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In a recent journal article [IEEE Trans. Nuc. Sci., 63(1), 341-350, 2016], we introduced a novel method that decomposes dual-energy X-ray CT (DECT) data into electron density (ρe) and a new effective-atomic-number called Ze in pursuit of system-independent characterization of materials. The Ze of a material, unlike the traditional Zeff, is defined relative to the actual X-ray absorption properties of the constituent atoms in the material, which are based on published X-ray cross sections. Our DECT method, called SIRZ (System-Independent ρe, Ze), uses a set of well-known reference materials and an understanding of the system spectral response to produce accurate and precise estimates of the X-ray-relevant basis variables (ρe, Ze) regardless of scanner or spectra in diagnostic energy ranges (30 to 200 keV). Potentially, SIRZ can account for and correct spectral changes in a scanner over time and, because the system spectral response is included in the technique, additional beam-hardening correction is not needed. Results show accuracy (

Some diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility (NIF), including the Gamma Reaction History (GRH) diagnostic, require multiple channels of data to achieve the required dynamic range. These channels need to be stitched together into a single time series, and they may have non-uniform and redundant time samples. We chose to apply the popular cubic smoothing spline technique to our stitching problem because we needed a general non-parametric method. We adapted one of the algorithms in the literature, by Hutchinson and deHoog, to our needs. The modified algorithm and the resulting code perform a cubic smoothing spline fit to multiple data channels with redundant time samples and missing data points. The data channels can have different, time-varying, zero-mean white noise characteristics. The method we employ automatically determines an optimal smoothing level by minimizing the Generalized Cross Validation (GCV) score. In order to automatically validate the smoothing level selection, the Weighted Sum-Squared Residual (WSSR) and zero-mean tests are performed on the residuals. Further, confidence intervals, both analytical and Monte Carlo, are also calculated. In this paper, we describe the derivation of our cubic smoothing spline algorithm. We outline the algorithm and test it with simulated and experimental data.

A novel handheld time-domain array GPR antipersonnel mine detection system prototype has been developed. Using an offset paraboloidal reflector antenna to collimate rays form an ultra-wideband feed, the transmitted microwave impulse is concentrated forward, in front of the antenna structure. The resulting wave is a non-uniform plane wave over the portion of ground be investigated, and is incident at 45 degrees to normal. As such, much of the ground reflect wave is directed further forward, away from the operator, the reflector, and the receiving antennas, thereby reducing clutter. However, the wave transmitted into the ground, which interacts with the target, tends to have significant backscatter returning toward the receiving antennas. These receiving antennas are configured in a 2 by 2 array to provide spatial focusing in both along and cross-track directions. This is accomplished by measuring and comparing the backscattered signal at each receiver in the narrow time window between the times when the ground reflected wave passes the receiver and before this wave re-reflects from the reflector components. 2D FDTD simulation of this parabolic reflector transmitter indicates that it generates a beam with a non-uniform planar wavefront, which scatters form rough ground primarily in the forward direction. The wave transmitted into the ground is also planar, propagating at the angle of refraction, and scattering fairly isotropically from a small penetrable target. This system has been built and tested at LLNL, using a very narrow pulse shape. LLNL's Micro-Impulse Radar (MIR) and custom-built wideband antenna elements operate in the 1.5 to 5 GHz range. One particular advantage of using the MIR module is its low cost: an important feature for mine detectors used in developing countries. Preliminary measured data indicates that the surface clutter is indeed reduced relative to the target signal, and that small non-metallic anti-personnel mines can be reliably detected at burial depths as shallow as 1 inch in both dry.

Current ground penetrating radars (GPR) have been tested for land mine detection, but they have generally been costly and have poor performance. Comprehensive modeling and experimentation must be done to predict the electromagnetic (EM) signatures of mines to access the effect of clutter on the EM signature of the mine, and to understand the merit and limitations of using radar for various mine detection scenarios. This modeling can provide a basis for advanced radar design and detection techniques leading to superior performance. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has developed a radar technology that when combined with comprehensive modeling and detection methodologies could be the basis of an advanced mine detection system. Micropower Impulse Radar (MIR) technology exhibits a combination of properties, including wideband operation, extremely low power consumption, extremely small size and low cost, array configurability, and noise encoded pulse generation. LLNL is in the process of developing an 'optimal' processing algorithm to use with the MIR sensor. In this paper, we use classical numerical models to obtain the signature of mine-like targets and examine the effect of surface roughness on the reconstructed signals. These results are then qualitatively compared to experimental data.

Corrosion of rebar in concrete bridges causes subsurface cracks and is a major cause of structural degradation that necessitates repair or replacement. Early detection of corrosion effects can limit the location and extent of necessary repairs, while providing long-term information about the infrastructure status. Most current detection methods, however, are destructive of the road surface and require closing or restricting traffic while the tests are performed. A ground-penetrating radar imaging system has been designed and developed that will perform the nondestructive evaluation of road-bed cracking at traffic speeds; i.e., without the need to restrict traffic flow. The first-generation system (called the HERMES bridge inspector), consists of an offset-linear array of 64 impulse radar transceivers and associated electronics housed in a trailer. Computers in the trailer and in the towing vehicle control the data acquisition, processing, and display. Cross-road resolution is three centimeters at up to 30 cm in depth, while down-road resolution depends on speed; 3 cm below 20 mph up to 8 cm at 50 mph. A two-meter- wide path is inspected on each pass over the roadway. This paper, describes the design of this system, shows preliminary results, and lays out its deployment schedule.

The image reconstruction problem, also known as the inverse Radon transform, for x-ray computed tomography (CT) is found in numerous applications in medicine and industry. The most common algorithm used in these cases is filtered backprojection (FBP), which, while a simple procedure, is time-consuming for large images on any type of computational engine. Specially designed, dedicated parallel processors are commonly used in medical CT scanners, whose results are then passed to a graphics workstation for rendering and analysis. However, a fast direct FBP algorithm can be implemented on modern texture-mapping hardware in current high-end workstation platforms. This is done by casting the FBP algorithm as an image warping operation with summing. Texture- mapping hardware, such as that on the silicon Graphics Reality Engine, shows around 600 times speedup of backprojection over a CPU-based implementation (a 100 Mhz R4400 in our case). This technique has the further advantages of flexibility and rapid programming. In addition, the same hardware can be used for both image reconstruction and for volumetric rendering. Our technique can also be used to accelerate iterative reconstruction algorithms. The hardware architecture also allows more complex operations than straight-ray backprojection if they are required, including fan-beam, cone-beam, and curved ray paths, with little or no speed penalties.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Computed Tomography (CT) using penetrating radiation (x- or gamma-rays) can be used in a number of aircraft applications. This technique results in 3D volumetric attenuation data that is related to density and effective atomic number. CT is a transmission scanning method that must allow complete access to both sides of the object under inspection; the radiation source and detection systems must surround the object. This normally precludes the inspection of some large or planar (large aspect ratio) parts of the aircraft. However, we are pursuing recent limited-data techniques using object model information to obtain useful data from the partial information acquired. As illustrative examples, we describe how CT was instrumental in the analysis of particular aircraft components. These include fuselage panels, single crystal turbine blades, and aluminum-lithium composites.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

The amount of data generated by computed tomography (CT) scanners is enormous, making the image reconstruction operation slow, especially for 3-D and limited-data scans requiring iterative algorithms. The inverse Radon transform, commonly used for CT image reconstructions from projections, and the forward Radon transform are computationally burdensome for single-processor computer architectures. Fortunately, the forward Radon transform and the back projection operation (involved in the inverse Radon transform) are easily calculated using a parallel pipelined processor array. Using this array the processing time for the Radon transform and the back projection can be reduced dramatically. This paper describes a unified, pipelined architecture for an integrated circuit that computes both the forward Radon transform and the back projection operation at a 10 MHz data rate in a pipelined processor array. The trade-offs between computational complexity and reconstruction error of different interpolation schemes are presented along with an evaluation of the architecture's noise characteristics due to finite word lengths. The fully pipelined architecture is designed to reconstruct 1024 pixel by 1024 pixel images using up to 1024 projections over 180 degrees. The chip contains three pipelined data-paths, each five stages long, and uses a single multiplier.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

The Systolic Processor with a Reconfigurable Interconnection Network of Transputers (SPRINT) [1] is a sixty-four-element multiprocessor developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to evaluate systolic algorithms and architectures experimentally. The processors are interconnected in a reconfigurable network which can emulate networks such as the two-dimensional mesh, the triangular mesh, the tree, and the shuffle-exchange network. New systolic algorithms and architectures are described which perform the Radon transform [8] and inverse Radon transform with efficiency arbitrarily close to 100%. High efficiency is possible with any connected network topology, even with low communication bandwidth. The results of the algorithms executed on the SPRINT compare closely with theory.