other things, a light-weight, ruggedized detector with low power requirements, supplying high spatial resolution. The University of California, San Diego-designed HEXIS detector provides a modern, large area, high-temperature CZT imaging surface, robustly packaged in a light-weight housing with sound mechanical properties. Based on the potential for the HEXIS detector to be incorporated as the detection element of a hand-held imaging detector, the authors initiated a collaborative effort to demonstrate the capability of a coded aperture-based X-ray backscatter imaging detector. This paper will discuss the landmine and IED detection problem and review the coded aperture technique. Results from initial proof-of-principle experiments will then be reported.

  9. Tracker Mindset for Explosive Device Emplacement Indicator Detection

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-09-01

    NOTES 14. ABSTRACT While investigating landmine detection training for the AN/PSS-14, we noticed operators were so focused on the detector’s auditory ...traces? 1.1.1 How Humans See Basically speaking, when light from the environment enters the eye, it stimulates the rod and cone photoreceptors on...contours or edges more visible. 31 Intuition Can targets, in some way, be detected at a level below conscious awareness? Can stimulation , of which

  10. Material damage modeling and detection in a thin metallic sheet and sandwich panel using passive acoustic transmission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Hao

    A method is developed for modeling, detecting, and locating material damage in homogeneous thin metallic sheets and sandwich panels. Analytical and numerical models are used along with non-contact, passive acoustic transmission measurements. It is shown that global and local damage mechanisms characterized by both material and geometrical changes in structural components can be detected using passive acoustic transmission measurements. Theoretical models of a flat sheet and sandwich panel are developed to describe the effects of global material damage due to density, modulus, or thickness changes on backplane radiated sound pressure level distributions. To describe the effects of local material damage, a three-segment stepped beam model and finite element beam, plate, and sandwich panel models are developed and analyzed using the acoustic transmission approach. It is shown that increases or decreases in transmitted sound energy occur behind a damaged material component that exhibits changes in thickness or other geometric or material properties. The damage due to thickness and density changes can be detected from the acoustic transmission, but modulus changes cannot. If the damage is located at an anti-node of a certain forced vibration pattern, the damage can be more readily observed in the data. Higher excitation frequencies within the operating spectrum are preferred to lower frequencies for damage detection. With the finite element beam, plate, and sandwich panel models, local damage detection has been performed in simulations. Experiments on a baffled homogeneous sheet and sandwich panel subjected to broadband acoustic energy show that transmitted intensity measurements with non-contact probes can be used to identify and locate material defects in the sheet and sandwich panel. Material damage is most readily identified where the changes in transmitted sound intensity are largest in the resonant frequency range of the panel. The three main contributions of this

  11. Acoustic building infiltration measurement system

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Muehleisen, Ralph T.; Raman, Ganesh

    Systems and methods of detecting and identifying a leak from a container or building. Acoustic pressure and velocity are measured. Acoustic properties are acquired from the measured values. The acoustic properties are converted to infiltration/leakage information. Nearfield Acoustic Holography (NAH) may be one method to detect the leakages from a container by locating the noise sources.

  12. Analysis of passive acoustic ranging of helicopters from the joint acoustic propagation experiment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Carnes, Benny L.; Morgan, John C.

    1993-01-01

    For more than twenty years, personnel of the U.S.A.E. Waterways Experiment Station (WES) have been performing research dealing with the application of sensors for detection of military targets. The WES research has included the use of seismic, acoustic, magnetic, and other sensors to detect, track, and classify military ground targets. Most of the WES research has been oriented toward the employment of such sensors in a passive mode. Techniques for passive detection are of particular interest in the Army because of the advantages over active detection. Passive detection methods are not susceptible to interception, detection, jamming, or location of the source by the threat. A decided advantage for using acoustic and seismic sensors for detection in tactical situations is the non-line-of-sight capability; i.e., detection of low flying helicopters at long distances without visual contact. This study was conducted to analyze the passive acoustic ranging (PAR) concept using a more extensive data set from the Joint Acoustic Propagation Experiment (JAPE).

  13. A hydrophone prototype for ultra high energy neutrino acoustic detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cotrufo, A.; Plotnikov, A.; Yershova, O.; Anghinolfi, M.; Piombo, D.

    2009-06-01

    The design of an air-backed fiber-optic hydrophone is presented. With respect to the previous models this prototype is optimized to provide a bandwidth sufficiently large to detect acoustic signals produced by high energy hadronic showers in water. In addiction to the geometrical configuration and to the choice of the materials, the preliminary results of the measured performances in air are presented.

  14. Bat detective-Deep learning tools for bat acoustic signal detection.

    PubMed

    Mac Aodha, Oisin; Gibb, Rory; Barlow, Kate E; Browning, Ella; Firman, Michael; Freeman, Robin; Harder, Briana; Kinsey, Libby; Mead, Gary R; Newson, Stuart E; Pandourski, Ivan; Parsons, Stuart; Russ, Jon; Szodoray-Paradi, Abigel; Szodoray-Paradi, Farkas; Tilova, Elena; Girolami, Mark; Brostow, Gabriel; Jones, Kate E

    2018-03-01

    Passive acoustic sensing has emerged as a powerful tool for quantifying anthropogenic impacts on biodiversity, especially for echolocating bat species. To better assess bat population trends there is a critical need for accurate, reliable, and open source tools that allow the detection and classification of bat calls in large collections of audio recordings. The majority of existing tools are commercial or have focused on the species classification task, neglecting the important problem of first localizing echolocation calls in audio which is particularly problematic in noisy recordings. We developed a convolutional neural network based open-source pipeline for detecting ultrasonic, full-spectrum, search-phase calls produced by echolocating bats. Our deep learning algorithms were trained on full-spectrum ultrasonic audio collected along road-transects across Europe and labelled by citizen scientists from www.batdetective.org. When compared to other existing algorithms and commercial systems, we show significantly higher detection performance of search-phase echolocation calls with our test sets. As an example application, we ran our detection pipeline on bat monitoring data collected over five years from Jersey (UK), and compared results to a widely-used commercial system. Our detection pipeline can be used for the automatic detection and monitoring of bat populations, and further facilitates their use as indicator species on a large scale. Our proposed pipeline makes only a small number of bat specific design decisions, and with appropriate training data it could be applied to detecting other species in audio. A crucial novelty of our work is showing that with careful, non-trivial, design and implementation considerations, state-of-the-art deep learning methods can be used for accurate and efficient monitoring in audio.

  15. A Test Study to Display Buried Anti-Tank Landmines with GPR and Research Soil Characteristics with CRS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kadioglu, Selma; Kagan Kadioglu, Yusuf

    2014-05-01

    An anti-tank mine (AT mine) is a type of land mine designed to damage or destroy vehicles including tanks and armored fighting vehicles. Anti-tank mines typically have a much larger explosive charge, and a fuze designed only to be triggered by vehicles or, in some cases, tampering with the mine. There are a lot of AT mine types. In our test study, MK4 and MK5 AT mine types has been used. The Mk 5 was a cylindrical metal cased U.K. anti-tank blast mine that entered service in 1943, during the Second World War. General Specifications of them are 203 mm diameter, 127 mm height, 4.4-5.7 kg weight, 2.05-3.75 kg of TNT explosive content and 350 lbs operating pressure respectively. The aims of the test study were to image anti-tank landmine with GPR method and to analyse the soil characteristics before the mines made explode and after made be exploded and determine changing of the soil characteristics. We realized data measurement on the real 6 unexploded anti-tank landmine buried approximately 15 cm in depth. The mines spaced 3 m were buried in two lines. Space between lines was 1.5 m. We gathered data on the profiles, approximately 7 m, with a Ramac CUII system and 800 MHz shielded antenna. We collected soil samples on the mines, near and around the mines, on the area in village. We collected soil samples before exploding and after exploding mines. We imaged anti-tank landmines on the depth slices of the GPR data and in their interactive transparent 3D subsets successfully. We used polarized microscope and confocal Raman spectroscopy (CRS) to identify soil characteristic before and after exploitation. The results presented that GPR method and its 3D imaging were successful to determine AT mines, and there was no important changing on mineralogical and petrographical characterization of the soil before and after exploding processing. This project has been supported by Ankara University under grant no 11B6055002. The study is a contribution to the EU funded COST action TU

  16. An active acoustic tripwire for simultaneous detection and localization of multiple underwater intruders.

    PubMed

    Folegot, Thomas; Martinelli, Giovanna; Guerrini, Piero; Stevenson, J Mark

    2008-11-01

    An algorithm allowing simultaneous detection and localization of multiple submerged targets crossing an acoustic tripwire based on forward scattering is described and then evaluated based upon data collected at sea. This paper quantifies the agreement between the theoretical performance and the results obtained from processing data gathered at sea for crossings at several depths and ranges. Targets crossing the acoustic field produce shadows on each side of the barrier, for specific sensors and for specific acoustic paths. In post-processing, a model is invoked to associate expected paths with the observed shadows. This process allows triangulation of the target's position inside the acoustic field. Precise localization is achieved by taking advantage of the multipath propagation structure of the received signal, together with the diversity of the source and receiver locations. Environmental robustness is demonstrated using simulations and can be explained by the use of an array of sources spatially distributed through the water column.

  17. Inversion of High Frequency Acoustic Data for Sediment Properties Needed for the Detection and Classification of UXOs

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-05-26

    FINAL REPORT Inversion of High Frequency Acoustic Data for Sediment Properties Needed for the Detection and Classification of UXOs SERDP...DOCUMENTATION PAGE Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39.18 Form Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 The public reporting burden for this collection of information is...2015 Inversion of High Frequency Acoustic Data for Sediment Properties Needed for the Detection and Classification of UXO’s W912HQ-12-C-0049 MR

  18. Method and apparatus for detecting internal structures of bulk objects using acoustic imaging

    DOEpatents

    Deason, Vance A.; Telschow, Kenneth L.

    2002-01-01

    Apparatus for producing an acoustic image of an object according to the present invention may comprise an excitation source for vibrating the object to produce at least one acoustic wave therein. The acoustic wave results in the formation of at least one surface displacement on the surface of the object. A light source produces an optical object wavefront and an optical reference wavefront and directs the optical object wavefront toward the surface of the object to produce a modulated optical object wavefront. A modulator operatively associated with the optical reference wavefront modulates the optical reference wavefront in synchronization with the acoustic wave to produce a modulated optical reference wavefront. A sensing medium positioned to receive the modulated optical object wavefront and the modulated optical reference wavefront combines the modulated optical object and reference wavefronts to produce an image related to the surface displacement on the surface of the object. A detector detects the image related to the surface displacement produced by the sensing medium. A processing system operatively associated with the detector constructs an acoustic image of interior features of the object based on the phase and amplitude of the surface displacement on the surface of the object.

  19. Fracture identification based on remote detection acoustic reflection logging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Gong; Li, Ning; Guo, Hong-Wei; Wu, Hong-Liang; Luo, Chao

    2015-12-01

    Fracture identification is important for the evaluation of carbonate reservoirs. However, conventional logging equipment has small depth of investigation and cannot detect rock fractures more than three meters away from the borehole. Remote acoustic logging uses phase-controlled array-transmitting and long sound probes that increase the depth of investigation. The interpretation of logging data with respect to fractures is typically guided by practical experience rather than theory and is often ambiguous. We use remote acoustic reflection logging data and high-order finite-difference approximations in the forward modeling and prestack reverse-time migration to image fractures. First, we perform forward modeling of the fracture responses as a function of the fracture-borehole wall distance, aperture, and dip angle. Second, we extract the energy intensity within the imaging area to determine whether the fracture can be identified as the formation velocity is varied. Finally, we evaluate the effect of the fracture-borehole distance, fracture aperture, and dip angle on fracture identification.

  20. Acoustic and electromagnetic wave interaction in the detection and identification of buried objects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lawrence, Daniel Edward

    2002-09-01

    In order to facilitate the development of a hybrid acoustic and electromagnetic (EM) system for buried object detection, a number of analytical solutions and a novel numerical technique are developed to analyze the complex interaction between acoustic and EM scattering. The essence of the interaction lies in the fact that identifiable acoustic properties of an object, such as acoustic resonances, can be observed in the scattered EM Doppler spectrum. Using a perturbation approach, analytical solutions are derived for the EM scattering from infinitely long circular cylinders, both metallic and dielectric, under acoustic vibration in a homogeneous background medium. Results indicate that both the shape variation and dielectric constant contribute to the scattered EM Doppler spectrum. To model the effect of a cylinder beneath an acoustically excited half-space, a new analytical solution is presented for EM scattering from a cylinder beneath a slightly rough surface. The solution is achieved by using plane-wave expansion of the fields and an iterative technique to account for the multiple interactions between the cylinder and rough surface. Following a similar procedure, a novel solution for elastic-wave scattering from a solid cylinder embedded in a solid half-space is developed and used to calculate the surface displacement. Simulations indicate that only a finite range of spatial surface frequencies, corresponding to surface roughness on the order of the EM wavelength; affect the EM scattering from buried objects and suggest that object detection can be improved if the acoustic excitation induces surface roughness outside this range. To extend the study to non-canonical scenarios, a novel numerical approach is introduced in which time-varying impedance boundary conditions (IBCs) are used in conjunction with the method of moments (MoM) to model the EM scattering from vibrating metallic objects of arbitrary shape. It is shown that the standard IBC provides a first

  1. The Potential of Using Acoustical Emission to Detect Termites Within Wood

    Treesearch

    Vernard R. Lewis; Richard L. Lemaster

    1991-01-01

    Acoustical emission (AE) equipment was used to detect drywood termites Incisitermes minor in ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa blocks under laboratory conditions. Using a 60 kHz transducer, AE levels were recorded for 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 termites per block. The association of AE and varying numbers of drywood termites best fit an...

  2. Determination of Acoustic Cavitation Probabilities and Thresholds Using a Single Focusing Transducer to Induce and Detect Acoustic Cavitation Events: I. Method and Terminology.

    PubMed

    Haller, Julian; Wilkens, Volker; Shaw, Adam

    2018-02-01

    A method to determine acoustic cavitation probabilities in tissue-mimicking materials (TMMs) is described that uses a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer for both inducing and detecting the acoustic cavitation events. The method was evaluated by studying acoustic cavitation probabilities in agar-based TMMs with and without scatterers and for different sonication modes like continuous wave, single pulses (microseconds to milliseconds) and repeated burst signals. Acoustic cavitation thresholds (defined here as the peak rarefactional in situ pressure at which the acoustic cavitation probability reaches 50%) at a frequency of 1.06 MHz were observed between 1.1 MPa (for 1 s of continuous wave sonication) and 4.6 MPa (for 1 s of a repeated burst signal with 25-cycle burst length and 10-ms burst period) in a 3% (by weight) agar phantom without scatterers. The method and its evaluation are described, and general terminology useful for standardizing the description of insonation conditions and comparing results is provided. In the accompanying second part, the presented method is used to systematically study the acoustic cavitation thresholds in the same material for a range of sonication modes. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Acoustic occurrence detection of a newly recorded Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin population in waters southwest of Hainan Island, China.

    PubMed

    Dong, Lijun; Liu, Mingming; Dong, Jianchen; Li, Songhai

    2017-11-01

    In 2014, Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins were recorded for the first time in waters southwest of Hainan Island, China. In this paper, the temporal occurrence of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins in this region was detected by stationary passive acoustic monitoring. During the 130-day observation period (from January to July 2016), 1969 click trains produced by Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins were identified, and 262 ten-minute recording bins contained echolocation click trains of dolphins, of which 70.9% were at night and 29.1% were during the day. A diurnal rhythm with a nighttime peak in acoustic detections was found. Passive acoustic detections indicated that the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins frequently occurred in this area and were detected mainly at night. This information may be relevant to conservation efforts for these dolphins in the near future.

  4. Characterization of space dust using acoustic impact detection.

    PubMed

    Corsaro, Robert D; Giovane, Frank; Liou, Jer-Chyi; Burchell, Mark J; Cole, Michael J; Williams, Earl G; Lagakos, Nicholas; Sadilek, Albert; Anderson, Christopher R

    2016-08-01

    This paper describes studies leading to the development of an acoustic instrument for measuring properties of micrometeoroids and other dust particles in space. The instrument uses a pair of easily penetrated membranes separated by a known distance. Sensors located on these films detect the transient acoustic signals produced by particle impacts. The arrival times of these signals at the sensor locations are used in a simple multilateration calculation to measure the impact coordinates on each film. Particle direction and speed are found using these impact coordinates and the known membrane separations. This ability to determine particle speed, direction, and time of impact provides the information needed to assign the particle's orbit and identify its likely origin. In many cases additional particle properties can be estimated from the signal amplitudes, including approximate diameter and (for small particles) some indication of composition/morphology. Two versions of this instrument were evaluated in this study. Fiber optic displacement sensors are found advantageous when very thin membranes can be maintained in tension (solar sails, lunar surface). Piezoelectric strain sensors are preferred for thicker films without tension (long duration free flyers). The latter was selected for an upcoming installation on the International Space Station.

  5. Detecting Plastic PFM-1 Butterfly Mines Using Thermal Infrared Sensing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baur, J.; de Smet, T.; Nikulin, A.

    2017-12-01

    Remnant plastic-composite landmines, such as the mass-produced PFM-1, represent an ongoing humanitarian threat aggravated by high costs associated with traditional demining efforts. These particular unexploded ordnance (UXO) devices pose a challenge to conventional geophysical detection methods, due their plastic-body design and small size. Additionally, the PFM-1s represent a particularly heinous UXO, due to their low mass ( 25 lb) trigger limit and "butterfly" wing design, earning them the reputation of a "toy mine" - disproportionally impacting children across post-conflict areas. We developed a detection algorithm based on data acquired by a thermal infrared camera mounted to a commercial UAV to detect time-variable temperature difference between the PFM-1 and the surrounding environment. We present results of a field study focused on thermal detection and identification of the PFM-1 anti-personnel landmines from a remotely operated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). We conducted a series of field detection experiments meant to simulate the mountainous terrains where PFM-1 mines were historically deployed and remain in place. In our tests, 18 inert PFM-1 mines along with the aluminum KSF-1 casing were randomly dispersed to mimic an ellipsoidal minefield of 8-10 x 18-20 m dimensions in a de-vegetated rubble yard at Chenango Valley State Park (New York State). We collected multiple thermal infrared imagery datasets focused on these model minefields with the FLIR Vue Pro R attached to the 3DR Solo UAV flying at approximately at 2 m. We identified different environmental variables to constrain the optimal time of day and daily temperature variations to reveal presence of these plastic UXOs. We show that in the early-morning hours when thermal inertia is greatest, the PFM-1 mines can be detected based on their differential thermal inertia. Because the mines have statistically different temperatures than background and a characteristic shape, we were able to train a

  6. ADRPM-VII applied to the long-range acoustic detection problem

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shalis, Edward; Koenig, Gerald

    1990-01-01

    An acoustic detection range prediction model (ADRPM-VII) has been written for IBM PC/AT machines running on the MS-DOS operating system. The software allows the user to predict detection distances of ground combat vehicles and their associated targets when they are involved in quasi-military settings. The program can also calculate individual attenuation losses due to spherical spreading, atmospheric absorption, ground reflection and atmospheric refraction due to temperature and wind gradients while varying parameters effecting the source-receiver problem. The purpose here is to examine the strengths and limitations of ADRPM-VII by modeling the losses due to atmospheric refraction and ground absorption, commonly known as excess attenuation, when applied to the long range detection problem for distances greater than 3 kilometers.

  7. Dynamic ultrasonic contact detection using acoustic emissions.

    PubMed

    Turner, S L; Rabani, A; Axinte, D A; King, C W

    2014-03-01

    For a non-contact ultrasonic material removal process, the control of the standoff position can be crucial to process performance; particularly where the requirement is for a standoff of the order of <20 μm. The standoff distance relative to the surface to be machined can be set by first contacting the ultrasonic tool tip with the surface and then withdrawing the tool to the required position. Determination of this contact point in a dynamic system at ultrasonic frequencies (>20 kHz) is achieved by force measurement or by detection of acoustic emissions (AE). However, where detection of distance from a surface must be determined without contact taking place, an alternative method must be sought. In this paper, the effect of distance from contact of an ultrasonic tool is measured by detection of AE through the workpiece. At the point of contact, the amplitude of the signal at the fundamental frequency increases significantly, but the strength of the 2nd and 3rd harmonic signals increases more markedly. Closer examination of these harmonics shows that an increase in their intensities can be observed in the 10 μm prior to contact, providing a mechanism to detect near contact (<10 μm) without the need to first contact the surface in order to set a standoff. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Optical generation and detection of gigahertz-frequency longitudinal and shear acoustic waves in liquids: Theory and experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Klieber, Christoph; Pezeril, Thomas; Andrieu, Stéphane; Nelson, Keith A.

    2012-07-01

    We describe an adaptation of picosecond laser ultrasonics tailored for study of GHz-frequency longitudinal and shear acoustic waves in liquids. Time-domain coherent Brillouin scattering is used to detect multicycle acoustic waves after their propagation through variable thickness liquid layers into a solid substrate. A specialized optical pulse shaping method is used to generate sequences of pulses whose repetition rate determines the acoustic frequency. The measurements reveal the viscoelastic liquid properties and also include signatures of the optical and acoustic cavities formed by the multilayer sample assembly. Modeling of the signals allows their features to be distinguished so that liquid properties can be extracted reliably. Longitudinal and shear acoustic wave data from glycerol and from the silicon oil DC704 are presented.

  9. Development and Application of an Acoustic System for Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs, Red Tide) Detection using an Ultrasonic Digital Sensor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Hansoo; Kang, Donhyug; Jung, Seung Won

    2018-03-01

    The overgrowth of phytoplankton leads to negative effects such as harmful algal blooms (HABs, also called red tides) in marine environments. The HAB species Cochlodinium polykrikoides ( C. polykrikoides) appears frequently in Korea during summer. In this study, we developed a real-time acoustic detection and remote-control system to detect red tides using an ultrasonic digital sensor. In the laboratory, the acoustic signals increased as the number of cells increased. At the same time, for field application, we deployed the system near the southern coast of Korea, where red tides frequently occurred in summer seasons 2013-2015. The system developed here detected red tides in situ, with a good correlation between the acoustic signals and C. polykrikoides populations. These results suggest that it may be useful for early detection of red tides.

  10. Systems and methods of monitoring acoustic pressure to detect a flame condition in a gas turbine

    DOEpatents

    Ziminsky, Willy Steve [Simpsonville, SC; Krull, Anthony Wayne [Anderson, SC; Healy, Timothy Andrew , Yilmaz, Ertan

    2011-05-17

    A method may detect a flashback condition in a fuel nozzle of a combustor. The method may include obtaining a current acoustic pressure signal from the combustor, analyzing the current acoustic pressure signal to determine current operating frequency information for the combustor, and indicating that the flashback condition exists based at least in part on the current operating frequency information.

  11. Detecting changes in dynamic and complex acoustic environments

    PubMed Central

    Boubenec, Yves; Lawlor, Jennifer; Górska, Urszula; Shamma, Shihab; Englitz, Bernhard

    2017-01-01

    Natural sounds such as wind or rain, are characterized by the statistical occurrence of their constituents. Despite their complexity, listeners readily detect changes in these contexts. We here address the neural basis of statistical decision-making using a combination of psychophysics, EEG and modelling. In a texture-based, change-detection paradigm, human performance and reaction times improved with longer pre-change exposure, consistent with improved estimation of baseline statistics. Change-locked and decision-related EEG responses were found in a centro-parietal scalp location, whose slope depended on change size, consistent with sensory evidence accumulation. The potential's amplitude scaled with the duration of pre-change exposure, suggesting a time-dependent decision threshold. Auditory cortex-related potentials showed no response to the change. A dual timescale, statistical estimation model accounted for subjects' performance. Furthermore, a decision-augmented auditory cortex model accounted for performance and reaction times, suggesting that the primary cortical representation requires little post-processing to enable change-detection in complex acoustic environments. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.24910.001 PMID:28262095

  12. Low frequency acoustic microscope

    DOEpatents

    Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T.

    1986-11-04

    A scanning acoustic microscope is disclosed for the detection and location of near surface flaws, inclusions or voids in a solid sample material. A focused beam of acoustic energy is directed at the sample with its focal plane at the subsurface flaw, inclusion or void location. The sample is scanned with the beam. Detected acoustic energy specularly reflected and mode converted at the surface of the sample and acoustic energy reflected by subsurface flaws, inclusions or voids at the focal plane are used for generating an interference signal which is processed and forms a signal indicative of the subsurface flaws, inclusions or voids.

  13. Raman and photothermal spectroscopies for explosive detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Finot, Eric; Brulé, Thibault; Rai, Padmnabh; Griffart, Aurélien; Bouhélier, Alexandre; Thundat, Thomas

    2013-06-01

    Detection of explosive residues using portable devices for locating landmine and terrorist weapons must sat- isfy the application criteria of high reproducibility, specificity, sensitivity and fast response time. Vibrational spectroscopies such as Raman and infrared spectroscopies have demonstrated their potential to distinguish the members of the chemical family of more than 30 explosive materials. The characteristic chemical fingerprints in the spectra of these explosives stem from the unique bond structure of each compound. However, these spectroscopies, developed in the early sixties, suffer from a poor sensitivity. On the contrary, MEMS-based chemical sensors have shown to have very high sensitivity lowering the detection limit down to less than 1 picogram, (namely 10 part per trillion) using sensor platforms based on microcantilevers, plasmonics, or surface acoustic waves. The minimum amount of molecules that can be detected depends actually on the transducer size. The selectivity in MEMS sensors is usually realized using chemical modification of the active surface. However, the lack of sufficiently selective receptors that can be immobilized on MEMS sensors remains one of the most critical issues. Microcantilever based sensors offer an excellent opportunity to combine both the infrared photothermal spectroscopy in their static mode and the unique mass sensitivity in their dynamic mode. Optical sensors based on localized plasmon resonance can also take up the challenge of addressing the selectivity by monitoring the Surface Enhanced Raman spectrum down to few molecules. The operating conditions of these promising localized spectroscopies will be discussed in terms of reliability, compactness, data analysis and potential for mass deployment.

  14. Guided acoustic wave inspection system

    DOEpatents

    Chinn, Diane J.

    2004-10-05

    A system for inspecting a conduit for undesirable characteristics. A transducer system induces guided acoustic waves onto said conduit. The transducer system detects the undesirable characteristics of the conduit by receiving guided acoustic waves that contain information about the undesirable characteristics. The conduit has at least two sides and the transducer system utilizes flexural modes of propagation to provide inspection using access from only the one side of the conduit. Cracking is detected with pulse-echo testing using one transducer to both send and receive the guided acoustic waves. Thinning is detected in through-transmission testing where one transducer sends and another transducer receives the guided acoustic waves.

  15. Detecting temporal changes in acoustic scenes: The variable benefit of selective attention.

    PubMed

    Demany, Laurent; Bayle, Yann; Puginier, Emilie; Semal, Catherine

    2017-09-01

    Four experiments investigated change detection in acoustic scenes consisting of a sum of five amplitude-modulated pure tones. As the tones were about 0.7 octave apart and were amplitude-modulated with different frequencies (in the range 2-32 Hz), they were perceived as separate streams. Listeners had to detect a change in the frequency (experiments 1 and 2) or the shape (experiments 3 and 4) of the modulation of one of the five tones, in the presence of an informative cue orienting selective attention either before the scene (pre-cue) or after it (post-cue). The changes left intensity unchanged and were not detectable in the spectral (tonotopic) domain. Performance was much better with pre-cues than with post-cues. Thus, change deafness was manifest in the absence of an appropriate focusing of attention when the change occurred, even though the streams and the changes to be detected were acoustically very simple (in contrast to the conditions used in previous demonstrations of change deafness). In one case, the results were consistent with a model based on the assumption that change detection was possible if and only if attention was endogenously focused on a single tone. However, it was also found that changes resulting in a steepening of amplitude rises were to some extent able to draw attention exogenously. Change detection was not markedly facilitated when the change produced a discontinuity in the modulation domain, contrary to what could be expected from the perspective of predictive coding. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Detection of Delamination in Concrete Bridge Decks Using Mfcc of Acoustic Impact Signals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, G.; Harichandran, R. S.; Ramuhalli, P.

    2010-02-01

    Delamination of the concrete cover is a commonly observed damage in concrete bridge decks. The delamination is typically initiated by corrosion of the upper reinforcing bars and promoted by freeze-thaw cycling and traffic loading. The detection of delamination is important for bridge maintenance and acoustic non-destructive evaluation (NDE) is widely used due to its low cost, speed, and easy implementation. In traditional acoustic approaches, the inspector sounds the surface of the deck by impacting it with a hammer or bar, or by dragging a chain, and assesses delamination by the "hollowness" of the sound. The detection of the delamination is subjective and requires extensive training. To improve performance, this paper proposes an objective method for delamination detection. In this method, mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC) of the signal are extracted. Some MFCC are then selected as features for detection purposes using a mutual information criterion. Finally, the selected features are used to train a classifier which is subsequently used for detection. In this work, a simple quadratic Bayesian classifier is used. Different numbers of features are used to compare the performance of the detection method. The results show that the performance first increases with the number of features, but then decreases after an optimal value. The optimal number of features based on the recorded signals is four, and the mean error rate is only 3.3% when four features are used. Therefore, the proposed algorithm has sufficient accuracy to be used in field detection.

  17. An Acoustic-Based Method to Detect and Quantify the Effect of Exhalation into a Dry Powder Inhaler.

    PubMed

    Holmes, Martin S; Seheult, Jansen N; O'Connell, Peter; D'Arcy, Shona; Ehrhardt, Carsten; Healy, Anne Marie; Costello, Richard W; Reilly, Richard B

    2015-08-01

    Dry powder inhaler (DPI) users frequently exhale into their inhaler mouthpiece before the inhalation step. This error in technique compromises the integrity of the drug and results in poor bronchodilation. This study investigated the effect of four exhalation factors (exhalation flow rate, distance from mouth to inhaler, exhalation duration, and relative air humidity) on dry powder dose delivery. Given that acoustic energy can be related to the factors associated with exhalation sounds, we then aimed to develop a method of identifying and quantifying this critical inhaler technique error using acoustic based methods. An in vitro test rig was developed to simulate this critical error. The effect of the four factors on subsequent drug delivery were investigated using multivariate regression models. In a further study we then used an acoustic monitoring device to unobtrusively record the sounds 22 asthmatic patients made whilst using a Diskus(™) DPI. Acoustic energy was employed to automatically detect and analyze exhalation events in the audio files. All exhalation factors had a statistically significant effect on drug delivery (p<0.05); distance from the inhaler mouthpiece had the largest effect size. Humid air exhalations were found to reduce the fine particle fraction (FPF) compared to dry air. In a dataset of 110 audio files from 22 asthmatic patients, the acoustic method detected exhalations with an accuracy of 89.1%. We were able to classify exhalations occurring 5 cm or less in the direction of the inhaler mouthpiece or recording device with a sensitivity of 72.2% and specificity of 85.7%. Exhaling into a DPI has a significant detrimental effect. Acoustic based methods can be employed to objectively detect and analyze exhalations during inhaler use, thus providing a method of remotely monitoring inhaler technique and providing personalized inhaler technique feedback.

  18. Thermal Acoustic Oscillation: Causes, Detection, Analysis, and Prevention

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Christie, R. J.; Hartwig, J. W.

    2014-01-01

    Thermal Acoustic Oscillations (TAO) can occur in cryogenic systems and produce significant sources of heat. This source of heat can increase the boil off rate of cryogenic propellants in spacecraft storage tanks and reduce mission life. This paper discusses the causes of TAO, how it can be detected, what analyses can be done to predict it, and how to prevent it from occurring.The paper provides practical insight into what can aggravate instability, practical methods for mitigation, and when TAO does not occur. A real life example of a cryogenic system with an unexpected heat source is discussed, along with how TAO was confirmed and eliminated.

  19. Continued Investigation of the Acoustics of Marine Sediments Using Impedance Tube and Acoustic Resonator Techniques

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-09-30

    seagrass , which in turn benefits buried object detection, sonar operation and acoustic communications in shallow water. Another goal for the out years...bottom sediments, including multiphase materials such as gas- bearing sediments and seagrass . These measurements are conducted using an acoustic...such as gas-bearing sediments and seagrass , which in turn benefits buried object detection, sonar operation and acoustic communications in shallow

  20. SIRE: A MIMO Radar for Landmine/IED Detection

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-04-30

    pursuit) for image formation. This technique has been used for subsurface imaging in the image domain, producing ’CLEANer’ images (where prior knowledge...Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement 15 (1974). [22] Karpat, E., “CLEAN technique to classify and detect objects in subsurface imaging ,” International

  1. The perturbation of backscattered fast neutrons spectrum caused by the resonances of C, N and O for possible use in pyromaterial detection

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Abedin, Ahmad Firdaus Zainal, E-mail: firdaus087@gmail.com; Ibrahim, Noorddin; Zabidi, Noriza Ahmad

    2015-04-29

    Neutron radiation is able to determine the signature of land mine detection based on backscattering energy spectrum of landmine. In this study, the Monte Carlo simulation of backscattered fast neutrons was performed on four basic elements of land mine; hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and carbon. The moderation of fast neutrons to thermal neutrons and their resonances cross-section between 0.01 eV until 14 MeV were analysed. The neutrons energies were divided into 29 groups and ten million neutrons particles histories were used. The geometries consist of four main components: neutrons source, detectors, landmine and soil. The neutrons source was placed at the originmore » coordinate and shielded with carbon and polyethylene. Americium/Beryllium neutron source was placed inside lead casing of 1 cm thick and 2.5 cm height. Polyethylene was used to absorb and disperse radiation and was placed outside the lead shield of width 10 cm and height 7 cm. Two detectors were placed between source with distance of 8 cm and radius of 1.9 cm. Detectors of Helium-3 was used for neutron detection as it has high absorption cross section for thermal neutrons. For the anomaly, the physical is in cylinder form with radius of 10 cm and 8.9 cm height. The anomaly is buried 5 cm deep in the bed soil measured 80 cm radius and 53.5 cm height. The results show that the energy spectrum for the four basic elements of landmine with specific pattern which can be used as indication for the presence of landmines.« less

  2. Active sampling technique to enhance chemical signature of buried explosives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lovell, John S.; French, Patrick D.

    2004-09-01

    Deminers and dismounted countermine engineers commonly use metal detectors, ground penetrating radar and probes to locate mines. Many modern landmines have a very low metal content, which severely limits the effectiveness of metal detectors. Canines have also been used for landmine detection for decades. Experiments have shown that canines smell the explosives which are known to leak from most types of landmines. The fact that dogs can detect landmines indicates that vapor sensing is a viable approach to landmine detection. Several groups are currently developing systems to detect landmines by "sniffing" for the ultra-trace explosive vapors above the soil. The amount of material that is available to passive vapor sensing systems is limited to no more than the vapor in equilibrium with the explosive related chemicals (ERCs) distributed in the surface soils over and near the landmine. The low equilibrium vapor pressure of TNT in the soil/atmosphere boundary layer and the limited volume of the boundary layer air imply that passive chemical vapor sensing systems require sensitivities in the picogram range, or lower. ADA is working to overcome many of the limitations of passive sampling methods, by the use of an active sampling method that employs a high-powered (1,200+ joules) strobe lamp to create a highly amplified plume of vapor and/or ERC-bearing fine particulates. Initial investigations have demonstrated that this approach can amplify the detectability of TNT by two or three orders of magnitude. This new active sampling technique could be used with any suitable explosive sensor.

  3. Comparison of spatial frequency domain features for the detection of side attack explosive ballistics in synthetic aperture acoustics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dowdy, Josh; Anderson, Derek T.; Luke, Robert H.; Ball, John E.; Keller, James M.; Havens, Timothy C.

    2016-05-01

    Explosive hazards in current and former conflict zones are a threat to both military and civilian personnel. As a result, much effort has been dedicated to identifying automated algorithms and systems to detect these threats. However, robust detection is complicated due to factors like the varied composition and anatomy of such hazards. In order to solve this challenge, a number of platforms (vehicle-based, handheld, etc.) and sensors (infrared, ground penetrating radar, acoustics, etc.) are being explored. In this article, we investigate the detection of side attack explosive ballistics via a vehicle-mounted acoustic sensor. In particular, we explore three acoustic features, one in the time domain and two on synthetic aperture acoustic (SAA) beamformed imagery. The idea is to exploit the varying acoustic frequency profile of a target due to its unique geometry and material composition with respect to different viewing angles. The first two features build their angle specific frequency information using a highly constrained subset of the signal data and the last feature builds its frequency profile using all available signal data for a given region of interest (centered on the candidate target location). Performance is assessed in the context of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves on cross-validation experiments for data collected at a U.S. Army test site on different days with multiple target types and clutter. Our preliminary results are encouraging and indicate that the top performing feature is the unrolled two dimensional discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of SAA beamformed imagery.

  4. Implementation of serial amplifying fluorescent polymer arrays for enhanced chemical vapor sensing of landmines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fisher, Mark E.; la Grone, Marcus; Sikes, John

    2003-09-01

    A sensor (known as Fido) that utilizes amplification of fluorescence quenching as the transduction mechanism for ultra-trace detection of nitroaromatic compounds associated with landmines has been described previously. Previous sensor prototypes utilized a single band of amplifying polymer deployed inside a capillary waveguide to form the sensing element of the detector. A new prototype has been developed that incorporates multiple, discrete bands of different amplifying polymers deployed in a linear array inside the capillary. Vapor-phase samples are introduced into the sensor as a sharp pulse via a gated inlet. As the vapor pulse is swept through the capillary by flow of a carrier gas, the pulse of analyte encounters the bands of polymer sequentially. If the sample contains nitroaromatic explosives, the bands of polymer will respond with a reduction in emission intensity proportional to the mass of analyte in the sample. Because the polymer bands are deployed serially, the analyte pulse does not reach the bands of polymer simultaneously. Hence, a temporal response pattern will be observed as the analyte pulse traverses the length of the capillary. In addition, the intensity of response for each band will vary, producing a ratiometric response. The temporal and ratiometric responses are characteristic of a given analyte, enhancing discrimination of target analytes from potential interferents. This should translate into a reduction in sensor false alarm rates.

  5. Acoustic detection of air shower cores

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gao, X.; Liu, Y.; Du, S.

    1985-01-01

    At an altitude of 1890m, a pre-test with an Air shower (AS) core selector and a small acoustic array set up in an anechoic pool with a volume of 20x7x7 cu m was performed, beginning in Aug. 1984. In analyzing the waveforms recorded during the effective working time of 186 hrs, three acoustic signals which cannot be explained as from any source other than AS cores were obtained, and an estimation of related parameters was made.

  6. Detection of Unexploded Ordnance Using Airborne LWIR Emissivity Signatures

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-11-25

    glass and wood, are spectrally distinct and would not appear as false alarms. Index Terms— Hyperspectral, Long Wave Infrared , Emissivity, Target...hyperspectral; radar). Because of previous successes using thermal infrared bands for UXO [3, 4] and landmine detection [5], this paper aims at...potential false alarms. They included materials made of rubber , cardboard, metal, wood, glass and plastic (Figure 1). 2.2. Laboratory LWIR signature

  7. Reliability of scanning laser acoustic microscopy for detecting internal voids in structural ceramics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Roth, D. J.; Baaklini, G. Y.

    1986-01-01

    The reliability of 100 MHz scanning laser acoustic microscopy (SLAM) for detecting internal voids in sintered specimens of silicon nitride and silicon carbide was evaluated. The specimens contained artificially implanted voids and were positioned at depths ranging up to 2 mm below the specimen surface. Detection probability of 0.90 at a 0.95 confidence level was determined as a function of material, void diameter, and void depth. The statistical results presented for void detectability indicate some of the strengths and limitations of SLAM as a nondestructive evaluation technique for structural ceramics.

  8. A real-time method for autonomous passive acoustic detection-classification of humpback whales.

    PubMed

    Abbot, Ted A; Premus, Vincent E; Abbot, Philip A

    2010-05-01

    This paper describes a method for real-time, autonomous, joint detection-classification of humpback whale vocalizations. The approach adapts the spectrogram correlation method used by Mellinger and Clark [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 107, 3518-3529 (2000)] for bowhead whale endnote detection to the humpback whale problem. The objective is the implementation of a system to determine the presence or absence of humpback whales with passive acoustic methods and to perform this classification with low false alarm rate in real time. Multiple correlation kernels are used due to the diversity of humpback song. The approach also takes advantage of the fact that humpbacks tend to vocalize repeatedly for extended periods of time, and identification is declared only when multiple song units are detected within a fixed time interval. Humpback whale vocalizations from Alaska, Hawaii, and Stellwagen Bank were used to train the algorithm. It was then tested on independent data obtained off Kaena Point, Hawaii in February and March of 2009. Results show that the algorithm successfully classified humpback whales autonomously in real time, with a measured probability of correct classification in excess of 74% and a measured probability of false alarm below 1%.

  9. Detection scheme for acoustic quantum radiation in Bose-Einstein condensates.

    PubMed

    Schützhold, Ralf

    2006-11-10

    Based on doubly detuned Raman transitions between (meta)stable atomic or molecular states and recently developed atom counting techniques, a detection scheme for sound waves in dilute Bose-Einstein condensates is proposed whose accuracy might reach down to the level of a few or even single phonons. This scheme could open up a new range of applications including the experimental observation of quantum radiation phenomena such as the Hawking effect in sonic black-hole analogues or the acoustic analogue of cosmological particle creation.

  10. A Fiber-Optic Sensor for Acoustic Emission Detection in a High Voltage Cable System

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Tongzhi; Pang, Fufei; Liu, Huanhuan; Cheng, Jiajing; Lv, Longbao; Zhang, Xiaobei; Chen, Na; Wang, Tingyun

    2016-01-01

    We have proposed and demonstrated a Michelson interferometer-based fiber sensor for detecting acoustic emission generated from the partial discharge (PD) of the accessories of a high-voltage cable system. The developed sensor head is integrated with a compact and relatively high sensitivity cylindrical elastomer. Such a sensor has a broadband frequency response and a relatively high sensitivity in a harsh environment under a high-voltage electric field. The design and fabrication of the sensor head integrated with the cylindrical elastomer is described, and a series of experiments was conducted to evaluate the sensing performance. The experimental results demonstrate that the sensitivity of our developed sensor for acoustic detection of partial discharges is 1.7 rad/(m⋅Pa). A high frequency response up to 150 kHz is achieved. Moreover, the relatively high sensitivity for the detection of PD is verified in both the laboratory environment and gas insulated switchgear. The obtained results show the great potential application of a Michelson interferometer-based fiber sensor integrated with a cylindrical elastomer for in-situ monitoring high-voltage cable accessories for safety work. PMID:27916900

  11. Parameterisation of non-homogeneities in buried object detection by means of thermography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stepanić, Josip; Malinovec, Marina; Švaić, Srećko; Krstelj, Vjera

    2004-05-01

    Landmines and their natural environment form a system of complex dynamics with variable characteristics. A manifestation of that complexity within the context of thermography-based landmines detection is excessive noise in thermograms. That has severely suppressed application of thermography in landmines detection for the purposes of humanitarian demining. (To be differentiated from military demining and demining for military operations other than war [Land Mine Detection DOD's Research Program Needs a Comprehensive Evaluation Strategy, US GAO Report, GAO-01 239, 2001; International Mine Action Standards, Chapter 4.--Glossary. Available at: < http://www.mineactionstandards.org/IMAS_archive/Final/04.10.pdf>].) The discrepancy between the existing role and the actual potential of thermography in humanitarian demining motivated systematic approach to sources of noise in thermograms of buried objects. These sources are variations in mine orientation relative to soil normal, which modify the shape of mine signature on thermograms, as well as non-homogeneities in soil and vegetation layer above the mine, which modify the overall quality of thermograms. This paper analyses the influence of variable mines, and more generally the influence of axially symmetric buried object orientation on the quality of its signature on thermograms. The following two angles have been extracted to serve as parameters describing variation in orientation: (i) θ--angle between the local vertical axis and mine symmetry axis and (ii) ψ--angle between local vertical axis and soil surface normal. Their influence is compared to the influence of (iii) d--the object depth change, which serves as control parameter. The influences are quantified and ranked within a statistically planned experiment. The analysis has proved that among the parameters listed, the most influential one is statistical interaction dψ, followed with the statistical interaction dθ. According to statistical tests, these two

  12. Reliability of void detection in structural ceramics using scanning laser acoustic microscopy

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Roth, D. J.; Klima, S. J.; Kiser, J. D.; Baaklini, G. Y.

    1985-01-01

    The reliability of scanning laser acoustic microscopy (SLAM) for detecting surface voids in structural ceramic test specimens was statistically evaluated. Specimens of sintered silicon nitride and sintered silicon carbide, seeded with surface voids, were examined by SLAM at an ultrasonic frequency of 100 MHz in the as fired condition and after surface polishing. It was observed that polishing substantially increased void detectability. Voids as small as 100 micrometers in diameter were detected in polished specimens with 0.90 probability at a 0.95 confidence level. In addition, inspection times were reduced up to a factor of 10 after polishing. The applicability of the SLAM technique for detection of naturally occurring flaws of similar dimensions to the seeded voids is discussed. A FORTRAN program listing is given for calculating and plotting flaw detection statistics.

  13. Photo-acoustic excitation and detection of guided ultrasonic waves in bone samples covered by a soft coating layer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Zuomin; Moilanen, Petro; Karppinen, Pasi; Määttä, Mikko; Karppinen, Timo; Hæggström, Edward; Timonen, Jussi; Myllylä, Risto

    2012-12-01

    Photo-acoustic (PA) excitation was combined with skeletal quantitative ultrasound (QUS) for multi-mode ultrasonic assessment of human long bones. This approach permits tailoring of the ultrasonic excitation and detection so as to efficiently detect the fundamental flexural guided wave (FFGW) through a coating of soft tissue. FFGW is a clinically relevant indicator of cortical thickness. An OPO laser with tunable optical wavelength, was used to excite a photo-acoustic source in the shaft of a porcine femur. Ultrasonic signals were detected by a piezoelectric transducer, scanning along the long axis of the bone, 20-50 mm away from the source. Five femurs were measured without and with a soft coating. The coating was made of an aqueous gelatin-intralipid suspension that optically and acoustically mimicked real soft tissue. An even coating thickness was ensured by using a specific mold. The optical wave length of the source (1250 nm) was tuned to maximize the amplitude of FFGW excitation at 50 kHz frequency. The experimentally determined FFGW phase velocity in the uncoated samples was consistent with that of the fundamental antisymmetric Lamb mode (A0). Using appropriate signal processing, FFGW was also identified in the coated bone samples, this time with a phase velocity consistent with that theoretically predicted for the first mode of a fluid-solid bilayer waveguide (BL1). Our results suggest that photo-acoustic quantitative ultrasound enables assessment of the thickness-sensitive FFGW in bone through a layer of soft tissue. Photo-acoustic characterization of the cortical bone thickness may thus become possible.

  14. Shallow-Water Mud Acoustics

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-09-30

    1 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Shallow- Water Mud Acoustics William L. Siegmann...shallow water over mud sediments and of acoustic detection, localization, and classification of objects buried in mud. OBJECTIVES • Develop...including long-range conveyance of information; detection, localization, and classification of objects buried in mud; and improvement of shallow water

  15. Permeability determination through NMR detection of acoustically induced fluid oscillation.

    PubMed

    Looyestijn, Wim J; Smits, Robert M M; Abu-Shiekah, Issa; Kuvshinov, Boris; Hofman, Jan P; Schwing, Alex

    2006-11-01

    We present a novel approach for directly measuring the permeability of reservoir rocks by an instrument lowered in a well bore. The measurement is made by creating an oscillatory motion of fluids in the pores by acoustic stimulation and by detecting the amplitude response as a phase shift on a nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation signal. A full theoretical description is given. The feasibility of the method has been verified in the laboratory on a set of sandstone and carbonate samples spanning the entire range of practical interest.

  16. Shear horizontal surface acoustic wave microsensor for Class A viral and bacterial detection.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Branch, Darren W.; Huber, Dale L.; Brozik, Susan Marie

    The rapid autonomous detection of pathogenic microorganisms and bioagents by field deployable platforms is critical to human health and safety. To achieve a high level of sensitivity for fluidic detection applications, we have developed a 330 MHz Love wave acoustic biosensor on 36{sup o} YX Lithium Tantalate (LTO). Each die has four delay-line detection channels, permitting simultaneous measurement of multiple analytes or for parallel detection of single analyte containing samples. Crucial to our biosensor was the development of a transducer that excites the shear horizontal (SH) mode, through optimization of the transducer, minimizing propagation losses and reducing undesirable modes. Detectionmore » was achieved by comparing the reference phase of an input signal to the phase shift from the biosensor using an integrated electronic multi-readout system connected to a laptop computer or PDA. The Love wave acoustic arrays were centered at 330 MHz, shifting to 325-328 MHz after application of the silicon dioxide waveguides. The insertion loss was -6 dB with an out-of-band rejection of 35 dB. The amplitude and phase ripple were 2.5 dB p-p and 2-3{sup o} p-p, respectively. Time-domain gating confirmed propagation of the SH mode while showing suppression of the triple transit. Antigen capture and mass detection experiments demonstrate a sensitivity of 7.19 {+-} 0.74{sup o} mm{sup 2}/ng with a detection limit of 6.7 {+-} 0.40 pg/mm{sup 2} for each channel.« less

  17. Detections of Acoustic-Tagged Green Sturgeon in Baker Bay on the Lower Columbia River during September - November 2008

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Parsley, Michael J.

    2009-01-01

    Acoustic transmitters implanted in green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) captured in rivers in California were detected by acoustic receivers deployed within and around Baker Bay. The receivers were deployed at eight locations in the Bay and adjacent navigation channels of the Lower Columbia River during a period of anticipated channel dredging. Three of the transmitters detected were confirmed to have been implanted into green sturgeon in previous years; two were from the Sacramento River and one was from the Klamath River. The transmitters (fish) were within detection range of the receivers for only a short period, which is consistent with findings of earlier studies that green sturgeon make rapid and extensive intra-estuary movements.

  18. Calibrating passive acoustic monitoring: correcting humpback whale call detections for site-specific and time-dependent environmental characteristics.

    PubMed

    Helble, Tyler A; D'Spain, Gerald L; Campbell, Greg S; Hildebrand, John A

    2013-11-01

    This paper demonstrates the importance of accounting for environmental effects on passive underwater acoustic monitoring results. The situation considered is the reduction in shipping off the California coast between 2008-2010 due to the recession and environmental legislation. The resulting variations in ocean noise change the probability of detecting marine mammal vocalizations. An acoustic model was used to calculate the time-varying probability of detecting humpback whale vocalizations under best-guess environmental conditions and varying noise. The uncorrected call counts suggest a diel pattern and an increase in calling over a two-year period; the corrected call counts show minimal evidence of these features.

  19. Phase-sensitive detection of acoustically stimulated electromagnetic response in steel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yamada, Hisato; Yotsuji, Junichi; Ikushima, Kenji

    2018-07-01

    The signal amplitude and the phase of acoustically stimulated electromagnetic (ASEM) response have been investigated in steel. In the ASEM method, magnetization is temporally modulated with the radio frequency (rf) of irradiated ultrasonic waves through magnetomechanical coupling. The first-harmonic components of the induced rf dipolar magnetic fields are detected using a resonant loop antenna. The signal amplitude of ASEM waves is determined by the magnitude of local piezomagnetic coefficients on an acoustically excited spot. Here, we divided the ASEM waves into the “in-phase” and “quadrature” components by phase-sensitive detection (PSD). On the basis of the linear response theory, we provided the theoretical formalism of ASEM response by introducing local complex piezomagnetic coefficients, d loc = d‧ + id‧‧. We investigated the magnetic field (H) dependence of the individual components on the different surface conditions of steel plates. The in-phase component [∝ d‧(H)] shows a hysteresis loop on the machined surface of a steel plate, in which d‧(H) switches sign at two finite field values, ±H 0. The inversion of magnetization associated with the applied static fields is thus definitely observed in the PSD measurements. In addition, we measured the hysteresis behaviors on a steel surface with a thin mill scale (iron oxide layers). The hysteresis loop broadens and a significant contribution of the quadrature component [∝ d‧‧(H)] is found. We discuss the origin of the hysteresis behaviors of d‧ and d‧‧ using the Debye relaxation model.

  20. Improved thermal neutron activation sensor for detection of bulk explosives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McFee, John E.; Faust, Anthony A.; Andrews, H. Robert; Clifford, Edward T. H.; Mosquera, Cristian M.

    2012-06-01

    Defence R&D Canada - Suffield and Bubble Technology Industries have been developing thermal neutron activation (TNA) sensors for detection of buried bulk explosives since 1994. First generation sensors, employing an isotopic source and NaI(Tl) gamma ray detectors, were deployed by Canadian Forces in 2002 as confirmation sensors on the ILDS teleoperated, vehicle-mounted, multi-sensor anti-tank landmine detection systems. The first generation TNA could detect anti-tank mines buried 10 cm or less in no more than a minute, but deeper mines and those significantly displaced horizontally required considerably longer times. Mines as deep as 30 cm could be detected with long counting times (1000 s). The second generation TNA detector is being developed with a number of improvements aimed at increasing sensitivity and facilitating ease of operation. Among these are an electronic neutron generator to increase sensitivity for deeper and horizontally displaced explosives; LaBr3(Ce) scintillators, to improve time response and energy resolution; improved thermal and electronic stability; improved sensor head geometry to minimize spatial response nonuniformity; and more robust data processing. This improved sensitivity can translate to either decreased counting times, decreased minimum detectable explosive quantities, increased maximum sensor-to-target displacement, or a trade off among all three. Experiments to characterize the performance of the latest generation TNA in detecting buried landmines and IEDs hidden in culverts were conducted during 2011. This paper describes the second generation system. The experimental setup and methodology are detailed and preliminary comparisons between the performance of first and second generation systems are presented.

  1. Target detection and localization in shallow water: an experimental demonstration of the acoustic barrier problem at the laboratory scale.

    PubMed

    Marandet, Christian; Roux, Philippe; Nicolas, Barbara; Mars, Jérôme

    2011-01-01

    This study demonstrates experimentally at the laboratory scale the detection and localization of a wavelength-sized target in a shallow ultrasonic waveguide between two source-receiver arrays at 3 MHz. In the framework of the acoustic barrier problem, at the 1/1000 scale, the waveguide represents a 1.1-km-long, 52-m-deep ocean acoustic channel in the kilohertz frequency range. The two coplanar arrays record in the time-domain the transfer matrix of the waveguide between each pair of source-receiver transducers. Invoking the reciprocity principle, a time-domain double-beamforming algorithm is simultaneously performed on the source and receiver arrays. This array processing projects the multireverberated acoustic echoes into an equivalent set of eigenrays, which are defined by their launch and arrival angles. Comparison is made between the intensity of each eigenray without and with a target for detection in the waveguide. Localization is performed through tomography inversion of the acoustic impedance of the target, using all of the eigenrays extracted from double beamforming. The use of the diffraction-based sensitivity kernel for each eigenray provides both the localization and the signature of the target. Experimental results are shown in the presence of surface waves, and methodological issues are discussed for detection and localization.

  2. Infrasound signal detection and characterization using ground-coupled airwaves on a single seismo-acoustic sensor pair

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McKee, K. F.; Fee, D.; Haney, M. M.; Lyons, J. J.; Matoza, R. S.

    2016-12-01

    A ground-coupled airwave (GCA) occurs when an incident atmospheric pressure wave encounters the Earth's surface and part of the energy of the wave is transferred to the ground (i.e. coupled to the ground) as a seismic wave. This seismic wave propagates as a surface Rayleigh wave evidenced by the retrograde particle motion detected on a three-component seismometer. Acoustic waves recorded on a collocated microphone and seismometer can be coherent and have a 90-degree phase difference, predicted by theory and in agreement with observations. If the sensors are separated relative to the frequencies of interest, usually 10s to 100s of meters, then recorded wind noise becomes incoherent and an additional phase shift is present due to the separation distance. These characteristics of GCAs have been used to distinguish wind noise from other sources as well as to determine the acoustic contribution to seismic recordings. Here we aim to develop a minimalist infrasound signal detection and characterization technique requiring just one microphone and one three-component seismometer. Based on GCA theory, determining a source azimuth should be possible using a single seismo-acoustic sensor pair by utilizing the phase difference and exploiting the characteristic particle motion. We will use synthetic seismo-acoustic data generated by a coupled Earth-atmosphere 3D finite difference code to test and tune the detection and characterization method. The method will then be further tested using various well-constrained sources (e.g. Chelyabinsk meteor, Pagan Volcano, Cleveland Volcano). Such a technique would be advantageous in situations where resources are limited and large sensor networks are not feasible.

  3. Can acoustic emission detect the initiation of fatigue cracks: Application to high-strength light alloys used in aeronautics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bathias, C.; Brinet, B.; Sertour, G.

    1978-01-01

    Acoustic emission was used for the detection of fatigue cracking in a number of high-strength light alloys used in aeronautical structures. Among the features studied were: the influence of emission frequency, the effect of surface oxidation, and the influence of grains. It was concluded that acoustic emission is an effective nondestructive technique for evaluating the initiation of fatigue cracking in such materials.

  4. Detection of Delamination in Composite Beams Using Broadband Acoustic Emission Signatures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Okafor, A. C.; Chandrashekhara, K.; Jiang, Y. P.

    1996-01-01

    Delamination in composite structure may be caused by imperfections introduced during the manufacturing process or by impact loads by foreign objects during the operational life. There are some nondestructive evaluation methods to detect delamination in composite structures such as x-radiography, ultrasonic testing, and thermal/infrared inspection. These methods are expensive and hard to use for on line detection. Acoustic emission testing can monitor the material under test even under the presence of noise generated under load. It has been used extensively in proof-testing of fiberglass pressure vessels and beams. In the present work, experimental studies are conducted to investigate the use of broadband acoustic emission signatures to detect delaminations in composite beams. Glass/epoxy beam specimens with full width, prescribed delamination sizes of 2 inches and 4 inches are investigated. The prescribed delamination is produced by inserting Teflon film between laminae during the fabrication of composite laminate. The objectives of this research is to develop a method for predicting delamination size and location in laminated composite beams by combining smart materials concept and broadband AE analysis techniques. More specifically, a piezoceramic (PZT) patch is bonded on the surface of composite beams and used as a pulser. The piezoceramic patch simulates the AE wave source as a 3 cycles, 50KHz, burst sine wave. One broadband AE sensor is fixed near the PZT patch to measure the AE wave near the AE source. A second broadband AE sensor, which is used as a receiver, is scanned along the composite beams at 0.25 inch step to measure propagation of AE wave along the composite beams. The acquired AE waveform is digitized and processed. Signal strength, signal energy, cross-correlation of AE waveforms, and tracking of specific cycle of AE waveforms are used to detect delamination size and location.

  5. A Miniaturized QEPAS Trace Gas Sensor with a 3D-Printed Acoustic Detection Module.

    PubMed

    Yang, Xiaotao; Xiao, Youhong; Ma, Yufei; He, Ying; Tittel, Frank K

    2017-07-31

    A 3D printing technique was introduced to a quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) sensor and is reported for the first time. The acoustic detection module (ADM) was designed and fabricated using the 3D printing technique and the ADM volume was compressed significantly. Furthermore, a small grin lens was used for laser focusing and facilitated the beam adjustment in the 3D-printed ADM. A quartz tuning fork (QTF) with a low resonance frequency of 30.72 kHz was used as the acoustic wave transducer and acetylene (C₂H₂) was chosen as the analyte. The reported miniaturized QEPAS trace gas sensor is useful in actual sensor applications.

  6. Towards an Automated Acoustic Detection System for Free Ranging Elephants.

    PubMed

    Zeppelzauer, Matthias; Hensman, Sean; Stoeger, Angela S

    The human-elephant conflict is one of the most serious conservation problems in Asia and Africa today. The involuntary confrontation of humans and elephants claims the lives of many animals and humans every year. A promising approach to alleviate this conflict is the development of an acoustic early warning system. Such a system requires the robust automated detection of elephant vocalizations under unconstrained field conditions. Today, no system exists that fulfills these requirements. In this paper, we present a method for the automated detection of elephant vocalizations that is robust to the diverse noise sources present in the field. We evaluate the method on a dataset recorded under natural field conditions to simulate a real-world scenario. The proposed method outperformed existing approaches and robustly and accurately detected elephants. It thus can form the basis for a future automated early warning system for elephants. Furthermore, the method may be a useful tool for scientists in bioacoustics for the study of wildlife recordings.

  7. Detection of the spectroscopic signatures of explosives and their degradation products

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Florian, Vivian; Cabanzo, Andrea; Baez, Bibiana; Correa, Sandra; Irrazabal, Maik; Briano, Julio G.; Castro, Miguel E.; Hernandez-Rivera, Samuel P.

    2005-06-01

    Detection and removal of antipersonnel and antitank landmines is a great challenge and a worldwide enviromental and humanitarian problem. Sensors tuned on the spectroscopic signature of the chemicals released from mines are a potential solution. Enviromental factors (temperature, relative humidity, rainfall precipitation, wind, sun irradiation, pressure, etc.) as well as soil characteristics (water content, compaction, porosity, chemical composition, particle size distribution, topography, vegetation, etc), have a direct impact on the fate and transport of the chemicals released from landmines. Chemicals such as TNT, DNT and their degradation products, are semi-volatile, and somewhat soluble in water. Also, they may adsorb strongly to soil particles, and are susceptible to degradation by microorganisms, light, or chemical agents. Here we show an experimental procedure to quantify the effect of the above variables on the spectroscopic signature. A number of soil tanks under controlled conditions are used to study the effect of temperature, water content, relative humidity and light radiation.

  8. Density estimation of Yangtze finless porpoises using passive acoustic sensors and automated click train detection.

    PubMed

    Kimura, Satoko; Akamatsu, Tomonari; Li, Songhai; Dong, Shouyue; Dong, Lijun; Wang, Kexiong; Wang, Ding; Arai, Nobuaki

    2010-09-01

    A method is presented to estimate the density of finless porpoises using stationed passive acoustic monitoring. The number of click trains detected by stereo acoustic data loggers (A-tag) was converted to an estimate of the density of porpoises. First, an automated off-line filter was developed to detect a click train among noise, and the detection and false-alarm rates were calculated. Second, a density estimation model was proposed. The cue-production rate was measured by biologging experiments. The probability of detecting a cue and the area size were calculated from the source level, beam patterns, and a sound-propagation model. The effect of group size on the cue-detection rate was examined. Third, the proposed model was applied to estimate the density of finless porpoises at four locations from the Yangtze River to the inside of Poyang Lake. The estimated mean density of porpoises in a day decreased from the main stream to the lake. Long-term monitoring during 466 days from June 2007 to May 2009 showed variation in the density 0-4.79. However, the density was fewer than 1 porpoise/km(2) during 94% of the period. These results suggest a potential gap and seasonal migration of the population in the bottleneck of Poyang Lake.

  9. [Design of magneto-acoustic-electrical detection system and verification of its linear sweep theory].

    PubMed

    Dai, Ming; Chen, Siping; Li, Fangfang; Chen, Mian; Lin, Haoming; Chen, Xin

    2018-02-01

    Clinical studies had demonstrated that early diagnosis of lesion could significantly reduce the risk of cancer. Magneto-acoustic-electrical tomography (MAET) is expected to become a new detection method due to its advantages of high resolution and high contrast. Based on thinking of modular design, a low-cost, digital magneto-acoustic conductivity detection system was designed and implemented in this study. The theory of MAET using chirp continuous wave excitation was introduced. The results of homogeneous phantom experiment with 0.5% NaCl clearly showed that the conductivity curve of homogeneous phantom was highly consistent with the actual physical size, which indicated that the chirp excitation theory in our proposed system was correct and feasible. Besides, the resolution obtained by 1 000 μs sweep time was better than that obtained by 500 μs and 1 500 μs, which means that sweep time is an important factor affecting the detection resolution of the conductivity. The same result was obtained in the experiments carried out on homogeneous phantoms with different concentrations of NaCl, which demonstrated the repeatability of our proposed MAET system.

  10. Acoustic Detection of Faults and Degradation in a High-Bypass Turbofan Engine during VIPR Phase III Testing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Boyle, Devin K.

    2017-01-01

    The Vehicle Integrated Propulsion Research (VIPR) Phase III project was executed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and several industry, academic, and government partners in the summer of 2015. One of the research objectives was to use external radial acoustic microphone arrays to detect changes in the noise characteristics produced by the research engine during volcanic ash ingestion and seeded fault insertion scenarios involving bleed air valves. Preliminary results indicate the successful acoustic detection of suspected degradation as a result of cumulative exposure to volcanic ash. This detection is shown through progressive changes, particularly in the high-frequency content, as a function of exposure to greater cumulative quantities of ash. Additionally, detection of the simulated failure of the 14th stage stability bleed valve and, to a lesser extent, the station 2.5 stability bleed valve, to their fully-open fail-safe positions was achieved by means of spectral comparisons between nominal (normal valve operation) and seeded fault scenarios.

  11. The detection of formaldehyde using microelectromechanical acoustic resonator with multiwalled carbon nanotubes-polyethyleneimine composite coating

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Jingjing; Zhan, Da; Wang, Ke; Hang, Weiwei

    2018-01-01

    A micro-scale gas sensor based on mass-sensitive film bulk acoustic resonator is demonstrated for the detection of trace formaldehyde at room temperature. The composites mixed with multiwalled carbon nanotubes and polyethyleneimine (MWNTs-PEI) were coated on the resonator surface as the sensitive layer to specifically absorb formaldehyde molecules using a facile spray process. The influence of spraying processes on the formaldehyde sensing properties were investigated. Different response behaviors were determined by both the chemical absorption between formaldehyde molecules and the amine functional groups on PEI and the increase of absorption surface came from the nanostructure. The combination of high frequency of the film bulk acoustic resonator (~4.3 GHz) and the specific absorbability of MWNTs-PEI composites provided a high sensitivity in the detections of trace formaldehyde. The obtained ultra-low limit of detection was as low as 60 ppb with linear response, quick response/recovery time, good reproducibility and selectivity. The proposed sensor shows potential as a portable and convenient gas-sensing system for monitoring the low-level concentration of indoor air pollution.

  12. Multiple-Array Detection, Association and Location of Infrasound and Seismo-Acoustic Events - Utilization of Ground-Truth Information

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-09-30

    signals detected by infrasound arrays were discriminated as surface explosions, not earthquakes , and are marked by yellow...velocity, and amplitude of detected signals at each array . Horizontal propagation velocity of infrasound signals , also called celerity, is used not only...REPRINT 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE MULTIPLE- ARRAY DETECTION , ASSOCIATION AND LOCATION OF INFRASOUND AND SEISMO-ACOUSTIC

  13. Air Coupled Acoustic Thermography (ACAT) Inspection Technique

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zalameda, Joseph; Winfree, William P.; Yost, William T.

    2007-01-01

    The scope of this effort is to determine the viability of a new heating technique using a noncontact acoustic excitation source. Because of low coupling between air and the structure, a synchronous detection method is employed. Any reduction in the out of plane stiffness improves the acoustic coupling efficiency and as a result, defective areas have an increase in temperature relative to the surrounding area. Hence a new measurement system, based on air-coupled acoustic energy and synchronous detection is presented. An analytical model of a clamped circular plate is given, experimentally tested, and verified. Repeatability confirms the technique with a measurement uncertainty of plus or minus 6.2 percent. The range of frequencies used was 800-2,000 Hertz. Acoustic excitation and consequent thermal detection of flaws in a helicopter blade is examined and results indicate that air coupled acoustic excitation enables the detection of core damage in sandwich honeycomb structures.

  14. A cabled acoustic telemetry system for detecting and tracking juvenile salmon: Part 1. Engineering design and instrumentation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Weiland, Mark A.; Deng, Zhiqun; Seim, Thomas A.

    2011-05-26

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Portland District started development of the Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System (JSATS), a nonproprietary technology, in 2001 to meet the needs for monitoring the survival of juvenile salmonids through the 31 federal dams in the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS). Initial development focused on coded acoustic microtransmitters, and autonomous receivers that could be deployed in open reaches of the river for detection of the juvenile salmonids implanted with microtransmitters as they passed the autonomous receiver arrays. In 2006 the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) was tasked with development of an acoustic receiver system formore » deployment at hydropower facilities (cabled receiver) for detecting fish tagged with microtransmitters as well as tracking them in 2 or 3-dimensions as the fish passed at the facility for determining route of passage. The additional route of passage information, combined with survival estimates, is used by the dam operators and managers to make structural and operational changes at the hydropower facilities to improve survival of fish as they pass the facilities and through the FCRPS.« less

  15. A Cabled Acoustic Telemetry System for Detecting and Tracking Juvenile Salmon: Part 1. Engineering Design and Instrumentation

    PubMed Central

    Weiland, Mark A.; Deng, Z. Daniel; Seim, Tom A.; LaMarche, Brian L.; Choi, Eric Y.; Fu, Tao; Carlson, Thomas J.; Thronas, Aaron I.; Eppard, M. Brad

    2011-01-01

    In 2001 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (OR, USA), started developing the Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System, a nonproprietary sensing technology, to meet the needs for monitoring the survival of juvenile salmonids through eight large hydroelectric facilities within the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS). Initial development focused on coded acoustic microtransmitters and autonomous receivers that could be deployed in open reaches of the river for detection of the juvenile salmonids implanted with microtransmitters as they passed the autonomous receiver arrays. In 2006, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory began the development of an acoustic receiver system for deployment at hydropower facilities (cabled receiver) for detecting fish tagged with microtransmitters as well as tracking them in two or three dimensions for determining route of passage and behavior as the fish passed at the facility. The additional information on route of passage, combined with survival estimates, is used by the dam operators and managers to make structural and operational changes at the hydropower facilities to improve survival of fish as they pass the facilities through the FCRPS. PMID:22163918

  16. Acoustic facilitation of object movement detection during self-motion

    PubMed Central

    Calabro, F. J.; Soto-Faraco, S.; Vaina, L. M.

    2011-01-01

    In humans, as well as most animal species, perception of object motion is critical to successful interaction with the surrounding environment. Yet, as the observer also moves, the retinal projections of the various motion components add to each other and extracting accurate object motion becomes computationally challenging. Recent psychophysical studies have demonstrated that observers use a flow-parsing mechanism to estimate and subtract self-motion from the optic flow field. We investigated whether concurrent acoustic cues for motion can facilitate visual flow parsing, thereby enhancing the detection of moving objects during simulated self-motion. Participants identified an object (the target) that moved either forward or backward within a visual scene containing nine identical textured objects simulating forward observer translation. We found that spatially co-localized, directionally congruent, moving auditory stimuli enhanced object motion detection. Interestingly, subjects who performed poorly on the visual-only task benefited more from the addition of moving auditory stimuli. When auditory stimuli were not co-localized to the visual target, improvements in detection rates were weak. Taken together, these results suggest that parsing object motion from self-motion-induced optic flow can operate on multisensory object representations. PMID:21307050

  17. Buried landmine detection using multivariate normal clustering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Duston, Brian M.

    2001-10-01

    A Bayesian classification algorithm is presented for discriminating buried land mines from buried and surface clutter in Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) signals. This algorithm is based on multivariate normal (MVN) clustering, where feature vectors are used to identify populations (clusters) of mines and clutter objects. The features are extracted from two-dimensional images created from ground penetrating radar scans. MVN clustering is used to determine the number of clusters in the data and to create probability density models for target and clutter populations, producing the MVN clustering classifier (MVNCC). The Bayesian Information Criteria (BIC) is used to evaluate each model to determine the number of clusters in the data. An extension of the MVNCC allows the model to adapt to local clutter distributions by treating each of the MVN cluster components as a Poisson process and adaptively estimating the intensity parameters. The algorithm is developed using data collected by the Mine Hunter/Killer Close-In Detector (MH/K CID) at prepared mine lanes. The Mine Hunter/Killer is a prototype mine detecting and neutralizing vehicle developed for the U.S. Army to clear roads of anti-tank mines.

  18. Multiple-Array Detection, Association and Location of Infrasound and Seismo-Acoustic Event-Utilization of Ground Truth Information (Postprint)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-05-07

    AFRL-RV-PS- AFRL-RV-PS- TP-2012-0017 TP-2012-0017 MULTIPLE-ARRAY DETECTION, ASSOCIATION AND LOCATION OF INFRASOUND AND SEISMO-ACOUSTIC...ASSOCIATION AND LOCATION OF 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER FA8718-08-C-0008 INFRASOUND AND SEISMO-ACOUSTIC EVENT – UTILIZATION OF GROUND-TRUTH... infrasound signals from both correlated and uncorrelated noise. Approaches to this problem are implementation of the F-detector, which employs the F

  19. A new EEMD-based scheme for detection of insect damaged wheat kernels using impact acoustics

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Internally feeding insects inside wheat kernels cause significant, but unseen economic damage to stored grain. In this paper, a new scheme based on ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) using impact acoustics is proposed for detection of insect-damaged wheat kernels, based on its capability t...

  20. Acoustic resonance phase locked photoacoustic spectrometer

    DOEpatents

    Pilgrim, Jeffrey S.; Bomse, David S.; Silver, Joel A.

    2003-08-19

    A photoacoustic spectroscopy method and apparatus for maintaining an acoustic source frequency on a sample cell resonance frequency comprising: providing an acoustic source to the sample cell to generate a photoacoustic signal, the acoustic source having a source frequency; continuously measuring detection phase of the photoacoustic signal with respect to source frequency or a harmonic thereof; and employing the measured detection phase to provide magnitude and direction for correcting the source frequency to the resonance frequency.

  1. Probing biomolecular interaction forces using an anharmonic acoustic technique for selective detection of bacterial spores.

    PubMed

    Ghosh, Sourav K; Ostanin, Victor P; Johnson, Christian L; Lowe, Christopher R; Seshia, Ashwin A

    2011-11-15

    Receptor-based detection of pathogens often suffers from non-specific interactions, and as most detection techniques cannot distinguish between affinities of interactions, false positive responses remain a plaguing reality. Here, we report an anharmonic acoustic based method of detection that addresses the inherent weakness of current ligand dependant assays. Spores of Bacillus subtilis (Bacillus anthracis simulant) were immobilized on a thickness-shear mode AT-cut quartz crystal functionalized with anti-spore antibody and the sensor was driven by a pure sinusoidal oscillation at increasing amplitude. Biomolecular interaction forces between the coupled spores and the accelerating surface caused a nonlinear modulation of the acoustic response of the crystal. In particular, the deviation in the third harmonic of the transduced electrical response versus oscillation amplitude of the sensor (signal) was found to be significant. Signals from the specifically-bound spores were clearly distinguishable in shape from those of the physisorbed streptavidin-coated polystyrene microbeads. The analytical model presented here enables estimation of the biomolecular interaction forces from the measured response. Thus, probing biomolecular interaction forces using the described technique can quantitatively detect pathogens and distinguish specific from non-specific interactions, with potential applicability to rapid point-of-care detection. This also serves as a potential tool for rapid force-spectroscopy, affinity-based biomolecular screening and mapping of molecular interaction networks. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Shifting Gravel and the Acoustic Detection Range of Killer Whale Calls

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bassett, C.; Thomson, J. M.; Polagye, B. L.; Wood, J.

    2012-12-01

    In environments suitable for tidal energy development, strong currents result in large bed stresses that mobilize sediments, producing sediment-generated noise. Sediment-generated noise caused by mobilization events can exceed noise levels attributed to other ambient noise sources at frequencies related to the diameters of the mobilized grains. At a site in Admiralty Inlet, Puget Sound, Washington, one year of ambient noise data (0.02 - 30 kHz) and current velocity data are combined. Peak currents at the site exceed 3.5 m/s. During slack currents, vessel traffic is the dominant noise source. When currents exceed 0.85 m/s noise level increases between 2 kHz and 30 kHz are correlated with near-bed currents and bed stress estimates. Acoustic spectrum levels during strong currents exceed quiescent slack tide conditions by 20 dB or more between 2 and 30 kHz. These frequencies are consistent with sound generated by the mobilization of gravel and pebbles. To investigate the implications of sediment-generated noise for post-installation passive acoustic monitoring of a planned tidal energy project, ambient noise conditions during slack currents and strong currents are combined with the characteristics of Southern Resident killer whale (Orcinus orca) vocalizations and sound propagation modeling. The reduction in detection range is estimated for common vocalizations under different ambient noise conditions. The importance of sediment-generated noise for passive acoustic monitoring at tidal energy sites for different marine mammal functional hearing groups and other sediment compositions are considered.

  3. Simultaneous detection of acoustic emission and Barkhausen noise during the martensitic transition of a Ni-Mn-Ga magnetic shape-memory alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baró, Jordi; Dixon, Steve; Edwards, Rachel S.; Fan, Yichao; Keeble, Dean S.; Mañosa, Lluís; Planes, Antoni; Vives, Eduard

    2013-11-01

    We present simultaneous measurements of acoustic emission and magnetic Barkhausen noise during the thermally induced martensitic transition in a Ni-Mn-Ga single crystal. The range where structural acoustic emission avalanches are detected extends for more than 50 K for both cooling and heating ramps, with a hysteresis of ˜10 K. The magnetic activity occurs during the structural transition, exhibiting similar hysteresis, but concentrated in the lower half of the temperature range. Statistical analysis of individual signals allows characterization of the broad distributions of acoustic emission and Barkhausen amplitudes. By studying the times of arrival of the avalanche events we detect the existence of correlations between the two kinds of signals, with a number of acoustic emission signals occurring shortly after a Barkhausen signal. The order of magnitude of the observed delays is compatible with the time needed for the propagation of ultrasound through the sample, showing correlation of some of the signals.

  4. Safety and clinical performance of acoustic reflex tests.

    PubMed

    Hunter, L L; Ries, D T; Schlauch, R S; Levine, S C; Ward, W D

    1999-12-01

    Safety and effectiveness of acoustic reflex tests are important issues because these tests are widely applied to screen for retrocochlear pathology. Previous studies have reported moderately high sensitivity and specificity for detection of acoustic neuroma. However, there have been reports of possible iatrogenic hearing loss resulting from acoustic reflex threshold (ART) and decay (ARD) tests. This study assessed safety and clinical performance of ART tests for detection of acoustic neuroma. We report a case in which ARD testing resulted in a significant bilateral permanent threshold shift. This case was the impetus for us to investigate the clinical utility of ART and ARD tests. We analyzed sensitivity and specificity of ART, as well as asymmetry in pure-tone thresholds (PTT) for detection of acoustic neuroma in 56 tumor and 108 non-tumor ears. Sensitivity and specificity were higher for PTT asymmetry than for ART. Ipsilateral ART at 1000 Hz had poor sensitivity and specificity for detection of acoustic neuroma, and involves some potential risk to residual hearing for presentation levels higher than 115 dB SPL. Approximately half of the acoustic neuroma group had ipsilateral ARTs that would require administration of ARD tests at levels exceeding 115 dB SPL. Therefore, we conclude that PTT asymmetry is a more effective test for detection of acoustic neuroma, and involves no risk to residual hearing. Future studies of contralateral reflex threshold and ARD in combination with PTT asymmetry are recommended.

  5. Acoustic waves and the detectability of first-order phase transitions by eLISA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weir, David J.

    2017-05-01

    In various extensions of the Standard Model it is possible that the electroweak phase transition was first order. This would have been a violent process, involving the formation of bubbles and associated shock waves. Not only would the collision of these bubbles and shock waves be a detectable source of gravitational waves, but persistent acoustic waves could enhance the signal and improve prospects of detection by eLISA. I summarise the results of a recent campaign to model such a phase transition based on large-scale hydrodynamical simulations, and its implications for the eLISA mission.

  6. Acoustically Induced Vibration of Structures: Reverberant Vs. Direct Acoustic Testing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kolaini, Ali R.; O'Connell, Michael R.; Tsoi, Wan B.

    2009-01-01

    Large reverberant chambers have been used for several decades in the aerospace industry to test larger structures such as solar arrays and reflectors to qualify and to detect faults in the design and fabrication of spacecraft and satellites. In the past decade some companies have begun using direct near field acoustic testing, employing speakers, for qualifying larger structures. A limited test data set obtained from recent acoustic tests of the same hardware exposed to both direct and reverberant acoustic field testing has indicated some differences in the resulting structural responses. In reverberant acoustic testing, higher vibration responses were observed at lower frequencies when compared with the direct acoustic testing. In the case of direct near field acoustic testing higher vibration responses appeared to occur at higher frequencies as well. In reverberant chamber testing and direct acoustic testing, standing acoustic modes of the reverberant chamber or the speakers and spacecraft parallel surfaces can strongly couple with the fundamental structural modes of the test hardware. In this paper data from recent acoustic testing of flight hardware, that yielded evidence of acoustic standing wave coupling with structural responses, are discussed in some detail. Convincing evidence of the acoustic standing wave/structural coupling phenomenon will be discussed, citing observations from acoustic testing of a simple aluminum plate. The implications of such acoustic coupling to testing of sensitive flight hardware will be discussed. The results discussed in this paper reveal issues with over or under testing of flight hardware that could pose unanticipated structural and flight qualification issues. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to understand the structural modal coupling with standing acoustic waves that has been observed in both methods of acoustic testing. This study will assist the community to choose an appropriate testing method and test setup in

  7. A surface acoustic wave response detection method for passive wireless torque sensor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fan, Yanping; Kong, Ping; Qi, Hongli; Liu, Hongye; Ji, Xiaojun

    2018-01-01

    This paper presents an effective surface acoustic wave (SAW) response detection method for the passive wireless SAW torque sensor to improve the measurement accuracy. An analysis was conducted on the relationship between the response energy-entropy and the bandwidth of SAW resonator (SAWR). A self-correlation method was modified to suppress the blurred white noise and highlight the attenuation characteristic of wireless SAW response. The SAW response was detected according to both the variation and the duration of energy-entropy ascension of an acquired RF signal. Numerical simulation results showed that the SAW response can be detected even when the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is 6dB. The proposed SAW response detection method was evaluated with several experiments at different conditions. The SAW response can be well distinguished from the sinusoidal signal and the noise. The performance of the SAW torque measurement system incorporating the detection method was tested. The obtained repeatability error was 0.23% and the linearity was 0.9934, indicating the validity of the detection method.

  8. A Power Analysis and Recommended Study Design to Directly Detect Population Level Consequences of Acoustic Disturbance

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-09-30

    Detect Population-Level Consequences of Acoustic Disturbance Jeffrey Moore NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive...inferences about the population. WORK COMPLETED Investigators met for an all-day planning meeting (Aug 28, 2015) at Southwest Fisheries Science

  9. Preliminary Study on Acoustic Detection of Faults Experienced by a High-Bypass Turbofan Engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Boyle, Devin K.

    2014-01-01

    The vehicle integrated propulsion research (VIPR) effort conducted by NASA and several partners provided an unparalleled opportunity to test a relatively low TRL concept regarding the use of far field acoustics to identify faults occurring in a high bypass turbofan engine. Though VIPR Phase II ground based aircraft installed engine testing wherein a multitude of research sensors and methods were evaluated, an array of acoustic microphones was used to determine the viability of such an array to detect failures occurring in a commercially representative high bypass turbofan engine. The failures introduced during VIPR testing included commanding the engine's low pressure compressor (LPC) exit and high pressure compressor (HPC) 14th stage bleed values abruptly to their failsafe positions during steady state

  10. Broadband unidirectional acoustic cloak based on phase gradient metasurfaces with two flat acoustic lenses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Xiao-Peng; Wan, Le-Le; Chen, Tian-Ning; Song, Ai-Ling; Wang, Fang

    2016-07-01

    Narrow bandwidth and bulky configuration are the main obstacles for the realization and application of invisible cloaks. In this paper, we present an effective method to achieve broadband and thin acoustic cloak by using an acoustic metasurface (AMS). In order to realize this cloak, we use slitted unit cells to design the AMS due to the advantage of less energy loss, broad operation bandwidth, and subwavelength thickness. According to the hyperboloidal phase profile along the AMS, the incident plane waves can be focused at a designed focal spot by the flat lens. Furthermore, broadband acoustic cloak is obtained by combining two identical flat lenses. The incident plane waves are focused at the center point in between of the two lenses by passing through one lens, and then recovered by passing through the other one. However, they cannot reach the cloaked regions in between of the two lenses. The simulation results can verify the non-detectability effect of the acoustic cloak. Our study results provide an available and simple approach to experimentally achieve the acoustic cloak, which can be used in acoustic non-detectability for large objects.

  11. Detection of cavitation vortex in hydraulic turbines using acoustic techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Candel, I.; Bunea, F.; Dunca, G.; Bucur, D. M.; Ioana, C.; Reeb, B.; Ciocan, G. D.

    2014-03-01

    Cavitation phenomena are known for their destructive capacity in hydraulic machineries and are caused by the pressure decrease followed by an implosion when the cavitation bubbles find an adverse pressure gradient. A helical vortex appears in the turbine diffuser cone at partial flow rate operation and can be cavitating in its core. Cavity volumes and vortex frequencies vary with the under-pressure level. If the vortex frequency comes close to one of the eigen frequencies of the turbine, a resonance phenomenon may occur, the unsteady fluctuations can be amplified and lead to important turbine and hydraulic circuit damage. Conventional cavitation vortex detection techniques are based on passive devices (pressure sensors or accelerometers). Limited sensor bandwidths and low frequency response limit the vortex detection and characterization information provided by the passive techniques. In order to go beyond these techniques and develop a new active one that will remove these drawbacks, previous work in the field has shown that techniques based on acoustic signals using adapted signal content to a particular hydraulic situation, can be more robust and accurate. The cavitation vortex effects in the water flow profile downstream hydraulic turbines runner are responsible for signal content modifications. Basic signal techniques use narrow band signals traveling inside the flow from an emitting transducer to a receiving one (active sensors). Emissions of wide band signals in the flow during the apparition and development of the vortex embeds changes in the received signals. Signal processing methods are used to estimate the cavitation apparition and evolution. Tests done in a reduced scale facility showed that due to the increasing flow rate, the signal -- vortex interaction is seen as modifications on the received signal's high order statistics and bandwidth. Wide band acoustic transducers have a higher dynamic range over mechanical elements; the system's reaction time

  12. Acoustic detection of biosonar activity of deep diving odontocetes at Josephine Seamount High Seas Marine Protected Area.

    PubMed

    Giorli, Giacomo; Au, Whitlow W L; Ou, Hui; Jarvis, Susan; Morrissey, Ronald; Moretti, David

    2015-05-01

    The temporal occurrence of deep diving cetaceans in the Josephine Seamount High Seas Marine Protected Area (JSHSMPA), south-west Portugal, was monitored using a passive acoustic recorder. The recorder was deployed on 13 May 2010 at a depth of 814 m during the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation cruise "Sirena10" and recovered on 6 June 2010. The recorder was programmed to record 40 s of data every 2 min. Acoustic data analysis, for the detection and classification of echolocation clicks, was performed using automatic detector/classification systems: M3R (Marine Mammal Monitoring on Navy Ranges), a custom matlab program, and an operator-supervised custom matlab program to assess the classification performance of the detector/classification systems. M3R CS-SVM algorithm contains templates to detect beaked whales, sperm whales, blackfish (pilot and false killer whales), and Risso's dolphins. The detections of each group of odontocetes was monitored as a function of time. Blackfish and Risso's dolphins were detected every day, while beaked whales and sperm whales were detected almost every day. The hourly distribution of detections reveals that blackfish and Risso's dolphins were more active at night, while beaked whales and sperm whales were more active during daylight hours.

  13. Charged Particle Detection: Potential of Love Wave Acoustic Devices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pedrick, Michael; Tittmann, Bernhard

    2006-03-01

    An investigation of the dependence of film density on group and phase velocities in a Love Wave Device shows potential for acoustic-based charged particle detection (CPD). Exposure of an ion sensitive photoresist to charged particles causes localized changes in density through either scission or cross-linking. A theoretical model was developed to study ion fluence effects on Love Wave sensitivity based on: ion energy, effective density changes, layer thickness and mode selection. The model is based on a Poly(Methyl Methacralate) (PMMA) film deposited on a Quartz substrate. The effect of Helium ion fluence on the properties of PMMA has previously been studied. These guidelines were used as an initial basis for the prediction of helium ion detection in a PMMA layer. Procedures for experimental characterization of ion effects on the material properties of PMMA are reviewed. Techniques for experimental validation of the predicted velocity shifts are discussed. A Love Wave Device for CPD could potentially provide a cost-effective alternative to semiconductor or photo-based counterparts. The potential for monitoring ion implantation effects on material properties is also discussed.

  14. Novel Fiber-Optic Ring Acoustic Emission Sensor.

    PubMed

    Wei, Peng; Han, Xiaole; Xia, Dong; Liu, Taolin; Lang, Hao

    2018-01-13

    Acoustic emission technology has been applied to many fields for many years. However, the conventional piezoelectric acoustic emission sensors cannot be used in extreme environments, such as those with heavy electromagnetic interference, high pressure, or strong corrosion. In this paper, a novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor is proposed. The sensor exhibits high sensitivity, anti-electromagnetic interference, and corrosion resistance. First, the principle of a novel fiber-optic ring sensor is introduced. Different from piezoelectric and other fiber acoustic emission sensors, this novel sensor includes both a sensing skeleton and a sensing fiber. Second, a heterodyne interferometric demodulating method is presented. In addition, a fiber-optic ring sensor acoustic emission system is built based on this method. Finally, fiber-optic ring acoustic emission experiments are performed. The novel fiber-optic ring sensor is glued onto the surface of an aluminum plate. The 150 kHz standard continuous sinusoidal signals and broken lead signals are successfully detected by the novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor. In addition, comparison to the piezoelectric acoustic emission sensor is performed, which shows the availability and reliability of the novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor. In the future, this novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor will provide a new route to acoustic emission detection in harsh environments.

  15. Detecting trihalomethanes using nanoporous-carbon coated surface-acoustic-wave sensors

    DOE PAGES

    Siegal, Michael P.; Mowry, Curtis D.; Pfeifer, Kent B.; ...

    2015-03-07

    We study nanoporous-carbon (NPC) grown via pulsed laser deposition (PLD) as a sorbent coating on 96.5-MHz surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) devices to detect trihalomethanes (THMs), regulated byproducts from the chemical treatment of drinking water. Using both insertion-loss and isothermal-response measurements from known quantities of chloroform, the highest vapor pressure THM, we optimize the NPC mass-density at 1.05 ± 0.08 g/cm3 by controlling the background argon pressure during PLD. Precise THM quantities in a chlorobenzene solvent are directly injected into a separation column and detected as the phase-angle shift of the SAW device output compared to the drive signal. Using optimized NPC-coated SAWs,more » we study the chloroform response as a function of operating temperatures ranging from 10–50°C. Finally, we demonstrate individual responses from complex mixtures of all four THMs, with masses ranging from 10–2000 ng, after gas chromatography separation. As a result, estimates for each THM detection limit using a simple peak-height response evaluation are 4.4 ng for chloroform and 1 ng for bromoform; using an integrated-peak area response analysis improves the detection limits to 0.73 ng for chloroform and 0.003 ng bromoform.« less

  16. First Detection of the Acoustic Oscillation Phase Shift Expected from the Cosmic Neutrino Background.

    PubMed

    Follin, Brent; Knox, Lloyd; Millea, Marius; Pan, Zhen

    2015-08-28

    The unimpeded relativistic propagation of cosmological neutrinos prior to recombination of the baryon-photon plasma alters gravitational potentials and therefore the details of the time-dependent gravitational driving of acoustic oscillations. We report here a first detection of the resulting shifts in the temporal phase of the oscillations, which we infer from their signature in the cosmic microwave background temperature power spectrum.

  17. Thermo-Acoustic Ultrasound for Detection of RF-Induced Device Lead Heating in MRI.

    PubMed

    Dixit, Neerav; Stang, Pascal P; Pauly, John M; Scott, Greig C

    2018-02-01

    Patients who have implanted medical devices with long conductive leads are often restricted from receiving MRI scans due to the danger of RF-induced heating near the lead tips. Phantom studies have shown that this heating varies significantly on a case-by-case basis, indicating that many patients with implanted devices can receive clinically useful MRI scans without harm. However, the difficulty of predicting RF-induced lead tip heating prior to scanning prevents numerous implant recipients from being scanned. Here, we demonstrate that thermo-acoustic ultrasound (TAUS) has the potential to be utilized for a pre-scan procedure assessing the risk of RF-induced lead tip heating in MRI. A system was developed to detect TAUS signals by four different TAUS acquisition methods. We then integrated this system with an MRI scanner and detected a peak in RF power absorption near the tip of a model lead when transmitting from the scanner's body coil. We also developed and experimentally validated simulations to characterize the thermo-acoustic signal generated near lead tips. These results indicate that TAUS is a promising method for assessing RF implant safety, and with further development, a TAUS pre-scan could allow many more patients to have access to MRI scans of significant clinical value.

  18. Detection of spatio-temporal change of ocean acoustic velocity for observing seafloor crustal deformation applying seismological methods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eto, S.; Nagai, S.; Tadokoro, K.

    2011-12-01

    Our group has developed a system for observing seafloor crustal deformation with a combination of acoustic ranging and kinematic GPS positioning techniques. One of the effective factors to reduce estimation error of submarine benchmark in our system is modeling variation of ocean acoustic velocity. We estimated various 1-dimensional velocity models with depth under some constraints, because it is difficult to estimate 3-dimensional acoustic velocity structure including temporal change due to our simple acquisition procedure of acoustic ranging data. We, then, applied the joint hypocenter determination method in seismology [Kissling et al., 1994] to acoustic ranging data. We assume two conditions as constraints in inversion procedure as follows: 1) fixed acoustic velocity in deeper part because it is usually stable both in space and time, 2) each inverted velocity model should be decreased with depth. The following two remarkable spatio-temporal changes of acoustic velocity 1) variations of travel-time residuals at the same points within short time and 2) larger differences between residuals at the neighboring points, which are one's of travel-time from different benchmarks. The First results cannot be explained only by the effect of atmospheric condition change including heating by sunlight. To verify the residual variations mentioned as the second result, we have performed forward modeling of acoustic ranging data with velocity models added velocity anomalies. We calculate travel time by a pseudo-bending ray tracing method [Um and Thurber, 1987] to examine effects of velocity anomaly on the travel-time differences. Comparison between these residuals and travel-time difference in forward modeling, velocity anomaly bodies in shallower depth can make these anomalous residuals, which may indicate moving water bodies. We need to apply an acoustic velocity structure model with velocity anomaly(s) in acoustic ranging data analysis and/or to develop a new system with a

  19. System for Multiplexing Acoustic Emission (AE) Instrumentation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Prosser, William H. (Inventor); Perey, Daniel F. (Inventor); Gorman, Michael R. (Inventor); Scales, Edgar F. (Inventor)

    2003-01-01

    An acoustic monitoring device has at least two acoustic sensors with a triggering mechanism and a multiplexing circuit. After the occurrence of a triggering event at a sensor, the multiplexing circuit allows a recording component to record acoustic emissions at adjacent sensors. The acoustic monitoring device is attached to a solid medium to detect the occurrence of damage.

  20. Passive Acoustic Leak Detection for Sodium Cooled Fast Reactors Using Hidden Markov Models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marklund, A. Riber; Kishore, S.; Prakash, V.; Rajan, K. K.; Michel, F.

    2016-06-01

    Acoustic leak detection for steam generators of sodium fast reactors have been an active research topic since the early 1970s and several methods have been tested over the years. Inspired by its success in the field of automatic speech recognition, we here apply hidden Markov models (HMM) in combination with Gaussian mixture models (GMM) to the problem. To achieve this, we propose a new feature calculation scheme, based on the temporal evolution of the power spectral density (PSD) of the signal. Using acoustic signals recorded during steam/water injection experiments done at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), the proposed method is tested. We perform parametric studies on the HMM+GMM model size and demonstrate that the proposed method a) performs well without a priori knowledge of injection noise, b) can incorporate several noise models and c) has an output distribution that simplifies false alarm rate control.

  1. Acoustic emission intrusion detector

    DOEpatents

    Carver, Donald W.; Whittaker, Jerry W.

    1980-01-01

    An intrusion detector is provided for detecting a forcible entry into a secured structure while minimizing false alarms. The detector uses a piezoelectric crystal transducer to sense acoustic emissions. The transducer output is amplified by a selectable gain amplifier to control the sensitivity. The rectified output of the amplifier is applied to a Schmitt trigger circuit having a preselected threshold level to provide amplitude discrimination. Timing circuitry is provided which is activated by successive pulses from the Schmitt trigger which lie within a selected time frame for frequency discrimination. Detected signals having proper amplitude and frequency trigger an alarm within the first complete cycle time of a detected acoustical disturbance signal.

  2. Bridge cable fracture detection with acoustic emission test (Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qu, Hongya; Li, Tiantian; Chen, Genda

    2017-04-01

    In this study, acoustic emission (AE) tests were conducted to detect and locate wire fracture in strands that are widely used in cable-stayed and suspension bridges. To effectively separate fracture signals from unwanted noises, distinct features of fracture, fracture-induced echo, and artificial tapping signals as well as their dependence on loading levels are characterized with short-time Fourier transform. To associate fracture scenarios with their acoustic features, two 20-foot-long ( 6.1 m) 270 ksi ( 1,862 MPa) steel strands of seven wires were tested with one wire notched off at center and support, respectively, up to 90% of its cross section area by 10% increment. Up to 80% reduction in cross section area of the notched wire, each strand was loaded to 20 kips ( 89 kN) corresponding to 35% of the minimum breaking strength and the acquired AE parameters such as hits, energy, and counts were found to change little. With a reduction of 90% of the section area of one wire, both strands were found to be fractured under approximately 16.5 kips ( 73.4 kN). The hits, energy, and counts of AE signals were all demonstrated to suddenly change with the fracture of the notched wire. However, only the counts of AE signals distributed over the length of the strands allow the localization of fracture point. The frequency band of fracture signals is significantly broader than that of either fracture-induced echo or artificial tapping noise. The time duration of artificial tapping noises is substantially longer than that of either fracture or fracture-induced echo. These distinct characteristics can be used to effectively separate fracture signals from noises for wire fracture detection and localization in practice.

  3. Acoustic Inversion in Optoacoustic Tomography: A Review

    PubMed Central

    Rosenthal, Amir; Ntziachristos, Vasilis; Razansky, Daniel

    2013-01-01

    Optoacoustic tomography enables volumetric imaging with optical contrast in biological tissue at depths beyond the optical mean free path by the use of optical excitation and acoustic detection. The hybrid nature of optoacoustic tomography gives rise to two distinct inverse problems: The optical inverse problem, related to the propagation of the excitation light in tissue, and the acoustic inverse problem, which deals with the propagation and detection of the generated acoustic waves. Since the two inverse problems have different physical underpinnings and are governed by different types of equations, they are often treated independently as unrelated problems. From an imaging standpoint, the acoustic inverse problem relates to forming an image from the measured acoustic data, whereas the optical inverse problem relates to quantifying the formed image. This review focuses on the acoustic aspects of optoacoustic tomography, specifically acoustic reconstruction algorithms and imaging-system practicalities. As these two aspects are intimately linked, and no silver bullet exists in the path towards high-performance imaging, we adopt a holistic approach in our review and discuss the many links between the two aspects. Four classes of reconstruction algorithms are reviewed: time-domain (so called back-projection) formulae, frequency-domain formulae, time-reversal algorithms, and model-based algorithms. These algorithms are discussed in the context of the various acoustic detectors and detection surfaces which are commonly used in experimental studies. We further discuss the effects of non-ideal imaging scenarios on the quality of reconstruction and review methods that can mitigate these effects. Namely, we consider the cases of finite detector aperture, limited-view tomography, spatial under-sampling of the acoustic signals, and acoustic heterogeneities and losses. PMID:24772060

  4. Artillery/mortar type classification based on detected acoustic transients

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Morcos, Amir; Grasing, David; Desai, Sachi

    2008-04-01

    Feature extraction methods based on the statistical analysis of the change in event pressure levels over a period and the level of ambient pressure excitation facilitate the development of a robust classification algorithm. The features reliably discriminates mortar and artillery variants via acoustic signals produced during the launch events. Utilizing acoustic sensors to exploit the sound waveform generated from the blast for the identification of mortar and artillery variants as type A, etcetera through analysis of the waveform. Distinct characteristics arise within the different mortar/artillery variants because varying HE mortar payloads and related charges emphasize varying size events at launch. The waveform holds various harmonic properties distinct to a given mortar/artillery variant that through advanced signal processing and data mining techniques can employed to classify a given type. The skewness and other statistical processing techniques are used to extract the predominant components from the acoustic signatures at ranges exceeding 3000m. Exploiting these techniques will help develop a feature set highly independent of range, providing discrimination based on acoustic elements of the blast wave. Highly reliable discrimination will be achieved with a feed-forward neural network classifier trained on a feature space derived from the distribution of statistical coefficients, frequency spectrum, and higher frequency details found within different energy bands. The processes that are described herein extend current technologies, which emphasis acoustic sensor systems to provide such situational awareness.

  5. Simulation study and guidelines to generate Laser-induced Surface Acoustic Waves for human skin feature detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Tingting; Fu, Xing; Chen, Kun; Dorantes-Gonzalez, Dante J.; Li, Yanning; Wu, Sen; Hu, Xiaotang

    2015-12-01

    Despite the seriously increasing number of people contracting skin cancer every year, limited attention has been given to the investigation of human skin tissues. To this regard, Laser-induced Surface Acoustic Wave (LSAW) technology, with its accurate, non-invasive and rapid testing characteristics, has recently shown promising results in biological and biomedical tissues. In order to improve the measurement accuracy and efficiency of detecting important features in highly opaque and soft surfaces such as human skin, this paper identifies the most important parameters of a pulse laser source, as well as provides practical guidelines to recommended proper ranges to generate Surface Acoustic Waves (SAWs) for characterization purposes. Considering that melanoma is a serious type of skin cancer, we conducted a finite element simulation-based research on the generation and propagation of surface waves in human skin containing a melanoma-like feature, determine best pulse laser parameter ranges of variation, simulation mesh size and time step, working bandwidth, and minimal size of detectable melanoma.

  6. Hot topics: Signal processing in acoustics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gaumond, Charles F.

    2005-09-01

    Signal processing in acoustics is a multidisciplinary group of people that work in many areas of acoustics. We have chosen two areas that have shown exciting new applications of signal processing to acoustics or have shown exciting and important results from the use of signal processing. In this session, two hot topics are shown: the use of noiselike acoustic fields to determine sound propagation structure and the use of localization to determine animal behaviors. The first topic shows the application of correlation on geo-acoustic fields to determine the Greens function for propagation through the Earth. These results can then be further used to solve geo-acoustic inverse problems. The first topic also shows the application of correlation using oceanic noise fields to determine the Greens function through the ocean. These results also have utility for oceanic inverse problems. The second topic shows exciting results from the detection, localization, and tracking of marine mammals by two different groups. Results from detection and localization of bullfrogs are shown, too. Each of these studies contributed to the knowledge of animal behavior. [Work supported by ONR.

  7. Truck acoustic data analyzer system

    DOEpatents

    Haynes, Howard D.; Akerman, Alfred; Ayers, Curtis W.

    2006-07-04

    A passive vehicle acoustic data analyzer system having at least one microphone disposed in the acoustic field of a moving vehicle and a computer in electronic communication the microphone(s). The computer detects and measures the frequency shift in the acoustic signature emitted by the vehicle as it approaches and passes the microphone(s). The acoustic signature of a truck driving by a microphone can provide enough information to estimate the truck speed in miles-per-hour (mph), engine speed in rotations-per-minute (RPM), turbocharger speed in RPM, and vehicle weight.

  8. Novel Fiber-Optic Ring Acoustic Emission Sensor

    PubMed Central

    Han, Xiaole; Xia, Dong; Liu, Taolin; Lang, Hao

    2018-01-01

    Acoustic emission technology has been applied to many fields for many years. However, the conventional piezoelectric acoustic emission sensors cannot be used in extreme environments, such as those with heavy electromagnetic interference, high pressure, or strong corrosion. In this paper, a novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor is proposed. The sensor exhibits high sensitivity, anti-electromagnetic interference, and corrosion resistance. First, the principle of a novel fiber-optic ring sensor is introduced. Different from piezoelectric and other fiber acoustic emission sensors, this novel sensor includes both a sensing skeleton and a sensing fiber. Second, a heterodyne interferometric demodulating method is presented. In addition, a fiber-optic ring sensor acoustic emission system is built based on this method. Finally, fiber-optic ring acoustic emission experiments are performed. The novel fiber-optic ring sensor is glued onto the surface of an aluminum plate. The 150 kHz standard continuous sinusoidal signals and broken lead signals are successfully detected by the novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor. In addition, comparison to the piezoelectric acoustic emission sensor is performed, which shows the availability and reliability of the novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor. In the future, this novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor will provide a new route to acoustic emission detection in harsh environments. PMID:29342858

  9. Reflective echo tomographic imaging using acoustic beams

    DOEpatents

    Kisner, Roger; Santos-Villalobos, Hector J

    2014-11-25

    An inspection system includes a plurality of acoustic beamformers, where each of the plurality of acoustic beamformers including a plurality of acoustic transmitter elements. The system also includes at least one controller configured for causing each of the plurality of acoustic beamformers to generate an acoustic beam directed to a point in a volume of interest during a first time. Based on a reflected wave intensity detected at a plurality of acoustic receiver elements, an image of the volume of interest can be generated.

  10. Ocean Basin Impact of Ambient Noise on Marine Mammal Detectability, Distribution, and Acoustic Communication

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-07-06

    in the soundscape over time. This study did not address difference in detection area as a result of transient sources such as passing vessels...Island in the Pacific Ocean and highlights the need to take changing soundscape characteristics into account during passive acoustic monitoring or...were joined to better understand the contribution and variation in distant shipping noise to local soundscapes (Ainslie & Miksis-Olds, 2013). Results

  11. Acoustic method of particle detection and its applications for geophysics studies by means of a neutrino beam. Homage to Prof. B.A. Dolgoshein (1930-2010)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Borissov, A. B.

    2013-04-01

    Development of the acoustic method of particle detection is presented from the very beginning until current experiments and perspectives. In 1976, Askaryan and Dolgoshein suggested acoustic detection of ultra high energy neutrino in ocean by using an acoustic signal generated according to thermoacoustic mechanism. Practical realization of such project is going on now in several experiments. In 1983, De Rujula, Glashow, Wilson, Charpak presented a possibility to use neutrino beam produced by a multi-TeV proton synchrotron for purposes of geological research. Dedicated studies were started in the group of Dolgoshein. Results of Monte Carlo simulations and measurement of such acoustic signals on the test beams of 70 GeV proton accelerator are reported. A new possibility to forecast the earthquakes using the measurement of the velocity of longitudinal sound waves in the region of earthquake by means of usage of neutrino beam as an underground source of acoustic waves is discussed.

  12. Micro acoustic spectrum analyzer

    DOEpatents

    Schubert, W. Kent; Butler, Michael A.; Adkins, Douglas R.; Anderson, Larry F.

    2004-11-23

    A micro acoustic spectrum analyzer for determining the frequency components of a fluctuating sound signal comprises a microphone to pick up the fluctuating sound signal and produce an alternating current electrical signal; at least one microfabricated resonator, each resonator having a different resonant frequency, that vibrate in response to the alternating current electrical signal; and at least one detector to detect the vibration of the microfabricated resonators. The micro acoustic spectrum analyzer can further comprise a mixer to mix a reference signal with the alternating current electrical signal from the microphone to shift the frequency spectrum to a frequency range that is a better matched to the resonant frequencies of the microfabricated resonators. The micro acoustic spectrum analyzer can be designed specifically for portability, size, cost, accuracy, speed, power requirements, and use in a harsh environment. The micro acoustic spectrum analyzer is particularly suited for applications where size, accessibility, and power requirements are limited, such as the monitoring of industrial equipment and processes, detection of security intrusions, or evaluation of military threats.

  13. AE (Acoustic Emission) for Flip-Chip CGA/FCBGA Defect Detection

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ghaffarian, Reza

    2014-01-01

    C-mode scanning acoustic microscopy (C-SAM) is a nondestructive inspection technique that uses ultrasound to show the internal feature of a specimen. A very high or ultra-high-frequency ultrasound passes through a specimen to produce a visible acoustic microimage (AMI) of its inner features. As ultrasound travels into a specimen, the wave is absorbed, scattered or reflected. The response is highly sensitive to the elastic properties of the materials and is especially sensitive to air gaps. This specific characteristic makes AMI the preferred method for finding "air gaps" such as delamination, cracks, voids, and porosity. C-SAM analysis, which is a type of AMI, was widely used in the past for evaluation of plastic microelectronic circuits, especially for detecting delamination of direct die bonding. With the introduction of the flip-chip die attachment in a package; its use has been expanded to nondestructive characterization of the flip-chip solder bumps and underfill. Figure 1.1 compares visual and C-SAM inspection approaches for defect detection, especially for solder joint interconnections and hidden defects. C-SAM is specifically useful for package features like internal cracks and delamination. C-SAM not only allows for the visualization of the interior features, it has the ability to produce images on layer-by-layer basis. Visual inspection; however, is only superior to C-SAM for the exposed features including solder dewetting, microcracks, and contamination. Ideally, a combination of various inspection techniques - visual, optical and SEM microscopy, C-SAM, and X-ray - need to be performed in order to assure quality at part, package, and system levels. This reports presents evaluations performed on various advanced packages/assemblies, especially the flip-chip die version of ball grid array/column grid array (BGA/CGA) using C-SAM equipment. Both external and internal equipment was used for evaluation. The outside facility provided images of the key features

  14. Passive acoustic leak detection for sodium cooled fast reactors using hidden Markov models

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Riber Marklund, A.; Kishore, S.; Prakash, V.

    2015-07-01

    Acoustic leak detection for steam generators of sodium fast reactors have been an active research topic since the early 1970's and several methods have been tested over the years. Inspired by its success in the field of automatic speech recognition, we here apply hidden Markov models (HMM) in combination with Gaussian mixture models (GMM) to the problem. To achieve this, we propose a new feature calculation scheme, based on the temporal evolution of the power spectral density (PSD) of the signal. Using acoustic signals recorded during steam/water injection experiments done at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), themore » proposed method is tested. We perform parametric studies on the HMM+GMM model size and demonstrate that the proposed method a) performs well without a priori knowledge of injection noise, b) can incorporate several noise models and c) has an output distribution that simplifies false alarm rate control. (authors)« less

  15. Damage Detection in Railway Prestressed Concrete Sleepers using Acoustic Emission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clark, A.; Kaewunruen, S.; Janeliukstis, R.; Papaelias, M.

    2017-10-01

    Prestressed concrete sleepers (or railroad ties) are safety-critical elements in railway tracks that distribute the wheel loads from the rails to the track support system. Over a period of time, the concrete sleepers age and deteriorate in addition to experiencing various types of static and dynamic loading conditions, which are attributable to train operations. In many cases, structural cracks can develop within the sleepers due to high intensity impact loads or due to poor track maintenance. Often, cracks of sleepers develop and present at the midspan due to excessive negative bending. These cracks can cause broken sleepers and sometimes called ‘center bound’ problem in railway lines. This paper is the world first to present an application of non-destructive acoustic emission technology for damage detection in railway concrete sleepers. It presents experimental investigations in order to detect center-bound cracks in railway prestressed concrete sleepers. Experimental laboratory testing involves three-point bending tests of four concrete sleepers. Three-point bending tests correspond to a real failure mode, when the loads are not transferred uniformly to the ballast support. It is observed that AE sensing provides an accurate means for detecting the location and magnitude of cracks in sleepers. Sensor location criticality is also highlighted in the paper to demonstrate the reliability-based damage detection of the sleepers.

  16. Preliminary study of detection of buried landmines using a programmable hyperspectral imager

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McFee, John E.; Ripley, Herb T.; Buxton, Roger; Thriscutt, Andrew M.

    1996-05-01

    Experiments were conducted to determine if buried mines could be detected by measuring the change in reflectance spectra of vegetation above mine burial sites. Mines were laid using hand methods and simulated mechanical methods and spectral images were obtained over a three month period using a casi hyperspectral imager scanned from a personnel lift. Mines were not detectable by measurement of the shift of the red edge of vegetative spectra. By calculating the linear correlation coefficient image, some mines in light vegetative cover (grass, grass/blueberries) were apparently detected, but mines buried in heavy vegetation cover (deep ferns) were not detectable. Due to problems with ground truthing, accurate probabilities of detection and false alarm rates were not obtained.

  17. Comparison of radio-telemetric home range analysis and acoustic detection for Little Brown Bat habitat evaluation

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Coleman, Laci S.; Ford, W. Mark; Dobony, Christopher A.; Britzke, Eric R.

    2014-01-01

    With dramatic declines of bat populations due to mortality caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans (White-nose Syndrome), assessing habitat preferences of bats in the northeastern US is now critical to guide the development of regional conservation efforts. In the summer of 2012, we conducted fixed-station simultaneous telemetry to determine nocturnal spatial use and fixed-kernel home-range estimates of available habitat of a Myotis lucifugus (Le Conte) (Little Brown Bat) maternity colony in an artificial bat house. In summers of 2011 and 2012, we also deployed a 52-ha grid of 4 × 4 Anabat acoustic detectors over five 6–8-day sampling periods in various riparian and non-riparian environments in close proximity to the same bat house. The mean telemetry home range of 143 ha for bats (n = 7) completely overlapped the acoustic grid. Rankings of habitats from telemetry data for these 7 bats and 5 additional bats not included in home-range calculations but added for habitat-use measures (n = 13) revealed a higher proportional use of forested riparian habitats than other types at the landscape scale. Pair-wise comparisons of habitats indicated that bats were found significantly closer to forested riparian habitats and forests than to open water, developed areas, fields, shrublands, or wetland habitats at the landscape scale. Acoustic sampling showed that naïve occupancy was 0.8 and 0.6 and mean nightly detection probabilities were 0.23 and 0.08 at riparian and non-riparian sites, respectively. Our findings suggest that Little Brown Bats select forested riparian and forested habitats for foraging at the landscape scale but may be most easily detected acoustically at riparian sites when a simple occupancy determination for an area is required.

  18. Early Detection of Steel Rebar Corrosion by Acoustic Emission Monitoring

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1995-01-01

    Acoustic emission monitoring was performed in a unique way on concrete specimens containing reinforcing steel and the acoustic emission events correlated with the presence of rebar corrosion. Verification of rebar corrosion was done by galvanic curre...

  19. Acoustic detection of Oryctes rhinoceros (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) and Nasutitermes luzonicus (Isoptera: Termitidae) in palm trees in urban Guam.

    PubMed

    Mankin, R W; Moore, A

    2010-08-01

    Adult and larval Oryctes rhinoceros (L.) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) were acoustically detected in live and dead palm trees and logs in recently invaded areas of Guam, along with Nasutitermes luzonicus Oshima (Isoptera: Termitidae), and other small, sound-producing invertebrates and invertebrates. The low-frequency, long-duration sound-impulse trains produced by large, active O. rhinoceros and the higher frequency, shorter impulse trains produced by feeding N. luzonicus had distinctive spectral and temporal patterns that facilitated their identification and discrimination from background noise, as well as from roaches, earwigs, and other small sound-producing organisms present in the trees and logs. The distinctiveness of the O. rhinoceros sounds enables current usage of acoustic detection as a tactic in Guam's ongoing O. rhinoceros eradication program.

  20. Detection of bioagents using a shear horizontal surface acoustic wave biosensor

    DOEpatents

    Larson, Richard S; Hjelle, Brian; Hall, Pam R; Brown, David C; Bisoffi, Marco; Brozik, Susan M; Branch, Darren W; Edwards, Thayne L; Wheeler, David

    2014-04-29

    A biosensor combining the sensitivity of surface acoustic waves (SAW) generated at a frequency of 325 MHz with the specificity provided by antibodies and other ligands for the detection of viral agents. In a preferred embodiment, a lithium tantalate based SAW transducer with silicon dioxide waveguide sensor platform featuring three test and one reference delay lines was used to adsorb antibodies directed against Coxsackie virus B4 or the negative-stranded category A bioagent Sin Nombre virus (SNV). Rapid detection of increasing concentrations of viral particles was linear over a range of order of magnitude for both viruses, and the sensor's selectivity for its target was not compromised by the presence of confounding Herpes Simplex virus type 1 The biosensor was able to delect SNV at doses lower than the load of virus typically found in a human patient suffering from hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS).

  1. Bat detective—Deep learning tools for bat acoustic signal detection

    PubMed Central

    Barlow, Kate E.; Firman, Michael; Freeman, Robin; Harder, Briana; Kinsey, Libby; Mead, Gary R.; Newson, Stuart E.; Pandourski, Ivan; Russ, Jon; Szodoray-Paradi, Abigel; Tilova, Elena; Girolami, Mark; Jones, Kate E.

    2018-01-01

    Passive acoustic sensing has emerged as a powerful tool for quantifying anthropogenic impacts on biodiversity, especially for echolocating bat species. To better assess bat population trends there is a critical need for accurate, reliable, and open source tools that allow the detection and classification of bat calls in large collections of audio recordings. The majority of existing tools are commercial or have focused on the species classification task, neglecting the important problem of first localizing echolocation calls in audio which is particularly problematic in noisy recordings. We developed a convolutional neural network based open-source pipeline for detecting ultrasonic, full-spectrum, search-phase calls produced by echolocating bats. Our deep learning algorithms were trained on full-spectrum ultrasonic audio collected along road-transects across Europe and labelled by citizen scientists from www.batdetective.org. When compared to other existing algorithms and commercial systems, we show significantly higher detection performance of search-phase echolocation calls with our test sets. As an example application, we ran our detection pipeline on bat monitoring data collected over five years from Jersey (UK), and compared results to a widely-used commercial system. Our detection pipeline can be used for the automatic detection and monitoring of bat populations, and further facilitates their use as indicator species on a large scale. Our proposed pipeline makes only a small number of bat specific design decisions, and with appropriate training data it could be applied to detecting other species in audio. A crucial novelty of our work is showing that with careful, non-trivial, design and implementation considerations, state-of-the-art deep learning methods can be used for accurate and efficient monitoring in audio. PMID:29518076

  2. The effect of distraction on change detection in crowded acoustic scenes.

    PubMed

    Petsas, Theofilos; Harrison, Jemma; Kashino, Makio; Furukawa, Shigeto; Chait, Maria

    2016-11-01

    In this series of behavioural experiments we investigated the effect of distraction on the maintenance of acoustic scene information in short-term memory. Stimuli are artificial acoustic 'scenes' composed of several (up to twelve) concurrent tone-pip streams ('sources'). A gap (1000 ms) is inserted partway through the 'scene'; Changes in the form of an appearance of a new source or disappearance of an existing source, occur after the gap in 50% of the trials. Listeners were instructed to monitor the unfolding 'soundscapes' for these events. Distraction was measured by presenting distractor stimuli during the gap. Experiments 1 and 2 used a dual task design where listeners were required to perform a task with varying attentional demands ('High Demand' vs. 'Low Demand') on brief auditory (Experiment 1a) or visual (Experiment 1b) signals presented during the gap. Experiments 2 and 3 required participants to ignore distractor sounds and focus on the change detection task. Our results demonstrate that the maintenance of scene information in short-term memory is influenced by the availability of attentional and/or processing resources during the gap, and that this dependence appears to be modality specific. We also show that these processes are susceptible to bottom up driven distraction even in situations when the distractors are not novel, but occur on each trial. Change detection performance is systematically linked with the, independently determined, perceptual salience of the distractor sound. The findings also demonstrate that the present task may be a useful objective means for determining relative perceptual salience. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Assisting the visually impaired: obstacle detection and warning system by acoustic feedback.

    PubMed

    Rodríguez, Alberto; Yebes, J Javier; Alcantarilla, Pablo F; Bergasa, Luis M; Almazán, Javier; Cela, Andrés

    2012-12-17

    The aim of this article is focused on the design of an obstacle detection system for assisting visually impaired people. A dense disparity map is computed from the images of a stereo camera carried by the user. By using the dense disparity map, potential obstacles can be detected in 3D in indoor and outdoor scenarios. A ground plane estimation algorithm based on RANSAC plus filtering techniques allows the robust detection of the ground in every frame. A polar grid representation is proposed to account for the potential obstacles in the scene. The design is completed with acoustic feedback to assist visually impaired users while approaching obstacles. Beep sounds with different frequencies and repetitions inform the user about the presence of obstacles. Audio bone conducting technology is employed to play these sounds without interrupting the visually impaired user from hearing other important sounds from its local environment. A user study participated by four visually impaired volunteers supports the proposed system.

  4. Assisting the Visually Impaired: Obstacle Detection and Warning System by Acoustic Feedback

    PubMed Central

    Rodríguez, Alberto; Yebes, J. Javier; Alcantarilla, Pablo F.; Bergasa, Luis M.; Almazán, Javier; Cela, Andrés

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this article is focused on the design of an obstacle detection system for assisting visually impaired people. A dense disparity map is computed from the images of a stereo camera carried by the user. By using the dense disparity map, potential obstacles can be detected in 3D in indoor and outdoor scenarios. A ground plane estimation algorithm based on RANSAC plus filtering techniques allows the robust detection of the ground in every frame. A polar grid representation is proposed to account for the potential obstacles in the scene. The design is completed with acoustic feedback to assist visually impaired users while approaching obstacles. Beep sounds with different frequencies and repetitions inform the user about the presence of obstacles. Audio bone conducting technology is employed to play these sounds without interrupting the visually impaired user from hearing other important sounds from its local environment. A user study participated by four visually impaired volunteers supports the proposed system. PMID:23247413

  5. Effects of atmospheric variations on acoustic system performance

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nation, Robert; Lang, Stephen; Olsen, Robert; Chintawongvanich, Prasan

    1993-01-01

    Acoustic propagation over medium to long ranges in the atmosphere is subject to many complex, interacting effects. Of particular interest at this point is modeling low frequency (less than 500 Hz) propagation for the purpose of predicting ranges and bearing accuracies at which acoustic sources can be detected. A simple means of estimating how much of the received signal power propagated directly from the source to the receiver and how much was received by turbulent scattering was developed. The correlations between the propagation mechanism and detection thresholds, beamformer bearing estimation accuracies, and beamformer processing gain of passive acoustic signal detection systems were explored.

  6. Counter-narcotic acoustic buoy (CNAB)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bailey, Mark E.

    2004-09-01

    As a means to detect drug trafficking in a maritime environment, the Counter Narcotic Acoustic Buoy is part of an inexpensive system designed to detect "Go Fast" boats and report via satellite to a designated location. A go fast boat for this evaluation is defined as any boat with twin 200 horsepower outboard engines. The buoy is designed for deployment in salt water at depths ranging from 50 to 600 feet and can be easily deployed by one or two persons. Detections are based on noise energy exceeding a preset level within a frequency band associated with the go fast boat's acoustic signature. Detection ranges have been demonstrated to greater than three nautical miles.

  7. Streptavidin Modified ZnO Film Bulk Acoustic Resonator for Detection of Tumor Marker Mucin 1

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Dan; Guo, Peng; Xiong, Juan; Wang, Shengfu

    2016-09-01

    A ZnO-based film bulk acoustic resonator has been fabricated using a magnetron sputtering technology, which was employed as a biosensor for detection of mucin 1. The resonant frequency of the thin-film bulk acoustic resonator was located near at 1503.3 MHz. The average electromechanical coupling factor {K}_{eff}^2 and quality factor Q were 2.39 % and 224, respectively. Using the specific binding system of avidin-biotin, the streptavidin was self-assembled on the top gold electrode as the sensitive layer to indirectly test the MUC1 molecules. The resonant frequency of the biosensor decreases in response to the mass loading in range of 20-500 nM. The sensor modified with the streptavidin exhibits a high sensitivity of 4642.6 Hz/nM and a good selectivity.

  8. A new framework for analysing automated acoustic species-detection data: occupancy estimation and optimization of recordings post-processing

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Chambert, Thierry A.; Waddle, J. Hardin; Miller, David A.W.; Walls, Susan; Nichols, James D.

    2018-01-01

    The development and use of automated species-detection technologies, such as acoustic recorders, for monitoring wildlife are rapidly expanding. Automated classification algorithms provide a cost- and time-effective means to process information-rich data, but often at the cost of additional detection errors. Appropriate methods are necessary to analyse such data while dealing with the different types of detection errors.We developed a hierarchical modelling framework for estimating species occupancy from automated species-detection data. We explore design and optimization of data post-processing procedures to account for detection errors and generate accurate estimates. Our proposed method accounts for both imperfect detection and false positive errors and utilizes information about both occurrence and abundance of detections to improve estimation.Using simulations, we show that our method provides much more accurate estimates than models ignoring the abundance of detections. The same findings are reached when we apply the methods to two real datasets on North American frogs surveyed with acoustic recorders.When false positives occur, estimator accuracy can be improved when a subset of detections produced by the classification algorithm is post-validated by a human observer. We use simulations to investigate the relationship between accuracy and effort spent on post-validation, and found that very accurate occupancy estimates can be obtained with as little as 1% of data being validated.Automated monitoring of wildlife provides opportunity and challenges. Our methods for analysing automated species-detection data help to meet key challenges unique to these data and will prove useful for many wildlife monitoring programs.

  9. Early detection of melanoma with the combined use of acoustic microscopy, infrared reflectance and Raman spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karagiannis, Georgios T.; Grivas, Ioannis; Tsingotjidou, Anastasia; Apostolidis, Georgios K.; Grigoriadou, Ifigeneia; Dori, I.; Poulatsidou, Kyriaki-Nefeli; Doumas, Argyrios; Wesarg, Stefan; Georgoulias, Panagiotis

    2015-03-01

    Malignant melanoma is a form of skin cancer, with increasing incidence worldwide. Early diagnosis is crucial for the prognosis and treatment of the disease. The objective of this study is to develop a novel animal model of melanoma and apply a combination of the non-invasive imaging techniques acoustic microscopy, infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopies, for the detection of developing tumors. Acoustic microscopy provides information about the 3D structure of the tumor, whereas, both spectroscopic modalities give qualitative insight of biochemical changes during melanoma development. In order to efficiently set up the final devices, propagation of ultrasonic and electromagnetic waves in normal skin and melanoma simulated structures was performed. Synthetic and grape-extracted melanin (simulated tumors), endermally injected, were scanned and compared to normal skin. For both cases acoustic microscopy with central operating frequencies of 110MHz and 175MHz were used, resulting to the tomographic imaging of the simulated tumor, while with the spectroscopic modalities IR and Raman differences among spectra of normal and melanin- injected sites were identified in skin depth. Subsequently, growth of actual tumors in an animal melanoma model, with the use of human malignant melanoma cells was achieved. Acoustic microscopy and IR and Raman spectroscopies were also applied. The development of tumors at different time points was displayed using acoustic microscopy. Moreover, the changes of the IR and Raman spectra were studied between the melanoma tumors and adjacent healthy skin. The most significant changes between healthy skin and the melanoma area were observed in the range of 900-1800cm-1 and 350-2000cm-1, respectively.

  10. Nuclear quadrupole resonance detection of explosives: an overview

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller, Joel B.

    2011-06-01

    Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance (NQR) is a spectroscopic technique closely related to Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). These techniques, and NQR in particular, induce signals from the material being interrogated that are very specific to the chemical and physical structure of the material, but are relatively insensitive to the physical form of the material. NQR explosives detection exploits this specificity to detect explosive materials, in contrast to other well known techniques that are designed to detect explosive devices. The past two decades have seen a large research and development effort in NQR explosives detection in the United States aimed at transportation security and military applications. Here, I will briefly describe the physical basis for NQR before discussing NQR developments over the past decade, with particular emphasis on landmine detection and the use of NQR in combating IED's. Potential future directions for NQR research and development are discussed.

  11. Acoustic Manifestations of Natural versus Triggered Lightning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arechiga, R. O.; Johnson, J. B.; Edens, H. E.; Rison, W.; Thomas, R. J.; Eack, K.; Eastvedt, E. M.; Aulich, G. D.; Trueblood, J.

    2010-12-01

    Positive leaders are rarely detected by VHF lightning detection systems; positive leader channels are usually outlined only by recoil events. Positive cloud-to-ground (CG) channels are usually not mapped. The goal of this work is to study the types of thunder produced by natural versus triggered lightning and to assess which types of thunder signals have electromagnetic activity detected by the lightning mapping array (LMA). Towards this end we are investigating the lightning detection capabilities of acoustic techniques, and comparing them with the LMA. In a previous study we used array beam forming and time of flight information to locate acoustic sources associated with lightning. Even though there was some mismatch, generally LMA and acoustic techniques saw the same phenomena. To increase the database of acoustic data from lightning, we deployed a network of three infrasound arrays (30 m aperture) during the summer of 2010 (August 3 to present) in the Magdalena mountains of New Mexico, to monitor infrasound (below 20 Hz) and audio range sources due to natural and triggered lightning. The arrays were located at a range of distances (60 to 1400 m) surrounding the triggering site, called the Kiva, used by Langmuir Laboratory to launch rockets. We have continuous acoustic measurements of lightning data from July 20 to September 18 of 2009, and from August 3 to September 1 of 2010. So far, lightning activity around the Kiva was higher during the summer of 2009. We will present acoustic data from several interesting lightning flashes including a comparison between a natural and a triggered one.

  12. Bilinear Time-frequency Analysis for Lamb Wave Signal Detected by Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Wenxiu; Liu, Guoqiang; Xia, Hui; Xia, Zhengwu

    2018-03-01

    Accurate acquisition of the detection signal travel time plays a very important role in cross-hole tomography. The experimental platform of aluminum plate under the perpendicular magnetic field is established and the bilinear time-frequency analysis methods, Wigner-Ville Distribution (WVD) and the pseudo-Wigner-Ville distribution (PWVD), are applied to analyse the Lamb wave signals detected by electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT). By extracting the same frequency component of the time-frequency spectrum as the excitation frequency, the travel time information can be obtained. In comparison with traditional linear time-frequency analysis method such as short-time Fourier transform (STFT), the bilinear time-frequency analysis method PWVD is more appropriate in extracting travel time and recognizing patterns of Lamb wave.

  13. Airborne Acoustic Perception by a Jumping Spider.

    PubMed

    Shamble, Paul S; Menda, Gil; Golden, James R; Nitzany, Eyal I; Walden, Katherine; Beatus, Tsevi; Elias, Damian O; Cohen, Itai; Miles, Ronald N; Hoy, Ronald R

    2016-11-07

    Jumping spiders (Salticidae) are famous for their visually driven behaviors [1]. Here, however, we present behavioral and neurophysiological evidence that these animals also perceive and respond to airborne acoustic stimuli, even when the distance between the animal and the sound source is relatively large (∼3 m) and with stimulus amplitudes at the position of the spider of ∼65 dB sound pressure level (SPL). Behavioral experiments with the jumping spider Phidippus audax reveal that these animals respond to low-frequency sounds (80 Hz; 65 dB SPL) by freezing-a common anti-predatory behavior characteristic of an acoustic startle response. Neurophysiological recordings from auditory-sensitive neural units in the brains of these jumping spiders showed responses to low-frequency tones (80 Hz at ∼65 dB SPL)-recordings that also represent the first record of acoustically responsive neural units in the jumping spider brain. Responses persisted even when the distances between spider and stimulus source exceeded 3 m and under anechoic conditions. Thus, these spiders appear able to detect airborne sound at distances in the acoustic far-field region, beyond the near-field range often thought to bound acoustic perception in arthropods that lack tympanic ears (e.g., spiders) [2]. Furthermore, direct mechanical stimulation of hairs on the patella of the foreleg was sufficient to generate responses in neural units that also responded to airborne acoustic stimuli-evidence that these hairs likely play a role in the detection of acoustic cues. We suggest that these auditory responses enable the detection of predators and facilitate an acoustic startle response. VIDEO ABSTRACT. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Acoustic parametric pumping of spin waves

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Keshtgar, Hedyeh; Zareyan, Malek; Bauer, Gerrit E. W.

    2014-11-01

    Recent experiments demonstrated generation of spin currents by ultrasound. We can understand this acoustically induced spin pumping in terms of the coupling between magnetization and lattice waves. Here we study the parametric excitation of magnetization by longitudinal acoustic waves and calculate the acoustic threshold power. The induced magnetization dynamics can be detected by the spin pumping into an adjacent normal metal that displays the inverse spin Hall effect.

  15. Design, fabrication, and optimization of photo acoustic gas sensor for the trace level detection of NO2 in the atmosphere.

    PubMed

    Gondal, Mohammed A; Dastageer, Mohamed A

    2010-09-01

    Photoacoustic (PA) gas sensor for the detection of hazardous NO(2) with detection limit as low as few part per billion by volume (ppbV) has been designed and tested with pulsed UV laser. Some design optimization factors such as the optimum cell geometry, buffer gas etc has been proposed. It was found that a cylindrical cell with many acoustic filters considerably dampens the noise level and also argon as a buffer gas improves the photoacoustic signal level and this combination substantially improved the signal to noise ratio and the limit of detection. Ambiguous decline of photo acoustic signal at higher NO(2) concentration due to the adsorption of NO(2) on the walls of the photoacoustic cells and the dependence of this effect on the buffer gases are also discussed. The PA signal dependence on incident laser energy for three cells was also investigated.

  16. Using multiple gears to assess acoustic detectability and biomass of fish species in lake superior

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Yule, D.L.; Adams, J.V.; Stockwell, J.D.; Gorman, O.T.

    2007-01-01

    Recent predator demand and prey supply studies suggest that an annual daytime bottom trawl survey of Lake Superior underestimates prey fish biomass. A multiple-gear (acoustics, bottom trawl, and midwater trawl) nighttime survey has been recommended, but before abandoning a long-term daytime survey the effectiveness of night sampling of important prey species must be verified. We sampled three bottom depths (30, 60, and 120 m) at a Lake Superior site where the fish community included all commercially and ecologically important species. Day and night samples were collected within 48 h at all depths during eight different periods (one new and one full moon period during both early summer and late summer to early fall over 2 years). Biomass of demersal and benthic species was higher in night bottom trawl samples than in day bottom trawl samples. Night acoustic collections showed that pelagic fish typically occupied water cooler than 15°C and light levels less than 0.001 lx. Using biomass in night bottom trawls and acoustic biomass above the bottom trawl path, we calculated an index of acoustic detectability for each species. Ciscoes Coregonus artedi, kiyis C. kiyi, and rainbow smeltOsmerus mordax left the bottom at night, whereas bloaters C. hoyi stayed nearer the bottom. We compared the biomass of important prey species estimated with two survey types: day bottom trawls and night estimates of the entire water column (bottom trawl biomass plus acoustic biomass). The biomass of large ciscoes (>200 mm) was significantly greater when measured at night than when measured during daylight, but the differences for other sizes of important species did not vary significantly by survey type. Nighttime of late summer is a period when conditions for biomass estimation are largely invariant, and all important prey species can be sampled using a multiple-gear approach.

  17. NEMO-SMO acoustic array: A deep-sea test of a novel acoustic positioning system for a km3-scale underwater neutrino telescope

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Viola, S.; Ardid, M.; Bertin, V.; Enzenhöfer, A.; Keller, P.; Lahmann, R.; Larosa, G.; Llorens, C. D.; NEMO Collaboration; SMO Collaboration

    2013-10-01

    Within the activities of the NEMO project, the installation of a 8-floors tower (NEMO-Phase II) at a depth of 3500 m is foreseen in 2012. The tower will be installed about 80 km off-shore Capo Passero, in Sicily. On board the NEMO tower, an array of 18 acoustic sensors will be installed, permitting acoustic detection of biological sources, studies for acoustic neutrino detection and primarily acoustic positioning of the underwater structures. For the latter purpose, the sensors register acoustic signals emitted by five acoustic beacons anchored on the sea-floor. The data acquisition system of the acoustic sensors is fully integrated with the detector data transport system and is based on an “all data to shore” philosophy. Signals coming from hydrophones are continuously sampled underwater at 192 kHz/24 bit and transmitted to shore through an electro-optical cable for real-time analysis. A novel technology for underwater GPS time-stamping of data has been implemented and tested. The operation of the acoustic array will permit long-term test of sensors and electronics technologies that are proposed for the acoustic positioning system of KM3NeT.

  18. Acoustic Microfluidics for Bioanalytical Application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lopez, Gabriel

    2013-03-01

    This talk will present new methods the use of ultrasonic standing waves in microfluidic systems to manipulate microparticles for the purpose of bioassays and bioseparations. We have recently developed multi-node acoustic focusing flow cells that can position particles into many parallel flow streams and have demonstrated the potential of such flow cells in the development of high throughput, parallel flow cytometers. These experiments show the potential for the creation of high throughput flow cytometers in applications requiring high flow rates and rapid detection of rare cells. This talk will also present the development of elastomeric capture microparticles and their use in acoustophoretic separations. We have developed simple methods to form elastomeric particles that are surface functionalized with biomolecular recognition reagents. These compressible particles exhibit negative acoustic contrast in ultrasound when suspended in aqueous media, blood serum or diluted blood. These particles can be continuously separated from cells by flowing them through a microfluidic device that uses an ultrasonic standing wave to align the blood cells, which exhibit positive acoustic contrast, at a node in the acoustic pressure distribution while aligning the negative acoustic contrast elastomeric particles at the antinodes. Laminar flow of the separated particles to downstream collection ports allows for collection of the separated negative contrast particles and cells. Separated elastomeric particles were analyzed via flow cytometry to demonstrate nanomolar detection for prostate specific antigen in aqueous buffer and picomolar detection for IgG in plasma and diluted blood samples. This approach has potential applications in the development of rapid assays that detect the presence of low concentrations of biomarkers (including biomolecules and cells) in a number of biological sample types. We acknowledge support through the NSF Research Triangle MRSEC.

  19. Dual fiber Bragg gratings configuration-based fiber acoustic sensor for low-frequency signal detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Dong; Wang, Shun; Lu, Ping; Liu, Deming

    2014-11-01

    We propose and fabricate a new type fiber acoustic sensor based on dual fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) configuration. The acoustic sensor head is constructed by putting the sensing cells enclosed in an aluminum cylinder space built by two Cband FBGs and a titanium diaphragm of 50 um thickness. One end of each FBG is longitudinally adhered to the diaphragm by UV glue. Both of the two FBGs are employed for reflecting light. The dual FBGs play roles not only as signal transmission system but also as sensing component, and they demodulate each other's optical signal mutually during the measurement. Both of the two FBGs are pre-strained and the output optical power experiences fluctuation in a linear relationship along with a variation of axial strain and surrounding acoustic interference. So a precise approach to measure the frequency and sound pressure of the acoustic disturbance is achieved. Experiments are performed and results show that a relatively flat frequency response in a range from 200 Hz to 1 kHz with the average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) above 21 dB is obtained. The maximum sound pressure sensitivity of 11.35mV/Pa is achieved with the Rsquared value of 0.99131 when the sound pressure in the range of 87.7-106.6dB. It has potential applications in low frequency signal detection. Owing to its direct self-demodulation method, the sensing system reveals the advantages of easy to demodulate, good temperature stability and measurement reliability. Besides, performance of the proposed sensor could be improved by optimizing the parameters of the sensor, especially the diaphragm.

  20. Acoustic detection, tracking, and characterization of three tornadoes.

    PubMed

    Frazier, William Garth; Talmadge, Carrick; Park, Joseph; Waxler, Roger; Assink, Jelle

    2014-04-01

    Acoustic data recorded at 1000 samples per second by two sensor arrays located at ranges of 1-113 km from three tornadoes that occurred on 24 May 2011 in Oklahoma are analyzed. Accurate bearings to the tornadoes have been obtained using beamforming methods applied to the data at infrasonic frequencies. Beamforming was not viable at audio frequencies, but the data demonstrate the ability to detect significant changes in the shape of the estimated power spectral density in the band encompassing 10 Hz to approximately 100 Hz at distances of practical value from the sensors. This suggests that arrays of more closely spaced sensors might provide better bearing accuracy at practically useful distances from a tornado. Additionally, a mathematical model, based on established relationships of aeroacoustic turbulence, is demonstrated to provide good agreement to the estimated power spectra produced by the tornadoes at different times and distances from the sensors. The results of this analysis indicate that, qualitatively, an inverse relationship appears to exist between the frequency of an observed peak of the power spectral density and the reported tornado intensity.

  1. Blue Whale Visual and Acoustic Encounter Rates in the Southern California Bight

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-07-01

    blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) visual and acoustic encounter rates was quantitatively evaluated using hourly counts of detected whales during...surveys occurring in April, there were visual and acoustic detections of blue whales in all surveyed months and regions. Encounter rate is...difference between acoustic encounters of singing whales and visual encounters suggest seasonal variation in the ability of each method to detect blue

  2. Acoustic/infrasonic rocket engine signatures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tenney, Stephen M.; Noble, John M.; Whitaker, Rodney W.; ReVelle, Douglas O.

    2003-09-01

    Infrasonics offers the potential of long-range acoustic detection of explosions, missiles and even sounds created by manufacturing plants. The atmosphere attenuates acoustic energy above 20 Hz quite rapidly, but signals below 10 Hz can propagate to long ranges. Space shuttle launches have been detected infrasonically from over 1000 km away and the Concorde airliner from over 400 km. This technology is based on microphones designed to respond to frequencies from .1 to 300 Hz that can be operated outdoors for extended periods of time with out degrading their performance. The US Army Research Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory have collected acoustic and infrasonic signatures of static engine testing of two missiles. Signatures were collected of a SCUD missile engine at Huntsville, AL and a Minuteman engine at Edwards AFB. The engines were fixed vertically in a test stand during the burn. We will show the typical time waveform signals of these static tests and spectrograms for each type. High resolution, 24-bit data were collected at 512 Hz and 16-bit acoustic data at 10 kHz. Edwards data were recorded at 250 Hz and 50 Hz using a Geotech Instruments 24 bit digitizer. Ranges from the test stand varied from 1 km to 5 km. Low level and upper level meteorological data was collected to provide full details of atmospheric propagation during the engine test. Infrasonic measurements were made with the Chaparral Physics Model 2 microphone with porous garden hose attached for wind noise suppression. A B&K microphone was used for high frequency acoustic measurements. Results show primarily a broadband signal with distinct initiation and completion points. There appear to be features present in the signals that would allow identification of missile type. At 5 km the acoustic/infrasonic signal was clearly present. Detection ranges for the types of missile signatures measured will be predicted based on atmospheric modeling. As part of an experiment conducted by ARL

  3. Acoustic target detection and classification using neural networks

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Robertson, James A.; Conlon, Mark

    1993-01-01

    A neural network approach to the classification of acoustic emissions of ground vehicles and helicopters is demonstrated. Data collected during the Joint Acoustic Propagation Experiment conducted in July of l991 at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico was used to train a classifier to distinguish between the spectrums of a UH-1, M60, M1 and M114. An output node was also included that would recognize background (i.e. no target) data. Analysis revealed specific hidden nodes responding to the features input into the classifier. Initial results using the neural network were encouraging with high correct identification rates accompanied by high levels of confidence.

  4. Detection and display of acoustic window for guiding and training cardiac ultrasound users

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Sheng-Wen; Radulescu, Emil; Wang, Shougang; Thiele, Karl; Prater, David; Maxwell, Douglas; Rafter, Patrick; Dupuy, Clement; Drysdale, Jeremy; Erkamp, Ramon

    2014-03-01

    Successful ultrasound data collection strongly relies on the skills of the operator. Among different scans, echocardiography is especially challenging as the heart is surrounded by ribs and lung tissue. Less experienced users might acquire compromised images because of suboptimal hand-eye coordination and less awareness of artifacts. Clearly, there is a need for a tool that can guide and train less experienced users to position the probe optimally. We propose to help users with hand-eye coordination by displaying lines overlaid on B-mode images. The lines indicate the edges of blockages (e.g., ribs) and are updated in real time according to movement of the probe relative to the blockages. They provide information about how probe positioning can be improved. To distinguish between blockage and acoustic window, we use coherence, an indicator of channel data similarity after applying focusing delays. Specialized beamforming was developed to estimate coherence. Image processing is applied to coherence maps to detect unblocked beams and the angle of the lines for display. We built a demonstrator based on a Philips iE33 scanner, from which beamsummed RF data and video output are transferred to a workstation for processing. The detected lines are overlaid on B-mode images and fed back to the scanner display to provide users real-time guidance. Using such information in addition to B-mode images, users will be able to quickly find a suitable acoustic window for optimal image quality, and improve their skill.

  5. Application of gas-coupled laser acoustic detection to gelatins and underwater sensing

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Caron, James N.; Kunapareddy, Pratima

    2014-02-18

    Gas-coupled Laser Acoustic Detection (GCLAD) has been used as a method to sense ultrasound waves in materials without contact of the material surface. To sense the waveform, a laser beam is directed parallel to the material surface and displaced or deflected when the radiated waveform traverses the beam. We present recent tests that demonstrate the potential of using this technique for detecting ultrasound in gelatin phantoms and in water. As opposed to interferometric detection, GCLAD operates independently of the optical surface properties of the material. This allows the technique to be used in cases where the material is transparent ormore » semi-transparent. We present results on sensing ultrasound in gelatin phantoms that are used to mimic biological materials. As with air-coupled transducers, the frequency response of GCLAD at high frequencies is limited by the high attenuation of ultrasound in air. In contrast, water has a much lower attenuation. Here we demonstrate the use of a GCLAD-like system in water, measuring the directivity response at 1 MHz and sensing waveforms with higher frequency content.« less

  6. Mismatch negativity to acoustical illusion of beat: how and where the change detection takes place?

    PubMed

    Chakalov, Ivan; Paraskevopoulos, Evangelos; Wollbrink, Andreas; Pantev, Christo

    2014-10-15

    In case of binaural presentation of two tones with slightly different frequencies the structures of brainstem can no longer follow the interaural time differences (ITD) resulting in an illusionary perception of beat corresponding to frequency difference between the two prime tones. Hence, the beat-frequency does not exist in the prime tones presented to either ear. This study used binaural beats to explore the nature of acoustic deviance detection in humans by means of magnetoencephalography (MEG). Recent research suggests that the auditory change detection is a multistage process. To test this, we employed 26 Hz-binaural beats in a classical oddball paradigm. However, the prime tones (250 Hz and 276 Hz) were switched between the ears in the case of the deviant-beat. Consequently, when the deviant is presented, the cochleae and auditory nerves receive a "new afferent", although the standards and the deviants are heard identical (26 Hz-beats). This allowed us to explore the contribution of auditory periphery to change detection process, and furthermore, to evaluate its influence on beats-related auditory steady-state responses (ASSRs). LORETA-source current density estimates of the evoked fields in a typical mismatch negativity time-window (MMN) and the subsequent difference-ASSRs were determined and compared. The results revealed an MMN generated by a complex neural network including the right parietal lobe and the left middle frontal gyrus. Furthermore, difference-ASSR was generated in the paracentral gyrus. Additionally, psychophysical measures showed no perceptual difference between the standard- and deviant-beats when isolated by noise. These results suggest that the auditory periphery has an important contribution to novelty detection already at sub-cortical level. Overall, the present findings support the notion of hierarchically organized acoustic novelty detection system. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Active Acoustic Array for Ultrasonic Biomedical Applications

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-07-30

    of the human anatomy and means to 3 acoustically couple the acoustic array to the portion of the 4 human anatomy . The acoustic array is doubly...ultrasonic sound wave to be generated into the portion 14 of the 22 human anatomy . As previously mentioned, each of the acoustic 23 elements 28 acts as...human breast, it should be 3 recognized that the device can be adapted to detect cancer in 4 other portions of the human anatomy . 5 It is apparent

  8. The detection of organophosphonates by polymer films on a surface acoustic wave device and a micromirror fiber optic sensor

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hughes, R.C.; Ricco, A.J.; Butler, M.A.

    There is a need for sensitive detection of organophosphonates by, inexpensive, portable instruments. Two kinds of chemical sensors, based on surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices and fiber optic micromirrors, show promise for such sensing systems. Chemically sensitive coatings are required for detection and data for thin films of the polymer polysiloxane are reported for both kinds of physical transducers. Both kinds of sensor are shown to be capable of detecting concentrations of diisopropylmethylphosphonate (DIMP) down to 1 ppM.

  9. Autonomous acoustic recorders reveal complex patterns in avian detection probability

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Thompson, Sarah J.; Handel, Colleen M.; McNew, Lance B.

    2017-01-01

    Avian point‐count surveys are typically designed to occur during periods when birds are consistently active and singing, but seasonal and diurnal patterns of detection probability are often not well understood and may vary regionally or between years. We deployed autonomous acoustic recorders to assess how avian availability for detection (i.e., the probability that a bird signals its presence during a recording) varied during the breeding season with time of day, date, and weather‐related variables at multiple subarctic tundra sites in Alaska, USA, 2013–2014. A single observer processed 2,692 10‐minute recordings across 11 site‐years. We used time‐removal methods to assess availability and used generalized additive models to examine patterns of detectability (joint probability of presence, availability, and detection) for 16 common species. Despite lack of distinct dawn or dusk, most species displayed circadian vocalization patterns, with detection rates generally peaking between 0800 hours and 1200 hours but remaining high as late as 2000 hours for some species. Between 2200 hours and 0500 hours, most species’ detection rates dropped to near 0, signaling a distinctive rest period. Detectability dropped sharply for most species in early July. For all species considered, time‐removal analysis indicated nearly 100% likelihood of detection during a 10‐minute recording conducted in June, between 0500 hours and 2000 hours. This indicates that non‐detections during appropriate survey times and dates were attributable to the species’ absence or that silent birds were unlikely to initiate singing during a 10‐minute interval, whereas vocally active birds were singing very frequently. Systematic recordings revealed a gradient of species’ presence at each site, from ubiquitous to incidental. Although the total number of species detected at a site ranged from 16 to 27, we detected only 4 to 15 species on ≥5% of the site's recordings. Recordings

  10. Enhanced acoustic sensing through wave compression and pressure amplification in anisotropic metamaterials.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yongyao; Liu, Haijun; Reilly, Michael; Bae, Hyungdae; Yu, Miao

    2014-10-15

    Acoustic sensors play an important role in many areas, such as homeland security, navigation, communication, health care and industry. However, the fundamental pressure detection limit hinders the performance of current acoustic sensing technologies. Here, through analytical, numerical and experimental studies, we show that anisotropic acoustic metamaterials can be designed to have strong wave compression effect that renders direct amplification of pressure fields in metamaterials. This enables a sensing mechanism that can help overcome the detection limit of conventional acoustic sensing systems. We further demonstrate a metamaterial-enhanced acoustic sensing system that achieves more than 20 dB signal-to-noise enhancement (over an order of magnitude enhancement in detection limit). With this system, weak acoustic pulse signals overwhelmed by the noise are successfully recovered. This work opens up new vistas for the development of metamaterial-based acoustic sensors with improved performance and functionalities that are highly desirable for many applications.

  11. Defect-detection algorithm for noncontact acoustic inspection using spectrum entropy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sugimoto, Kazuko; Akamatsu, Ryo; Sugimoto, Tsuneyoshi; Utagawa, Noriyuki; Kuroda, Chitose; Katakura, Kageyoshi

    2015-07-01

    In recent years, the detachment of concrete from bridges or tunnels and the degradation of concrete structures have become serious social problems. The importance of inspection, repair, and updating is recognized in measures against degradation. We have so far studied the noncontact acoustic inspection method using airborne sound and the laser Doppler vibrometer. In this method, depending on the surface state (reflectance, dirt, etc.), the quantity of the light of the returning laser decreases and optical noise resulting from the leakage of light reception arises. Some influencing factors are the stability of the output of the laser Doppler vibrometer, the low reflective characteristic of the measurement surface, the diffused reflection characteristic, measurement distance, and laser irradiation angle. If defect detection depends only on the vibration energy ratio since the frequency characteristic of the optical noise resembles white noise, the detection of optical noise resulting from the leakage of light reception may indicate a defective part. Therefore, in this work, the combination of the vibrational energy ratio and spectrum entropy is used to judge whether a measured point is healthy or defective or an abnormal measurement point. An algorithm that enables more vivid detection of a defective part is proposed. When our technique was applied in an experiment with real concrete structures, the defective part could be extracted more vividly and the validity of our proposed algorithm was confirmed.

  12. Decay detection in red oak trees using a combination of visual inspection, acoustic testing, and resistance microdrilling

    Treesearch

    Xiping Wang; R. Bruce Allison

    2008-01-01

    Arborists are often challenged to identify internal structural defects hidden from view within tree trunks. This article reports the results of a study using a trunk inspection protocol combining visual observation, single-path stress wave testing, acoustic tomography, and resistance microdrilling to detect internal defects. Two century-old red oak (Quercus rubra)...

  13. Optimization of an acoustic telemetry array for detecting transmitter-implanted fish

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Clements, S.; Jepsen, D.; Karnowski, M.; Schreck, C.B.

    2005-01-01

    The development of miniature acoustic transmitters and economical, robust automated receivers has enabled researchers to study the movement patterns and survival of teleosts in estuarine and ocean environments, including many species and age-classes that were previously considered too small for implantation. During 2001-2003, we optimized a receiver mooring system to minimize gear and data loss in areas where current action or wave action and acoustic noise are high. In addition, we conducted extensive tests to determine (1) the performance of a transmitter and receiver (Vemco, Ltd.) that are widely used, particularly in North America and Europe and (2) the optimal placement of receivers for recording the passage of fish past a point in a linear-flow environment. Our results suggest that in most locations the mooring system performs well with little loss of data; however, boat traffic remains a concern due to entanglement with the mooring system. We also found that the reception efficiency of the receivers depends largely on the method and location of deployment. In many cases, we observed a range of 0-100% reception efficiency (the percentage of known transmissions that are detected while the receiver is within range of the transmitter) when using a conventional method of mooring. The efficiency was improved by removal of the mounting bar and obstructions from the mooring line. ?? Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2005.

  14. Army Contracting Officials Could Have Purchased Husky Mounted Detection System Spare Parts at Lower Prices (Redacted)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-03-31

    system mounted on an armored vehicle . It detects and marks landmines and other buried explosive hazards, and serves an important role in keeping...countries. Figure 1. HMDS Shown on a Husky Vehicle Source: Project Manager Close Combat Systems FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Introduction...Reasonable Prices From Meggitt Aircraft Braking Systems for Sole-Source Commercial Spare Parts,” May 8, 2015 Report No. DODIG-2015-103, “Summary of

  15. Neural Mechanisms for Acoustic Signal Detection under Strong Masking in an Insect

    PubMed Central

    Römer, Heiner

    2015-01-01

    Communication is fundamental for our understanding of behavior. In the acoustic modality, natural scenes for communication in humans and animals are often very noisy, decreasing the chances for signal detection and discrimination. We investigated the mechanisms enabling selective hearing under natural noisy conditions for auditory receptors and interneurons of an insect. In the studied katydid Mecopoda elongata species-specific calling songs (chirps) are strongly masked by signals of another species, both communicating in sympatry. The spectral properties of the two signals are similar and differ only in a small frequency band at 2 kHz present in the chirping species. Receptors sharply tuned to 2 kHz are completely unaffected by the masking signal of the other species, whereas receptors tuned to higher audio and ultrasonic frequencies show complete masking. Intracellular recordings of identified interneurons revealed two mechanisms providing response selectivity to the chirp. (1) Response selectivity is when several identified interneurons exhibit remarkably selective responses to the chirps, even at signal-to-noise ratios of −21 dB, since they are sharply tuned to 2 kHz. Their dendritic arborizations indicate selective connectivity with low-frequency receptors tuned to 2 kHz. (2) Novelty detection is when a second group of interneurons is broadly tuned but, because of strong stimulus-specific adaptation to the masker spectrum and “novelty detection” to the 2 kHz band present only in the conspecific signal, these interneurons start to respond selectively to the chirp shortly after the onset of the continuous masker. Both mechanisms provide the sensory basis for hearing at unfavorable signal-to-noise ratios. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Animal and human acoustic communication may suffer from the same “cocktail party problem,” when communication happens in noisy social groups. We address solutions for this problem in a model system of two katydids, where one

  16. Acoustic biosensors.

    PubMed

    Fogel, Ronen; Limson, Janice; Seshia, Ashwin A

    2016-06-30

    Resonant and acoustic wave devices have been researched for several decades for application in the gravimetric sensing of a variety of biological and chemical analytes. These devices operate by coupling the measurand (e.g. analyte adsorption) as a modulation in the physical properties of the acoustic wave (e.g. resonant frequency, acoustic velocity, dissipation) that can then be correlated with the amount of adsorbed analyte. These devices can also be miniaturized with advantages in terms of cost, size and scalability, as well as potential additional features including integration with microfluidics and electronics, scaled sensitivities associated with smaller dimensions and higher operational frequencies, the ability to multiplex detection across arrays of hundreds of devices embedded in a single chip, increased throughput and the ability to interrogate a wider range of modes including within the same device. Additionally, device fabrication is often compatible with semiconductor volume batch manufacturing techniques enabling cost scalability and a high degree of precision and reproducibility in the manufacturing process. Integration with microfluidics handling also enables suitable sample pre-processing/separation/purification/amplification steps that could improve selectivity and the overall signal-to-noise ratio. Three device types are reviewed here: (i) bulk acoustic wave sensors, (ii) surface acoustic wave sensors, and (iii) micro/nano-electromechanical system (MEMS/NEMS) sensors. © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  17. Chemical and explosive detections using photo-acoustic effect and quantum cascade lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Choa, Fow-Sen

    2013-12-01

    Photoacoustic (PA) effect is a sensitive spectroscopic technique for chemical sensing. In recent years, with the development of quantum cascade lasers (QCLs), significant progress has been achieved for PA sensing applications. Using high-power, tunable mid-IR QCLs as laser sources, PA chemical sensor systems have demonstrated parts-pertrillion- level detection sensitivity. Many of these high sensitivity measurements were demonstrated locally in PA cells. Recently, we have demonstrated standoff PA detection of isopropanol vapor for more than 41 feet distance using a quantum cascade laser and a microphone with acoustic reflectors. We also further demonstrated solid phase TNT detections at a standoff distance of 8 feet. To further calibrate the detection sensitivity, we use nerve gas simulants that were generated and calibrated by a commercial vapor generator. Standoff detection of gas samples with calibrated concentration of 2.3 ppm was achieved at a detection distance of more than 2 feet. An extended detection distance up to 14 feet was observed for a higher gas concentration of 13.9 ppm. For field operations, array of microphones and microphone-reflector pairs can be utilized to achieve noise rejection and signal enhancement. We have experimentally demonstrated that the signal and noise spectra of the 4 microphone/4 reflector system with a combined SNR of 12.48 dB. For the 16-microphone and one reflector case, an SNR of 17.82 was achieved. These successful chemical sensing demonstrations will likely create new demands for widely tunable QCLs with ultralow threshold (for local fire-alarm size detection systems) and high-power (for standoff detection systems) performances.

  18. Acoustical standards in engineering acoustics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burkhard, Mahlon D.

    2004-05-01

    The Engineering Acoustics Technical Committee is concerned with the evolution and improvement of acoustical techniques and apparatus, and with the promotion of new applications of acoustics. As cited in the Membership Directory and Handbook (2002), the interest areas include transducers and arrays; underwater acoustic systems; acoustical instrumentation and monitoring; applied sonics, promotion of useful effects, information gathering and transmission; audio engineering; acoustic holography and acoustic imaging; acoustic signal processing (equipment and techniques); and ultrasound and infrasound. Evident connections between engineering and standards are needs for calibration, consistent terminology, uniform presentation of data, reference levels, or design targets for product development. Thus for the acoustical engineer standards are both a tool for practices, for communication, and for comparison of his efforts with those of others. Development of many standards depends on knowledge of the way products are put together for the market place and acoustical engineers provide important input to the development of standards. Acoustical engineers and members of the Engineering Acoustics arm of the Society both benefit from and contribute to the Acoustical Standards of the Acoustical Society.

  19. Acoustic detection of Oryctes rhinoceros (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) and Nasutitermes luzonicus (Isoptera: Termitidae) in palm trees of urban Guam

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Adult and larval Oryctes rhinoceros (L) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) were acoustically detected in live and dead palm trees and logs in recently invaded areas of Guam, along with Nasutitermes (Isoptera: Termitidae), and other small, sound-producing invertebrates and invertebrates. The sou...

  20. Pure detection of the acoustic spin pumping in Pt/YIG/PZT structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Uchida, Ken-ichi; Qiu, Zhiyong; Kikkawa, Takashi; Saitoh, Eiji

    2014-11-01

    The acoustic spin pumping (ASP) stands for the generation of a spin voltage from sound waves in a ferromagnet/paramagnet junction. In this letter, we propose and demonstrate a method for pure detection of the ASP, which enables the separation of sound-wave-driven spin currents from the spin Seebeck effect due to the heating of a sample caused by a sound-wave injection. Our demonstration using a Pt/YIG/PZT sample shows that the ASP signal in this structure measured by a conventional method is considerably offset by the heating signal and that the pure ASP signal is one order of magnitude greater than that reported in the previous study.

  1. Acoustic-Emission Weld-Penetration Monitor

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Maram, J.; Collins, J.

    1986-01-01

    Weld penetration monitored by detection of high-frequency acoustic emissions produced by advancing weld pool as it melts and solidifies in workpiece. Acoustic emission from TIG butt weld measured with 300-kHz resonant transducer. Rise in emission level coincides with cessation of weld penetration due to sudden reduction in welding current. Such monitoring applied to control of automated and robotic welders.

  2. Sensor fusion for antipersonnel landmine detection: a case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    den Breejen, Eric; Schutte, Klamer; Cremer, Frank

    1999-08-01

    In this paper the multi sensor fusion results obtained within the European research project GEODE are presented. The layout of the test lane and the individual sensors used are described. The implementation of the SCOOP algorithm improves the ROC curves, as the false alarm surface and the number of false alarms both are taken into account. The confidence grids, as produced by the sensor manufacturers, of the sensors are used as input for the different sensor fusion methods implemented. The multisensor fusion methods implemented are Bayes, Dempster-Shafer, fuzzy probabilities and rules. The mapping of the confidence grids to the input parameters for fusion methods is an important step. Due to limited amount of the available data the entire test lane is used for training and evaluation. All four sensor fusion methods provide better detection results than the individual sensors.

  3. Investigation of Volcanic Seismo-Acoustic Signals: Applying Subspace Detection to Lava Fountain Activity at Etna Volcano

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sciotto, M.; Rowe, C. A.; Cannata, A.; Arrowsmith, S.; Privitera, E.; Gresta, S.

    2011-12-01

    The current eruption of Mount Etna, which began in January, 2011, has produced numerous energetic episodes of lava fountaining, which have bee recorded by the INGV seismic and acoustic sensors located on and around the volcano. The source of these events was the pit crater on the east flank of the Southeast crater of Etna. Simultaneously, small levels of activity were noted in the Bocca Nuova as well, prior to its lava fountaining activity. We will present an analysis of seismic and acoustic signals related to the 2011 activity wherein we apply the method of subspace detection to determine whether the source exhibits a temporal evolution within or between fountaining events, or otherwise produces repeating, classifiable events occurring through the continuous explosive degassing. We will examine not only the raw waveforms, but also spectral variations in time as well as time-varying statistical functions such as signal skewness and kurtosis. These results will be compared to straightforward cross-correlation analysis. In addition to classification performance, the subspace method has promise to outperform standard STA/LTA methods for real-time event detection in cases where similar events can be expected.

  4. Ultrasound-modulated optical tomography with intense acoustic bursts.

    PubMed

    Zemp, Roger J; Kim, Chulhong; Wang, Lihong V

    2007-04-01

    Ultrasound-modulated optical tomography (UOT) detects ultrasonically modulated light to spatially localize multiply scattered photons in turbid media with the ultimate goal of imaging the optical properties in living subjects. A principal challenge of the technique is weak modulated signal strength. We discuss ways to push the limits of signal enhancement with intense acoustic bursts while conforming to optical and ultrasonic safety standards. A CCD-based speckle-contrast detection scheme is used to detect acoustically modulated light by measuring changes in speckle statistics between ultrasound-on and ultrasound-off states. The CCD image capture is synchronized with the ultrasound burst pulse sequence. Transient acoustic radiation force, a consequence of bursts, is seen to produce slight signal enhancement over pure ultrasonic-modulation mechanisms for bursts and CCD exposure times of the order of milliseconds. However, acoustic radiation-force-induced shear waves are launched away from the acoustic sample volume, which degrade UOT spatial resolution. By time gating the CCD camera to capture modulated light before radiation force has an opportunity to accumulate significant tissue displacement, we reduce the effects of shear-wave image degradation, while enabling very high signal-to-noise ratios. Additionally, we maintain high-resolution images representative of optical and not mechanical contrast. Signal-to-noise levels are sufficiently high so as to enable acquisition of 2D images of phantoms with one acoustic burst per pixel.

  5. INNOVATIVE CONCEPTS FOR DETECTING AND LOCATING LEAKS IN WASTE IMPOUNDMENT LINER SYSTEMS: ACOUSTIC EMISSION MONITORING AND TIME DOMAIN REFLECTOMETRY

    EPA Science Inventory

    This project is part of a program to investigate the use of innovative techniques for detecting and locating leaks in waste impoundment liners. Laboratory and small scale field studies were undertaken to evaluate the potential of Acoustic Emission Monitoring (AEM) and Time Domain...

  6. An acoustic emission study of plastic deformation in polycrystalline aluminium

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bill, R. C.; Frederick, J. R.; Felbeck, D. K.

    1979-01-01

    Acoustic emission experiments were performed on polycrystalline and single crystal 99.99% aluminum while undergoing tensile deformation. It was found that acoustic emission counts as a function of grain size showed a maximum value at a particular grain size. Furthermore, the slip area associated with this particular grain size corresponded to the threshold level of detectability of single dislocation slip events. The rate of decline in acoustic emission activity as grain size is increased beyond the peak value suggests that grain boundary associated dislocation sources are giving rise to the bulk of the detected acoustic emissions.

  7. Third International Conference on Acoustic Communication by Animals

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-09-30

    communications Invited Speakers Peter Tyack cetacean communications Christopher Clark acoustic environment of whales Whitlow Au sound detection and...echolocation by dolphins Magnus Wahlberg sperm whale acoustics Robert Dooling bird hearing Ronald Hoy communication strategies in insects Peter Narins...frogs (6). Topics covered included cognition/language; song and call classification; rule learning; acoustic ecology; communication in noisy

  8. Acoustic holograms of active regions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chou, Dean-Yi

    2008-10-01

    We propose a method to study solar magnetic regions in the solar interior with the principle of optical holography. A magnetic region in the solar interior scatters the solar background acoustic waves. The scattered waves and background waves could form an interference pattern on the solar surface. We investigate the feasibility of detecting this interference pattern on the solar surface, and using it to construct the three-dimensional scattered wave from the magnetic region with the principle of optical holography. In solar acoustic holography, the background acoustic waves play the role of reference wave; the magnetic region plays the role of the target object; the interference pattern, acoustic power map, on the solar surface plays the role of the hologram.

  9. Acoustic emission detection of macro-cracks on engraving tool steel inserts during the injection molding cycle using PZT sensors.

    PubMed

    Svečko, Rajko; Kusić, Dragan; Kek, Tomaž; Sarjaš, Andrej; Hančič, Aleš; Grum, Janez

    2013-05-14

    This paper presents an improved monitoring system for the failure detection of engraving tool steel inserts during the injection molding cycle. This system uses acoustic emission PZT sensors mounted through acoustic waveguides on the engraving insert. We were thus able to clearly distinguish the defect through measured AE signals. Two engraving tool steel inserts were tested during the production of standard test specimens, each under the same processing conditions. By closely comparing the captured AE signals on both engraving inserts during the filling and packing stages, we were able to detect the presence of macro-cracks on one engraving insert. Gabor wavelet analysis was used for closer examination of the captured AE signals' peak amplitudes during the filling and packing stages. The obtained results revealed that such a system could be used successfully as an improved tool for monitoring the integrity of an injection molding process.

  10. Acoustic Emission Detection of Macro-Cracks on Engraving Tool Steel Inserts during the Injection Molding Cycle Using PZT Sensors

    PubMed Central

    Svečko, Rajko; Kusić, Dragan; Kek, Tomaž; Sarjaš, Andrej; Hančič, Aleš; Grum, Janez

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents an improved monitoring system for the failure detection of engraving tool steel inserts during the injection molding cycle. This system uses acoustic emission PZT sensors mounted through acoustic waveguides on the engraving insert. We were thus able to clearly distinguish the defect through measured AE signals. Two engraving tool steel inserts were tested during the production of standard test specimens, each under the same processing conditions. By closely comparing the captured AE signals on both engraving inserts during the filling and packing stages, we were able to detect the presence of macro-cracks on one engraving insert. Gabor wavelet analysis was used for closer examination of the captured AE signals' peak amplitudes during the filling and packing stages. The obtained results revealed that such a system could be used successfully as an improved tool for monitoring the integrity of an injection molding process. PMID:23673677

  11. YIP Expansion: Ocean Basin Impact of Ambient Noise on Marine Mammal Detectability, Distribution, and Acoustic Communication

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-09-30

    analysis of trends and shifts in characteristics of specific sources contributing to the soundscape over time. The primary sources of interest are baleen... soundscape . Many of the target acoustic signal categories have been well characterized allowing for development of automated spectrogram correlation...to determine the extent and range over which each class of sources contributes to the regional soundscape . Estimates of signal detection range will

  12. A Cabled Acoustic Telemetry System for Detecting and Tracking Juvenile Salmon: Part 2. Three-Dimensional Tracking and Passage Outcomes

    PubMed Central

    Deng, Z. Daniel; Weiland, Mark A.; Fu, Tao; Seim, Tom A.; LaMarche, Brian L.; Choi, Eric Y.; Carlson, Thomas J.; Eppard, M. Brad

    2011-01-01

    In Part 1 of this paper, we presented the engineering design and instrumentation of the Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System (JSATS) cabled system, a nonproprietary sensing technology developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (Oregon, USA) to meet the needs for monitoring the survival of juvenile salmonids through the hydroelectric facilities within the Federal Columbia River Power System. Here in Part 2, we describe how the JSATS cabled system was employed as a reference sensor network for detecting and tracking juvenile salmon. Time-of-arrival data for valid detections on four hydrophones were used to solve for the three-dimensional (3D) position of fish surgically implanted with JSATS acoustic transmitters. Validation tests demonstrated high accuracy of 3D tracking up to 100 m upstream from the John Day Dam spillway. The along-dam component, used for assigning the route of fish passage, had the highest accuracy; the median errors ranged from 0.02 to 0.22 m, and root mean square errors ranged from 0.07 to 0.56 m at distances up to 100 m. For the 2008 case study at John Day Dam, the range for 3D tracking was more than 100 m upstream of the dam face where hydrophones were deployed, and detection and tracking probabilities of fish tagged with JSATS acoustic transmitters were higher than 98%. JSATS cabled systems have been successfully deployed on several major dams to acquire information for salmon protection and for development of more “fish-friendly” hydroelectric facilities. PMID:22163919

  13. A Cabled Acoustic Telemetry System for Detecting and Tracking Juvenile Salmon: Part 2. Three-Dimensional Tracking and Passage Outcomes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Deng, Zhiqun; Weiland, Mark A.; Fu, Tao

    2011-05-26

    In Part 1 of this paper [1], we presented the engineering design and instrumentation of the Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System (JSATS) cabled system, a nonproprietary technology developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, to meet the needs for monitoring the survival of juvenile salmonids through the 31 dams in the Federal Columbia River Power System. Here in Part 2, we describe how the JSATS cabled system was employed as a reference sensor network for detecting and tracking juvenile salmon. Time-of-arrival data for valid detections on four hydrophones were used to solve for the three-dimensional (3D) positionmore » of fish surgically implanted with JSATS acoustic transmitters. Validation tests demonstrated high accuracy of 3D tracking up to 100 m from the John Day Dam spillway. The along-dam component, used for assigning the route of fish passage, had the highest accuracy; the median errors ranged from 0.06 to 0.22 m, and root mean square errors ranged from 0.05 to 0.56 m at distances up to 100 m. For the case study at John Day Dam during 2008, the range for 3D tracking was more than 100 m upstream of the dam face where hydrophones were deployed, and detection and tracking probabilities of fish tagged with JSATS acoustic transmitters were higher than 98%. JSATS cabled systems have been successfully deployed on several major dams to acquire information for salmon protection and for development of more “fish-friendly” hydroelectric facilities.« less

  14. Measuring acoustic habitats

    PubMed Central

    Merchant, Nathan D; Fristrup, Kurt M; Johnson, Mark P; Tyack, Peter L; Witt, Matthew J; Blondel, Philippe; Parks, Susan E

    2015-01-01

    1. Many organisms depend on sound for communication, predator/prey detection and navigation. The acoustic environment can therefore play an important role in ecosystem dynamics and evolution. A growing number of studies are documenting acoustic habitats and their influences on animal development, behaviour, physiology and spatial ecology, which has led to increasing demand for passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) expertise in the life sciences. However, as yet, there has been no synthesis of data processing methods for acoustic habitat monitoring, which presents an unnecessary obstacle to would-be PAM analysts. 2. Here, we review the signal processing techniques needed to produce calibrated measurements of terrestrial and aquatic acoustic habitats. We include a supplemental tutorial and template computer codes in matlab and r, which give detailed guidance on how to produce calibrated spectrograms and statistical analyses of sound levels. Key metrics and terminology for the characterisation of biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic sound are covered, and their application to relevant monitoring scenarios is illustrated through example data sets. To inform study design and hardware selection, we also include an up-to-date overview of terrestrial and aquatic PAM instruments. 3. Monitoring of acoustic habitats at large spatiotemporal scales is becoming possible through recent advances in PAM technology. This will enhance our understanding of the role of sound in the spatial ecology of acoustically sensitive species and inform spatial planning to mitigate the rising influence of anthropogenic noise in these ecosystems. As we demonstrate in this work, progress in these areas will depend upon the application of consistent and appropriate PAM methodologies. PMID:25954500

  15. Measuring acoustic habitats.

    PubMed

    Merchant, Nathan D; Fristrup, Kurt M; Johnson, Mark P; Tyack, Peter L; Witt, Matthew J; Blondel, Philippe; Parks, Susan E

    2015-03-01

    1. Many organisms depend on sound for communication, predator/prey detection and navigation. The acoustic environment can therefore play an important role in ecosystem dynamics and evolution. A growing number of studies are documenting acoustic habitats and their influences on animal development, behaviour, physiology and spatial ecology, which has led to increasing demand for passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) expertise in the life sciences. However, as yet, there has been no synthesis of data processing methods for acoustic habitat monitoring, which presents an unnecessary obstacle to would-be PAM analysts. 2. Here, we review the signal processing techniques needed to produce calibrated measurements of terrestrial and aquatic acoustic habitats. We include a supplemental tutorial and template computer codes in matlab and r, which give detailed guidance on how to produce calibrated spectrograms and statistical analyses of sound levels. Key metrics and terminology for the characterisation of biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic sound are covered, and their application to relevant monitoring scenarios is illustrated through example data sets. To inform study design and hardware selection, we also include an up-to-date overview of terrestrial and aquatic PAM instruments. 3. Monitoring of acoustic habitats at large spatiotemporal scales is becoming possible through recent advances in PAM technology. This will enhance our understanding of the role of sound in the spatial ecology of acoustically sensitive species and inform spatial planning to mitigate the rising influence of anthropogenic noise in these ecosystems. As we demonstrate in this work, progress in these areas will depend upon the application of consistent and appropriate PAM methodologies.

  16. Emission and detection of surface acoustic waves by AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shao, Lei; Zhang, Meng; Banerjee, Animesh; Bhattacharya, Pallab; Pipe, Kevin P.

    2011-12-01

    Using integrated interdigital transducers (IDTs), we demonstrate the emission of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) by AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) under certain bias conditions through dynamic screening of the HEMTs vertical field by modulation of its two-dimensional electron gas. We show that a strong SAW signal can be detected if the IDT geometry replicates the HEMT electrode geometry at which RF bias is applied. In addition to characterizing SAW emission during both gate-source and drain-source modulation, we demonstrate SAW detection by HEMTs. Integrated HEMT-IDT structures could enable real-time evaluation of epitaxial degradation as well as high-speed, amplified detection of SAWs.

  17. Applications of acoustics in insect pest management

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Acoustic technology has been applied for many years in studies of insect communication and in the monitoring of calling-insect population levels, geographic distributions, and diversity, as well as in the detection of cryptic insects in soil, wood, container crops, and stored products. Acoustic devi...

  18. Acoustic Detection, Behavior, and Habitat Use of Deep-Diving Odontocetes

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-09-30

    of El Hierro , and short-finned pilot whales, Globicephela macrorynchus, off the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands [Aguilar, 2006]). These...in El Hierro (Oct. 2008). Key result was an 18 hour DTAG attachment to a Blainville’s beaked whale with contemporary acoustic recordings from a...drifting buoy. • Three 7-day seasonal surveys in El Hierro . Methods included passive acoustic monitoring, photo- identification and double visual

  19. Acoustic Location of Lightning Using Interferometric Techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Erives, H.; Arechiga, R. O.; Stock, M.; Lapierre, J. L.; Edens, H. E.; Stringer, A.; Rison, W.; Thomas, R. J.

    2013-12-01

    Acoustic arrays have been used to accurately locate thunder sources in lightning flashes. The acoustic arrays located around the Magdalena mountains of central New Mexico produce locations which compare quite well with source locations provided by the New Mexico Tech Lightning Mapping Array. These arrays utilize 3 outer microphones surrounding a 4th microphone located at the center, The location is computed by band-passing the signal to remove noise, and then computing the cross correlating the outer 3 microphones with respect the center reference microphone. While this method works very well, it works best on signals with high signal to noise ratios; weaker signals are not as well located. Therefore, methods are being explored to improve the location accuracy and detection efficiency of the acoustic location systems. The signal received by acoustic arrays is strikingly similar to th signal received by radio frequency interferometers. Both acoustic location systems and radio frequency interferometers make coherent measurements of a signal arriving at a number of closely spaced antennas. And both acoustic and interferometric systems then correlate these signals between pairs of receivers to determine the direction to the source of the received signal. The primary difference between the two systems is the velocity of propagation of the emission, which is much slower for sound. Therefore, the same frequency based techniques that have been used quite successfully with radio interferometers should be applicable to acoustic based measurements as well. The results presented here are comparisons between the location results obtained with current cross correlation method and techniques developed for radio frequency interferometers applied to acoustic signals. The data were obtained during the summer 2013 storm season using multiple arrays sensitive to both infrasonic frequency and audio frequency acoustic emissions from lightning. Preliminary results show that

  20. Laser acoustic emission thermal technique (LAETT): a technique for generating acoustic emission in dental composites.

    PubMed

    Duray, S J; Lee, S Y; Menis, D L; Gilbert, J L; Lautenschlager, E P; Greener, E H

    1996-01-01

    This study was designed to investigate a new method for generating interfacial debonding between the resin matrix and filler particles of dental composites. A pilot study was conducted to evaluate laser-induced acoustic emission in dental resins filled with varying quantities of particles. Model systems of 50/50 BisGMA/TEGDMA resin reinforced with 0, 25, and 75 wt% 5-10 micrometers silanated BaSiO(6) were analyzed. The sample size was 3.5 mm diameter x 0.25-0.28 mm thick. A continuous wave CO2 laser (Synrad Infrared Gas Laser Model 48-1) was used to heat the composite samples. Acoustic events were detected, recorded and processed by a model 4610 Smart Acoustic Monitor (SAM) with a 1220A preamp (Physical Acoustic Corp.) as a function of laser power. Initially, the acoustic signal from the model composites produced a burst pattern characteristic of fracturing, about 3.7 watts laser power. Acoustic emission increased with laser power up to about 6 watts. At laser powers above 6 watts, the acoustic emission remained constant. The amount of acoustic emission followed the trend: unfilled resin > composite with 25 wt% BaSiO(6) > composite with 75 wt% BaSiO(6). Acoustic emission generated by laser thermal heating is dependent on the weight percent of filler particles in the composite and the amount of laser power. For this reason, laser thermal acoustic emission might be useful as a nondestructive form of analysis of dental composites.

  1. Acoustic transmitter and receiver performance in freshwater and estuarine environments

    EPA Science Inventory

    We report on the performance of passive acoustic receivers intended to detect the passage of 281 acoustically tagged migratory salmonids in two Oregon coastal watersheds. We found that ambient acoustic noise can vary considerably with location, and that “sync” pulses thought to ...

  2. Acoustic Localization with Infrasonic Signals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Threatt, Arnesha; Elbing, Brian

    2015-11-01

    Numerous geophysical and anthropogenic events emit infrasonic frequencies (<20 Hz), including volcanoes, hurricanes, wind turbines and tornadoes. These sounds, which cannot be heard by the human ear, can be detected from large distances (in excess of 100 miles) due to low frequency acoustic signals having a very low decay rate in the atmosphere. Thus infrasound could be used for long-range, passive monitoring and detection of these events. An array of microphones separated by known distances can be used to locate a given source, which is known as acoustic localization. However, acoustic localization with infrasound is particularly challenging due to contamination from other signals, sensitivity to wind noise and producing a trusted source for system development. The objective of the current work is to create an infrasonic source using a propane torch wand or a subwoofer and locate the source using multiple infrasonic microphones. This presentation will present preliminary results from various microphone configurations used to locate the source.

  3. Acoustic cross-correlation flowmeter for solid-gas flow

    DOEpatents

    Sheen, Shuh-Haw; Raptis, Apostolos C.

    1986-01-01

    Apparatus for measuring particle velocity in a solid-gas flow within a pipe includes: first and second transmitting transducers for transmitting first and second ultrasonic signals into the pipe at first and second locations, respectively, along the pipe; an acoustic decoupler, positioned between said first and second transmitting transducers, for acoustically isolating said first and second signals from one another; first and second detecting transducers for detecting said first and second signals and for generating first and second detected signals in response to said first and second detected signals; and means for cross-correlating said first and second output signals.

  4. Detection of the baryon acoustic peak in the large-scale correlation function of SDSS luminous red galaxies

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Zehavi, Idit; Hogg, David W.

    2005-01-01

    We present the large-scale correlation function measured from a spectroscopic sample of 46,748 luminous red galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The survey region covers 0.72h{sup -3} Gpc{sup 3} over 3816 square degrees and 0.16 < z < 0.47, making it the best sample yet for the study of large-scale structure. We find a well-detected peak in the correlation function at 100h{sup -1} Mpc separation that is an excellent match to the predicted shape and location of the imprint of the recombination-epoch acoustic oscillations on the low-redshift clustering of matter. This detection demonstrates the linear growth of structure bymore » gravitational instability between z {approx} 1000 and the present and confirms a firm prediction of the standard cosmological theory. The acoustic peak provides a standard ruler by which we can measure the ratio of the distances to z = 0.35 and z = 1089 to 4% fractional accuracy and the absolute distance to z = 0.35 to 5% accuracy. From the overall shape of the correlation function, we measure the matter density {Omega}{sub m}h{sup 2} to 8% and find agreement with the value from cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies. Independent of the constraints provided by the CMB acoustic scale, we find {Omega}{sub m} = 0.273 {+-} 0.025 + 0.123(1 + w{sub 0}) + 0.137{Omega}{sub K}. Including the CMB acoustic scale, we find that the spatial curvature is {Omega}{sub K} = -0.010 {+-} 0.009 if the dark energy is a cosmological constant. More generally, our results provide a measurement of cosmological distance, and hence an argument for dark energy, based on a geometric method with the same simple physics as the microwave background anisotropies. The standard cosmological model convincingly passes these new and robust tests of its fundamental properties.« less

  5. Non-invasive photo acoustic approach for human bone diagnosis.

    PubMed

    Thella, Ashok Kumar; Rizkalla, James; Helmy, Ahdy; Suryadevara, Vinay Kumar; Salama, Paul; Rizkalla, Maher

    2016-12-01

    The existing modalities of bone diagnosis including X-ray and ultrasound may cite drawback in some cases related to health issues and penetration depth, while the ultrasound modality may lack image quality. Photo acoustic approach however, provides light energy to the acoustic wave, enabling it to activate and respond according to the propagating media (which is type of bones in this case). At the same time, a differential temperature change may result in the bio heat response, resulting from the heat absorbed across the multiple materials under study. In this work, we have demonstrated the features of using photo acoustic modality in order to non-invasively diagnose the type of human bones based on their electrical, thermal, and acoustic properties that differentiate the output response of each type. COMSOL software was utilized to combine both acoustic equations and bio heat equations, in order to study both the thermal and acoustic responses through which the differential diagnosis can be obtained. In this study, we solved both the acoustic equation and bio heat equations for four types of bones, bone (cancellous), bone (cortical), bone marrow (red), and bone marrow (yellow). 1 MHz acoustic source frequency was chosen and 10(5) W/m(2) power source was used in the simulation. The simulation tested the dynamic response of the wave over a distance of 5 cm from each side for the source. Near 2.4 cm was detected from simulation from each side of the source with a temperature change of within 0.5 K for various types of bones, citing a promising technique for a practical model to detect the type of bones via the differential temperature as well as the acoustic was response via the multiple materials associated with the human bones (skin and blood). The simulation results suggest that the PA technique may be applied to non-invasive diagnosis for the different types of bones, including cancerous bones. A practical model for detecting both the temperature change via

  6. DSTO Landmine Detection Test Targets

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-06-01

    cm diameter, 10 cm high. x x GS 32D50 Galvanised steel, pipe, hollow, 32 cm diameter, 50 cm long, ends capped x x GS 45D50 Galvanised Steel, pipe...hollow, 45 cm diameter, 50 cm long, ends capped x x GS 75D50 Galvanised Steel, pipe, hollow, 75 cm diameter, 50 cm long, ends capped x x

  7. Helicopter main-rotor speed effects: A comparison of predicted ranges of detection from the aural detection program ICHIN and the electronic detection program ARCAS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mueller, Arnold W.; Smith, Charles D.

    1991-01-01

    NASA LaRC personnel have conducted a strudy of the predicted acoustic detection ranges associated with reduced helicopter main rotor speeds. This was accomplished by providing identical input information to both the aural detection program ICHIN 6, (I Can Hear It Now, version 6) and the electronic acoustic detection program ARCAS (Assessment of Rotorcraft Detection by Acoustics Sensing). In this study, it was concluded that reducing the main rotor speed of the helicopter by 27 percent reduced both the predicted aural and electronic detection ranges by approximately 50 percent. Additionally, ARCAS was observed to function better with narrowband spectral input than with one-third octave band spectral inputs and the predicted electronic range of acoustic detection is greater than the predicted aural detection range.

  8. NW-MILO Acoustic Data Collection

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Matzner, Shari; Myers, Joshua R.; Maxwell, Adam R.

    2010-02-17

    There is an enduring requirement to improve our ability to detect potential threats and discriminate these from the legitimate commercial and recreational activity ongoing in the nearshore/littoral portion of the maritime domain. The Northwest Maritime Information and Littoral Operations (NW-MILO) Program at PNNL’s Coastal Security Institute in Sequim, Washington is establishing a methodology to detect and classify these threats - in part through developing a better understanding of acoustic signatures in a near-shore environment. The purpose of the acoustic data collection described here is to investigate the acoustic signatures of small vessels. The data is being recorded continuously, 24 hoursmore » a day, along with radar track data and imagery. The recording began in August 2008, and to date the data contains tens of thousands of signals from small vessels recorded in a variety of environmental conditions. The quantity and variety of this data collection, with the supporting imagery and radar track data, makes it particularly useful for the development of robust acoustic signature models and advanced algorithms for signal classification and information extraction. The underwater acoustic sensing system is part of a multi-modal sensing system that is operating near the mouth of Sequim Bay. Sequim Bay opens onto the Straight of Juan de Fuca, which contains part of the border between the U.S. and Canada. Table 1 lists the specific components used for the NW-MILO system. The acoustic sensor is a hydrophone permanently deployed at a mean depth of about 3 meters. In addition to a hydrophone, the other sensors in the system are a marine radar, an electro-optical (EO) camera and an infra-red (IR) camera. The radar is integrated with a vessel tracking system (VTS) that provides position, speed and heading information. The data from all the sensors is recorded and saved to a central server. The data has been validated in terms of its usability for characterizing the

  9. Motion measurement of acoustically levitated object

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Watkins, John L. (Inventor); Barmatz, Martin B. (Inventor)

    1993-01-01

    A system is described for determining motion of an object that is acoustically positioned in a standing wave field in a chamber. Sonic energy in the chamber is sensed, and variation in the amplitude of the sonic energy is detected, which is caused by linear motion, rotational motion, or drop shape oscillation of the object. Apparatus for detecting object motion can include a microphone coupled to the chamber and a low pass filter connected to the output of the microphone, which passes only frequencies below the frequency of sound produced by a transducer that maintains the acoustic standing wave field. Knowledge about object motion can be useful by itself, can be useful to determine surface tension, viscosity, and other information about the object, and can be useful to determine the pressure and other characteristics of the acoustic field.

  10. Long-range acoustic detection and localization of blue whale calls in the northeast Pacific Ocean.

    PubMed

    Stafford, K M; Fox, C G; Clark, D S

    1998-12-01

    Analysis of acoustic signals recorded from the U.S. Navy's SOund SUrveillance System (SOSUS) was used to detect and locate blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) calls offshore in the northeast Pacific. The long, low-frequency components of these calls are characteristic of calls recorded in the presence of blue whales elsewhere in the world. Mean values for frequency and time characteristics from field-recorded blue whale calls were used to develop a simple matched filter for detecting such calls in noisy time series. The matched filter was applied to signals from three different SOSUS arrays off the coast of the Pacific Northwest to detect and associate individual calls from the same animal on the different arrays. A U.S. Navy maritime patrol aircraft was directed to an area where blue whale calls had been detected on SOSUS using these methods, and the presence of vocalizing blue whale was confirmed at the site with field recordings from sonobuoys.

  11. Ion acoustic waves in the solar wind

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gurnett, D. A.; Frank, L. A.

    1978-01-01

    Plasma wave measurements on the Helios 1 and 2 spacecraft have revealed the occurrence of electric field turbulence in the solar wind at frequencies between the electron and ion plasma frequencies. Wavelength measurements with the Imp 6 spacecraft now provide strong evidence that these waves are shortwavelength ion acoustic waves which are Doppler-shifted upward in frequency by the motion of the solar wind. Comparison of the Helios results with measurements from the earth-orbiting Imp 6 and 8 spacecraft shows that the ion acoustic wave turbulence detected in interplanetary space has characteristics essentially identical to those of bursts of electrostatic turbulence generated by protons streaming into the solar wind from the earth's bow shock. In a few cases, enhanced ion acoustic wave intensities have been observed in direct association with abrupt increases in the anisotropy of the solar wind electron distribution. This relationship strongly suggests that the ion acoustic waves detected by Helios far from the earth are produced by an electron heat flux instability, as was suggested by Forslund. Possible related mechanisms which could explain the generation of ion acoustic waves by protons streaming into the solar wind from the earth's bow shock are also considered.

  12. Design and demonstration of an acoustic right-angle bend.

    PubMed

    Lu, Wenjia; Jia, Han; Bi, Yafeng; Yang, Yuzhen; Yang, Jun

    2017-07-01

    In this paper, a broadband acoustic right-angle bend device in air is designed, fabricated and experimentally characterized. Perforated panels with various hole-sizes are used to construct the bend structure. Both the simulated and experimental results verify that the acoustic beam can be rotated effectively through the acoustic bend in a wide frequency range. This model may have potential applications in some areas such as sound absorption and acoustic detection in elbow pipes.

  13. Acoustic Emission Measurement with Fiber Bragg Gratings for Structure Health Monitoring

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Banks, Curtis E.; Walker, James L.; Russell, Sam; Roth, Don; Mabry, Nehemiah; Wilson, Melissa

    2010-01-01

    Structural Health monitoring (SHM) is a way of detecting and assessing damage to large scale structures. Sensors used in SHM for aerospace structures provide real time data on new and propagating damage. One type of sensor that is typically used is an acoustic emission (AE) sensor that detects the acoustic emissions given off from a material cracking or breaking. The use of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors to provide acoustic emission data for damage detection is studied. In this research, FBG sensors are used to detect acoustic emissions of a material during a tensile test. FBG sensors were placed as a strain sensor (oriented parallel to applied force) and as an AE sensor (oriented perpendicular to applied force). A traditional AE transducer was used to collect AE data to compare with the FBG data. Preliminary results show that AE with FBGs can be a viable alternative to traditional AE sensors.

  14. Comparison of acoustic recorders and field observers for monitoring tundra bird communities

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Vold, Skyler T.; Handel, Colleen M.; McNew, Lance B.

    2017-01-01

    Acoustic recorders can be useful for studying bird populations but their efficiency and accuracy should be assessed in pertinent ecological settings before use. We investigated the utility of an acoustic recorder for monitoring abundance of tundra‐breeding birds relative to point‐count surveys in northwestern Alaska, USA, during 2014. Our objectives were to 1) compare numbers of birds and species detected by a field observer with those detected simultaneously by an acoustic recorder; 2) evaluate how detection probabilities for the observer and acoustic recorder varied with distance of birds from the survey point; and 3) evaluate whether avian guild‐specific detection rates differed between field observers and acoustic recorders relative to habitat. Compared with the observer, the acoustic recorder detected fewer species (βMethod = −0.39 ± 0.07) and fewer individuals (βMethod = −0.56 ± 0.05) in total and for 6 avian guilds. Discrepancies were attributed primarily to differences in effective area surveyed (91% missed by device were >100 m), but also to nonvocal birds being missed by the recorder (55% missed <100 m were silent). The observer missed a few individuals and one species detected by the device. Models indicated that relative abundance of various avian guilds was associated primarily with maximum shrub height and less so with shrub cover and visual obstruction. The absence of a significant interaction between survey method (observer vs. acoustic recorder) and any habitat characteristic suggests that traditional point counts and acoustic recorders would yield similar inferences about ecological relationships in tundra ecosystems. Pairing of the 2 methods could increase survey efficiency and allow for validation and archival of survey results.

  15. Acoustic cross-correlation flowmeter for solid-gas flow

    DOEpatents

    Sheen, S.H.; Raptis, A.C.

    1984-05-14

    Apparatus for measuring particle velocity in a solid-gas flow within a pipe includes: first and second transmitting transducers for transmitting first and second ultrasonic signals into the pipe at first and second locations, respectively, along the pipe; an acoustic decoupler, positioned between said first and second transmitting transducers, for acoustically isolating said first and second signals from one another; first and second detecting transducers for detecting said first and second signals and for generating first and second detected signals; and means for cross-correlating said first and second output signals.

  16. PVT Degradation Studies: Acoustic Diagnostics

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dib, Gerges; Tucker, Brian J.; Kouzes, Richard T.

    Under certain environmental conditions, polyvinyl toluene (PVT) plastic scintillator has been observed to undergo internal fogging. This document reports on a study of acoustic techniques to determine whether they can provide a diagnostic for the fogging of PVT. Different ultrasound techniques were employed for detecting the level of internal fogging in PVT, including wave velocity measurements, attenuation, nonlinear acoustics, and acoustic microscopy. The results indicate that there are linear relations between the wave velocity and wave attenuation with the level of internal fogging. The effects of fogging on ultrasound wave attenuation is further verified by acoustic microscopy imaging, where regionsmore » with fog in the specimen demonstration higher levels of attenuation compared to clear regions. Results from the nonlinear ultrasound measurements were inconclusive due to high sensitivities to transducer coupling and fixture variabilities.« less

  17. An Improved Azimuth Angle Estimation Method with a Single Acoustic Vector Sensor Based on an Active Sonar Detection System.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Anbang; Ma, Lin; Ma, Xuefei; Hui, Juan

    2017-02-20

    In this paper, an improved azimuth angle estimation method with a single acoustic vector sensor (AVS) is proposed based on matched filtering theory. The proposed method is mainly applied in an active sonar detection system. According to the conventional passive method based on complex acoustic intensity measurement, the mathematical and physical model of this proposed method is described in detail. The computer simulation and lake experiments results indicate that this method can realize the azimuth angle estimation with high precision by using only a single AVS. Compared with the conventional method, the proposed method achieves better estimation performance. Moreover, the proposed method does not require complex operations in frequencydomain and achieves computational complexity reduction.

  18. An Improved Azimuth Angle Estimation Method with a Single Acoustic Vector Sensor Based on an Active Sonar Detection System

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Anbang; Ma, Lin; Ma, Xuefei; Hui, Juan

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, an improved azimuth angle estimation method with a single acoustic vector sensor (AVS) is proposed based on matched filtering theory. The proposed method is mainly applied in an active sonar detection system. According to the conventional passive method based on complex acoustic intensity measurement, the mathematical and physical model of this proposed method is described in detail. The computer simulation and lake experiments results indicate that this method can realize the azimuth angle estimation with high precision by using only a single AVS. Compared with the conventional method, the proposed method achieves better estimation performance. Moreover, the proposed method does not require complex operations in frequency-domain and achieves computational complexity reduction. PMID:28230763

  19. Wear detection by means of wavelet-based acoustic emission analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baccar, D.; Söffker, D.

    2015-08-01

    Wear detection and monitoring during operation are complex and difficult tasks especially for materials under sliding conditions. Due to the permanent contact and repetitive motion, the material surface remains during tests non-accessible for optical inspection so that attrition of the contact partners cannot be easily detected. This paper introduces the relevant scientific components of reliable and efficient condition monitoring system for online detection and automated classification of wear phenomena by means of acoustic emission (AE) and advanced signal processing approaches. The related experiments were performed using a tribological system consisting of two martensitic plates, sliding against each other. High sensitive piezoelectric transducer was used to provide the continuous measurement of AE signals. The recorded AE signals were analyzed mainly by time-frequency analysis. A feature extraction module using a novel combination of Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT) and Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) were used for the first time. A detailed correlation analysis between complex signal characteristics and the surface damage resulting from contact fatigue was investigated. Three wear process stages were detected and could be distinguished. To obtain quantitative and detailed information about different wear phases, the AE energy was calculated using STFT and decomposed into a suitable number of frequency levels. The individual energy distribution and the cumulative AE energy of each frequency components were analyzed using CWT. Results show that the behavior of individual frequency component changes when the wear state changes. Here, specific frequency ranges are attributed to the different wear states. The study reveals that the application of the STFT-/CWT-based AE analysis is an appropriate approach to distinguish and to interpret the different damage states occurred during sliding contact. Based on this results a new generation of condition monitoring

  20. Acoustic spin pumping in magnetoelectric bulk acoustic wave resonator

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Polzikova, N. I., E-mail: polz@cplire.ru; Alekseev, S. G.; Pyataikin, I. I.

    2016-05-15

    We present the generation and detection of spin currents by using magnetoelastic resonance excitation in a magnetoelectric composite high overtone bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator (HBAR) formed by a Al-ZnO-Al-GGG-YIG-Pt structure. Transversal BAW drives magnetization oscillations in YIG film at a given resonant magnetic field, and the resonant magneto-elastic coupling establishes the spin-current generation at the Pt/YIG interface. Due to the inverse spin Hall effect (ISHE) this BAW-driven spin current is converted to a dc voltage in the Pt layer. The dependence of the measured voltage both on magnetic field and frequency has a resonant character. The voltage is determinedmore » by the acoustic power in HBAR and changes its sign upon magnetic field reversal. We compare the experimentally observed amplitudes of the ISHE electrical field achieved by our method and other approaches to spin current generation that use surface acoustic waves and microwave resonators for ferromagnetic resonance excitation, with the theoretically expected values.« less

  1. Marine Mammal Acoustic Monitoring and Habitat Investigation, Southern California Channel Island Region

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-07-01

    1998 . Long - range acoustic detection and localization of blue whale calls in the northeast Pacific Ocean. Journal of the Acoustical ...Peninsula. Deep-Sea Research II 51: 2327-2344. Stafford , K.M., C.G. Fox, and D.S. Clark. 1998 . Long - range acoustic detection and localization of blue ...speciation. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond B 357:493-503. Stafford , K. M., Fox, C. G. and Clark, D.S. 1998

  2. Supplemental Student Support: Detection and Identification of Buried Targets using Time Reversal Acoustics

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-11-04

    simulated result generated from the partial wave series model described in Chapter 2. Finally, the acoustic properties of the sediment phantom...the appropriate acoustic properties and propagation models for the sediment medium, that is, whether to assume the sediment is a fluid, an elastic...viscoelastic medium, or a poroelastic medium. 141 In this study, the sediment phantom employed is treated as a fluid. Its acoustic properties are

  3. Laser Generated Leaky Acoustic Waves for Needle Visualization.

    PubMed

    Wu, Kai-Wen; Wang, Yi-An; Li, Pai-Chi

    2018-04-01

    Ultrasound (US)-guided needle operation is usually used to visualize both tissue and needle position such as tissue biopsy and localized drug delivery. However, the transducer-needle orientation is limited due to reflection of the acoustic waves. We proposed a leaky acoustic wave method to visualize the needle position and orientation. Laser pulses are emitted on top of the needle to generate acoustic waves; then, these acoustic waves propagate along the needle surface. Leaky wave signals are detected by the US array transducer. The needle position can be calculated by phase velocities of two different wave modes and their corresponding emission angles. In our experiments, a series of needles was inserted into a tissue mimicking phantom and porcine tissue to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed method. The results show that the detection depth is up to 51 mm and the insertion angle is up to 40° with needles of different diameters. It is demonstrated that the proposed approach outperforms the conventional B-mode US-guided needle operation in terms of the detection range while achieving similar accuracy. The proposed method reveals the potentials for further clinical applications.

  4. Acoustic detection of Melolonthine larvae in Australian sugarcane

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Decision support systems have been developed for risk analysis and control of root-feeding white grub pests in Queensland sugarcane, based partly on manual inspection of cane soil samples. Acoustic technology was considered as a potential alternative to this laborious procedure. Field surveys were...

  5. Acoustic Transmitters for Underwater Neutrino Telescopes

    PubMed Central

    Ardid, Miguel; Martínez-Mora, Juan A.; Bou-Cabo, Manuel; Larosa, Giuseppina; Adrián-Martínez, Silvia; Llorens, Carlos D.

    2012-01-01

    In this paper acoustic transmitters that were developed for use in underwater neutrino telescopes are presented. Firstly, an acoustic transceiver has been developed as part of the acoustic positioning system of neutrino telescopes. These infrastructures are not completely rigid and require a positioning system in order to monitor the position of the optical sensors which move due to sea currents. To guarantee a reliable and versatile system, the transceiver has the requirements of reduced cost, low power consumption, high pressure withstanding (up to 500 bars), high intensity for emission, low intrinsic noise, arbitrary signals for emission and the capacity of acquiring and processing received signals. Secondly, a compact acoustic transmitter array has been developed for the calibration of acoustic neutrino detection systems. The array is able to mimic the signature of ultra-high-energy neutrino interaction in emission directivity and signal shape. The technique of parametric acoustic sources has been used to achieve the proposed aim. The developed compact array has practical features such as easy manageability and operation. The prototype designs and the results of different tests are described. The techniques applied for these two acoustic systems are so powerful and versatile that may be of interest in other marine applications using acoustic transmitters. PMID:22666022

  6. Acoustic shadows help gleaning bats find prey, but may be defeated by prey acoustic camouflage on rough surfaces.

    PubMed

    Clare, Elizabeth L; Holderied, Marc W

    2015-09-01

    Perceptual abilities of animals, like echolocating bats, are difficult to study because they challenge our understanding of non-visual senses. We used novel acoustic tomography to convert echoes into visual representations and compare these cues to traditional echo measurements. We provide a new hypothesis for the echo-acoustic basis of prey detection on surfaces. We propose that bats perceive a change in depth profile and an 'acoustic shadow' cast by prey. The shadow is more salient than prey echoes and particularly strong on smooth surfaces. This may explain why bats look for prey on flat surfaces like leaves using scanning behaviour. We propose that rather than forming search images for prey, whose characteristics are unpredictable, predators may look for disruptions to the resting surface (acoustic shadows). The fact that the acoustic shadow is much fainter on rougher resting surfaces provides the first empirical evidence for 'acoustic camouflage' as an anti-predator defence mechanism.

  7. Influence of depth, time and human activity on detection rate of acoustic tags: a case study on two fish farms.

    PubMed

    Otterå, H; Skilbrei, O T

    2016-03-01

    The detection rates of stationary acoustic transmitters deployed at three depths on two Atlantic salmon Salmo salar cage farms for c. 2 months were investigated. Deployment depth, time of day, day of the year and specific incidences at the farm substantially affected the rate of signal detection by the receiver. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  8. Detection of anomalies in ocean acoustic velocity structure and their effect in sea-bottom crustal deformation measurement: synthetic test and future suggestion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nagai, S.; Eto, S.; Tadokoro, K.; Watanabe, T.

    2011-12-01

    On-land geodetic observations are not enough to monitor crustal activities in and around the subduction zone, so seafloor geodetic observations have been required. However, present accuracy of seafloor geodetic observation is an order of 1 cm or larger, which is difficult to detect differences from plate motion in short time interval, which means a plate coupling rate and its spatio-temporal variation. Our group has been developed observation system and methodology for seafloor geodesy, which is combined kinematic GPS and ocean acoustic ranging. One of influence factors is acoustic velocity change in ocean, due to change in temperature, ocean currents in different scale, and so on. A typical perturbation of acoustic velocity makes an order of 1 ms difference in travel time, which corresponds to 1 m difference in ray length. We have investigated this effect in seafloor geodesy using both observed and synthetic data to reduce estimation error of benchmarker (transponder) positions and to develop our strategy for observation and its analyses. In this paper, we focus on forward modeling of travel times of acoustic ranging data and recovery tests using synthetic data comparing with observed results [Eto et al., 2011; in this meeting]. Estimation procedure for benchmarker positions is similar to those used in earthquake location method and seismic tomography. So we have applied methods in seismic study, especially in tomographic inversion. First, we use method of a one-dimensional velocity inversion with station corrections, proposed by Kissling et al. [1994], to detect spatio-temporal change in ocean acoustic velocity from observed data in the Suruga-Nankai Trough, Japan. From these analyses, some important information has been clarified in travel time data [Eto et al., 2011]. Most of them can explain small velocity anomaly at a depth of 300m or shallower, through forward modeling of travel time data using simple velocity structure with velocity anomaly. However, due to

  9. Artificial neural networks for acoustic target recognition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Robertson, James A.; Mossing, John C.; Weber, Bruce A.

    1995-04-01

    Acoustic sensors can be used to detect, track and identify non-line-of-sight targets passively. Attempts to alter acoustic emissions often result in an undesirable performance degradation. This research project investigates the use of neural networks for differentiating between features extracted from the acoustic signatures of sources. Acoustic data were filtered and digitized using a commercially available analog-digital convertor. The digital data was transformed to the frequency domain for additional processing using the FFT. Narrowband peak detection algorithms were incorporated to select peaks above a user defined SNR. These peaks were then used to generate a set of robust features which relate specifically to target components in varying background conditions. The features were then used as input into a backpropagation neural network. A K-means unsupervised clustering algorithm was used to determine the natural clustering of the observations. Comparisons between a feature set consisting of the normalized amplitudes of the first 250 frequency bins of the power spectrum and a set of 11 harmonically related features were made. Initial results indicate that even though some different target types had a tendency to group in the same clusters, the neural network was able to differentiate the targets. Successful identification of acoustic sources under varying operational conditions with high confidence levels was achieved.

  10. Method and means for measuring acoustic emissions

    DOEpatents

    Renken, Jr., Claus J.

    1976-01-06

    The detection of acoustic emissions emanating from an object is achieved with a capacitive transducer coupled to the object. The capacitive transducer is charged and then allowed to discharge with the rate of discharge being monitored. Oscillations in the rate of discharge about the normally exponential discharge curve for the capacitive transducer indicate the presence of acoustic emissions.

  11. Acoustic emission detection for mass fractions of materials based on wavelet packet technology.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xianghong; Xiang, Jianjun; Hu, Hongwei; Xie, Wei; Li, Xiongbing

    2015-07-01

    Materials are often damaged during the process of detecting mass fractions by traditional methods. Acoustic emission (AE) technology combined with wavelet packet analysis is used to evaluate the mass fractions of microcrystalline graphite/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composites in this study. Attenuation characteristics of AE signals across the composites with different mass fractions are investigated. The AE signals are decomposed by wavelet packet technology to obtain the relationships between the energy and amplitude attenuation coefficients of feature wavelet packets and mass fractions as well. Furthermore, the relationship is validated by a sample. The larger proportion of microcrystalline graphite will correspond to the higher attenuation of energy and amplitude. The attenuation characteristics of feature wavelet packets with the frequency range from 125 kHz to 171.85 kHz are more suitable for the detection of mass fractions than those of the original AE signals. The error of the mass fraction of microcrystalline graphite calculated by the feature wavelet packet (1.8%) is lower than that of the original signal (3.9%). Therefore, AE detection base on wavelet packet analysis is an ideal NDT method for evaluate mass fractions of composite materials. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Investigation of acoustic emission coupling techniques

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jolly, W. D.

    1988-01-01

    A three-phase research program was initiated by NASA in 1983 to investigate the use of acoustic monitoring techniques to detect incipient failure in turbopump bearings. Two prototype acoustic coupler probes were designed and evaluated, and four units of the final probe design were fabricated. Success in this program could lead to development of an on-board monitor which could detect bearing damage in flight and reduce or eliminate the need for disassembly after each flight. This final report reviews the accomplishments of the first two phases and presents the results of fabrication and testing completed in the final phase of the research program.

  13. Contraband detection using acoustic technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    George, Robert D.; Gauthier, Ronald D.; Denslow, Kayte D.; Cinson, Anthony M.; Diaz, Aaron A.; Griffin, Molly

    2008-03-01

    Maritime security personnel have a need for advanced technologies to address issues such as identification, confirmation or classification of substances and materials in sealed containers, both non-invasively and nondestructively in field and first response operations. Such substances include items such as hazardous/flammable liquids, drugs, contraband, and precursor chemicals used in the fabrication of illicit materials. Our initial efforts focused specifically on a commercial portable acoustic detector technology that was evaluated under operational conditions in a maritime environment. Technical/operational limitations were identified and enhancements were incorporated that would address these limitations. In this paper, application-specific improvements and performance testing/evaluation results will be described. Such enhancements will provide personnel/users of the detector a significantly more reliable method of screening materials for contraband items that might be hidden in cargo containers.

  14. Tipping point analysis of ocean acoustic noise

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Livina, Valerie N.; Brouwer, Albert; Harris, Peter; Wang, Lian; Sotirakopoulos, Kostas; Robinson, Stephen

    2018-02-01

    We apply tipping point analysis to a large record of ocean acoustic data to identify the main components of the acoustic dynamical system and study possible bifurcations and transitions of the system. The analysis is based on a statistical physics framework with stochastic modelling, where we represent the observed data as a composition of deterministic and stochastic components estimated from the data using time-series techniques. We analyse long-term and seasonal trends, system states and acoustic fluctuations to reconstruct a one-dimensional stochastic equation to approximate the acoustic dynamical system. We apply potential analysis to acoustic fluctuations and detect several changes in the system states in the past 14 years. These are most likely caused by climatic phenomena. We analyse trends in sound pressure level within different frequency bands and hypothesize a possible anthropogenic impact on the acoustic environment. The tipping point analysis framework provides insight into the structure of the acoustic data and helps identify its dynamic phenomena, correctly reproducing the probability distribution and scaling properties (power-law correlations) of the time series.

  15. Acoustic Predictors of Pediatric Dysarthria in Cerebral Palsy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allison, Kristen M.; Hustad, Katherine C.

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: The objectives of this study were to identify acoustic characteristics of connected speech that differentiate children with dysarthria secondary to cerebral palsy (CP) from typically developing children and to identify acoustic measures that best detect dysarthria in children with CP. Method: Twenty 5-year-old children with dysarthria…

  16. Effective channel estimation and efficient symbol detection for multi-input multi-output underwater acoustic communications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ling, Jun

    Achieving reliable underwater acoustic communications (UAC) has long been recognized as a challenging problem owing to the scarce bandwidth available and the reverberant spread in both time and frequency domains. To pursue high data rates, we consider a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) UAC system, and our focus is placed on two main issues regarding a MIMO UAC system: (1) channel estimation, which involves the design of the training sequences and the development of a reliable channel estimation algorithm, and (2) symbol detection, which requires interference cancelation schemes due to simultaneous transmission from multiple transducers. To enhance channel estimation performance, we present a cyclic approach for designing training sequences with good auto- and cross-correlation properties, and a channel estimation algorithm called the iterative adaptive approach (IAA). Sparse channel estimates can be obtained by combining IAA with the Bayesian information criterion (BIC). Moreover, we present sparse learning via iterative minimization (SLIM) and demonstrate that SLIM gives similar performance to IAA but at a much lower computational cost. Furthermore, an extension of the SLIM algorithm is introduced to estimate the sparse and frequency modulated acoustic channels. The extended algorithm is referred to as generalization of SLIM (GoSLIM). Regarding symbol detection, a linear minimum mean-squared error based detection scheme, called RELAX-BLAST, which is a combination of vertical Bell Labs layered space-time (V-BLAST) algorithm and the cyclic principle of the RELAX algorithm, is presented and it is shown that RELAX-BLAST outperforms V-BLAST. We show that RELAX-BLAST can be implemented efficiently by making use of the conjugate gradient method and diagonalization properties of circulant matrices. This fast implementation approach requires only simple fast Fourier transform operations and facilitates parallel implementations. The effectiveness of the proposed MIMO schemes

  17. Bottom Interaction in Ocean Acoustic Propagation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-09-30

    critical depth). What is the relationship between the seismic (ground motion) noise on the seafloor and the acoustic noise in the water column? What...detections and observations on non-traditional sensors such as deep boreholes in the seafloor in water depths well- below the critical depth. Third...press). "Estimating the horizontal 4 and vertical direction-of-arrival of water-borne seismic signals in the northern Philippine Sea," J. Acoust

  18. Wide Area Detection and Identification of Underwater UXO Using Structural Acoustic Sensors

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-07-08

    acoustic scattering measurements of underwater unexploded ordnance (UXO),” J. Acoustic. Soc. Am. 123, 738-746 (2008). 10. R. J. Urick ...Review, 97-98, 2004. 13. Urick , op. cit., pp 291-327. 14. S. Dey and D.K. Datta, “A parrallel hp-FEM infrastructure for three-dimensional

  19. Apparatus and methods for real-time detection of explosives devices

    DOEpatents

    Blackburn, Brandon W [Idaho Falls, ID; Hunt, Alan W [Pocatello, ID; Chichester, David L [Idaho Falls, ID

    2014-01-07

    The present disclosure relates, according to some embodiments, to apparatus, devices, systems, and/or methods for real-time detection of a concealed or camouflaged explosive device (e.g., EFPs and IEDs) from a safe stand-off distance. Apparatus, system and/or methods of the disclosure may also be operable to identify and/or spatially locate and/or detect an explosive device. An apparatus or system may comprise an x-ray generator that generates high-energy x-rays and/or electrons operable to contact and activate a metal comprised in an explosive device from a stand-off distance; and a detector operable to detect activation of the metal. Identifying an explosive device may comprise detecting characteristic radiation signatures emitted by metals specific to an EFP, an IED or a landmine. Apparatus and systems of the disclosure may be mounted on vehicles and methods of the disclosure may be performed while moving in the vehicle and from a safe stand-off distance.

  20. Acoustic Metadata Management and Transparent Access to Networked Oceanographic Data Sets

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-09-30

    the deployment that was analyzed. It contains a Start and End time that must lie within the timespan over which the instrument was deployed. A list...encounter – Detections record acoustic encounters. The start time denotes when the animals were first detected acoustically and the end time...systematically. Children of Detection include elements such as the Start and End times of the call, bin, or encounter, a species identifier from the

  1. Continental-shelf Scale Passive Ocean AcousticWaveguide Remote Sensing of Marine Mammals and other Submerged Objects including Detection, Localization, and Classification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Delin

    In this thesis, we develop the basics of the Passive Ocean Acoustic Waveguide Remote Sensing (POAWRS) technique for the instantaneous continental-shelf scale detection, localization and species classification of marine mammal vocalizations. POAWRS uses a large-aperture, densely sampled coherent hydrophone array system with orders of magnitude higher array gain to enhance signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) by coherent beamforming, enabling detection of underwater acoustic signals either two orders of magnitude more distant in range or lower in SNR than a single hydrophone. The ability to employ coherent spatial processing of signals with the POAWRS technology significantly improves areal coverage, enabling detection of oceanic sound sources over instantaneous wide areas spanning 100 km or more in diameter. The POAWRS approach was applied to analyze marine mammal vocalizations from diverse species received on a 160-element Office Naval Research Five Octave Research Array (ONR-FORA) deployed during their feeding season in Fall 2006 in the Gulf of Maine. The species-dependent temporal-spatial distribution of marine mammal vocalizations and correlation to the prey fish distributions have been determined. Furthermore, the probability of detection regions, source level distributions and pulse compression gains of the vocalization signals from diverse marine mammal species have been estimated. We also develop an approach for enhancing the angular resolution and improving bearing estimates of acoustic signals received on a coherent hydrophone array with multiple-nested uniformly-spaced subapertures, such as the ONR-FORA, by nonuniform array beamforming. Finally we develop a low-cost non-oil-filled towable prototype hydrophone array that consists of eight hydrophone elements with real-time data acquisition and 100 m tow cable. The approach demonstrated here will be applied in the development of a full 160 element POAWRS-type low-cost coherent hydrophone array system in the future.

  2. Transport of explosives I: TNT in soil and its equilibrium vapor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baez, Bibiana; Correa, Sandra N.; Hernandez-Rivera, Samuel P.; de Jesus, Maritza; Castro, Miguel E.; Mina, Nairmen; Briano, Julio G.

    2004-09-01

    Landmine detection is an important task for military operations and for humanitarian demining. Conventional methods for landmine detection involve measurements of physical properties. Several of these methods fail on the detection of modern mines with plastic enclosures. Methods based on the detection signature explosives chemicals such as TNT and DNT are specific to landmines and explosive devices. However, such methods involve the measurements of the vapor trace, which can be deceiving of the actual mine location because of the complex transport phenomena that occur in the soil neighboring the buried landmine. We report on the results of the study of the explosives subject to similar environmental conditions as the actual mines. Soil samples containing TNT were used to study the effects of aging, temperature and moisture under controlled conditions. The soil used in the investigation was Ottawa sand. A JEOL GCMate II gas chromatograph +/- mass spectrometer coupled to a Tunable Electron Energy Monochromator (TEEM-GC/MS) was used to develop the method of analysis of explosives under enhanced detection conditions. Simultaneously, a GC with micro cell 63Ni, Electron Capture Detector (μECD) was used for analysis of TNT in sand. Both techniques were coupled with Solid-Phase Micro Extraction (SPME) methodology to collect TNT doped sand samples. The experiments were done in both, headspace and immersion modes of SPME for sampling of explosives. In the headspace experiments it was possible to detect appreciable TNT vapors as early as 1 hour after of preparing the samples, even at room temperature (20 °C). In the immersion experiments, I-SPME technique allowed for the detection of concentrations as low as 0.010 mg of explosive per kilogram of soil.

  3. The simultaneous death of seven people due to the detonation of an antipersonnel landmine at the land borders of the European Union during peacetime.

    PubMed

    Pavlidis, Pavlos; Karakasi, Valeria

    2015-01-01

    This incident concerns the simultaneous death of seven people as a result of the accidental triggering of an antipersonnel landmine during peacetime. The victims were illegal migrants who attempted to cross the Greek-Turkish border zone and accidentally entered a demarcated minefield. This incident is presented because of its rarity and highlights the devastating consequences of the residual mines on the European Union eastern frontiers in peacetime. It also showcases the difficulties and risks that arise during the identification process in illegal migration issues. The victims' positions at the moment of explosion are indicated by the detailed forensic examination and comparison of the injuries' anatomical dispersion and their severity.

  4. Acoustic cavitation of individual ultrasound contrast agent microbubbles confined in capillaries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Almaqwashi, Ali; McIntyre, David; Ammi, Azzdine

    2011-10-01

    Ultrasound targeted therapies mainly rely on the inertial cavitation of ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) microbubbles. Our objective is to determine the cavitation acoustic pressure threshold for the destruction of UCA microbubbles inside cellulose capillaries. Acoustic emission from individual Optison microbubbles confined inside a 200-μm diameter capillary was detected using a passive cavitation detection system. Excitation signals from a 2.25 MHz transmitter were applied to the microbubbles while their acoustic emission was detected by a broadband 15 MHz receiver. Time traces were recorded (100 MHz sampling, 12- bit), and frequency-domain analysis of the received signals was performed to characterize microbubble cavitation. The cavitation acoustic pressure threshold was found to be 1 MPa inside the capillary in comparison with ˜0.7 MPa previously reported for unconfined UCA microbubbles. This work provides a clearer understanding of the role of ultrasound contrast agent dynamics inside a capillary.

  5. A self-mixing based ring-type fiber-optic acoustic sensor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Lutang; Wu, Chunxu; Fang, Nian

    2014-07-01

    A novel, simple fiber-optic acoustic sensor consisting of a self-mixing effect based laser source and a ring-type interferometer is presented. With weak external optical feedbacks, the acoustic wave signals can be detected by measuring the changes of oscillating frequency of the laser diode, induced by the disturbances of sensing fiber, with the ring-type interferometer. The operation principles of the sensor system are explored in-depth and the experimental researches are carried out. The acoustic wave signals produced by various actions, such as by pencil broken, mental pin free falling and PZT are detected for evaluating the sensing performances of the experimental system. The investigation items include the sensitivity as well as frequency responses of the sensor system. An experiment for the detection of corona discharges is carried out, which occur in a high-voltage environment between two parallel copper electrodes, under different humidity levels. The satisfied experimental results are obtained. These experimental results well prove that our proposed sensing system has very high sensitivity and excellent high frequency responses characteristics in the detections of weak, high-frequency acoustic wave signals.

  6. Wide Area Detection and Identification of Underwater UXO Using Structural Acoustic Sensors

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-02-01

    measurements of underwater unexploded ordnance (UXO),” J. Acoustic. Soc. Am. 123, 738-746 (2008). 10. R. J. Urick , “Principles of Underwater Sound... Urick , op. cit., pp 291-327. 14. S. Dey and D.K. Datta, “A parrallel hp-FEM infrastructure for three-dimensional structural acoustics,” Int. J

  7. Test and evaluation of Japanese GPR-EMI dual sensor systems at Benkovac test site in Croatia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ishikawa, J.; Furuta, K.; Pavković, Nikola

    2007-04-01

    This paper presents an experimental design and the evaluation result of a trial that were carried out from 1 February to 9 March 2006 using real PMA-1A and PMA-2 landmines at the Benkovac test site in Croatia. The objective of the Croatia- Japan joint trial is to evaluate dual sensor systems, which use both ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electromagnetic inductive (EMI) sensors. A comparative trial was also carried out by Croatian deminers using an existing EMI sensor, i.e., a metal detector (MD). The trial aims at evaluating differences in performance between dual sensors and MDs, especially in terms of discrimination of landmines from metal fragments and extension of detectable range in the depth direction. Devices evaluated here are 4 prototypes of anti-personnel landmine detection systems developed under a project of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), the supervising authority of which is the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The prototypes provide operators with subsurface images, and final decision whether a shadow in the image is a real landmine or not is left to the operator. This is similar to the way that medical doctors find cancer by reading CT images. Since operators' pre-knowledge of locations of buried targets significantly influences the test result, three test lanes, which have 3 different kinds of soils, have been designed to be suitable for blind tests. The result showed that the dual sensor systems have a potential to discriminate landmines from metal fragments and that probability of detection for small targets in mineralized soils can be improved by using GPR.

  8. Detection of acoustic-gravity waves in lower ionosphere by VLF radio waves

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nina, A.; Čadež, V. M.

    2013-09-01

    We present a new method to study harmonic waves in the low ionosphere (60 - 90 km) by detecting their effects on reflection of very low frequency (VLF) radio waves. Our procedure is based on amplitude analysis of reflected VLF radio waves recorded in real time, which yields an insight into the dynamics of the ionosphere at heights where VLF radio waves are being reflected. The method was applied to perturbations induced by the solar terminator motions at sunrises and sunsets. The obtained results show that typical perturbation frequencies found to exist in higher regions of the atmosphere are also present in the lower ionosphere, which indicates a global nature of the considered oscillations. In our model atmosphere, they turn out to be the acoustic and gravity waves with comparatively short and long periods, respectively.

  9. Application of scanning acoustic microscopy to advanced structural ceramics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vary, Alex; Klima, Stanley J.

    1987-01-01

    A review is presentod of research investigations of several acoustic microscopy techniques for application to structural ceramics for advanced heat engines. Results obtained with scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM), scanning laser acoustic microscopy (SLAM), scanning electron acoustic microscopy (SEAM), and photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) are compared. The techniques were evaluated on research samples of green and sintered monolithic silicon nitrides and silicon carbides in the form of modulus-of-rupture bars containing deliberately introduced flaws. Strengths and limitations of the techniques are described with emphasis on statistics of detectability of flaws that constitute potential fracture origins.

  10. Dual instrument passive acoustic monitoring of belugas in Cook Inlet, Alaska.

    PubMed

    Castellote, Manuel; Small, Robert J; Lammers, Marc O; Jenniges, Justin J; Mondragon, Jeff; Atkinson, Shannon

    2016-05-01

    As part of a long-term research program, Cook Inlet beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) presence was acoustically monitored with two types of acoustic sensors utilized in tandem in moorings deployed year-round: an ecological acoustic recorder (EAR) and a cetacean and porpoise detector (C-POD). The EAR was used primarily to record the calls, whistles, and buzzes produced by belugas and killer whales (Orcinus orca). The C-POD was used to log and classify echolocation clicks from belugas, killer whales, and porpoises. This paper describes mooring packages that maximized the chances of successful long-term data collection in the particularly challenging Cook Inlet environment, and presents an analytical comparison of odontocete detections obtained by the collocated EAR and C-POD instruments from two mooring locations in the upper inlet. Results from this study illustrate a significant improvement in detecting beluga and killer whale presence when the different acoustic signals detected by EARs and C-PODs are considered together. Further, results from concurrent porpoise detections indicating prey competition and feeding interference with beluga, and porpoise displacement due to ice formation are described.

  11. Dual-tree complex wavelet transform and SVD based acoustic noise reduction and its application in leak detection for natural gas pipeline

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Xuchao; Liang, Wei; Zhang, Laibin; Jin, Hao; Qiu, Jingwei

    2016-05-01

    During the last decades, leak detection for natural gas pipeline has become one of the paramount concerns of pipeline operators and researchers across the globe. However, acoustic wave method has been proved to be an effective way to identify and localize leakage for gas pipeline. Considering the fact that noises inevitably exist in the acoustic signals collected, noise reduction should be enforced on the signals for subsequent data mining and analysis. Thus, an integrated acoustic noise reduction method based on DTCWT and SVD is proposed in this study. The method is put forward based on the idea that noise reduction strategy should match the characteristics of the noisy signal. According to previous studies, it is known that the energy of acoustic signals collected under leaking condition is mainly concentrated in low-frequency portion (0-100 Hz). And ultralow-frequency component (0-5 Hz), which is taken as the characteristic frequency band in this study, can propagate a relatively longer distance and be captured by sensors. Therefore, in order to filter the noises and to reserve the characteristic frequency band, DTCWT is taken as the core to conduct multilevel decomposition and refining for acoustic signals and SVD is employed to eliminate noises in non-characteristic bands. Both simulation and field experiments show that DTCWT-SVD is an excellent method for acoustic noise reduction. At the end of this study, application in leakage localization shows that it becomes much easier and a little more accurate to estimate the location of leak hole after noise reduction by DTCWT-SVD.

  12. Explosive detection using high-volume vapor sampling and analysis by trained canines and ultra-trace detection equipment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fisher, Mark; Sikes, John; Prather, Mark

    2004-09-01

    The dog's nose is an effective, highly-mobile sampling system, while the canine olfactory organs are an extremely sensitive detector. Having been trained to detect a wide variety of substances with exceptional results, canines are widely regarded as the 'gold standard' in chemical vapor detection. Historically, attempts to mimic the ability of dogs to detect vapors of explosives using electronic 'dogs noses' has proven difficult. However, recent advances in technology have resulted in development of detection (i.e., sampling and sensor) systems with performance that is rapidly approaching that of trained canines. The Nomadics Fido was the first sensor to demonstrate under field conditions the detection of landmines with performance approaching that of canines. More recently, comparative testing of Fido against canines has revealed that electronic vapor detection, when coupled with effective sampling methods, can produce results comparable to that of highly-trained canines. The results of these comparative tests will be presented, as will recent test results in which explosives hidden in cargo were detected using Fido with a high-volume sampling technique. Finally, the use of canines along with electronic sensors will be discussed as a means of improving the performance and expanding the capabilities of both methods.

  13. Bearing Fault Detection Based on Empirical Wavelet Transform and Correlated Kurtosis by Acoustic Emission.

    PubMed

    Gao, Zheyu; Lin, Jing; Wang, Xiufeng; Xu, Xiaoqiang

    2017-05-24

    Rolling bearings are widely used in rotating equipment. Detection of bearing faults is of great importance to guarantee safe operation of mechanical systems. Acoustic emission (AE), as one of the bearing monitoring technologies, is sensitive to weak signals and performs well in detecting incipient faults. Therefore, AE is widely used in monitoring the operating status of rolling bearing. This paper utilizes Empirical Wavelet Transform (EWT) to decompose AE signals into mono-components adaptively followed by calculation of the correlated kurtosis (CK) at certain time intervals of these components. By comparing these CK values, the resonant frequency of the rolling bearing can be determined. Then the fault characteristic frequencies are found by spectrum envelope. Both simulation signal and rolling bearing AE signals are used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results show that the new method performs well in identifying bearing fault frequency under strong background noise.

  14. Acoustic Emission Detected by Matched Filter Technique in Laboratory Earthquake Experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, B.; Hou, J.; Xie, F.; Ren, Y.

    2017-12-01

    Acoustic Emission in laboratory earthquake experiment is a fundamental measures to study the mechanics of the earthquake for instance to characterize the aseismic, nucleation, as well as post seismic phase or in stick slip experiment. Compared to field earthquake, AEs are generally recorded when they are beyond threshold, so some weak signals may be missing. Here we conducted an experiment on a 1.1m×1.1m granite with a 1.5m fault and 13 receivers with the same sample rate of 3MHz are placed on the surface. We adopt continues record and a matched filter technique to detect low-SNR signals. We found there are too many signals around the stick-slip and the P- arrival picked by manual may be time-consuming. So, we combined the short-term average to long-tem-average ratio (STA/LTA) technique with Autoregressive-Akaike information criterion (AR-AIC) technique to pick the arrival automatically and found mostly of the P- arrival accuracy can satisfy our demand to locate signals. Furthermore, we will locate the signals and apply a matched filter technique to detect low-SNR signals. Then, we can see if there is something interesting in laboratory earthquake experiment. Detailed and updated results will be present in the meeting.

  15. High-bandwidth acoustic detection system (HBADS) for stripmap synthetic aperture acoustic imaging of canonical ground targets using airborne sound and a 16 element receiving array

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bishop, Steven S.; Moore, Timothy R.; Gugino, Peter; Smith, Brett; Kirkwood, Kathryn P.; Korman, Murray S.

    2018-04-01

    High Bandwidth Acoustic Detection System (HBADS) is an emerging active acoustic sensor technology undergoing study by the US Army's Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate. Mounted on a commercial all-terrain type vehicle, it uses a single source pulse chirp while moving and a new array (two rows each containing eight microphones) mounted horizontally and oriented in a side scan mode. Experiments are performed with this synthetic aperture air acoustic (SAA) array to image canonical ground targets in clutter or foliage. A commercial audio speaker transmits a linear FM chirp having an effective frequency range of 2 kHz to 15 kHz. The system includes an inertial navigation system using two differential GPS antennas, an inertial measurement unit and a wheel coder. A web camera is mounted midway between the two horizontal microphone arrays and a meteorological unit acquires ambient, temperature, pressure and humidity information. A data acquisition system is central to the system's operation, which is controlled by a laptop computer. Recent experiments include imaging canonical targets located on the ground in a grassy field and similar targets camouflaged by natural vegetation along the side of a road. A recent modification involves implementing SAA stripmap mode interferometry for computing the reflectance of targets placed along the ground. Typical strip map SAA parameters are chirp pulse = 10 or 40 ms, slant range resolution c/(2*BW) = 0.013 m, microphone diameter D = 0.022 m, azimuthal resolution (D/2) = 0.01, air sound speed c ≍ 340 m/s and maximum vehicle speed ≍ 2 m/s.

  16. Estimating propagation velocity through a surface acoustic wave sensor

    DOEpatents

    Xu, Wenyuan; Huizinga, John S.

    2010-03-16

    Techniques are described for estimating the propagation velocity through a surface acoustic wave sensor. In particular, techniques which measure and exploit a proper segment of phase frequency response of the surface acoustic wave sensor are described for use as a basis of bacterial detection by the sensor. As described, use of velocity estimation based on a proper segment of phase frequency response has advantages over conventional techniques that use phase shift as the basis for detection.

  17. Effect of environmental conditions on the spectroscopic signature of DNT in sand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blanco, Alejandro; Mina, Nairmen; Castro, Miguel E.; Castillo-Chara, Jairo; Hernandez-Rivera, Samuel P.

    2005-06-01

    Landmines have been a part of war technology for many years. As a result of the continued and indiscriminate use in approximately 90 countries landmines pose a severe and ever growing problem and a daily risk. Raman Spectroscopy is capable of providing rich information about the molecular structure of the sample and pinpoint detection of many chemicals, both of organic and inorganic nature. The presence of landmines in soils can be detected by Raman Spectroscopy sensing in a Point Detection modality, using characteristic vibrational signals of each explosive present in landmines. Detection of 2,4-DNT in sand and studies on how the vibrational signatures of 2,4-DNT is modified by interacting with soil particles and environmental conditions is reported. Raman Microspectrometers equipped with 514 nm and 785 nm laser excitation lines were used. The work focused in how the spectroscopic signatures of DNT in contact with Ottawa Sand are affected by the presence of humidity, pH, temperature, UV light and reaction times. Samples of mixtures of sand/2,4-DNT were analyzed by Raman Spectroscopy at 10, 50 and 100% water content and temperatures in range of 40-80 °C. Mixtures were also analyzed at different pH: 4, 7 and 10 and under ultraviolet light at 254 nm. Raman spectra were taken as a function of time in an interval from 24 to 336 hours (two weeks). Characteristic signals of 2,4-DNT were analyzed in different ranges 100-3800 cm-1, 600-1200 cm-1, 300-1700 cm-1 and 2800-3500 cm-1. The effect of these variables was measured during 45 consecutive days. It was confirmed that the decrease of characteristic vibrational signatures of 2,4-DNT can be attributed to increase of the degradation of 2,4-DNT by the simulated environmental conditions. Spectroscopic characterization of degradation products, both in contact with sand as well as airborne is under way. These results will make possible the development of highly sensitive sensors for detection of explosives materials and

  18. Acoustic resonance in MEMS scale cylindrical tubes with side branches

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schill, John F.; Holthoff, Ellen L.; Pellegrino, Paul M.; Marcus, Logan S.

    2014-05-01

    Photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) is a useful monitoring technique that is well suited for trace gas detection. This method routinely exhibits detection limits at the parts-per-million (ppm) or parts-per-billion (ppb) level for gaseous samples. PAS also possesses favorable detection characteristics when the system dimensions are scaled to a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) design. One of the central issues related to sensor miniaturization is optimization of the photoacoustic cell geometry, especially in relationship to high acoustical amplification and reduced system noise. Previous work relied on a multiphysics approach to analyze the resonance structures of the MEMS scale photo acoustic cell. This technique was unable to provide an accurate model of the acoustic structure. In this paper we describe a method that relies on techniques developed from musical instrument theory and electronic transmission line matrix methods to describe cylindrical acoustic resonant cells with side branches of various configurations. Experimental results are presented that demonstrate the ease and accuracy of this method. All experimental results were within 2% of those predicted by this theory.

  19. Acoustic Measurement Of Periodic Motion Of Levitated Object

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Watkins, John L.; Barmatz, Martin B.

    1992-01-01

    Some internal vibrations, oscillations in position, and rotations of acoustically levitated object measured by use of microphone already installed in typical levitation chamber for tuning chamber to resonance and monitoring operation. Levitating acoustic signal modulated by object motion of lower frequency. Amplitude modulation detected and analyzed spectrally to determine amplitudes and frequencies of motions.

  20. The sound of orthopaedic surgery--the application of acoustic emission technology in orthopaedic surgery: a review.

    PubMed

    Rashid, Mustafa S; Pullin, Rhys

    2014-01-01

    Acoustic emission technology has been developed and extensively used as a non-destructive method of testing within engineering. In recent years, acoustic emission has gained popularity within the field of Orthopaedic research in a variety of situations. It is an attractive method in the detection of flaws within structures due its high sensitivity and non-destructive nature. The aim of this article is firstly to critically review the research conducted using acoustic emission testing in a variety of Orthopaedic-related situations and to present the technique to the wider Orthopaedic community. A summary of the principles and practical aspects of using acoustic emission testing are outlined. Acoustic emission has been validated as a method of early detection of aseptic loosening in femoral components in total hip arthroplasty in several well-conducted in vitro studies [1-3]. Other studies have used acoustic emission to detect microdamage in bone and to assess the biomechanical properties of bone and allografts [9]. Researchers have also validated the use of acoustic emission to detect and monitor fracture healing [4]. Several studies have applied acoustic emission to spinal surgery and specifically to assess the biomechanical environment in titanium mesh cages used in spinal surgery [10, 11]. Despite its growing popularity within Orthopaedic research, acoustic emission remains are relatively unfamiliar technique to the majority of Orthopaedic surgeons.

  1. Magneto-acoustic imaging by continuous-wave excitation.

    PubMed

    Shunqi, Zhang; Zhou, Xiaoqing; Tao, Yin; Zhipeng, Liu

    2017-04-01

    The electrical characteristics of tissue yield valuable information for early diagnosis of pathological changes. Magneto-acoustic imaging is a functional approach for imaging of electrical conductivity. This study proposes a continuous-wave magneto-acoustic imaging method. A kHz-range continuous signal with an amplitude range of several volts is used to excite the magneto-acoustic signal and improve the signal-to-noise ratio. The magneto-acoustic signal amplitude and phase are measured to locate the acoustic source via lock-in technology. An optimisation algorithm incorporating nonlinear equations is used to reconstruct the magneto-acoustic source distribution based on the measured amplitude and phase at various frequencies. Validation simulations and experiments were performed in pork samples. The experimental and simulation results agreed well. While the excitation current was reduced to 10 mA, the acoustic signal magnitude increased up to 10 -7  Pa. Experimental reconstruction of the pork tissue showed that the image resolution reached mm levels when the excitation signal was in the kHz range. The signal-to-noise ratio of the detected magneto-acoustic signal was improved by more than 25 dB at 5 kHz when compared to classical 1 MHz pulse excitation. The results reported here will aid further research into magneto-acoustic generation mechanisms and internal tissue conductivity imaging.

  2. Enhancing the sensitivity of three-axis detectable surface acoustic wave gyroscope by using a floating thin piezoelectric membrane

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Munhwan; Lee, Keekeun

    2017-06-01

    A new type of surface acoustic wave (SAW) gyroscope was developed on a floating thin piezoelectric membrane to enhance sensitivity and reliability by removing a bulk noise effect and by importing a higher amplitude of SAW. The developed device constitutes a two-port SAW resonator with a metallic dot array between two interdigital transducers (IDTs), and a one-port SAW delay line. The bulk silicon was completely etched away, leaving only a thin piezoelectric membrane with a thickness of one wavelength. A voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) was connected to a SAW resonator to activate the SAW resonator, while the SAW delay line was connected to the oscilloscope to monitor any variations caused by the Coriolis force. When the device was rotated, a secondary wave was generated, changing the amplitude of the SAW delay line. The highest sensitivity was observed in a device with a full acoustic wavelength thickness of the membrane because most of the acoustic field is confined within an acoustic wavelength thickness from the top surface; moreover, the thin-membrane-based gyroscope eliminates the bulk noise effect flowing along the bulk substrate. The obtained sensitivity and linearity of the SAW gyroscope were ˜27.5 µV deg-1 s-1 and ˜4.3%, respectively. Superior directivity was observed. The device surface was vacuum-sealed using poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) bonding to eliminate environmental interference. A three-axis detectable gyroscope was also implemented by placing three gyrosensors with the same configuration at right angles to each other on a printed circuit board.

  3. Systems and methods for biometric identification using the acoustic properties of the ear canal

    DOEpatents

    Bouchard, Ann Marie; Osbourn, Gordon Cecil

    1998-01-01

    The present invention teaches systems and methods for verifying or recognizing a person's identity based on measurements of the acoustic response of the individual's ear canal. The system comprises an acoustic emission device, which emits an acoustic source signal s(t), designated by a computer, into the ear canal of an individual, and an acoustic response detection device, which detects the acoustic response signal f(t). A computer digitizes the response (detected) signal f(t) and stores the data. Computer-implemented algorithms analyze the response signal f(t) to produce ear-canal feature data. The ear-canal feature data obtained during enrollment is stored on the computer, or some other recording medium, to compare the enrollment data with ear-canal feature data produced in a subsequent access attempt, to determine if the individual has previously been enrolled. The system can also be adapted for remote access applications.

  4. Systems and methods for biometric identification using the acoustic properties of the ear canal

    DOEpatents

    Bouchard, A.M.; Osbourn, G.C.

    1998-07-28

    The present invention teaches systems and methods for verifying or recognizing a person`s identity based on measurements of the acoustic response of the individual`s ear canal. The system comprises an acoustic emission device, which emits an acoustic source signal s(t), designated by a computer, into the ear canal of an individual, and an acoustic response detection device, which detects the acoustic response signal f(t). A computer digitizes the response (detected) signal f(t) and stores the data. Computer-implemented algorithms analyze the response signal f(t) to produce ear-canal feature data. The ear-canal feature data obtained during enrollment is stored on the computer, or some other recording medium, to compare the enrollment data with ear-canal feature data produced in a subsequent access attempt, to determine if the individual has previously been enrolled. The system can also be adapted for remote access applications. 5 figs.

  5. Simulation study of melanoma detection in human skin tissues by laser-generated surface acoustic waves.

    PubMed

    Chen, Kun; Fu, Xing; Dorantes-Gonzalez, Dante J; Lu, Zimo; Li, Tingting; Li, Yanning; Wu, Sen; Hu, Xiaotang

    2014-01-01

    Air pollution has been correlated to an increasing number of cases of human skin diseases in recent years. However, the investigation of human skin tissues has received only limited attention, to the point that there are not yet satisfactory modern detection technologies to accurately, noninvasively, and rapidly diagnose human skin at epidermis and dermis levels. In order to detect and analyze severe skin diseases such as melanoma, a finite element method (FEM) simulation study of the application of the laser-generated surface acoustic wave (LSAW) technique is developed. A three-layer human skin model is built, where LSAW’s are generated and propagated, and their effects in the skin medium with melanoma are analyzed. Frequency domain analysis is used as a main tool to investigate such issues as minimum detectable size of melanoma, filtering spectra from noise and from computational irregularities, as well as on how the FEM model meshing size and computational capabilities influence the accuracy of the results. Based on the aforementioned aspects, the analysis of the signals under the scrutiny of the phase velocity dispersion curve is verified to be a reliable, a sensitive, and a promising approach for detecting and characterizing melanoma in human skin.

  6. Simulation study of melanoma detection in human skin tissues by laser-generated surface acoustic waves

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Kun; Fu, Xing; Dorantes-Gonzalez, Dante J.; Lu, Zimo; Li, Tingting; Li, Yanning; Wu, Sen; Hu, Xiaotang

    2014-07-01

    Air pollution has been correlated to an increasing number of cases of human skin diseases in recent years. However, the investigation of human skin tissues has received only limited attention, to the point that there are not yet satisfactory modern detection technologies to accurately, noninvasively, and rapidly diagnose human skin at epidermis and dermis levels. In order to detect and analyze severe skin diseases such as melanoma, a finite element method (FEM) simulation study of the application of the laser-generated surface acoustic wave (LSAW) technique is developed. A three-layer human skin model is built, where LSAW's are generated and propagated, and their effects in the skin medium with melanoma are analyzed. Frequency domain analysis is used as a main tool to investigate such issues as minimum detectable size of melanoma, filtering spectra from noise and from computational irregularities, as well as on how the FEM model meshing size and computational capabilities influence the accuracy of the results. Based on the aforementioned aspects, the analysis of the signals under the scrutiny of the phase velocity dispersion curve is verified to be a reliable, a sensitive, and a promising approach for detecting and characterizing melanoma in human skin.

  7. High-sensitivity acoustic sensors from nanofibre webs.

    PubMed

    Lang, Chenhong; Fang, Jian; Shao, Hao; Ding, Xin; Lin, Tong

    2016-03-23

    Considerable interest has been devoted to converting mechanical energy into electricity using polymer nanofibres. In particular, piezoelectric nanofibres produced by electrospinning have shown remarkable mechanical energy-to-electricity conversion ability. However, there is little data for the acoustic-to-electric conversion of electrospun nanofibres. Here we show that electrospun piezoelectric nanofibre webs have a strong acoustic-to-electric conversion ability. Using poly(vinylidene fluoride) as a model polymer and a sensor device that transfers sound directly to the nanofibre layer, we show that the sensor devices can detect low-frequency sound with a sensitivity as high as 266 mV Pa(-1). They can precisely distinguish sound waves in low to middle frequency region. These features make them especially suitable for noise detection. Our nanofibre device has more than five times higher sensitivity than a commercial piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) film device. Electrospun piezoelectric nanofibres may be useful for developing high-performance acoustic sensors.

  8. High-sensitivity acoustic sensors from nanofibre webs

    PubMed Central

    Lang, Chenhong; Fang, Jian; Shao, Hao; Ding, Xin; Lin, Tong

    2016-01-01

    Considerable interest has been devoted to converting mechanical energy into electricity using polymer nanofibres. In particular, piezoelectric nanofibres produced by electrospinning have shown remarkable mechanical energy-to-electricity conversion ability. However, there is little data for the acoustic-to-electric conversion of electrospun nanofibres. Here we show that electrospun piezoelectric nanofibre webs have a strong acoustic-to-electric conversion ability. Using poly(vinylidene fluoride) as a model polymer and a sensor device that transfers sound directly to the nanofibre layer, we show that the sensor devices can detect low-frequency sound with a sensitivity as high as 266 mV Pa−1. They can precisely distinguish sound waves in low to middle frequency region. These features make them especially suitable for noise detection. Our nanofibre device has more than five times higher sensitivity than a commercial piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) film device. Electrospun piezoelectric nanofibres may be useful for developing high-performance acoustic sensors. PMID:27005010

  9. Mean grain size detection of DP590 steel plate using a corrected method with electromagnetic acoustic resonance.

    PubMed

    Wang, Bin; Wang, Xiaokai; Hua, Lin; Li, Juanjuan; Xiang, Qing

    2017-04-01

    Electromagnetic acoustic resonance (EMAR) is a considerable method to determine the mean grain size of the metal material with a high precision. The basic ultrasonic attenuation theory used for the mean grain size detection of EMAR is come from the single phase theory. In this paper, the EMAR testing was carried out based on the ultrasonic attenuation theory. The detection results show that the double peaks phenomenon occurs in the EMAR testing of DP590 steel plate. The dual phase structure of DP590 steel is the inducement of the double peaks phenomenon in the EMAR testing. In reaction to the phenomenon, a corrected method with EMAR was put forward to detect the mean grain size of dual phase steel. Compared with the traditional attenuation evaluation method and the uncorrected method with EMAR, the corrected method with EMAR shows great effectiveness and superiority for the mean grain size detection of DP590 steel plate. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  10. Air-coupled acoustic thermography for in-situ evaluation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zalameda, Joseph N. (Inventor); Winfree, William P. (Inventor); Yost, William T. (Inventor)

    2010-01-01

    Acoustic thermography uses a housing configured for thermal, acoustic and infrared radiation shielding. For in-situ applications, the housing has an open side adapted to be sealingly coupled to a surface region of a structure such that an enclosed chamber filled with air is defined. One or more acoustic sources are positioned to direct acoustic waves through the air in the enclosed chamber and towards the surface region. To activate and control each acoustic source, a pulsed signal is applied thereto. An infrared imager focused on the surface region detects a thermal image of the surface region. A data capture device records the thermal image in synchronicity with each pulse of the pulsed signal such that a time series of thermal images is generated. For enhanced sensitivity and/or repeatability, sound and/or vibrations at the surface region can be used in feedback control of the pulsed signal applied to the acoustic sources.

  11. Acoustic emission by self-organising effects of micro-hollow cathode discharges

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kotschate, Daniel; Gaal, Mate; Kersten, Holger

    2018-04-01

    We designed micro-hollow cathode discharge prototypes under atmospheric pressure and investigated their acoustic characteristics. For the acoustic model of the discharge, we correlated the self-organisation effect of the current density distribution with the ideal model of an acoustic membrane. For validation of the obtained model, sound particle velocity spectroscopy was used to detect and analyse the acoustic emission experimentally. The results have shown a behaviour similar to the ideal acoustic membrane. Therefore, the acoustic excitation is decomposable into its eigenfrequencies and predictable. The model was unified utilising the gas exhaust velocity caused by the electrohydrodynamic force. The results may allow a contactless prediction of the current density distribution by measuring the acoustic emission or using the micro-discharge as a tunable acoustic source for specific applications as well.

  12. Understanding and Utilizing Waveguide Invariant Range-frequency Striations in Ocean Acoustic Waveguides

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-02-01

    Acoustical Society of America, 103(6):3234–3240, 1998 . 168 [55] Kathleen M. Stafford , Christopher G. Fox, and David S. Clark. Long - range acoustic detection ...and localization of blue whale calls in the northeast pacif c ocean. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 104(6):3616–3625, 1998 . [56... range to the acoustic source assuming β = 1. Thode demonstrates this experimentally for shallow water with a Blue

  13. Detection of third-hand smoke on clothing fibers with a surface acoustic wave gas sensor

    PubMed Central

    Cheng, Chi-Yung; Huang, Shih-Shen; Yang, Chia-Min; Tang, Kea-Tiong

    2016-01-01

    Third-hand smoke (THS) is a new cigarette-related issue defined as the residual contamination from cigarette smoke after a cigarette is extinguished. To detect THS on three commonly used clothing fibers—wool, cotton, and polyester, we applied two methods to measure the adsorption of THS: one was the gain of mass with an analytical balance after exposure to cigarette smoke; and the other was to detect the THS chemical compounds such as nicotine and 3-ethenylpyridine with a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor composed of coated oxidized hollow mesoporous carbon nanospheres. In the mass measurement, the gain of mass decreased in the order wool, cotton, and polyester; the latter gain was about one tenth that of wool. In the SAW detection, the frequency shift decreased in the same order—wool, cotton, and polyester. The residence period of THS on natural fiber (wool and cotton) is greater than on synthetic polyester fiber. These two tests provide quantitative results of THS on varied clothing fibers, to assess their risk after exposure to cigarette smoke. PMID:26909119

  14. Magnetic nanoparticles-based acoustical detection and hyperthermic treatment of cancer, in vitro and in vivo studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shoval, Asaf; Tepper, Michal; Tikochkiy, Jenny; Gur, Leah Ben; Markovich, Gil; Keisari, Yona; Gannot, Israel

    2016-07-01

    This paper describes a minimally invasive method for detection and growth inhibition of tumors that utilizes the unique properties of super paramagnetic nanoparticles. To demonstrate the feasibility of this method, dimercaptosuccinic acid-coated magnetite nanoparticles were successfully fabricated and used. Those nanoparticles were simultaneously used for magnetoacoustic detection of tumors and for specific hyperthermia treatment in C57BL/J mice injected with Lewis lung carcinoma cells. The in vivo acoustic signal attributed to the nanoparticles was 4.4 dB, while the single session hyperthermia treatment caused a reduction of 50% in tumor growing rate. In addition, a thermography-based method was applied to monitor the efficacy of the hyperthermia treatment. The presented method has the potential to revolutionize current cancer treatment by enabling diagnosis and treatment under real-time feedback in one session.

  15. Acoustic and Visual Monitoring for Marine Mammals at the Southern California Off-Shore Range (SCORE)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-02-28

    1998 ). Long - range acoustic detection and localization of blue whale calls in the northeast Pacific Ocean. Journal of the Acoustical ...C. G. and Clark, D.S. 1998 . Long - range acoustic detection and localization of blue whale calls in the northeast Pacific Ocean, J. Acous. Soc. Am...Gulf of Alaska. Marine Mammal Science 19: 682-693. Stafford , K.M., C.G. Fox, and D.S. Clark. 1998 .

  16. Simulation on the steel galvanic corrosion and acoustic emission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Yang; Shi, Xin; Yang, Ping

    2015-12-01

    Galvanic corrosion is a very destructive localized corrosion. The research on galvanic corrosion could determine equipment corrosion and prevent the accidents occurrence. Steel corrosion had been studied by COMSOL software with mathematical modeling. The galvanic corrosion of steel-aluminum submerged into 10% sodium chloride solution had been on-line detected by PIC-2 acoustic emission system. The results show that the acoustic emission event counts detected within unit time can qualitative judge galvanic corrosion rate and further erosion trend can be judged by the value changes.

  17. Site specific passive acoustic detection and densities of humpback whale calls off the coast of California

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Helble, Tyler Adam

    Passive acoustic monitoring of marine mammal calls is an increasingly important method for assessing population numbers, distribution, and behavior. Automated methods are needed to aid in the analyses of the recorded data. When a mammal vocalizes in the marine environment, the received signal is a filtered version of the original waveform emitted by the marine mammal. The waveform is reduced in amplitude and distorted due to propagation effects that are influenced by the bathymetry and environment. It is important to account for these effects to determine a site-specific probability of detection for marine mammal calls in a given study area. A knowledge of that probability function over a range of environmental and ocean noise conditions allows vocalization statistics from recordings of single, fixed, omnidirectional sensors to be compared across sensors and at the same sensor over time with less bias and uncertainty in the results than direct comparison of the raw statistics. This dissertation focuses on both the development of new tools needed to automatically detect humpback whale vocalizations from single-fixed omnidirectional sensors as well as the determination of the site-specific probability of detection for monitoring sites off the coast of California. Using these tools, detected humpback calls are "calibrated" for environmental properties using the site-specific probability of detection values, and presented as call densities (calls per square kilometer per time). A two-year monitoring effort using these calibrated call densities reveals important biological and ecological information on migrating humpback whales off the coast of California. Call density trends are compared between the monitoring sites and at the same monitoring site over time. Call densities also are compared to several natural and human-influenced variables including season, time of day, lunar illumination, and ocean noise. The results reveal substantial differences in call densities

  18. Study of acoustic emission during mechanical tests of large flight weight tank structure

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nakamura, Y.; Mccauley, B. O.; Veach, C. L.

    1972-01-01

    A polyphenylane oxide insulated, flight weight, subscale, aluminum tank was monitored for acoustic emissions during a proof test and during 100 cycles of environmental test simulating space flights. The use of a combination of frequency filtering and appropriate spatial filtering to reduce background noise was found to be sufficient to detect acoustic emission signals of relatively small intensity expected from subcritical crack growth in the structure. Several emission source locations were identified, including the one where a flaw was detected by post-test X-ray inspections. For most source locations, however, post-test inspections did not detect flaws; this was partially attributed to the higher sensitivity of the acoustic emission technique than any other currently available NDT method for detecting flaws.

  19. TH-CD-201-06: Experimental Characterization of Acoustic Signals Generated in Water Following Clinical Photon and Electron Beam Irradiation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hickling, S; El Naqa, I

    Purpose: Previous work has demonstrated the detectability of acoustic waves induced following the irradiation of high density metals with radiotherapy linac photon beams. This work demonstrates the ability to experimentally detect such acoustic signals following both photon and electron irradiation in a more radiotherapy relevant material. The relationship between induced acoustic signal properties in water and the deposited dose distribution is explored, and the feasibility of exploiting such signals for radiotherapy dosimetry is demonstrated. Methods: Acoustic waves were experimentally induced in a water tank via the thermoacoustic effect following a single pulse of photon or electron irradiation produced by amore » clinical linac. An immersion ultrasound transducer was used to detect these acoustic waves in water and signals were read out on an oscilloscope. Results: Peaks and troughs in the detected acoustic signals were found to correspond to the location of gradients in the deposited dose distribution following both photon and electron irradiation. Signal amplitude was linearly related to the dose per pulse deposited by photon or electron beams at the depth of detection. Flattening filter free beams induced large acoustic signals, and signal amplitude decreased with depth after the depth of maximum dose. Varying the field size resulted in a temporal shift of the acoustic signal peaks and a change in the detected signal frequency. Conclusion: Acoustic waves can be detected in a water tank following irradiation by linac photon and electron beams with basic electronics, and have characteristics related to the deposited dose distribution. The physical location of dose gradients and the amount of dose deposited can be inferred from the location and magnitude of acoustic signal peaks. Thus, the detection of induced acoustic waves could be applied to photon and electron water tank and in vivo dosimetry. This work was supported in part by CIHR grants MOP-114910 and

  20. A small long-life acoustic transmitter for studying the behavior of aquatic animals

    DOE PAGES

    Lu, J.; Deng, Z. D.; Li, H.; ...

    2016-11-21

    The lack of stronger acoustic signal, longer service life and smaller size from off-the-shelf transmitters has precluded intensive research for environmental monitoring of certain species using acoustic telemetry techniques. In this study we developed a small long-life acoustic transmitter with the length of approximately 24.2 mm, the diameter of approximately 5.0 mm, and the dry weight of approximately 0.72 g. The new transmitter can generate an acoustic signal at selectable source level between 159 and 163 dB re 1 µPa at 1 m. The new acoustic transmitter has an operation lifetime up to a year or longer at a pulsemore » rate interval of 15 seconds, and also has a signal detection range up to at least 500 meters that enhances detection probability in a quiet environment. Furthermore, the new technology makes long-term acoustic telemetry studies of small fish possible and is being deployed for long-term tracking of juvenile sturgeon.« less

  1. A small long-life acoustic transmitter for studying the behavior of aquatic animals

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lu, J.; Deng, Z. D.; Li, H.

    The lack of stronger acoustic signal, longer service life and smaller size from off-the-shelf transmitters has precluded intensive research for environmental monitoring of certain species using acoustic telemetry techniques. In this study we developed a small long-life acoustic transmitter with the length of approximately 24.2 mm, the diameter of approximately 5.0 mm, and the dry weight of approximately 0.72 g. The new transmitter can generate an acoustic signal at selectable source level between 159 and 163 dB re 1 µPa at 1 m. The new acoustic transmitter has an operation lifetime up to a year or longer at a pulsemore » rate interval of 15 seconds, and also has a signal detection range up to at least 500 meters that enhances detection probability in a quiet environment. Furthermore, the new technology makes long-term acoustic telemetry studies of small fish possible and is being deployed for long-term tracking of juvenile sturgeon.« less

  2. High-frequency shear-horizontal surface acoustic wave sensor

    DOEpatents

    Branch, Darren W

    2013-05-07

    A Love wave sensor uses a single-phase unidirectional interdigital transducer (IDT) on a piezoelectric substrate for leaky surface acoustic wave generation. The IDT design minimizes propagation losses, bulk wave interferences, provides a highly linear phase response, and eliminates the need for impedance matching. As an example, a high frequency (.about.300-400 MHz) surface acoustic wave (SAW) transducer enables efficient excitation of shear-horizontal waves on 36.degree. Y-cut lithium tantalate (LTO) giving a highly linear phase response (2.8.degree. P-P). The sensor has the ability to detect at the pg/mm.sup.2 level and can perform multi-analyte detection in real-time. The sensor can be used for rapid autonomous detection of pathogenic microorganisms and bioagents by field deployable platforms.

  3. High-frequency shear-horizontal surface acoustic wave sensor

    DOEpatents

    Branch, Darren W

    2014-03-11

    A Love wave sensor uses a single-phase unidirectional interdigital transducer (IDT) on a piezoelectric substrate for leaky surface acoustic wave generation. The IDT design minimizes propagation losses, bulk wave interferences, provides a highly linear phase response, and eliminates the need for impedance matching. As an example, a high frequency (.about.300-400 MHz) surface acoustic wave (SAW) transducer enables efficient excitation of shear-horizontal waves on 36.degree. Y-cut lithium tantalate (LTO) giving a highly linear phase response (2.8.degree. P-P). The sensor has the ability to detect at the pg/mm.sup.2 level and can perform multi-analyte detection in real-time. The sensor can be used for rapid autonomous detection of pathogenic microorganisms and bioagents by field deployable platforms.

  4. Acoustic velocity meter systems

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Laenen, Antonius

    1985-01-01

    Acoustic velocity meter (AVM) systems operate on the principles that the point-to-point upstream traveltime of an acoustic pulse is longer than the downstream traveltime and that this difference in traveltime can be accurately measured by electronic devices. An AVM system is capable of recording water velocity (and discharge) under a wide range of conditions, but some constraints apply: 1. Accuracy is reduced and performance is degraded if the acoustic path is not a continuous straight line. The path can be bent by reflection if it is too close to a stream boundary or by refraction if it passes through density gradients resulting from variations in either water temperature or salinity. For paths of less than 100 m, a temperature gradient of 0.1' per meter causes signal bending less than 0.6 meter at midchannel, and satisfactory velocity results can be obtained. Reflection from stream boundaries can cause signal cancellation if boundaries are too close to signal path. 2. Signal strength is attenuated by particles or bubbles that absorb, spread, or scatter sound. The concentration of particles or bubbles that can be tolerated is a function of the path length and frequency of the acoustic signal. 3. Changes in streamline orientation can affect system accuracy if the variability is random. 4. Errors relating to signal resolution are much larger for a single threshold detection scheme than for multiple threshold schemes. This report provides methods for computing the effect of various conditions on the accuracy of a record obtained from an AVM. The equipment must be adapted to the site. Field reconnaissance and preinstallation analysis to detect possible problems are critical for proper installation and operation of an AVM system.

  5. Finding intonational boundaries using acoustic cues related to the voice source

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Choi, Jeung-Yoon; Hasegawa-Johnson, Mark; Cole, Jennifer

    2005-10-01

    Acoustic cues related to the voice source, including harmonic structure and spectral tilt, were examined for relevance to prosodic boundary detection. The measurements considered here comprise five categories: duration, pitch, harmonic structure, spectral tilt, and amplitude. Distributions of the measurements and statistical analysis show that the measurements may be used to differentiate between prosodic categories. Detection experiments on the Boston University Radio Speech Corpus show equal error detection rates around 70% for accent and boundary detection, using only the acoustic measurements described, without any lexical or syntactic information. Further investigation of the detection results shows that duration and amplitude measurements, and, to a lesser degree, pitch measurements, are useful for detecting accents, while all voice source measurements except pitch measurements are useful for boundary detection.

  6. Multiphysics Simulation of Low-Amplitude Acoustic Wave Detection by Piezoelectric Wafer Active Sensors Validated by In-Situ AE-Fatigue Experiment

    PubMed Central

    Giurgiutiu, Victor

    2017-01-01

    Piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) are commonly used for detecting Lamb waves for structural health monitoring application. However, in most applications of active sensing, the signals are of high-amplitude and easy to detect. In this article, we have shown a new avenue of using the PWAS transducer for detecting the low-amplitude fatigue-crack related acoustic emission (AE) signals. Multiphysics finite element (FE) simulations were performed with two PWAS transducers bonded to the structure. Various configurations of the sensors were studied by using the simulations. One PWAS was placed near to the fatigue-crack and the other one was placed at a certain distance from the crack. The simulated AE event was generated at the crack tip. The simulation results showed that both PWAS transducers were capable of sensing the AE signals. To validate the multiphysics simulation results, an in-situ AE-fatigue experiment was performed. Two PWAS transducers were bonded to the thin aerospace test coupon. The fatigue crack was generated in the test coupon which had produced low-amplitude acoustic waves. The low-amplitude fatigue-crack related AE signals were successfully captured by the PWAS transducers. The distance effect on the captured AE signals was also studied. It has been shown that some high-frequency contents of the AE signal have developed as they travel away from the crack. PMID:28817081

  7. Synchrotron x-ray imaging of acoustic cavitation bubbles induced by acoustic excitation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jung, Sung Yong; Park, Han Wook; Park, Sung Ho; Lee, Sang Joon

    2017-04-01

    The cavitation induced by acoustic excitation has been widely applied in various biomedical applications because cavitation bubbles can enhance the exchanges of mass and energy. In order to minimize the hazardous effects of the induced cavitation, it is essential to understand the spatial distribution of cavitation bubbles. The spatial distribution of cavitation bubbles visualized by the synchrotron x-ray imaging technique is compared to that obtained with a conventional x-ray tube. Cavitation bubbles with high density in the region close to the tip of the probe are visualized using the synchrotron x-ray imaging technique, however, the spatial distribution of cavitation bubbles in the whole ultrasound field is not detected. In this study, the effects of the ultrasound power of acoustic excitation and working medium on the shape and density of the induced cavitation bubbles are examined. As a result, the synchrotron x-ray imaging technique is useful for visualizing spatial distributions of cavitation bubbles, and it could be used for optimizing the operation conditions of acoustic cavitation.

  8. A Flexible Analysis Tool for the Quantitative Acoustic Assessment of Infant Cry

    PubMed Central

    Reggiannini, Brian; Sheinkopf, Stephen J.; Silverman, Harvey F.; Li, Xiaoxue; Lester, Barry M.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose In this article, the authors describe and validate the performance of a modern acoustic analyzer specifically designed for infant cry analysis. Method Utilizing known algorithms, the authors developed a method to extract acoustic parameters describing infant cries from standard digital audio files. They used a frame rate of 25 ms with a frame advance of 12.5 ms. Cepstral-based acoustic analysis proceeded in 2 phases, computing frame-level data and then organizing and summarizing this information within cry utterances. Using signal detection methods, the authors evaluated the accuracy of the automated system to determine voicing and to detect fundamental frequency (F0) as compared to voiced segments and pitch periods manually coded from spectrogram displays. Results The system detected F0 with 88% to 95% accuracy, depending on tolerances set at 10 to 20 Hz. Receiver operating characteristic analyses demonstrated very high accuracy at detecting voicing characteristics in the cry samples. Conclusions This article describes an automated infant cry analyzer with high accuracy to detect important acoustic features of cry. A unique and important aspect of this work is the rigorous testing of the system’s accuracy as compared to ground-truth manual coding. The resulting system has implications for basic and applied research on infant cry development. PMID:23785178

  9. Landmine Detection by Scatter Radiation Radiography.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-07-02

    and sucrose. The explosive substitute is solidified Karo TMLih Corn Syrup . While this material is not sucrose, it has similar elemental composition and...photon interaction characteristics. Upon heating, a portion of the fructose contained in the syrup is converted to sucrose. A number of test batches...solidified Karo TMLight Corn Syrup are each subjected to the four spectra: 80, 100, 150, and 200 KVp, each filtered by 4.75 mm of beryllium inherent

  10. Tracking sperm whales with a towed acoustic vector sensor.

    PubMed

    Thode, Aaron; Skinner, Jeff; Scott, Pam; Roswell, Jeremy; Straley, Janice; Folkert, Kendall

    2010-11-01

    Passive acoustic towed linear arrays are increasingly used to detect marine mammal sounds during mobile anthropogenic activities. However, these arrays cannot resolve between signals arriving from the port or starboard without vessel course changes or multiple cable deployments, and their performance is degraded by vessel self-noise and non-acoustic mechanical vibration. In principle acoustic vector sensors can resolve these directional ambiguities, as well as flag the presence of non-acoustic contamination, provided that the vibration-sensitive sensors can be successfully integrated into compact tow modules. Here a vector sensor module attached to the end of a 800 m towed array is used to detect and localize 1813 sperm whale "clicks" off the coast of Sitka, AK. Three methods were used to identify frequency regimes relatively free of non-acoustic noise contamination, and then the active intensity (propagating energy) of the signal was computed between 4-10 kHz along three orthogonal directions, providing unambiguous bearing estimates of two sperm whales over time. These bearing estimates are consistent with those obtained via conventional methods, but the standard deviations of the vector sensor bearing estimates are twice those of the conventionally-derived bearings. The resolved ambiguities of the bearings deduced from vessel course changes match the vector sensor predictions.

  11. Real-time monitoring of focused ultrasound blood-brain barrier opening via subharmonic acoustic emission detection: implementation of confocal dual-frequency piezoelectric transducers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tsai, Chih-Hung; Zhang, Jia-Wei; Liao, Yi-Yi; Liu, Hao-Li

    2016-04-01

    Burst-tone focused ultrasound exposure in the presence of microbubbles has been demonstrated to be effective at inducing temporal and local opening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which promises significant clinical potential to deliver therapeutic molecules into the central nervous system (CNS). Traditional contrast-enhanced imaging confirmation after focused ultrasound (FUS) exposure serves as a post-operative indicator of the effectiveness of FUS-BBB opening, however, an indicator that can concurrently report the BBB status and BBB-opening effectiveness is required to provide effective feedback to implement this treatment clinically. In this study, we demonstrate the use of subharmonic acoustic emission detection with implementation on a confocal dual-frequency piezoelectric ceramic structure to perform real-time monitoring of FUS-BBB opening. A confocal dual-frequency (0.55 MHz/1.1 MHz) focused ultrasound transducer was designed. The 1.1 MHz spherically-curved ceramic was employed to deliver FUS exposure to induce BBB-opening, whereas the outer-ring 0.55 MHz ceramic was employed to detect the subharmonic acoustic emissions originating from the target position. In stage-1 experiments, we employed spectral analysis and performed an energy spectrum density (ESD) calculation. An optimized 0.55 MHz ESD level change was shown to effectively discriminate the occurrence of BBB-opening. Wideband acoustic emissions received from 0.55 MHz ceramics were also analyzed to evaluate its correlations with erythrocyte extravasations. In stage-2 real-time monitoring experiments, we applied the predetermined ESD change as a detection threshold in PC-controlled algorithm to predict the FUS exposure intra-operatively. In stage-1 experiment, we showed that subharmonic ESD presents distinguishable dynamics between intact BBB and opened BBB, and therefore a threshold ESD change level (5.5 dB) can be identified for BBB-opening prediction. Using this ESD change threshold detection as a

  12. Real-time monitoring of focused ultrasound blood-brain barrier opening via subharmonic acoustic emission detection: implementation of confocal dual-frequency piezoelectric transducers.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Chih-Hung; Zhang, Jia-Wei; Liao, Yi-Yi; Liu, Hao-Li

    2016-04-07

    Burst-tone focused ultrasound exposure in the presence of microbubbles has been demonstrated to be effective at inducing temporal and local opening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which promises significant clinical potential to deliver therapeutic molecules into the central nervous system (CNS). Traditional contrast-enhanced imaging confirmation after focused ultrasound (FUS) exposure serves as a post-operative indicator of the effectiveness of FUS-BBB opening, however, an indicator that can concurrently report the BBB status and BBB-opening effectiveness is required to provide effective feedback to implement this treatment clinically. In this study, we demonstrate the use of subharmonic acoustic emission detection with implementation on a confocal dual-frequency piezoelectric ceramic structure to perform real-time monitoring of FUS-BBB opening. A confocal dual-frequency (0.55 MHz/1.1 MHz) focused ultrasound transducer was designed. The 1.1 MHz spherically-curved ceramic was employed to deliver FUS exposure to induce BBB-opening, whereas the outer-ring 0.55 MHz ceramic was employed to detect the subharmonic acoustic emissions originating from the target position. In stage-1 experiments, we employed spectral analysis and performed an energy spectrum density (ESD) calculation. An optimized 0.55 MHz ESD level change was shown to effectively discriminate the occurrence of BBB-opening. Wideband acoustic emissions received from 0.55 MHz ceramics were also analyzed to evaluate its correlations with erythrocyte extravasations. In stage-2 real-time monitoring experiments, we applied the predetermined ESD change as a detection threshold in PC-controlled algorithm to predict the FUS exposure intra-operatively. In stage-1 experiment, we showed that subharmonic ESD presents distinguishable dynamics between intact BBB and opened BBB, and therefore a threshold ESD change level (5.5 dB) can be identified for BBB-opening prediction. Using this ESD change threshold detection as a

  13. A Simulation Study of Acoustic-Assisted Tracking of Whales for Mark-Recapture Surveys

    PubMed Central

    Peel, David; Miller, Brian S.; Kelly, Natalie; Dawson, Steve; Slooten, Elisabeth; Double, Michael C.

    2014-01-01

    Collecting enough data to obtain reasonable abundance estimates of whales is often difficult, particularly when studying rare species. Passive acoustics can be used to detect whale sounds and are increasingly used to estimate whale abundance. Much of the existing effort centres on the use of acoustics to estimate abundance directly, e.g. analysing detections in a distance sampling framework. Here, we focus on acoustics as a tool incorporated within mark-recapture surveys. In this context, acoustic tools are used to detect and track whales, which are then photographed or biopsied to provide data for mark-recapture analyses. The purpose of incorporating acoustics is to increase the encounter rate beyond using visual searching only. While this general approach is not new, its utility is rarely quantified. This paper predicts the “acoustically-assisted” encounter rate using a discrete-time individual-based simulation of whales and survey vessel. We validate the simulation framework using existing data from studies of sperm whales. We then use the framework to predict potential encounter rates in a study of Antarctic blue whales. We also investigate the effects of a number of the key parameters on encounter rate. Mean encounter rates from the simulation of sperm whales matched well with empirical data. Variance of encounter rate, however, was underestimated. The simulation of Antarctic blue whales found that passive acoustics should provide a 1.7–3.0 fold increase in encounter rate over visual-only methods. Encounter rate was most sensitive to acoustic detection range, followed by vocalisation rate. During survey planning and design, some indication of the relationship between expected sample size and effort is paramount; this simulation framework can be used to predict encounter rates and establish this relationship. For a case in point, the simulation framework indicates unequivocally that real-time acoustic tracking should be considered for quantifying the

  14. A simulation study of acoustic-assisted tracking of whales for mark-recapture surveys.

    PubMed

    Peel, David; Miller, Brian S; Kelly, Natalie; Dawson, Steve; Slooten, Elisabeth; Double, Michael C

    2014-01-01

    Collecting enough data to obtain reasonable abundance estimates of whales is often difficult, particularly when studying rare species. Passive acoustics can be used to detect whale sounds and are increasingly used to estimate whale abundance. Much of the existing effort centres on the use of acoustics to estimate abundance directly, e.g. analysing detections in a distance sampling framework. Here, we focus on acoustics as a tool incorporated within mark-recapture surveys. In this context, acoustic tools are used to detect and track whales, which are then photographed or biopsied to provide data for mark-recapture analyses. The purpose of incorporating acoustics is to increase the encounter rate beyond using visual searching only. While this general approach is not new, its utility is rarely quantified. This paper predicts the "acoustically-assisted" encounter rate using a discrete-time individual-based simulation of whales and survey vessel. We validate the simulation framework using existing data from studies of sperm whales. We then use the framework to predict potential encounter rates in a study of Antarctic blue whales. We also investigate the effects of a number of the key parameters on encounter rate. Mean encounter rates from the simulation of sperm whales matched well with empirical data. Variance of encounter rate, however, was underestimated. The simulation of Antarctic blue whales found that passive acoustics should provide a 1.7-3.0 fold increase in encounter rate over visual-only methods. Encounter rate was most sensitive to acoustic detection range, followed by vocalisation rate. During survey planning and design, some indication of the relationship between expected sample size and effort is paramount; this simulation framework can be used to predict encounter rates and establish this relationship. For a case in point, the simulation framework indicates unequivocally that real-time acoustic tracking should be considered for quantifying the abundance

  15. Progress on determining the vapor signature of a buried land mine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    George, Vivian; Jenkins, Thomas F.; Leggett, Daniel C.; Cragin, James H.; Phelan, James M.; Oxley, Jimmie C.; Pennington, Judy

    1999-08-01

    The goal of the DARPA 'Dog's Nose' program is to develop a sensor capable of detecting explosives contained in all buried landmines. In support of the DARPA program, the purpose of the Explosives Fate and Transport experiments is to define in detail the accessible trace chemical signature produced by the explosives contained in buried landmines. We intend to determine the partitioning, composition, and quantity of explosive related chemicals which emanate from different kinds of landmines buried in multiple soil types and exposed to various climatic events. We are also developing a computer model that will enable us to predict the composition and quantity of ERC under a much wider range of environmental conditions than we are able to test experimentally.

  16. Detecting vocal fatigue in student singers using acoustic measures of mean fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, and harmonics-to-noise ratio

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sisakun, Siphan

    2000-12-01

    The purpose of this study is to explore the ability of four acoustic parameters, mean fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, and harmonics-to-noise ratio, to detect vocal fatigue in student singers. The participants are 15 voice students, who perform two distinct tasks, data collection task and vocal fatiguing task. The data collection task includes the sustained vowel /a/, reading a standard passage, and self-rate on a vocal fatigue form. The vocal fatiguing task is the vocal practice of musical scores for a total of 45 minutes. The four acoustic parameters are extracted using the software EZVoicePlus. The data analyses are performed to answer eight research questions. The first four questions relate to correlations of the self-rating scale and each of the four parameters. The next four research questions relate to differences in the parameters over time using one-factor repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). The result yields a proposed acoustic profile of vocal fatigue in student singers. This profile is characterized by increased fundamental frequency; slightly decreased jitter; slightly decreased shimmer; and slightly increased harmonics-to-noise ratio. The proposed profile requires further investigation.

  17. Marine bioacoustics and technology: The new world of marine acoustic ecology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hastings, Mardi C.; Au, Whitlow W. L.

    2012-11-01

    Marine animals use sound for communication, navigation, predator avoidance, and prey detection. Thus the rise in acoustic energy associated with increasing human activity in the ocean has potential to impact the lives of marine animals. Thirty years ago marine bioacoustics primarily focused on evaluating effects of human-generated sound on hearing and behavior by testing captive animals and visually observing wild animals. Since that time rapidly changing electronic and computing technologies have yielded three tools that revolutionized how bioacousticians study marine animals. These tools are (1) portable systems for measuring electrophysiological auditory evoked potentials, (2) miniaturized tags equipped with positioning sensors and acoustic recording devices for continuous short-term acoustical observation rather than intermittent visual observation, and (3) passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) systems for remote long-term acoustic observations at specific locations. The beauty of these breakthroughs is their direct applicability to wild animals in natural habitats rather than only to animals held in captivity. Hearing capabilities of many wild species including polar bears, beaked whales, and reef fishes have now been assessed by measuring their auditory evoked potentials. Miniaturized acoustic tags temporarily attached to an animal to record its movements and acoustic environment have revealed the acoustic foraging behavior of sperm and beaked whales. Now tags are being adapted to fishes in effort to understand their behavior in the presence of noise. Moving and static PAM systems automatically detect and characterize biological and physical features of an ocean area without adding any acoustic energy to the environment. PAM is becoming a powerful technique for understanding and managing marine habitats. This paper will review the influence of these transformative tools on the knowledge base of marine bioacoustics and elucidation of relationships between marine

  18. Modal Acoustic Emission Used at Elevated Temperatures to Detect Damage and Failure Location in Ceramic Matrix Composites

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Morscher, Gregory N.

    1999-01-01

    Ceramic matrix composites are being developed for elevated-temperature engine applications. A leading material system in this class of materials is silicon carbide (SiC) fiber-reinforced SiC matrix composites. Unfortunately, the nonoxide fibers, matrix, and interphase (boron nitride in this system) can react with oxygen or water vapor in the atmosphere, leading to strength degradation of the composite at elevated temperatures. For this study, constant-load stress-rupture tests were performed in air at temperatures ranging from 815 to 960 C until failure. From these data, predictions can be made for the useful life of such composites under similar stressed-oxidation conditions. During these experiments, the sounds of failure events (matrix cracking and fiber breaking) were monitored with a modal acoustic emission (AE) analyzer through transducers that were attached at the ends of the tensile bars. Such failure events, which are caused by applied stress and oxidation reactions, cause these composites to fail prematurely. Because of the nature of acoustic waveform propagation in thin tensile bars, the location of individual source events and the eventual failure event could be detected accurately.

  19. Navy Applications of High-Frequency Acoustics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cox, Henry

    2004-11-01

    Although the emphasis in underwater acoustics for the last few decades has been in low-frequency acoustics, motivated by long range detection of submarines, there has been a continuing use of high-frequency acoustics in traditional specialized applications such as bottom mapping, mine hunting, torpedo homing and under ice navigation. The attractive characteristics of high-frequency sonar, high spatial resolution, wide bandwidth, small size and relatively low cost must be balanced against the severe range limitation imposed by attenuation that increases approximately as frequency-squared. Many commercial applications of acoustics are ideally served by high-frequency active systems. The small size and low cost, coupled with the revolution in small powerful signal processing hardware has led to the consideration of more sophisticated systems. Driven by commercial applications, there are currently available several commercial-off-the-shelf products including acoustic modems for underwater communication, multi-beam fathometers, side scan sonars for bottom mapping, and even synthetic aperture side scan sonar. Much of the work in high frequency sonar today continues to be focused on specialized applications in which the application is emphasized over the underlying acoustics. Today's vision for the Navy of the future involves Autonomous Undersea Vehicles (AUVs) and off-board ASW sensors. High-frequency acoustics will play a central role in the fulfillment of this vision as a means of communication and as a sensor. The acoustic communication problems for moving AUVs and deep sensors are discussed. Explicit relationships are derived between the communication theoretic description of channel parameters in terms of time and Doppler spreads and ocean acoustic parameters, group velocities, phase velocities and horizontal wavenumbers. Finally the application of synthetic aperture sonar to the mine hunting problems is described.

  20. Buried Object Detection

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-01-22

    Final Report 19 January 1987 Army Research OfficeM Contract No. DAAL03..87-K-0052 National Center for Physical Acoustics D T ! C " Naioal P. 0. Box 847...black . umberJ FIELO I GROUP I SU9GROU-p Acoustic , Seismic, Acoustic seismic coupling, porefluid, pulse echo, propagation, soils, sound speed...seismic transfer function. /’An acoustic scheme for buried object detection is thought to involve a sound source above the ground and a microphone as a

  1. Acoustic emission based damage localization in composites structures using Bayesian identification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kundu, A.; Eaton, M. J.; Al-Jumali, S.; Sikdar, S.; Pullin, R.

    2017-05-01

    Acoustic emission based damage detection in composite structures is based on detection of ultra high frequency packets of acoustic waves emitted from damage sources (such as fibre breakage, fatigue fracture, amongst others) with a network of distributed sensors. This non-destructive monitoring scheme requires solving an inverse problem where the measured signals are linked back to the location of the source. This in turn enables rapid deployment of mitigative measures. The presence of significant amount of uncertainty associated with the operating conditions and measurements makes the problem of damage identification quite challenging. The uncertainties stem from the fact that the measured signals are affected by the irregular geometries, manufacturing imprecision, imperfect boundary conditions, existing damages/structural degradation, amongst others. This work aims to tackle these uncertainties within a framework of automated probabilistic damage detection. The method trains a probabilistic model of the parametrized input and output model of the acoustic emission system with experimental data to give probabilistic descriptors of damage locations. A response surface modelling the acoustic emission as a function of parametrized damage signals collected from sensors would be calibrated with a training dataset using Bayesian inference. This is used to deduce damage locations in the online monitoring phase. During online monitoring, the spatially correlated time data is utilized in conjunction with the calibrated acoustic emissions model to infer the probabilistic description of the acoustic emission source within a hierarchical Bayesian inference framework. The methodology is tested on a composite structure consisting of carbon fibre panel with stiffeners and damage source behaviour has been experimentally simulated using standard H-N sources. The methodology presented in this study would be applicable in the current form to structural damage detection under varying

  2. Acoustic emission monitoring of polymer composite materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bardenheier, R.

    1981-01-01

    The techniques of acoustic emission monitoring of polymer composite materials is described. It is highly sensitive, quasi-nondestructive testing method that indicates the origin and behavior of flaws in such materials when submitted to different load exposures. With the use of sophisticated signal analysis methods it is possible the distinguish between different types of failure mechanisms, such as fiber fracture delamination or fiber pull-out. Imperfections can be detected while monitoring complex composite structures by acoustic emission measurements.

  3. Application of guided acoustic waves to delamination detection

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sun, Keun J.

    1992-01-01

    Guided plate waves are able to interact with structural flaws such as delaminations and cracks due to their propagation properties highly sensitive to the thickness change in materials. A technique which employs an acoustic damper to probe the results of this interaction and then to locate flaws in a relatively short period of time is developed. With its technical advantages, this technique shows its potential application to large area structural integrity assessment.

  4. Nondestructive online testing method for friction stir welding using acoustic emission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Levikhina, Anastasiya

    2017-12-01

    The paper reviews the possibility of applying the method of acoustic emission for online monitoring of the friction stir welding process. It is shown that acoustic emission allows the detection of weld defects and their location in real time. The energy of an acoustic signal and the median frequency are suggested to be used as informative parameters. The method of calculating the median frequency with the use of a short time Fourier transform is applied for the identification of correlations between the defective weld structure and properties of the acoustic emission signals received during welding.

  5. New Research on MEMS Acoustic Vector Sensors Used in Pipeline Ground Markers

    PubMed Central

    Song, Xiaopeng; Jian, Zeming; Zhang, Guojun; Liu, Mengran; Guo, Nan; Zhang, Wendong

    2015-01-01

    According to the demands of current pipeline detection systems, the above-ground marker (AGM) system based on sound detection principle has been a major development trend in pipeline technology. A novel MEMS acoustic vector sensor for AGM systems which has advantages of high sensitivity, high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and good low frequency performance has been put forward. Firstly, it is presented that the frequency of the detected sound signal is concentrated in a lower frequency range, and the sound attenuation is relatively low in soil. Secondly, the MEMS acoustic vector sensor structure and basic principles are introduced. Finally, experimental tests are conducted and the results show that in the range of 0°∼90°, when r = 5 m, the proposed MEMS acoustic vector sensor can effectively detect sound signals in soil. The measurement errors of all angles are less than 5°. PMID:25609046

  6. Zeptomole Detection Scheme Based on Levitation Coordinate Measurements of a Single Microparticle in a Coupled Acoustic-Gravitational Field.

    PubMed

    Miyagawa, Akihisa; Harada, Makoto; Okada, Tetsuo

    2018-02-06

    We present a novel analytical principle in which an analyte (according to its concentration) induces a change in the density of a microparticle, which is measured as a vertical coordinate in a coupled acoustic-gravitational (CAG) field. The density change is caused by the binding of gold nanoparticles (AuNP's) on a polystyrene (PS) microparticle through avidin-biotin association. The density of a 10-μm PS particle increases by 2% when 500 100-nm AuNP's are bound to the PS. The CAG can detect this density change as a 5-10 μm shift of the levitation coordinate of the PS. This approach, which allows us to detect 700 AuNP's bound to a PS particle, is utilized to detect biotin in solution. Biotin is detectable at a picomolar level. The reaction kinetics plays a significant role in the entire process. The kinetic aspects are also quantitatively discussed based on the levitation behavior of the PS particles in the CAG field.

  7. An acoustical bubble counter for superheated drop detectors.

    PubMed

    Taylor, Chris; Montvila, Darius; Flynn, David; Brennan, Christopher; d'Errico, Francesco

    2006-01-01

    A new bubble counter has been developed based on the well-established approach of detecting vaporization events acoustically in superheated drop detectors (SDDs). This counter is called the Framework Scientific ABC 1260, and it represents a major improvement over prior versions of this technology. By utilizing advanced acoustic pattern recognition software, the bubble formation event can be differentiated from ambient background noise, as well as from other acoustic signatures. Additional structural design enhancements include a relocation of the electronic components to the bottom of the device; thus allowing for greater stability, easier access to vial SDDs without exposure to system electronics. Upgrades in the electronics permit an increase in the speed of bubble detection by almost 50%, compared with earlier versions of the counters. By positioning the vial on top of the device, temperature and sound insulation can be accommodated for extreme environments. Lead shells can also be utilized for an enhanced response to high-energy neutrons.

  8. Beaked whales demonstrate a marked acoustic response to the use of shipboard echosounders

    PubMed Central

    DeAngelis, Annamaria I.; Palka, Debra; Corkeron, Peter J.; Van Parijs, Sofie M.

    2017-01-01

    The use of commercial echosounders for scientific and industrial purposes is steadily increasing. In addition to traditional navigational and fisheries uses, commercial sonars are used extensively for oceanographic research, benthic habitat mapping, geophysical exploration, and ecosystem studies. Little is known about the effects of these acoustic sources on marine animals, though several studies have already demonstrated behavioural responses of cetaceans to shipboard echosounders. Some species of cetaceans are known to be particularly sensitive to acoustic disturbance, including beaked whales. In 2011 and 2013, we conducted cetacean assessment surveys in the western North Atlantic in which a suite of Simrad EK60 echosounders was used to characterize the distribution of prey along survey tracklines. Echosounders were alternated daily between active and passive mode, to determine whether their use affected visual and acoustic detection rates of beaked whales. A total of 256 groups of beaked whales were sighted, and 118 definitive acoustic detections were recorded. Regression analyses using generalized linear models (GLM) found that sea state and region were primary factors in determining visual sighting rates, while echosounder state was the primary driver for acoustic detections, with significantly fewer detections (only 3%) occurring when echosounders were active. These results indicate that beaked whales both detect and change their behaviour in response to commercial echosounders. The mechanism of this response is unknown, but could indicate interruption of foraging activity or vessel avoidance, with potential implications for management and mitigation of anthropogenic impacts. PMID:29308236

  9. Method of Adjusting Acoustic Impedances for Impedance-Tunable Acoustic Segments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jones, Kennie H (Inventor); Nark, Douglas M. (Inventor); Jones, Michael G. (Inventor); Parrott, Tony L. (Inventor); Lodding, Kenneth N. (Inventor)

    2012-01-01

    A method is provided for making localized decisions and taking localized actions to achieve a global solution. In an embodiment of the present invention, acoustic impedances for impedance-tunable acoustic segments are adjusted. A first acoustic segment through an N-th acoustic segment are defined. To start the process, the first acoustic segment is designated as a leader and a noise-reducing impedance is determined therefor. This is accomplished using (i) one or more metrics associated with the acoustic wave at the leader, and (ii) the metric(s) associated with the acoustic wave at the N-th acoustic segment. The leader, the N-th acoustic segment, and each of the acoustic segments exclusive of the leader and the N-th acoustic segment, are tuned to the noise-reducing impedance. The current leader is then excluded from subsequent processing steps. The designation of leader is then given one of the remaining acoustic segments, and the process is repeated for each of the acoustic segments through an (N-1)-th one of the acoustic segments.

  10. Resonant-type MEMS transducers excited by two acoustic emission simulation techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ozevin, Didem; Greve, David W.; Oppenheim, Irving J.; Pessiki, Stephen

    2004-07-01

    Acoustic emission testing is a passive nondestructive testing technique used to identify the onset and characteristics of damage through the detection and analysis of transient stress waves. Successful detection and implementation of acoustic emission requires good coupling, high transducer sensitivity and ability to discriminate noise from real signals. We report here detection of simulated acoustic emission signals using a MEMS chip fabricated in the multi-user polysilicon surface micromachining (MUMPs) process. The chip includes 18 different transducers with 10 different resonant frequencies in the range of 100 kHz to 1 MHz. It was excited by two different source simulation techniques; pencil lead break and impact loading. The former simulation was accomplished by breaking 0.5 mm lead on the ceramic package. Four transducer outputs were collected simultaneously using a multi-channel oscilloscope. The impact loading was repeated for five different diameter ball bearings. Traditional acoustic emission waveform analysis methods were applied to both data sets to illustrate the identification of different source mechanisms. In addition, a sliding window Fourier transform was performed to differentiate frequencies in time-frequency-amplitude domain. The arrival and energy contents of each resonant frequency were investigated in time-magnitude plots. The advantages of the simultaneous excitation of resonant transducers on one chip are discussed and compared with broadband acoustic emission transducers.

  11. Fly Eye radar: detection through high scattered media

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Molchanov, Pavlo; Gorwara, Ashok

    2017-05-01

    Longer radio frequency waves better penetrating through high scattered media than millimeter waves, but imaging resolution limited by diffraction at longer wavelength. Same time frequency and amplitudes of diffracted waves (frequency domain measurement) provides information of object. Phase shift of diffracted waves (phase front in time domain) consists information about shape of object and can be applied for reconstruction of object shape or even image by recording of multi-frequency digital hologram. Spectrum signature or refracted waves allows identify the object content. Application of monopulse method with overlap closely spaced antenna patterns provides high accuracy measurement of amplitude, phase, and direction to signal source. Digitizing of received signals separately in each antenna relative to processor time provides phase/frequency independence. Fly eye non-scanning multi-frequency radar system provides simultaneous continuous observation of multiple targets and wide possibilities for stepped frequency, simultaneous frequency, chaotic frequency sweeping waveform (CFS), polarization modulation for reliable object detection. Proposed c-band fly eye radar demonstrated human detection through 40 cm concrete brick wall with human and wall material spectrum signatures and can be applied for through wall human detection, landmines, improvised explosive devices detection, underground or camouflaged object imaging.

  12. Concurrent recordings of Electrical Current Emissions and Acoustic Emissions detected from marble specimens subjected to mechanical stress up to fracture

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stavrakas, I.; Hloupis, G.; Triantis, D.; Vallianatos, F.

    2012-04-01

    The emission of electrical signals during the application of mechanical stress on brittle geo-materials (the so called Pressure Stimulated Current - PSC[1,2]), provides significant information regarding the mechanical status of the studied rock sample, since PSCs are originated as a result of the opening of cracks and microfractures[3]. The latter mechanism for the creation of PSCs it is straightforward to associated with the recording of acoustic emissions (AE). To justify the common origin of PSCs and AE due to opening of cracks, a combined study was performed implicating the concurrent recording of electric current emissions and AE on marble samples when they are subjected to linearly increasing mechanical load up to the fracture. The electric signal detected is recorded by an ultra sensitive electrometer (Keithley 6514). The sensor used for detecting the electric current is a pair of gold plated electrodes adapted bilaterally on the sample found under axial mechanical stress[4]. The AE were recorded through the Physical Acoustics PCI-2 Acquisition System. The experimental results prove the strong association of the recorded electrical signals and the corresponding acoustic emissions justifying their common origin due to opening of microfractures. Furthermore, when the applied mechanical load exceeds the yield stress then an increasing of PSCs amplitude along with that of AE rate is observed. Acknowledgments. This work was partly supported by the THALES Program of the Ministry of Education of Greece and the European Union in the framework of the project entitled "Integrated understanding of Seismicity, using innovative Methodologies of Fracture mechanics along with Earthquake and non extensive statistical physics - Application to the geodynamic system of the Hellenic Arc. SEISMO FEAR HELLARC".

  13. Effects of Acoustic Impulses on the Middle Ear

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-10-01

    development of a MEMC detection algorithm for use with the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) impedance traces. The second specific...Flamme GA, Deiters KK, Tasko SM, Ahroon WA (under review). Acoustic reflexes are common but not pervasive: Evidence from the National Health and Nutrition ...of new (or revising existing) damage risk criteria and health hazard assessment methods for exposure to high-level acoustic impulses such as

  14. Quasi-static acoustic tweezing thromboelastometry.

    PubMed

    Holt, R G; Luo, D; Gruver, N; Khismatullin, D B

    2017-07-01

    Essentials Blood coagulation measurement during contact with an artificial surface leads to unreliable data. Acoustic tweezing thromboelastometry is a novel non-contact method for coagulation monitoring. This method detects differences in the blood coagulation state within 10 min. Coagulation data were obtained using a much smaller sample volume (4 μL) than currently used. Background Thromboelastography is widely used as a tool to assess the coagulation status of critical care patients. It allows observation of changes in material properties of whole blood, beginning with early stages of clot formation and ending with clot lysis. However, the contact activation of the coagulation cascade at surfaces of thromboelastographic systems leads to inherent variability and unreliability in predicting bleeding or thrombosis risks. Objectives To develop acoustic tweezing thromboelastometry as a non-contact method for perioperative assessment of blood coagulation. Methods Acoustic tweezing is used to levitate microliter drops of biopolymer and human blood samples. By quasi-statically changing the acoustic pressure we control the sample drop location and deformation. Sample size, deformation and location are determined by digital imaging at each pressure. Results Simple Newtonian liquid solutions maintain a constant, reversible location vs. deformation curve. In contrast, the location/deformation curves for gelatin, alginate, whole blood and blood plasma uniquely change as the samples solidify. Increasing elasticity causes the sample to deform less, leading to steeper stress/strain curves. By extracting a linear regime slope, we show that whole blood or blood plasma exhibits a unique slope profile as it begins to clot. By exposing blood samples to pro- or antithrombotic agents, the slope profile changes, allowing detection of hyper- or hypocoagulable states. Conclusions We demonstrate that quasi-static acoustic tweezing can yield information about clotting onset, maturation

  15. Use of Acoustic Emission and Pattern Recognition for Crack Detection of a Large Carbide Anvil

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Bin; Wang, Yanan; Yan, Zhaoli

    2018-01-01

    Large-volume cubic high-pressure apparatus is commonly used to produce synthetic diamond. Due to the high pressure, high temperature and alternative stresses in practical production, cracks often occur in the carbide anvil, thereby resulting in significant economic losses or even casualties. Conventional methods are unsuitable for crack detection of the carbide anvil. This paper is concerned with acoustic emission-based crack detection of carbide anvils, regarded as a pattern recognition problem; this is achieved using a microphone, with methods including sound pulse detection, feature extraction, feature optimization and classifier design. Through analyzing the characteristics of background noise, the cracked sound pulses are separated accurately from the originally continuous signal. Subsequently, three different kinds of features including a zero-crossing rate, sound pressure levels, and linear prediction cepstrum coefficients are presented for characterizing the cracked sound pulses. The original high-dimensional features are adaptively optimized using principal component analysis. A hybrid framework of a support vector machine with k nearest neighbors is designed to recognize the cracked sound pulses. Finally, experiments are conducted in a practical diamond workshop to validate the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed method. PMID:29382144

  16. Use of Acoustic Emission and Pattern Recognition for Crack Detection of a Large Carbide Anvil.

    PubMed

    Chen, Bin; Wang, Yanan; Yan, Zhaoli

    2018-01-29

    Large-volume cubic high-pressure apparatus is commonly used to produce synthetic diamond. Due to the high pressure, high temperature and alternative stresses in practical production, cracks often occur in the carbide anvil, thereby resulting in significant economic losses or even casualties. Conventional methods are unsuitable for crack detection of the carbide anvil. This paper is concerned with acoustic emission-based crack detection of carbide anvils, regarded as a pattern recognition problem; this is achieved using a microphone, with methods including sound pulse detection, feature extraction, feature optimization and classifier design. Through analyzing the characteristics of background noise, the cracked sound pulses are separated accurately from the originally continuous signal. Subsequently, three different kinds of features including a zero-crossing rate, sound pressure levels, and linear prediction cepstrum coefficients are presented for characterizing the cracked sound pulses. The original high-dimensional features are adaptively optimized using principal component analysis. A hybrid framework of a support vector machine with k nearest neighbors is designed to recognize the cracked sound pulses. Finally, experiments are conducted in a practical diamond workshop to validate the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed method.

  17. Study of acoustic emission during mechanical tests of large flight weight tank structure

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mccauley, B. O.; Nakamura, Y.; Veach, C. L.

    1973-01-01

    A PPO-insulated, flight-weight, subscale, aluminum tank was monitored for acoustic emissions during a proof test and during 100 cycles of environmental test simulating space flights. The use of a combination of frequency filtering and appropriate spatial filtering to reduce background noise was found to be sufficient to detect acoustic emission signals of relatively small intensity expected from subcritical crack growth in the structure. Several emission source locations were identified, including the one where a flaw was detected by post-test x-ray inspections. For most source locations, however, post-test inspections did not detect flaws; this was partially attributed to the higher sensitivity of the acoustic emission technique than any other currently available NDT method for detecting flaws. For these non-verifiable emission sources, a problem still remains in correctly interpreting observed emission signals.

  18. Acoustic method respiratory rate monitoring is useful in patients under intravenous anesthesia.

    PubMed

    Ouchi, Kentaro; Fujiwara, Shigeki; Sugiyama, Kazuna

    2017-02-01

    Respiratory depression can occur during intravenous general anesthesia without tracheal intubation. A new acoustic method for respiratory rate monitoring, RRa ® (Masimo Corp., Tokyo, Japan), has been reported to show good reliability in post-anesthesia care and emergency units. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability of the acoustic method for measurement of respiratory rate during intravenous general anesthesia, as compared with capnography. Patients with dental anxiety undergoing dental treatment under intravenous anesthesia without tracheal intubation were enrolled in this study. Respiratory rate was recorded every 30 s using the acoustic method and capnography, and detectability of respiratory rate was investigated for both methods. This study used a cohort study design. In 1953 recorded respiratory rate data points, the number of detected points by the acoustic method (1884, 96.5 %) was significantly higher than that by capnography (1682, 86.1 %) (P < 0.0001). In the intraoperative period, there was a significant difference in the LOA (95 % limits of agreement of correlation between difference and average of the two methods)/ULLOA (under the lower limit of agreement) in terms of use or non-use of a dental air turbine (P < 0.0001). In comparison between capnography, the acoustic method is useful for continuous monitoring of respiratory rate in spontaneously breathing subjects undergoing dental procedures under intravenous general anesthesia. However, the acoustic method might not accurately detect in cases in with dental air turbine.

  19. UV Raman detection of 2,4-DNT in contact with sand particles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blanco, Alejandro; Pacheco-Londoño, Leonardo C.; Peña-Quevedo, Alvaro J.; Hernández-Rivera, Samuel P.

    2006-05-01

    Deep Ultra Violet Raman Spectroscopy (DUV-RS) is an emerging tool for vibrational spectroscopy analysis and can be used in Point Detection mode to detect explosive components of landmines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED). Interactions of explosives with different substrates can be measured by using quantitative vibrational signal shift information of scattered Raman light associated with these interactions. In this research, grounds were laid for detection of explosives using UV-Raman Spectroscopy equipped with 244 nm laser excitation line from a 488 nm frequency doubled Coherent FreD laser. In other experiments, samples of 2,4-DNT were allowed to interact with Ottawa Sand and were studied using DUV-RS. Characteristic vibrational signals of energetic compounds were analyzed in the ranges: 400-1200 cm -1, 1200-1800 cm -1, and 2800-3500 cm -1. In addition these Raman spectra were compared with dispersive spectra that were acquired using Raman Microscopy equipped with 514.5 nm (VIS) 785 nm (NIR) and 1064 nm (NIR) excitation lasers.

  20. Not Your Ordinary GEM

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2001-01-01

    Through Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding from NASA's Stennis Space Center, Geophex devised a new design for broadband electromagnetic sensors. Geophex developed a patented sensing technology, capable not only of coastal monitoring, but also a variety of other functions, including environmental pollution characterization, groundwater contamination detection, archaeological study, and mineral detection. The new technology is offered in several of the company's products the GEM-2, GEM-2A, and the GEM-3. The Geophex products consist of two primary electromagnetic coils, which are stimulated by alternating currents that generate a magnetic field in the object targeted for investigation. GEM-2 is a handheld, lightweight, programmable, digital device. GEM-2A is an airborne version of the sensor. Suspended from a helicopter, the GEM-2A is used to search for mineral deposits and to survey large tracts of land. The GEM-3 is capable of detecting buried landmines and other active munitions. GEM-3 identifies landmines by their brand names. Because each landmine has its own unique electromagnetic response to the broad frequency band emitted by the GEM-3, bomb identification and disposal strategies are made easier.

  1. Development of a MEMS device for acoustic emission testing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ozevin, Didem; Pessiki, Stephen P.; Jain, Akash; Greve, David W.; Oppenheim, Irving J.

    2003-08-01

    Acoustic emission testing is an important technology for evaluating structural materials, and especially for detecting damage in structural members. Significant new capabilities may be gained by developing MEMS transducers for acoustic emission testing, including permanent bonding or embedment for superior coupling, greater density of transducer placement, and a bundle of transducers on each device tuned to different frequencies. Additional advantages include capabilities for maintenance of signal histories and coordination between multiple transducers. We designed a MEMS device for acoustic emission testing that features two different mechanical types, a hexagonal plate design and a spring-mass design, with multiple detectors of each type at ten different frequencies in the range of 100 kHz to 1 MHz. The devices were fabricated in the multi-user polysilicon surface micromachining (MUMPs) process and we have conducted electrical characterization experiments and initial experiments on acoustic emission detection. We first report on C(V) measurements and perform a comparison between predicted (design) and measured response. We next report on admittance measurements conducted at pressures varying from vacuum to atmospheric, identifying the resonant frequencies and again providing a comparison with predicted performance. We then describe initial calibration experiments that compare the performance of the detectors to other acoustic emission transducers, and we discuss the overall performance of the device as a sensor suite, as contrasted to the single-channel performance of most commercial transducers.

  2. Acoustic detections of summer and winter whales at Arctic gateways in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stafford, K.; Laidre, K. L.; Moore, S. E.

    2016-02-01

    Changes in sea ice phenology have been profound in regions north of arctic gateways, where the seasonal open-water period has increased by 1.5-3 months over the past 30 years. This has resulted in changes to the Arctic ecosystem, including increased primary productivity, changing food web structure, and opening of new habitat. In the "new normal" Arctic, ice obligate species such as ice seals and polar bears may fare poorly under reduced sea ice while sub-arctic "summer" whales (fin and humpback) are poised to inhabit new seasonal ice-free habitats in the Arctic. We examined the spatial and seasonal occurrence of summer and "winter" (bowhead) whales from September through December by deploying hydrophones in three Arctic gateways: Bering, Davis and Fram Straits. Acoustic occurrence of the three species was compared with decadal-scale changes in seasonal sea ice. In all three Straits, fin whale acoustic detections extended from summer to late autumn. Humpback whales showed the same pattern in Bering and Davis Straits, singing into November and December, respectively. Bowhead whale detections generally began after the departure of the summer whales and continued through the winter. In all three straits, summer whales occurred in seasons and regions that used to be ice-covered. This is likely due to both increased available habitat from sea ice reductions and post-whaling population recoveries. At present, in the straits examined here, there is spatial, but not temporal, overlap between summer and winter whales. In a future with further seasonal sea ice reductions, however, increased competition for resources between sub-Arctic and Arctic species may arise to the detriment of winter whales.

  3. Evaluation of bridge cables corrosion using acoustic emission technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Dongsheng; Ou, Jinping

    2010-04-01

    Owing to the nature of the stress, corrosion of bridge cable may result in catastrophic failure of the structure. However, using electrochemical techniques isn't fully efficient for the detection and control on line of the corrosion phenomenon. A non-destructive testing method based on acoustic emission technique monitoring bridge cable corrosion was explored. The steel strands were placed at room temperature in 5% NaCl solution. Acoustic emission (AE) characteristic parameters were recorded in the whole corrosion experiment process. Based on the plot of cumulated acoustic activity, the bridge cables corrosion included three stages. It can be clearly seen that different stages have different acoustic emission signal characteristics. The AE characteristic parameters would be increased with cables corrosion development. Finally, the bridge cables corrosion experiment with different stress state and different corrosion environment was performed. The results shows that stress magnitude only affects the bridge cable failure time, however, the AE characteristic parameters value has changed a little. It was verified that AE technique can be used to detect the bridge cable early corrosion, investigating corrosion developing trend, and in monitoring and evaluating corrosion damages.

  4. Infrasound in the middle stratosphere measured with a free-flying acoustic array

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bowman, Daniel C.; Lees, Jonathan M.

    2015-11-01

    Infrasound recorded in the middle stratosphere suggests that the acoustic wavefield above the Earth's surface differs dramatically from the wavefield near the ground. In contrast to nearby surface stations, the balloon-borne infrasound array detected signals from turbulence, nonlinear ocean wave interactions, building ventilation systems, and other sources that have not been identified yet. Infrasound power spectra also bore little resemblance to spectra recorded on the ground at the same time. Thus, sensors on the Earth's surface likely capture a fraction of the true diversity of acoustic waves in the atmosphere. Future studies building upon this experiment may quantify the acoustic energy flux from the surface to the upper atmosphere, extend the capability of the International Monitoring System to detect nuclear explosions, and lay the observational groundwork for a recently proposed mission to detect earthquakes on Venus using free-flying microphones.

  5. Remote Acoustic Imaging of Geosynchronous Satellites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Watson, Z.; Hart, M.

    Identification and characterization of orbiting objects that are not spatially resolved are challenging problems for traditional remote sensing methods. Hyper temporal imaging, enabled by fast, low-noise electro-optical detectors is a new sensing modality which may allow the direct detection of acoustic resonances on satellites enabling a new regime of signature and state detection. Detectable signatures may be caused by the oscillations of solar panels, high-gain antennae, or other on-board subsystems driven by thermal gradients, fluctuations in solar radiation pressure, worn reaction wheels, or orbit maneuvers. Herein we present the first hyper-temporal observations of geosynchronous satellites. Data were collected at the Kuiper 1.54-meter telescope in Arizona using an experimental dual-channel imaging instrument that simultaneously measures light in two orthogonally polarized beams at sampling rates extending up to 1 kHz. In these observations, we see evidence of acoustic resonances in the polarization state of satellites. The technique is expected to support object identification and characterization of on-board components and to act as a discriminant between active satellites, debris, and passive bodies.

  6. Reconstruction of Vectorial Acoustic Sources in Time-Domain Tomography

    PubMed Central

    Xia, Rongmin; Li, Xu; He, Bin

    2009-01-01

    A new theory is proposed for the reconstruction of curl-free vector field, whose divergence serves as acoustic source. The theory is applied to reconstruct vector acoustic sources from the scalar acoustic signals measured on a surface enclosing the source area. It is shown that, under certain conditions, the scalar acoustic measurements can be vectorized according to the known measurement geometry and subsequently be used to reconstruct the original vector field. Theoretically, this method extends the application domain of the existing acoustic reciprocity principle from a scalar field to a vector field, indicating that the stimulating vectorial source and the transmitted acoustic pressure vector (acoustic pressure vectorized according to certain measurement geometry) are interchangeable. Computer simulation studies were conducted to evaluate the proposed theory, and the numerical results suggest that reconstruction of a vector field using the proposed theory is not sensitive to variation in the detecting distance. The present theory may be applied to magnetoacoustic tomography with magnetic induction (MAT-MI) for reconstructing current distribution from acoustic measurements. A simulation on MAT-MI shows that, compared to existing methods, the present method can give an accurate estimation on the source current distribution and a better conductivity reconstruction. PMID:19211344

  7. Southwest U.S. Seismo-Acoustic Network: An Autonomous Data Aggregation, Detection, Localization and Ground-Truth Bulletin for the Infrasound Community

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jones, K. R.; Arrowsmith, S.

    2013-12-01

    The Southwest U.S. Seismo-Acoustic Network (SUSSAN) is a collaborative project designed to produce infrasound event detection bulletins for the infrasound community for research purposes. We are aggregating a large, unique, near real-time data set with available ground truth information from seismo-acoustic arrays across New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, California, Texas and Hawaii. The data are processed in near real-time (~ every 20 minutes) with detections being made on individual arrays and locations determined for networks of arrays. The detection and location data are then combined with any available ground truth information and compiled into a bulletin that will be released to the general public directly and eventually through the IRIS infrasound event bulletin. We use the open source Earthworm seismic data aggregation software to acquire waveform data either directly from the station operator or via the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology Data Management Center (IRIS DMC), if available. The data are processed using InfraMonitor, a powerful infrasound event detection and localization software program developed by Stephen Arrowsmith at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Our goal with this program is to provide the infrasound community with an event database that can be used collaboratively to study various natural and man-made sources. We encourage participation in this program directly or by making infrasound array data available through the IRIS DMC or other means. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. R&A 5317326

  8. Vibration detection of component health and operability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Baird, B. C.

    1975-01-01

    In order to prevent catastrophic failure and eliminate unnecessary periodic maintenance in the shuttle orbiter program environmental control system components, some means of detecting incipient failure in these components is required. The utilization was investigated of vibrational/acoustic phenomena as one of the principal physical parameters on which to base the design of this instrumentation. Baseline vibration/acoustic data was collected from three aircraft type fans and two aircraft type pumps over a frequency range from a few hertz to greater than 3000 kHz. The baseline data included spectrum analysis of the baseband vibration signal, spectrum analysis of the detected high frequency bandpass acoustic signal, and amplitude distribution of the high frequency bandpass acoustic signal. A total of eight bearing defects and two unbalancings was introduced into the five test items. All defects were detected by at least one of a set of vibration/acoustic parameters with a margin of at least 2:1 over the worst case baseline. The design of a portable instrument using this set of vibration/acoustic parameters for detecting incipient failures in environmental control system components is described.

  9. Fundamentals of Acoustics. Psychoacoustics and Hearing. Acoustical Measurements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Begault, Durand R.; Ahumada, Al (Technical Monitor)

    1997-01-01

    These are 3 chapters that will appear in a book titled "Building Acoustical Design", edited by Charles Salter. They are designed to introduce the reader to fundamental concepts of acoustics, particularly as they relate to the built environment. "Fundamentals of Acoustics" reviews basic concepts of sound waveform frequency, pressure, and phase. "Psychoacoustics and Hearing" discusses the human interpretation sound pressure as loudness, particularly as a function of frequency. "Acoustic Measurements" gives a simple overview of the time and frequency weightings for sound pressure measurements that are used in acoustical work.

  10. Elastomeric negative acoustic contrast particles for affinity capture assays.

    PubMed

    Cushing, Kevin W; Piyasena, Menake E; Carroll, Nick J; Maestas, Gian C; López, Beth Ann; Edwards, Bruce S; Graves, Steven W; López, Gabriel P

    2013-02-19

    This report describes the development of elastomeric capture microparticles (ECμPs) and their use with acoustophoretic separation to perform microparticle assays via flow cytometry.We have developed simple methods to form ECμPs by cross-linking droplets of common commercially available silicone precursors in suspension followed by surface functionalization with biomolecular recognition reagents. The ECμPs are compressible particles that exhibit negative acoustic contrast in ultrasound when suspended in aqueous media, blood serum, or diluted blood. In this study, these particles have been functionalized with antibodies to bind prostate specific antigen and immunoglobulin (IgG). Specific separation of the ECμPs from blood cells is achieved by flowing them through a microfluidic acoustophoretic device that uses an ultrasonic standing wave to align the blood cells, which exhibit positive acoustic contrast, at a node in the acoustic pressure distribution while aligning the negative acoustic contrast ECμPs at the antinodes. Laminar flow of the separated particles to downstream collection ports allows for collection of the separated negative contrast (ECμPs) and positive contrast particles (cells). Separated ECμPs were analyzed via flow cytometry to demonstrate nanomolar detection for prostate specific antigen in aqueous buffer and picomolar detection for IgG in plasma and diluted blood samples. This approach has potential applications in the development of rapid assays that detect the presence of low concentrations of biomarkers in a number of biological sample types.

  11. Elastomeric Negative Acoustic Contrast Particles for Affinity Capture Assays

    PubMed Central

    Cushing, Kevin W.; Piyasena, Menake E.; Carroll, Nick J.; Maestas, Gian C.; López, Beth Ann; Edwards, Bruce S.; Graves, Steven W.; López, Gabriel P.

    2013-01-01

    This report describes the development of elastomeric capture microparticles (ECμPs) and their use with acoustophoretic separation to perform microparticle assays via flow cytometry. We have developed simple methods to form ECμPsby crosslinking droplets of common commercially available silicone precursors in suspension followed by surface functionalization with biomolecular recognition reagents. The ECμPs are compressible particles that exhibit negative acoustic contrast in ultrasound when suspended in aqueous media, blood serum or diluted blood. In this study, these particles have been functionalized with antibodies to bind prostate specific antigen and immunoglobulin (IgG). Specific separation of the ECμPs from blood cells is achieved by flowing them through a microfluidic acoustophoretic device that uses an ultrasonic standing wave to align the blood cells, which exhibit positive acoustic contrast, at a node in the acoustic pressure distribution while aligning the negative acoustic contrast ECμPs at the antinodes. Laminar flow of the separated particles to downstream collection ports allows for collection of the separated negative contrast (ECμPs) and positive contrast particles (cells). Separated ECμPs were analyzed via flow cytometry to demonstrate nanomolar detection for prostate specific antigen in aqueous buffer and picomolar detection for IgG in plasma and diluted blood samples. This approach has potential applications in the development of rapid assays that detect the presence of low concentrations of biomarkers in a number of biological sample types. PMID:23331264

  12. Two-wavelength quadrature multipoint detection of partial discharge in power transformers using fiber Fabry-Perot acoustic sensors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dong, Bo; Han, Ming; Wang, Anbo

    2012-06-01

    A reliable and low-cost two-wavelength quadrature interrogating method has been developed to demodulate optical signals from diaphragm-based Fabry-Perot interferometric fiber optic sensors for multipoint partial discharge detection in power transformers. Commercial available fused-silica parts (a wafer, a fiber ferrule, and a mating sleeve) and a cleaved optical single mode fiber were bonded together to form an extrinsic Fabry-Perot acoustic sensor. Two lasers with center wavelengths separated by a quarter of the period of sensor interference fringes were used to probe acousticwave- induced diaphragm vibration. A coarse wavelength-division multiplexing (CWDM) add/drop multiplexer was used to separate the reflected two wavelengths before two photo detectors. Optical couplers were used to distribute mixed laser light to each sensor-detector module for multiplexing purpose. Sensor structure, detection system design and experiment results are presented.

  13. Ocean Acoustic Observatory Federation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-09-30

    range detection and localization of blue whale calls in the northeast Pacific Ocean ousing military hydrophone arrays, Jour. Acoust . Soc. Am., vol. 104...3616- 3624, 1998 . 5 Stafford , Kathleen M., Sharon L. Nieukirk, and Christopher G. Fox, Low-frequency whale sounds recorded on hydrophones... Stafford , Kathleen M., Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) Vocalizations recorded in the North Pacific Ocean: Geographic, Seasonal, and Diel Variation,

  14. Accounting for false-positive acoustic detections of bats using occupancy models

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Clement, Matthew J.; Rodhouse, Thomas J.; Ormsbee, Patricia C.; Szewczak, Joseph M.; Nichols, James D.

    2014-01-01

    4. Synthesis and applications. Our results suggest that false positives sufficient to affect inferences may be common in acoustic surveys for bats. We demonstrate an approach that can estimate occupancy, regardless of the false-positive rate, when acoustic surveys are paired with capture surveys. Applications of this approach include monitoring the spread of White-Nose Syndrome, estimating the impact of climate change and informing conservation listing decisions. We calculate a site-specific probability of occupancy, conditional on survey results, which could inform local permitting decisions, such as for wind energy projects. More generally, the magnitude of false positives suggests that false-positive occupancy models can improve accuracy in research and monitoring of bats and provide wildlife managers with more reliable information.

  15. Acoustic source for generating an acoustic beam

    DOEpatents

    Vu, Cung Khac; Sinha, Dipen N.; Pantea, Cristian

    2016-05-31

    An acoustic source for generating an acoustic beam includes a housing; a plurality of spaced apart piezo-electric layers disposed within the housing; and a non-linear medium filling between the plurality of layers. Each of the plurality of piezoelectric layers is configured to generate an acoustic wave. The non-linear medium and the plurality of piezo-electric material layers have a matching impedance so as to enhance a transmission of the acoustic wave generated by each of plurality of layers through the remaining plurality of layers.

  16. Analysis of liquid-phase chemical detection using guided shear horizontal-surface acoustic wave sensors.

    PubMed

    Li, Zhonghui; Jones, Yolanda; Hossenlopp, Jeanne; Cernosek, Richard; Josse, Fabien

    2005-07-15

    Direct chemical sensing in liquid environments using polymer-guided shear horizontal surface acoustic wave sensor platforms on 36 degrees rotated Y-cut LiTaO3 is investigated. Design considerations for optimizing these devices for liquid-phase detection are systematically explored. Two different sensor geometries are experimentally and theoretically analyzed. Dual delay line devices are used with a reference line coated with poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and a sensing line coated with a chemically sensitive polymer, which acts as both a guiding layer and a sensing layer or with a PMMA waveguide and a chemically sensitive polymer. Results show the three-layer model provides higher sensitivity than the four-layer model. Contributions from mass loading and coating viscoelasticity changes to the sensor response are evaluated, taking into account the added mass, swelling, and plasticization. Chemically sensitive polymers are investigated in the detection of low concentrations (1-60 ppm) of toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes in water. A low-ppb level detection limit is estimated from the present experimental measurements. Sensor properties are investigated by varying the sensor geometries, coating thickness combinations, coating properties, and curing temperature for operation in liquid environments. Partition coefficients for polymer-aqueous analyte pairs are used to explain the observed trend in sensitivity for the polymers PMMA, poly(isobutylene), poly(epichlorohydrin), and poly(ethyl acrylate) used in this work.

  17. Acoustic calibration apparatus for calibrating plethysmographic acoustic pressure sensors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zuckerwar, Allan J. (Inventor); Davis, David C. (Inventor)

    1995-01-01

    An apparatus for calibrating an acoustic sensor is described. The apparatus includes a transmission material having an acoustic impedance approximately matching the acoustic impedance of the actual acoustic medium existing when the acoustic sensor is applied in actual in-service conditions. An elastic container holds the transmission material. A first sensor is coupled to the container at a first location on the container and a second sensor coupled to the container at a second location on the container, the second location being different from the first location. A sound producing device is coupled to the container and transmits acoustic signals inside the container.

  18. Acoustic calibration apparatus for calibrating plethysmographic acoustic pressure sensors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zuckerwar, Allan J. (Inventor); Davis, David C. (Inventor)

    1994-01-01

    An apparatus for calibrating an acoustic sensor is described. The apparatus includes a transmission material having an acoustic impedance approximately matching the acoustic impedance of the actual acoustic medium existing when the acoustic sensor is applied in actual in-service conditions. An elastic container holds the transmission material. A first sensor is coupled to the container at a first location on the container and a second sensor coupled to the container at a second location on the container, the second location being different from the first location. A sound producing device is coupled to the container and transmits acoustic signals inside the container.

  19. Last call: Passive acoustic monitoring shows continued rapid decline of critically endangered vaquita.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Len; Jaramillo-Legorreta, Armando; Cardenas-Hinojosa, Gustavo; Nieto-Garcia, Edwyna; Rojas-Bracho, Lorenzo; Ver Hoef, Jay M; Moore, Jeffrey; Taylor, Barbara; Barlow, Jay; Tregenza, Nicholas

    2017-11-01

    The vaquita is a critically endangered species of porpoise. It produces echolocation clicks, making it a good candidate for passive acoustic monitoring. A systematic grid of sensors has been deployed for 3 months annually since 2011; results from 2016 are reported here. Statistical models (to compensate for non-uniform data loss) show an overall decline in the acoustic detection rate between 2015 and 2016 of 49% (95% credible interval 82% decline to 8% increase), and total decline between 2011 and 2016 of over 90%. Assuming the acoustic detection rate is proportional to population size, approximately 30 vaquita (95% credible interval 8-96) remained in November 2016.

  20. North Pacific Acoustic Laboratory and Deep Water Acoustics

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-09-30

    range acoustic systems, whether for acoustic surveillance, communication, or remote sensing of the ocean interior . The data from the NPAL network, and...1 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. North Pacific Acoustic Laboratory and Deep Water... Acoustics PI James A. Mercer Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington 1013 NE 40th Street Seattle, WA 98105 phone: (206) 543-1361 fax