A methodology to develop computational phantoms with adjustable posture for WBC calibration

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreira Fonseca, T. C.; Bogaerts, R.; Hunt, John; Vanhavere, F.

2014-11-01

A Whole Body Counter (WBC) is a facility to routinely assess the internal contamination of exposed workers, especially in the case of radiation release accidents. The calibration of the counting device is usually done by using anthropomorphic physical phantoms representing the human body. Due to such a challenge of constructing representative physical phantoms a virtual calibration has been introduced. The use of computational phantoms and the Monte Carlo method to simulate radiation transport have been demonstrated to be a worthy alternative. In this study we introduce a methodology developed for the creation of realistic computational voxel phantoms with adjustable posture for WBC calibration. The methodology makes use of different software packages to enable the creation and modification of computational voxel phantoms. This allows voxel phantoms to be developed on demand for the calibration of different WBC configurations. This in turn helps to study the major source of uncertainty associated with the in vivo measurement routine which is the difference between the calibration phantoms and the real persons being counted. The use of realistic computational phantoms also helps the optimization of the counting measurement. Open source codes such as MakeHuman and Blender software packages have been used for the creation and modelling of 3D humanoid characters based on polygonal mesh surfaces. Also, a home-made software was developed whose goal is to convert the binary 3D voxel grid into a MCNPX input file. This paper summarizes the development of a library of phantoms of the human body that uses two basic phantoms called MaMP and FeMP (Male and Female Mesh Phantoms) to create a set of male and female phantoms that vary both in height and in weight. Two sets of MaMP and FeMP phantoms were developed and used for efficiency calibration of two different WBC set-ups: the Doel NPP WBC laboratory and AGM laboratory of SCK-CEN in Mol, Belgium.

CryoSat SIRAL Calibration and Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Fornari, Marco; Scagliola, Michele; Tagliani, Nicolas; Parrinello, Tommaso

2013-04-01

The main payload of CryoSat is a Ku band pulse-width limited radar altimeter, called SIRAL (Synthetic interferometric radar altimeter), that transmits pulses at a high pulse repetition frequency thus making the received echoes phase coherent and suitable for azimuth processing. This allows to reach an along track resolution of about 250 meters which is a significant improvement over traditional pulse-width limited altimeters. Due to the fact that SIRAL is a phase coherent pulse-width limited radar altimeter, a proper calibration approach has been developed, including both an internal and external calibration. The internal calibration monitors the instrument impulse response and the transfer function, like traditional altimeters. In addition to that, the interferometer requires a special calibration developed ad hoc for SIRAL. The external calibration is performed with the use of a ground transponder, located in Svalbard, which receives SIRAL signal and sends the echo back to the satellite. Internal calibration data are processed on ground by the CryoSat Instrument Processing Facility (IPF1) and then applied to the science data. By April 2013, almost 3 years of calibration data will be available, which will be shown in this poster. The external calibration (transponder) data are processed and analyzed independently from the operational chain. The use of an external transponder has been very useful to determine instrument performance and for the tuning of the on-ground processor. This poster presents the transponder results in terms of range noise and datation error.

XRD alignment, calibration and performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davy, L.

2002-01-01

Full text: The quality of any diffractometer system is very much dependent on the alignment, calibration and performance. The three subjects are very much related. Firstly, you must know how to carry out the full diffractometer alignment. XRD alignment is easy once you know how. The presentation will show you step by step to carry out the full alignment. Secondly, you need to know how to calibrate the diffractometer system. The presentation will show you how to calibrate the goniometer, detector etc. Thirdly, to prove the system is working within the manufacturer specification. The presentation will show you how to carry out the resolution, reproducibility and linearity test. Copyright (2002) Australian X-ray Analytical Association Inc

Calibration of detectors type CR-39 for methodology implementation for Radon-222 determination in CRCN-NE, Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Karolayne E.M. da; Santos, Mariana L. de O.; Amaral, Déric S. do; Vilela, Eldice C.; França, Elvis J. de; Hazin, Clovis A.; Farias, Emerson E.G. de

2017-01-01

Radon-222 is a radioactive gas, a product of the decay of uranium-238, which emits alpha particles and represents more than 50% of the dose of natural radiation received by the population. Therefore, monitoring of this gas is essential. For indoor measurement, solid state detectors can be used, the most common of which is CR-39. For monitoring using CR-39, alpha particles, generated by radon-222 and the daughter radionuclides, strike the surface of the detector and generate traces. To relate the trace density per exposure area in environments with unknown activity concentration, it is necessary to determine the calibration factor. The objective of this study was to calibrate CR-39 type detectors for the implementation of the radon determination methodology in Centro Regional de Ciencias Nucleares do Nordeste - CRCN-NE of Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission - CNEN. In order to determine the CR-39 calibration factor, 19 exposures of the detectors were performed in the CRCN-NE calibration chamber (RN1-CRCN) at an activity of 5.00 kBq m -3 , with the exposure time varying from 24 to 850 hours. For the detection of the detectors, sodium hydroxide was used in a thermostat bath at 90 ° C for 5 hours. The count of number of traits per unit of field was performed with the aid of optical microscopy with an increase of 100 times, being read 30 fields per dosimeters. As a result, the calibration factor was obtained, and the linear response of the trace density as a function of exposure was observed. The results allow the use of CR-39 in the determination of radon-222 by CRCN-NE

Radionuclide calibrators performance evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mora Ramirez, E.; Zeledon Fonseca, P.; Jimenez Cordero, M.

2008-01-01

Radionuclide calibrators are used to estimate accurately activity prior to administration to a patient, so it is very important that this equipment meets its performance requirements. The purpose of this paper is to compare the commercially available 'Calicheck' (Calcorp. Inc), used to assess linearity, versus the well-known source decay method, and also to show our results after performing several recommended quality control tests. The parameters that we wanted to evaluate were carried on using the Capintec CRC-15R and CRC-15 β radionuclide calibrators. The evaluated tests were: high voltage, display, zero adjust, background, reproducibility, source constancy, accuracy, precision and linearity. The first six tests were evaluated on the daily practice, here we analyzed the 2007 recorded data; and the last three were evaluated once a year. During the daily evaluation both calibrators performance were satisfactory comparing with the manufacture's requirements. The accuracy test show result within the ± 10% allowed for a field instrument. Precision performance is within the ± 1 % allowed. On the other hand, the linearity test shows that using the source decay method the relative coefficient is 0.9998, for both equipment and using the Calicheck the relative coefficient is 0.997. However, looking the percentage of error, during the 'Calicheck' test, its range goes from 0.0 % up to -25.35%, and using the source decay method, the range goes from 0.0 % up to -31.05 %, taking into account both instruments. Checking the 'Calicheck' results we can see that the results varying randomly, but using the source decay method the percentage of error increase as the source activity decrease. We conclude that both devices meet its manufactures requirements, in the case of the linearity using the decay method, decreasing the activity source, increasing the percentage of error, this may happen because of the equipment age. (author)

Performance evaluation of commercial radionuclide calibrators in Indonesian hospitals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Candra, Hermawan; Marsoem, Pujadi; Wurdiyanto, Gatot

2012-01-01

Dose calibrator is one of the supporting equipments in the field of nuclear medicine. At the hospitals, dose calibrator is used for activity measurement of radiopharmaceutical before it is administered to patients. Comparison of activity measurements of 131 I and 99m Tc with dose calibrators was organized in Indonesia during 2007–2010 with the the aim of obtaining information dose calibrator performance in the hospitals. Seven Indonesian hospitals participated in this comparison. The measurement results were evaluated using the E n criteria. The result presented in this paper facilitated the evaluation of dose calibrator performance at several hospitals. - Highlights: ► National comparisons of 131 I and 99m Tc radionuclides in Indonesian hospitals. ► Standardization using a Centronic IG11/A20 4πγ Ionization Chamber and participants using commercial radionuclide calibrators. ► Performance radionuclide calibrator in nuclear medicine in Indonesia. ► Measurement of activity of 99m Tc and 131 I was found satisfactory.

The Geostationary Lightning Mapper: Its Performance and Calibration

Science.gov (United States)

Christian, H. J., Jr.

2015-12-01

The Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) has been developed to be an operational instrument on the GOES-R series of spacecraft. The GLM is a unique instrument, unlike other meteorological instruments, both in how it operates and in the information content that it provides. Instrumentally, it is an event detector, rather than an imager. While processing almost a billion pixels per second with 14 bits of resolution, the event detection process reduces the required telemetry bandwidth by almost 105, thus keeping the telemetry requirements modest and enabling efficient ground processing that leads to rapid data distribution to operational users. The GLM was designed to detect about 90 percent of the total lightning flashes within its almost hemispherical field of view. Based on laboratory calibration, we expect the on-orbit detection efficiency to be closer to 85%, making it the highest performing, large area coverage total lightning detector. It has a number of unique design features that will enable it have near uniform special resolution over most of its field of view and to operate with minimal impact on performance during solar eclipses. The GLM has no dedicated on-orbit calibration system, thus the ground-based calibration provides the bases for the predicted radiometric performance. A number of problems were encountered during the calibration of Flight Model 1. The issues arouse from GLM design features including its wide field of view, fast lens, the narrow-band interference filters located in both object and collimated space and the fact that the GLM is inherently a event detector yet the calibration procedures required both calibration of images and events. The GLM calibration techniques were based on those developed for the Lightning Imaging Sensor calibration, but there are enough differences between the sensors that the initial GLM calibration suggested that it is significantly more sensitive than its design parameters. The calibration discrepancies have

CryoSat-2 SIRAL Calibration and Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Fornari, M.; Scagliola, M.; Tagliani, N.; Parrinello, T.

2012-12-01

The main payload of CryoSat-2 is a Ku band pulse-width limited radar altimeter, called SIRAL (Synthetic interferometric radar altimeter), that transmits pulses at a high pulse repetition frequency thus making the received echoes phase coherent and suitable for azimuth processing. This allows to reach an along track resolution of about 250 meters which is a significant improvement over traditional pulse-width limited altimeters. Due to the fact that SIRAL is a phase coherent pulse-width limited radar altimeter, a proper calibration approach has been developed, including both an internal and external calibration. The internal calibration monitors the instrument impulse response and the transfer function, like traditional altimeters. In addition to that, the interferometer requires a special calibration developed ad hoc for SIRAL. The external calibration is performed with the use of a ground transponder, located in Svalbard, which receives SIRAL signal and sends the echo back to the satellite. Internal calibration data are processed on ground by the CryoSat-2 Instrument Processing Facility (IPF1) and then applied to the science data. In December 2012, two and a half years of calibration data will be available, which will be shown in this poster. The external calibration (transponder) data are processed and analyzed independently from the operational chain. The use of an external transponder has been very useful to determine instrument performance and for the tuning of the on-ground processor. This poster presents the transponder results in terms of range noise and datation error.

Genetic algorithm for building envelope calibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramos Ruiz, Germán; Fernández Bandera, Carlos; Gómez-Acebo Temes, Tomás; Sánchez-Ostiz Gutierrez, Ana

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Calibration methodology using Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II). • Uncertainty analysis formulas implemented directly in EnergyPlus. • The methodology captures the heat dynamic of the building with a high level of accuracy. • Reduction in the number of parameters involved due to sensitivity analysis. • Cost-effective methodology using temperature sensors only. - Abstract: Buildings today represent 40% of world primary energy consumption and 24% of greenhouse gas emissions. In our society there is growing interest in knowing precisely when and how energy consumption occurs. This means that consumption measurement and verification plans are well-advanced. International agencies such as Efficiency Valuation Organization (EVO) and International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP) have developed methodologies to quantify savings. This paper presents a methodology to accurately perform automated envelope calibration under option D (calibrated simulation) of IPMVP – vol. 1. This is frequently ignored because of its complexity, despite being more flexible and accurate in assessing the energy performance of a building. A detailed baseline energy model is used, and by means of a metaheuristic technique achieves a highly reliable and accurate Building Energy Simulation (BES) model suitable for detailed analysis of saving strategies. In order to find this BES model a Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II) is used, together with a highly efficient engine to stimulate the objective, thus permitting rapid achievement of the goal. The result is a BES model that broadly captures the heat dynamic behaviour of the building. The model amply fulfils the parameters demanded by ASHRAE and EVO under option D.

Methodology for calibration of ionization chambers for X-ray of low energy in absorbed dose to water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, C.T.; Vivolo, V.; Potiens, M.P.A.

2015-01-01

The beams of low energy X-ray (10 to 150 kV) are used in several places in the world to treat a wide variety of surface disorders, and between these malignancies. As in Brazil, at this moment, there is no calibration laboratory providing the control service or calibration of parallel plate ionization chambers, the aim of this project was to establish a methodology for calibration of this kind of ionization chambers at low energy X-ray beams in terms of absorbed dose to water using simulators in the LCI. (author)

HENC performance evaluation and plutonium calibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menlove, H.O.; Baca, J.; Pecos, J.M.; Davidson, D.R.; McElroy, R.D.; Brochu, D.B.

1997-10-01

The authors have designed a high-efficiency neutron counter (HENC) to increase the plutonium content in 200-L waste drums. The counter uses totals neutron counting, coincidence counting, and multiplicity counting to determine the plutonium mass. The HENC was developed as part of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between the Department of Energy and Canberra Industries. This report presents the results of the detector modifications, the performance tests, the add-a-source calibration, and the plutonium calibration at Los Alamos National Laboratory (TA-35) in 1996

Calibration of PMIS pavement performance prediction models.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-01

Improve the accuracy of TxDOTs existing pavement performance prediction models through calibrating these models using actual field data obtained from the Pavement Management Information System (PMIS). : Ensure logical performance superiority patte...

The Impact of Indoor and Outdoor Radiometer Calibration on Solar Measurements: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Habte, Aron; Sengupta, Manajit; Andreas, Afshin; Reda, Ibrahim; Robinson, Justin

2016-07-01

Accurate solar radiation data sets are critical to reducing the expenses associated with mitigating performance risk for solar energy conversion systems, and they help utility planners and grid system operators understand the impacts of solar resource variability. The accuracy of solar radiation measured by radiometers depends on the instrument performance specification, installation method, calibration procedure, measurement conditions, maintenance practices, location, and environmental conditions. This study addresses the effect of calibration methodologies and the resulting calibration responsivities provided by radiometric calibration service providers such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and manufacturers of radiometers. Some of these radiometers are calibrated indoors, and some are calibrated outdoors. To establish or understand the differences in calibration methodology, we processed and analyzed field-measured data from these radiometers. This study investigates calibration responsivities provided by NREL's broadband outdoor radiometer calibration (BORCAL) and a few prominent manufacturers. The reference radiometer calibrations are traceable to the World Radiometric Reference. These different methods of calibration demonstrated 1% to 2% differences in solar irradiance measurement. Analyzing these values will ultimately assist in determining the uncertainties of the radiometer data and will assist in developing consensus on a standard for calibration.

Assessing the Predictive Capability of the LIFEIV Nuclear Fuel Performance Code using Sequential Calibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stull, Christopher J.; Williams, Brian J.; Unal, Cetin

2012-01-01

would be reduced considerably. The authors note that the PMI is primarily intended to provide a high-level, quantitative description of year-to-year (or version-to-version) improvements in numerical models, where these descriptions can be used as a means of justifying funding requests to support further model development research. It is in this context that the present report should be considered: the availability of data from experimental tests should be viewed as a time-dependent variable, where experiments are added to the calibration suite as resources become available. For the present report, the experimental data is of course already available (permitting demonstration of the proposed methodology). Furthermore, the authors are not proposing this methodology as the answer to the question of how to allocate resources for experimental tests, and readers are directed to (5) and the references contained in Section 1 of (5) for additional information on the subject. However, the strength of this methodology is that it offers a means by which to select the sequence of experiments in a pre-arranged experimental campaign (a situation for which the methods discussed in (5) are less appropriate). The report is organized as follows. Section 2 describes the methodology employed to formulate the sequences of experiments for the calibrations performed for this study. Section 3 then presents the results associated with two sequences; supplementary results are provided in the Appendix. The report then concludes in Section 4 with a brief summary.

Methodology for calibration of detector of Nal (TI) 3 'X 3' for measurements in vivo of patients with hyperthyroidism undergoing radioiodine therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, Carlaine B.; Lacerda, Isabelle V.B.; Oliveira, Mercia L.; Hazin, Clovis A.; Lima, Fabiana F.

2013-01-01

The aim of this study is to establish the methodology for calibration of the detection system to be used in determining the therapeutic activity of 131 I required to release the desired absorbed dose in the thyroid. This step is critical to the development of a protocol for individualized doses. The system consists of a detector of NaI (Tl ) 3 'x3' coupled to Genie 2000 software. The calibration sources of 60 CO, 137 Cs and 133 Ba were used. Obtained straight calibration system, with 60 CO and 137 Cs sources. Subsequently, the detector was calibrated using a simulator -neck thyroid designed and produced by the IRD/CNEN with known standard solution containing 18.7 kBq 133 Ba activity (in 12/09/24) evenly distributed. He was also calibrated with other thyroid - neck phantom Model 3108 manufactured by Searle Radigraphics Ind., containing a net source of 131 I ( 7.7 MBq ). Five measurements of five minutes were realized for three different distances detector simulator, and the respective calculated calibration factors was performed to three. The values of the calibration factors found for the simulator manufactured by IRD and the Searle Radigraphics Ind. for the distances 20 , 25 and 30cm were 0.35, 0.24, 0.18, and 0.15, 0.11, 0.09, respectively. With the detection system properly calibrated and the calibration factors established, the technique is suitable for the evaluation of diagnostic activity of 131 I incorporated by hyperthyroidism

Site calibration for the wind turbine performance evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nam, Yoon Su; Yoo, Neung Soo; Lee, Jung Wan

2004-01-01

The accurate wind speed information at the hub height of a wind turbine is very essential to the exact estimation of the wind turbine power performance testing. Several method on the site calibration, which is a technique to estimate the wind speed at the wind turbine's hub height based on the measured wind data using a reference meteorological mast, are introduced. A site calibration result and the wind resource assessment for the TaeKwanRyung test site are presented using three-month wind data from a reference meteorological mast and the other mast temporarily installed at the site of wind turbine. Besides, an analysis on the uncertainty allocation for the wind speed correction using site calibration is performed

Development of a calibration methodology and tests of kerma area product meters; Desenvolvimento de uma metodologia de calibracao e testes de medidores de produto Kerma-Area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costa, Nathalia Almeida

2013-07-01

The quantity kerma area product (PKA) is important to establish reference levels in diagnostic radiology exams. This quantity can be obtained using a PKA meter. The use of such meters is essential to evaluate the radiation dose in radiological procedures and is a good indicator to make sure that the dose limit to the patient's skin doesn't exceed. Sometimes, these meters come fixed to X radiation equipment, which makes its calibration difficult. In this work, it was developed a methodology for calibration of PKA meters. The instrument used for this purpose was the Patient Dose Calibrator (PDC). It was developed to be used as a reference to check the calibration of PKA and air kerma meters that are used for dosimetry in patients and to verify the consistency and behavior of systems of automatic exposure control. Because it is a new equipment, which, in Brazil, is not yet used as reference equipment for calibration, it was also performed the quality control of this equipment with characterization tests, the calibration and an evaluation of the energy dependence. After the tests, it was proved that the PDC can be used as a reference instrument and that the calibration must be performed in situ, so that the characteristics of each X-ray equipment, where the PKA meters are used, are considered. The calibration was then performed with portable PKA meters and in an interventional radiology equipment that has a PKA meter fixed. The results were good and it was proved the need for calibration of these meters and the importance of in situ calibration with a reference meter. (author)

Performance Assessment and Geometric Calibration of RESOURCESAT-2

Science.gov (United States)

Radhadevi, P. V.; Solanki, S. S.; Akilan, A.; Jyothi, M. V.; Nagasubramanian, V.

2016-06-01

Resourcesat-2 (RS-2) has successfully completed five years of operations in its orbit. This satellite has multi-resolution and multi-spectral capabilities in a single platform. A continuous and autonomous co-registration, geo-location and radiometric calibration of image data from different sensors with widely varying view angles and resolution was one of the challenges of RS-2 data processing. On-orbit geometric performance of RS-2 sensors has been widely assessed and calibrated during the initial phase operations. Since then, as an ongoing activity, various geometric performance data are being generated periodically. This is performed with sites of dense ground control points (GCPs). These parameters are correlated to the direct geo-location accuracy of the RS-2 sensors and are monitored and validated to maintain the performance. This paper brings out the geometric accuracy assessment, calibration and validation done for about 500 datasets of RS-2. The objectives of this study are to ensure the best absolute and relative location accuracy of different cameras, location performance with payload steering and co-registration of multiple bands. This is done using a viewing geometry model, given ephemeris and attitude data, precise camera geometry and datum transformation. In the model, the forward and reverse transformations between the coordinate systems associated with the focal plane, payload, body, orbit and ground are rigorously and explicitly defined. System level tests using comparisons to ground check points have validated the operational geo-location accuracy performance and the stability of the calibration parameters.

On the development of a new methodology in sub-surface parameterisation on the calibration of groundwater models

Science.gov (United States)

Klaas, D. K. S. Y.; Imteaz, M. A.; Sudiayem, I.; Klaas, E. M. E.; Klaas, E. C. M.

2017-10-01

In groundwater modelling, robust parameterisation of sub-surface parameters is crucial towards obtaining an agreeable model performance. Pilot point is an alternative in parameterisation step to correctly configure the distribution of parameters into a model. However, the methodology given by the current studies are considered less practical to be applied on real catchment conditions. In this study, a practical approach of using geometric features of pilot point and distribution of hydraulic gradient over the catchment area is proposed to efficiently configure pilot point distribution in the calibration step of a groundwater model. A development of new pilot point distribution, Head Zonation-based (HZB) technique, which is based on the hydraulic gradient distribution of groundwater flow, is presented. Seven models of seven zone ratios (1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30) using HZB technique were constructed on an eogenetic karst catchment in Rote Island, Indonesia and their performances were assessed. This study also concludes some insights into the trade-off between restricting and maximising the number of pilot points and offers a new methodology for selecting pilot point properties and distribution method in the development of a physically-based groundwater model.

ATLAS Tile Calorimeter time calibration, monitoring and performance

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00075913; The ATLAS collaboration

2016-01-01

The Tile Calorimeter (TileCal) is the hadronic calorimeter covering the central region of the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. This sampling device is made of plastic scintillating tiles alternated with iron plates and its response is calibrated to electromagnetic scale by means of several dedicated calibration systems. The accurate time calibration is important for the energy reconstruction, non-collision background removal as well as for specific physics analyses. The initial time calibration with so-called splash events and subsequent fine-tuning with collision data are presented. The monitoring of the time calibration with laser system and physics collision data is discussed as well as the corrections for sudden changes performed still before the recorded data are processed for physics analyses. Finally, the time resolution as measured with jets and isolated muons particles is presented.

PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT AND GEOMETRIC CALIBRATION OF RESOURCESAT-2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. V. Radhadevi

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Resourcesat-2 (RS-2 has successfully completed five years of operations in its orbit. This satellite has multi-resolution and multi-spectral capabilities in a single platform. A continuous and autonomous co-registration, geo-location and radiometric calibration of image data from different sensors with widely varying view angles and resolution was one of the challenges of RS-2 data processing. On-orbit geometric performance of RS-2 sensors has been widely assessed and calibrated during the initial phase operations. Since then, as an ongoing activity, various geometric performance data are being generated periodically. This is performed with sites of dense ground control points (GCPs. These parameters are correlated to the direct geo-location accuracy of the RS-2 sensors and are monitored and validated to maintain the performance. This paper brings out the geometric accuracy assessment, calibration and validation done for about 500 datasets of RS-2. The objectives of this study are to ensure the best absolute and relative location accuracy of different cameras, location performance with payload steering and co-registration of multiple bands. This is done using a viewing geometry model, given ephemeris and attitude data, precise camera geometry and datum transformation. In the model, the forward and reverse transformations between the coordinate systems associated with the focal plane, payload, body, orbit and ground are rigorously and explicitly defined. System level tests using comparisons to ground check points have validated the operational geo-location accuracy performance and the stability of the calibration parameters.

Methodology for calibration of detector of NaI (TI)) 3 ' X 3 ' for in vivo measurements of patients with hyperthyroidism undergoing to radioiodotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, Carlaine B.; Lacerda, Isabelle V.B.; Oliveira, Mercia L.; Hazin, Clovis A.; Lima, Fabiana F.

2013-01-01

The aim of this study is to establish the methodology for calibration of the detection system to be used in determining the therapeutic activity of 131 I required to release desired absorbed dose in the thyroid gland . This step is critical to the development of a protocol for individualized doses. The system consists of a detector of NaI (Tl ) 3'x3' coupled to software Genie 2000. We used the calibration sources of 60 Co , 137 Cs and 133 Ba. We obtained the straight calibration system, with sources 60 Co and 137 Cs. Subsequently , the detector was calibrated using a thyroid phantom-neck designed and produced by the IRD / CNEN with known activity of 133 Ba standard solution containing 18.7 kBq (on 09/24/12) evenly distributed. He was also calibrated with other thyroid- neck phantom model 3108 manufactured by Searle Radigraphics Ind., containing a liquid source of 131 I ( 7.7 MBq ). Five measurements were performed during 5 minutes for three different distances detector-simulator and calculated the corresponding calibration factors . The values of the calibration factors found for the simulator made by IRD and Searle Radigraphics Ind. for the distances 20, 25 and 30 cm were 0.35 , 0.24, 0.18, 0.15 , 0.11, 0, 09 , respectively. With the detection system properly calibrated and the calibration factors established, the technique is suitable for the evaluation of diagnostic activities of 131 I incorporated by hyperthyroid patients. (author)

Calibrating mechanistic-empirical pavement performance models with an expert matrix

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tighe, S.; AlAssar, R.; Haas, R. [Waterloo Univ., ON (Canada). Dept. of Civil Engineering; Zhiwei, H. [Stantec Consulting Ltd., Cambridge, ON (Canada)

2001-07-01

Proper management of pavement infrastructure requires pavement performance modelling. For the past 20 years, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation has used the Ontario Pavement Analysis of Costs (OPAC) system for pavement design. Pavement needs, however, have changed substantially during that time. To address this need, a new research contract is underway to enhance the model and verify the predictions, particularly at extreme points such as low and high traffic volume pavement design. This initiative included a complete evaluation of the existing OPAC pavement design method, the construction of a new set of pavement performance prediction models, and the development of the flexible pavement design procedure that incorporates reliability analysis. The design was also expanded to include rigid pavement designs and modification of the existing life cycle cost analysis procedure which includes both the agency cost and road user cost. Performance prediction and life-cycle costs were developed based on several factors, including material properties, traffic loads and climate. Construction and maintenance schedules were also considered. The methodology for the calibration and validation of a mechanistic-empirical flexible pavement performance model was described. Mechanistic-empirical design methods combine theory based design such as calculated stresses, strains or deflections with empirical methods, where a measured response is associated with thickness and pavement performance. Elastic layer analysis was used to determine pavement response to determine the most effective design using cumulative Equivalent Single Axle Loads (ESALs), below grade type and layer thickness.The new mechanistic-empirical model separates the environment and traffic effects on performance. This makes it possible to quantify regional differences between Southern and Northern Ontario. In addition, roughness can be calculated in terms of the International Roughness Index or Riding comfort Index

Prelaunch calibrations and on-orbit performance analysis of FY-2D SVISSR infrared channels

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yong; Chen, Fuchun

2014-10-01

Meteorological satellites have become an irreplaceable weather and ocean-observing tool in China. These satellites are used to monitor natural disasters and improve the efficiency of many sectors of Chinese national economy. FY-2 series satellites are one of the key components of Chinese meteorological observing system and application system. In this paper, the operational satellite- FY-2D's infrared channels were focused and analyzed. The instruments' background was introduced briefly. The main payload SVISSR specifications were compared with its ancestral VISSR. The optical structure of the SVISSR was also expressed. FY-2D prelaunch calibrations methodology was introduced and the accuracies of the absolute radiometric calibration were analyzed. Some key optics on-orbit performance of FY-2D SVISSR were analyzed include onboard blackbody, cold FPA and detector noise level. All of these works show that FY- 2D's main payload SVISSR was in a healthy status.

A proposed methodology for computational fluid dynamics code verification, calibration, and validation

Science.gov (United States)

Aeschliman, D. P.; Oberkampf, W. L.; Blottner, F. G.

Verification, calibration, and validation (VCV) of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes is an essential element of the code development process. The exact manner in which code VCV activities are planned and conducted, however, is critically important. It is suggested that the way in which code validation, in particular, is often conducted--by comparison to published experimental data obtained for other purposes--is in general difficult and unsatisfactory, and that a different approach is required. This paper describes a proposed methodology for CFD code VCV that meets the technical requirements and is philosophically consistent with code development needs. The proposed methodology stresses teamwork and cooperation between code developers and experimentalists throughout the VCV process, and takes advantage of certain synergisms between CFD and experiment. A novel approach to uncertainty analysis is described which can both distinguish between and quantify various types of experimental error, and whose attributes are used to help define an appropriate experimental design for code VCV experiments. The methodology is demonstrated with an example of laminar, hypersonic, near perfect gas, 3-dimensional flow over a sliced sphere/cone of varying geometrical complexity.

Study of the performance of diagnostic radiology instruments during calibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freitas, Rodrigo N. de; Vivolo, Vitor; Potiens, Maria da Penha A.

2008-01-01

Full text: The instruments used in diagnostic radiology measurements represent 8 % of the tested instruments by the calibration laboratory of IPEN annually (approximately 1600 in 2007). Considering that the calibration of this kind of instrument is performed biannually it is possible to conclude that almost 300 instruments are being used to measure the air kerma in diagnostic radiology clinics to determine the in beam values (in front of the patient), attenuated measurements (behind the patient) and scattered radiation. This work presents the results of the calibration of the instruments used in mammography, computed tomography, dental and conventional diagnostic radiology dosimetry, performed during the period of 2005 to 2007. Their performances during the calibrations measurements were evaluated. Although at the calibration laboratory there are three available series of radiation quality to this type of calibration (RQR, N and M, according to standards IEC 61267 and ISO 4037-1.), the applications can be assorted (general radiology, computed tomography, mammography, radiation protection and fluoroscopy). Depending on its design and behaviour , one kind of instrument can be used for one or more type of applications. The instruments normally used for diagnostic radiology measurements are ionization chambers with volumes varying from 3 to 1800 cm 3 , and can be cylindrical, spherical or plane parallel plates kind. They usually are sensitive to photon particles, with energies greater than 15 keV and can be used up to 1200 keV. In this work they were tested in X radiation fields from 25 to 150 kV, in specific qualities depending on the utilization of the instrument. The calibration results of 390 instruments received from 2005 to 2007 were analyzed. About 20 instruments were not able to be calibrated due to bad functioning. The calibration coefficients obtained were between 0.88 and 1.24. The uncertainties were always less than ± 3.6% to instruments used in scattered

Application of methodology for calibration of instruments utilized in dosimetry of high energy beams, for radiodiagnosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potiens, Maria P.A.; Caldas, Linda V.E.

2000-01-01

The radiation qualities recommended by the IEC 1267 standard for the calibration of instruments used in diagnostic radiology measurements were established using a neo-diagnomax X-ray system (125 kV). The RQR radiation qualities are recommended to test ionization chambers used in non attenuated beams, and the RQA radiation qualities in attenuated beams (behind a phantom). To apply the methodology, 6 ionization chambers commonly used in diagnostic radiology were tested. The higher energy dependence (17%) was obtained for an ionization chamber recommended for mammography beams, that is not the case of the X radiation system used in this work. The other ionization chambers presented good performance in terms of energy (maximum of 5%), therefore within the limits of the international recommendations for this kind of instrument. (author)

Calibration and performance testing of electronic personal dosimeters (EPD)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banaga, H.A.

2008-04-01

In modern radiation protection practices, active personal dosimeters are becoming absolutely necessary operational tools for satisfying the ALARA principle. The aim of this work was to carry out calibration and performance testing of ten electronic personal dosimeters (EPD) used for the individual monitoring. The EPDs were calibrated in terms of operation radiation protection quantity, personal dose equivalent, Hp (10). Calibrations were carried out at three of x-ray beam qualities described in ISO 4037 namely 60, 100 and 150 kV in addition to Cs-137 gamma ray quality. The calibrations were performed using polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) phantom with dimensions 20*20*15 cm 3 . Conversion coefficient Hp (10)/K air for the phantom was also calculated. The response and linearity of the dosimeter at the specified energies were also tested. The EPDs tested showed that the calibration coefficient ranged from 0.60 to 1.31 and an equivalent response for the specified energies that ranged from 0.76 to 1.67. The study demonstrated the possibility of using non standard phantom for calibrating dosimeters used for individual monitoring. The dosimeters under study showed a good response in all energies except the response in quality 100 kV. The linearity of the dosimeters was within ±15%, with the exception of the quality 100 kV where this limit was exceeded.(Author)

Iowa calibration of MEPDG performance prediction models.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-01

This study aims to improve the accuracy of AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) pavement : performance predictions for Iowa pavement systems through local calibration of MEPDG prediction models. A total of 130 : representative p...

Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager On-Orbit Geometric Calibration and Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James Storey

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The Landsat 8 spacecraft was launched on 11 February 2013 carrying the Operational Land Imager (OLI payload for moderate resolution imaging in the visible, near infrared (NIR, and short-wave infrared (SWIR spectral bands. During the 90-day commissioning period following launch, several on-orbit geometric calibration activities were performed to refine the prelaunch calibration parameters. The results of these calibration activities were subsequently used to measure geometric performance characteristics in order to verify the OLI geometric requirements. Three types of geometric calibrations were performed including: (1 updating the OLI-to-spacecraft alignment knowledge; (2 refining the alignment of the sub-images from the multiple OLI sensor chips; and (3 refining the alignment of the OLI spectral bands. The aspects of geometric performance that were measured and verified included: (1 geolocation accuracy with terrain correction, but without ground control (L1Gt; (2 Level 1 product accuracy with terrain correction and ground control (L1T; (3 band-to-band registration accuracy; and (4 multi-temporal image-to-image registration accuracy. Using the results of the on-orbit calibration update, all aspects of geometric performance were shown to meet or exceed system requirements.

Calibration and performance of the CHORUS calorimeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buontempo, S.; Capone, A.; Cocco, A.G.; De Pedis, D.; Di Capua, E.; Dore, U.; Ereditato, A.; Ferroni, M.; Fiorillo, G.; Loverre, P.F.; Luppi, C.; Macina, D.; Marchetti-Stasi, F.; Mazzoni, M.A.; Migliozzi, P.; Palladino, V.; Piredda, G.; Ricciardi, S.; Righini, P.P.; Saitta, B.; Santacesaria, R.; Strolin, P.; Zucchelli, P.

1995-01-01

A high resolution calorimeter has been built for CHORUS, an experiment which searches for ν μ →ν τ oscillation in the CERN neutrino beam. Aim of the calorimeter is to measure the energy and direction of hadronic showers produced in interactions of the neutrinos in a nuclear emulsion target and to track through-going muons. It is a longitudinally segmented sampling device made of lead and scintillating fibers or strips. This detector has been exposed to beams of pions and electrons of defined momentum for calibration. The method used for energy calibration and results on the calorimeter performance are reported. (orig.)

Empirical component model to predict the overall performance of heating coils: Calibrations and tests based on manufacturer catalogue data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruivo, Celestino R.; Angrisani, Giovanni

2015-01-01

Highlights: • An empirical model for predicting the performance of heating coils is presented. • Low and high heating capacity cases are used for calibration. • Versions based on several effectiveness correlations are tested. • Catalogue data are considered in approach testing. • The approach is a suitable component model to be used in dynamic simulation tools. - Abstract: A simplified methodology for predicting the overall behaviour of heating coils is presented in this paper. The coil performance is predicted by the ε-NTU method. Usually manufacturers do not provide information about the overall thermal resistance or the geometric details that are required either for the device selection or to apply known empirical correlations for the estimation of the involved thermal resistances. In the present work, heating capacity tables from the manufacturer catalogue are used to calibrate simplified approaches based on the classical theory of heat exchangers, namely the effectiveness method. Only two reference operating cases are required to calibrate each approach. The validity of the simplified approaches is investigated for a relatively high number of operating cases, listed in the technical catalogue of a manufacturer. Four types of coils of three sizes of air handling units are considered. A comparison is conducted between the heating coil capacities provided by the methodology and the values given by the manufacturer catalogue. The results show that several of the proposed approaches are suitable component models to be integrated in dynamic simulation tools of air conditioning systems such as TRNSYS or EnergyPlus

Students’ Performance Calibration in a Basketball Dibbling Task in Elementary Physical Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Athanasios KOLOVELONIS

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to examine students’ performance calibration in physical education. Onehundred fifth and sixth grade students provided estimations regarding their performance in adribbling test after practicing dribbling for 16 minutes under different self-regulatory conditions (i.e.,receiving feedback, setting goals, self-recording. Two calibration indices, calibration bias andcalibration accuracy, were calculated. The results showed that students who practiced dribbling underdifferent self-regulatory conditions (i.e., receiving feedback, setting goals did not differ in calibrationbias and accuracy. Regardless of the group, students were overconfident. Moreover, sixth gradestudents were more accurate compared to fifth grade students. These results were discussed withreference to the development of performance calibration and self-regulated learning in physicaleducation.

Optimization of procedure for calibration with radiometer/photometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Detilly, Isabelle

2009-01-01

A test procedure for the radiometer/photometer calibrations mark International Light at the Laboratorio de Fotometria y Tecnologia Laser (LAFTA) de la Escuela de Ingenieria Electrica de la Universidad de Costa Rica is established. Two photometric banks are used as experimental set and two calibrations were performed of the International Light. A basic procedure established in the laboratory, is used for calibration from measurements of illuminance and luminous intensity. Some dependent variations of photometric banks used in the calibration process, the programming of the radiometer/photometer and the applied methodology showed the results. The procedure for calibration with radiometer/photometer can be improved by optimizing the programming process of the measurement instrument and possible errors can be minimized by using the recommended procedure. (author) [es

Calibration of CORSIM models under saturated traffic flow conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-01

This study proposes a methodology to calibrate microscopic traffic flow simulation models. : The proposed methodology has the capability to calibrate simultaneously all the calibration : parameters as well as demand patterns for any network topology....

A methodology to calibrate water saturation estimated from 4D seismic data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davolio, Alessandra; Maschio, Célio; José Schiozer, Denis

2014-01-01

Time-lapse seismic data can be used to estimate saturation changes within a reservoir, which is valuable information for reservoir management as it plays an important role in updating reservoir simulation models. The process of updating reservoir properties, history matching, can incorporate estimated saturation changes qualitatively or quantitatively. For quantitative approaches, reliable information from 4D seismic data is important. This work proposes a methodology to calibrate the volume of water in the estimated saturation maps, as these maps can be wrongly estimated due to problems with seismic signals (such as noise, errors associated with data processing and resolution issues). The idea is to condition the 4D seismic data to known information provided by engineering, in this case the known amount of injected and produced water in the field. The application of the proposed methodology in an inversion process (previously published) that estimates saturation from 4D seismic data is presented, followed by a discussion concerning the use of such data in a history matching process. The methodology is applied to a synthetic dataset to validate the results, the main of which are: (1) reduction of the effects of noise and errors in the estimated saturation, yielding more reliable data to be used quantitatively or qualitatively and (2) an improvement in the properties update after using this data in a history matching procedure. (paper)

Effect of calibration data series length on performance and optimal parameters of hydrological model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chuan-zhe Li

2010-12-01

Full Text Available In order to assess the effects of calibration data series length on the performance and optimal parameter values of a hydrological model in ungauged or data-limited catchments (data are non-continuous and fragmental in some catchments, we used non-continuous calibration periods for more independent streamflow data for SIMHYD (simple hydrology model calibration. Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency and percentage water balance error were used as performance measures. The particle swarm optimization (PSO method was used to calibrate the rainfall-runoff models. Different lengths of data series ranging from one year to ten years, randomly sampled, were used to study the impact of calibration data series length. Fifty-five relatively unimpaired catchments located all over Australia with daily precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, and streamflow data were tested to obtain more general conclusions. The results show that longer calibration data series do not necessarily result in better model performance. In general, eight years of data are sufficient to obtain steady estimates of model performance and parameters for the SIMHYD model. It is also shown that most humid catchments require fewer calibration data to obtain a good performance and stable parameter values. The model performs better in humid and semi-humid catchments than in arid catchments. Our results may have useful and interesting implications for the efficiency of using limited observation data for hydrological model calibration in different climates.

One step geometrical calibration method for optical coherence tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Díaz, Jesús Díaz; Ortmaier, Tobias; Stritzel, Jenny; Rahlves, Maik; Reithmeier, Eduard; Roth, Bernhard; Majdani, Omid

2016-01-01

We present a novel one-step calibration methodology for geometrical distortion correction for optical coherence tomography (OCT). A calibration standard especially designed for OCT is introduced, which consists of an array of inverse pyramidal structures. The use of multiple landmarks situated on four different height levels on the pyramids allow performing a 3D geometrical calibration. The calibration procedure itself is based on a parametric model of the OCT beam propagation. It is validated by experimental results and enables the reduction of systematic errors by more than one order of magnitude. In future, our results can improve OCT image reconstruction and interpretation for medical applications such as real time monitoring of surgery. (paper)

Comparison of Two Methodologies for Calibrating Satellite Instruments in the Visible and Near-Infrared

Science.gov (United States)

Barnes, Robert A.; Brown, Steven W.; Lykke, Keith R.; Guenther, Bruce; Butler, James J.; Schwarting, Thomas; Turpie, Kevin; Moyer, David; DeLuccia, Frank; Moeller, Christopher

2015-01-01

Traditionally, satellite instruments that measure Earth-reflected solar radiation in the visible and near infrared wavelength regions have been calibrated for radiance responsivity in a two-step method. In the first step, the relative spectral response (RSR) of the instrument is determined using a nearly monochromatic light source such as a lamp-illuminated monochromator. These sources do not typically fill the field-of-view of the instrument nor act as calibrated sources of light. Consequently, they only provide a relative (not absolute) spectral response for the instrument. In the second step, the instrument views a calibrated source of broadband light, such as a lamp-illuminated integrating sphere. The RSR and the sphere absolute spectral radiance are combined to determine the absolute spectral radiance responsivity (ASR) of the instrument. More recently, a full-aperture absolute calibration approach using widely tunable monochromatic lasers has been developed. Using these sources, the ASR of an instrument can be determined in a single step on a wavelength-by-wavelength basis. From these monochromatic ASRs, the responses of the instrument bands to broadband radiance sources can be calculated directly, eliminating the need for calibrated broadband light sources such as lamp-illuminated integrating spheres. In this work, the traditional broadband source-based calibration of the Suomi National Preparatory Project (SNPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) sensor is compared with the laser-based calibration of the sensor. Finally, the impact of the new full-aperture laser-based calibration approach on the on-orbit performance of the sensor is considered.

Calibration methods for the Hargreaves-Samani equation

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Lucas Borges Ferreira

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The estimation of the reference evapotranspiration is an important factor for hydrological studies, design and management of irrigation systems, among others. The Penman Monteith equation presents high precision and accuracy in the estimation of this variable. However, its use becomes limited due to the large number of required meteorological data. In this context, the Hargreaves-Samani equation could be used as alternative, although, for a better performance a local calibration is required. Thus, the aim was to compare the calibration process of the Hargreaves-Samani equation by linear regression, by adjustment of the coefficients (A and B and exponent (C of the equation and by combinations of the two previous alternatives. Daily data from 6 weather stations, located in the state of Minas Gerais, from the period 1997 to 2016 were used. The calibration of the Hargreaves-Samani equation was performed in five ways: calibration by linear regression, adjustment of parameter “A”, adjustment of parameters “A” and “C”, adjustment of parameters “A”, “B” and “C” and adjustment of parameters “A”, “B” and “C” followed by calibration by linear regression. The performances of the models were evaluated based on the statistical indicators mean absolute error, mean bias error, Willmott’s index of agreement, correlation coefficient and performance index. All the studied methodologies promoted better estimations of reference evapotranspiration. The simultaneous adjustment of the empirical parameters “A”, “B” and “C” was the best alternative for calibration of the Hargreaves-Samani equation.

Evaluation of the energy dependence of ionization chambers pencil type calibrated beam tomography standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fontes, Ladyjane Pereira; Potiens, Maria da Penha A.

2015-01-01

The Instrument Calibration Laboratory of IPEN (LCI - IPEN) performs calibrations of pencil-type ionization chambers (IC) used in measures of dosimetric survey on clinical systems of Computed Tomography (CT). Many users make mistakes when using a calibrated ionization chamber in their CT dosimetry systems. In this work a methodology for determination of factors of correction for quality (Kq) through the calibration curve that is specific for each ionization chamber was established. Furthermore, it was possible to demonstrate the energy dependence on an pencil-type Ionization Chamber(IC) calibrated at the LCI - IPEN. (author)

Using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry for calibration transfer between environmental CRMs.

Science.gov (United States)

Turk, G C; Yu, L L; Salit, M L; Guthrie, W F

2001-06-01

Multielement analyses of environmental reference materials have been performed using existing certified reference materials (CRMs) as calibration standards for inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The analyses have been performed using a high-performance methodology that results in comparison measurement uncertainties that are significantly less than the uncertainties of the certified values of the calibration CRM. Consequently, the determined values have uncertainties that are very nearly equivalent to the uncertainties of the calibration CRM. Several uses of this calibration transfer are proposed, including, re-certification measurements of replacement CRMs, establishing traceability of one CRM to another, and demonstrating the equivalence of two CRMs. RM 8704, a river sediment, was analyzed using SRM 2704, Buffalo River Sediment, as the calibration standard. SRM 1632c, Trace Elements in Bituminous Coal, which is a replacement for SRM 1632b, was analyzed using SRM 1632b as the standard. SRM 1635, Trace Elements in Subbituminous Coal, was also analyzed using SRM 1632b as the standard.

Bayesian calibration of power plant models for accurate performance prediction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boksteen, Sowande Z.; Buijtenen, Jos P. van; Pecnik, Rene; Vecht, Dick van der

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Bayesian calibration is applied to power plant performance prediction. • Measurements from a plant in operation are used for model calibration. • A gas turbine performance model and steam cycle model are calibrated. • An integrated plant model is derived. • Part load efficiency is accurately predicted as a function of ambient conditions. - Abstract: Gas turbine combined cycles are expected to play an increasingly important role in the balancing of supply and demand in future energy markets. Thermodynamic modeling of these energy systems is frequently applied to assist in decision making processes related to the management of plant operation and maintenance. In most cases, model inputs, parameters and outputs are treated as deterministic quantities and plant operators make decisions with limited or no regard of uncertainties. As the steady integration of wind and solar energy into the energy market induces extra uncertainties, part load operation and reliability are becoming increasingly important. In the current study, methods are proposed to not only quantify various types of uncertainties in measurements and plant model parameters using measured data, but to also assess their effect on various aspects of performance prediction. The authors aim to account for model parameter and measurement uncertainty, and for systematic discrepancy of models with respect to reality. For this purpose, the Bayesian calibration framework of Kennedy and O’Hagan is used, which is especially suitable for high-dimensional industrial problems. The article derives a calibrated model of the plant efficiency as a function of ambient conditions and operational parameters, which is also accurate in part load. The article shows that complete statistical modeling of power plants not only enhances process models, but can also increases confidence in operational decisions

Methodology for the preliminary design of high performance schools in hot and humid climates

Science.gov (United States)

Im, Piljae

A methodology to develop an easy-to-use toolkit for the preliminary design of high performance schools in hot and humid climates was presented. The toolkit proposed in this research will allow decision makers without simulation knowledge easily to evaluate accurately energy efficient measures for K-5 schools, which would contribute to the accelerated dissemination of energy efficient design. For the development of the toolkit, first, a survey was performed to identify high performance measures available today being implemented in new K-5 school buildings. Then an existing case-study school building in a hot and humid climate was selected and analyzed to understand the energy use pattern in a school building and to be used in developing a calibrated simulation. Based on the information from the previous step, an as-built and calibrated simulation was then developed. To accomplish this, five calibration steps were performed to match the simulation results with the measured energy use. The five steps include: (1) Using an actual 2006 weather file with measured solar radiation, (2) Modifying lighting & equipment schedule using ASHRAE's RP-1093 methods, (3) Using actual equipment performance curves (i.e., scroll chiller), (4) Using the Winkelmann's method for the underground floor heat transfer, and (5) Modifying the HVAC and room setpoint temperature based on the measured field data. Next, the calibrated simulation of the case-study K-5 school was compared to an ASHRAE Standard 90.1-1999 code-compliant school. In the next step, the energy savings potentials from the application of several high performance measures to an equivalent ASHRAE Standard 90.1-1999 code-compliant school. The high performance measures applied included the recommendations from the ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guides (AEDG) for K-12 and other high performance measures from the literature review as well as a daylighting strategy and solar PV and thermal systems. The results show that the net

Field calibration of cup anemometers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt Paulsen, Uwe; Mortensen, Niels Gylling; Hansen, Jens Carsten

2007-01-01

A field calibration method and results are described along with the experience gained with the method. The cup anemometers to be calibrated are mounted in a row on a 10-m high rig and calibrated in the free wind against a reference cup anemometer. The method has been reported [1] to improve...... the statistical bias on the data relative to calibrations carried out in a wind tunnel. The methodology is sufficiently accurate for calibration of cup anemometers used for wind resource assessments and provides a simple, reliable and cost-effective solution to cup anemometer calibration, especially suited...

Review of Calibration Methods for Scheimpflug Camera

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cong Sun

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The Scheimpflug camera offers a wide range of applications in the field of typical close-range photogrammetry, particle image velocity, and digital image correlation due to the fact that the depth-of-view of Scheimpflug camera can be greatly extended according to the Scheimpflug condition. Yet, the conventional calibration methods are not applicable in this case because the assumptions used by classical calibration methodologies are not valid anymore for cameras undergoing Scheimpflug condition. Therefore, various methods have been investigated to solve the problem over the last few years. However, no comprehensive review exists that provides an insight into recent calibration methods of Scheimpflug cameras. This paper presents a survey of recent calibration methods of Scheimpflug cameras with perspective lens, including the general nonparametric imaging model, and analyzes in detail the advantages and drawbacks of the mainstream calibration models with respect to each other. Real data experiments including calibrations, reconstructions, and measurements are performed to assess the performance of the models. The results reveal that the accuracies of the RMM, PLVM, PCIM, and GNIM are basically equal, while the accuracy of GNIM is slightly lower compared with the other three parametric models. Moreover, the experimental results reveal that the parameters of the tangential distortion are likely coupled with the tilt angle of the sensor in Scheimpflug calibration models. The work of this paper lays the foundation of further research of Scheimpflug cameras.

Exercise of laboratory comparison for contamination monitor calibration between LNMRI/IRD and LCR/UERJ - 2016

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabral, T.S.; David, M.

2016-01-01

This work was motivated by the need to decide on the best methodology to be applied in the next contamination monitor calibration comparisons with the Brazilian network of calibration radiation monitors. The calibration factor was chosen as a response calibration performed in the four monitors used in this comparison because it does not require the detector area or probe thereby reducing an important variable. It was observed that the variation of the positioning system may have an influence up to 10% in calibration. The results obtained for the calibration factor showed a difference of up to 31.2%. (author)

A parallel calibration utility for WRF-Hydro on high performance computers

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, J.; Wang, C.; Kotamarthi, V. R.

2017-12-01

A successful modeling of complex hydrological processes comprises establishing an integrated hydrological model which simulates the hydrological processes in each water regime, calibrates and validates the model performance based on observation data, and estimates the uncertainties from different sources especially those associated with parameters. Such a model system requires large computing resources and often have to be run on High Performance Computers (HPC). The recently developed WRF-Hydro modeling system provides a significant advancement in the capability to simulate regional water cycles more completely. The WRF-Hydro model has a large range of parameters such as those in the input table files — GENPARM.TBL, SOILPARM.TBL and CHANPARM.TBL — and several distributed scaling factors such as OVROUGHRTFAC. These parameters affect the behavior and outputs of the model and thus may need to be calibrated against the observations in order to obtain a good modeling performance. Having a parameter calibration tool specifically for automate calibration and uncertainty estimates of WRF-Hydro model can provide significant convenience for the modeling community. In this study, we developed a customized tool using the parallel version of the model-independent parameter estimation and uncertainty analysis tool, PEST, to enabled it to run on HPC with PBS and SLURM workload manager and job scheduler. We also developed a series of PEST input file templates that are specifically for WRF-Hydro model calibration and uncertainty analysis. Here we will present a flood case study occurred in April 2013 over Midwest. The sensitivity and uncertainties are analyzed using the customized PEST tool we developed.

Calibration and performance measurements for the nasa deep space network aperture enhancement project (daep)

Science.gov (United States)

LaBelle, Remi C.; Rochblatt, David J.

2018-06-01

The NASA Deep Space Network (DSN) has recently constructed two new 34-m antennas at the Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex (CDSCC). These new antennas are part of the larger DAEP project to add six new 34-m antennas to the DSN, including two in Madrid, three in Canberra and one in Goldstone (California). The DAEP project included development and implementation of several new technologies for the X, and Ka (32 GHz) -band uplink and downlink electronics. The electronics upgrades were driven by several different considerations, including parts obsolescence, cost reduction, improved reliability and maintainability, and capability to meet future performance requirements. The new antennas are required to support TT&C links for all of the NASA deep-space spacecraft, as well as for several international partners. Some of these missions, such as Voyager 1 and 2, have very limited link budgets, which results in demanding requirements for system G/T performance. These antennas are also required to support radio science missions with several spacecraft, which dictate some demanding requirements for spectral purity, amplitude stability and phase stability for both the uplink and downlink electronics. After completion of these upgrades, a comprehensive campaign of tests and measurements took place to characterize the electronics and calibrate the antennas. Radiometric measurement techniques were applied to characterize, calibrate, and optimize the performance of the antenna parameters. These included optical and RF high-resolution holographic and total power radiometry techniques. The methodology and techniques utilized for the measurement and calibration of the antennas is described in this paper. Lessons learned (not all discussed in this paper) from the commissioning of the first antenna (DSS-35) were applied to the commissioning of the second antenna (DSS-36). These resulted in achieving antenna aperture efficiency of 66% (for DSS-36), at Ka-Band (32-Ghz), which is

SMART performance analysis methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, H. S.; Kim, H. C.; Lee, D. J.

2001-04-01

To ensure the required and desired operation over the plant lifetime, the performance analysis for the SMART NSSS design is done by means of the specified analysis methodologies for the performance related design basis events(PRDBE). The PRDBE is an occurrence(event) that shall be accommodated in the design of the plant and whose consequence would be no more severe than normal service effects of the plant equipment. The performance analysis methodology which systematizes the methods and procedures to analyze the PRDBEs is as follows. Based on the operation mode suitable to the characteristics of the SMART NSSS, the corresponding PRDBEs and allowable range of process parameters for these events are deduced. With the developed control logic for each operation mode, the system thermalhydraulics are analyzed for the chosen PRDBEs using the system analysis code. Particularly, because of different system characteristics of SMART from the existing commercial nuclear power plants, the operation mode, PRDBEs, control logic, and analysis code should be consistent with the SMART design. This report presents the categories of the PRDBEs chosen based on each operation mode and the transition among these and the acceptance criteria for each PRDBE. It also includes the analysis methods and procedures for each PRDBE and the concept of the control logic for each operation mode. Therefore this report in which the overall details for SMART performance analysis are specified based on the current SMART design, would be utilized as a guide for the detailed performance analysis

Calibration of alpha surface contamination monitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freitas, I.S.M. de; Goncalez, O.L.

1990-01-01

In this work, the results, as well as the methodology, of the calibration of an alpha surface contamination monitor are presented. The calibration factors are obtained by least-squares fitting with effective variance. (author)

Development of a calibration methodology for instruments used to interventional radiology quality control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miranda, Jurema Aparecida de

2009-01-01

Interventional radiology is the technique where X radiation images are used as a tool in the conduction of diagnostic or/and therapeutic procedures. The exposition times are long for both procedures, diagnostic and therapeutic, may cause serious injuries in the patient, and also contribute to the dose of the clinical staff. In Brazil there are not yet well established rules to determine the doses and to make the dosimetry in fluoroscopic beams. There is great interest in this study, in relation to the beam quality, the half-value-layer, and others parameters. In this work a Medicor Neo Diagnomax clinical X ray generator, fluoroscopy mode, was used to develop a calibration methodology for instruments used in interventional radiology quality control. One plane parallel ionization chamber PTW was used as monitor. The ionization chambers recommended for fluoroscopy measurements had been evaluated and calibrated in relation to the IPEN Calibration Laboratory reference ionization chamber. The RQR3, RQR5 and RQR7 radiation qualities and the specific ones for fluoroscopy, RQC3, RQC5 and RQC7, were established following the norm IEC 61267. All beams characteristics were determined. Ionization chambers positioning system and the acrylic phantoms to the entrance and exit doses determination were developed and constructed. The results obtained show air kerma rates of 4.5x10 -3 , 1.2x10 -2 and 1.9x10 -2 Gy/min for RQC3, RQC5 and RQC7 respectively. Tests with and without the collimation just after the monitor chamber, were carried out and the results showed a difference of +5.5%, +0.6% e + 0.8%, confirming the importance of the collimation use in these interventionist procedures. (author)

The Observability Calibration Test Development Framework

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Endicott-Popovsky, Barbara E.; Frincke, Deborah A.

2007-06-20

Abstract— Formal standards, precedents, and best practices for verifying and validating the behavior of low layer network devices used for digital evidence-collection on networks are badly needed— initially so that these can be employed directly by device owners and data users to document the behaviors of these devices for courtroom presentation, and ultimately so that calibration testing and calibration regimes are established and standardized as common practice for both vendors and their customers [1]. The ultimate intent is to achieve a state of confidence in device calibration that allows the network data gathered by them to be relied upon by all parties in a court of law. This paper describes a methodology for calibrating forensic-ready low layer network devices based on the Flaw Hypothesis Methodology [2,3].

Noninvasive method for the calibration of the peak voltage (kVp) meters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macedo, E.M.; Navarro, M.V.T.; Pereira, L.; Garcia, I.F.M.; Navarro, V.C.C.

2015-01-01

Quality control in diagnostic radiology is one of the mechanisms that minimize radiation exposure, and the measurement of tube voltage is one of the main test in these procedures. So, the calibration of non-invasive tube voltage meters is essential to maintain the metrological reliability of quality control tests. Thus, this work describes the implementation of the calibration methodology of the quantity tube peak voltage by the substitution method, using non-invasive standard meter, at LABPROSAUD-IFBA. The results showed great performance and when compared with calibrations by invasive methods, showed maximum difference of 4%, contemplated in the uncertainty ranges of the calibrations. (author)

Effect of Using Extreme Years in Hydrologic Model Calibration Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Goktas, R. K.; Tezel, U.; Kargi, P. G.; Ayvaz, T.; Tezyapar, I.; Mesta, B.; Kentel, E.

2017-12-01

Hydrological models are useful in predicting and developing management strategies for controlling the system behaviour. Specifically they can be used for evaluating streamflow at ungaged catchments, effect of climate change, best management practices on water resources, or identification of pollution sources in a watershed. This study is a part of a TUBITAK project named "Development of a geographical information system based decision-making tool for water quality management of Ergene Watershed using pollutant fingerprints". Within the scope of this project, first water resources in Ergene Watershed is studied. Streamgages found in the basin are identified and daily streamflow measurements are obtained from State Hydraulic Works of Turkey. Streamflow data is analysed using box-whisker plots, hydrographs and flow-duration curves focusing on identification of extreme periods, dry or wet. Then a hydrological model is developed for Ergene Watershed using HEC-HMS in the Watershed Modeling System (WMS) environment. The model is calibrated for various time periods including dry and wet ones and the performance of calibration is evaluated using Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE), correlation coefficient, percent bias (PBIAS) and root mean square error. It is observed that calibration period affects the model performance, and the main purpose of the development of the hydrological model should guide calibration period selection. Acknowledgement: This study is funded by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) under Project Number 115Y064.

TRACEABILITY OF ON COORDINATE MEASURING MACHINES – CALIBRATION AND PERFORMANCE VERIFICATION

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

De Chiffre, Leonardo; Savio, Enrico; Bariani, Paolo

This document is used in connection with three exercises each of 45 minutes duration as a part of the course GEOMETRICAL METROLOGY AND MACHINE TESTING. The exercises concern three aspects of coordinate measurement traceability: 1) Performance verification of a CMM using a ball bar; 2) Calibration...... of an optical coordinate measuring machine; 3) Uncertainty assessment using the ISO 15530-3 “Calibrated workpieces” procedure....

Design, Performance, and Calibration of CMS Hadron Endcap Calorimeters

CERN Document Server

Baiatian, G; Emeliantchik, Igor; Massolov, V; Shumeiko, Nikolai; Stefanovich, R; Damgov, Jordan; Dimitrov, Lubomir; Genchev, Vladimir; Piperov, Stefan; Vankov, Ivan; Litov, Leander; Bencze, Gyorgy; Laszlo, Andras; Pal, Andras; Vesztergombi, Gyorgy; Zálán, Peter; Fenyvesi, Andras; Bawa, Harinder Singh; Beri, Suman Bala; Bhatnagar, Vipin; Kaur, Manjit; Kohli, Jatinder Mohan; Kumar, Arun; Singh, Jas Bir; Acharya, Bannaje Sripathi; Banerjee, Sunanda; Banerjee, Sudeshna; Chendvankar, Sanjay; Dugad, Shashikant; Kalmani, Suresh Devendrappa; Katta, S; Mazumdar, Kajari; Mondal, Naba Kumar; Nagaraj, P; Patil, Mandakini Ravindra; Reddy, L; Satyanarayana, B; Sharma, Seema; Sudhakar, Katta; Verma, Piyush; Hashemi, Majid; Mohammadi-Najafabadi, M; Paktinat, S; Babich, Kanstantsin; Golutvin, Igor; Kalagin, Vladimir; Kamenev, Alexey; Konoplianikov, V; Kosarev, Ivan; Moissenz, K; Moissenz, P; Oleynik, Danila; Petrosian, A; Rogalev, Evgueni; Semenov, Roman; Sergeyev, S; Shmatov, Sergey; Smirnov, Vitaly; Vishnevskiy, Alexander; Volodko, Anton; Zarubin, Anatoli; Druzhkin, Dmitry; Ivanov, Alexander; Kudinov, Vladimir; Orlov, Alexandre; Smetannikov, Vladimir; Gavrilov, Vladimir; Gershtein, Yuri; Ilyina, N; Kaftanov, Vitali; Kisselevich, I; Kolossov, V; Krokhotin, Andrey; Kuleshov, Sergey; Litvintsev, Dmitri; Ulyanov, A; Safronov, Grigory; Semenov, Sergey; Stolin, Viatcheslav; Demianov, A; Gribushin, Andrey; Kodolova, Olga; Petrushanko, Sergey; Sarycheva, Ludmila; Teplov, V; Vardanyan, Irina; Yershov, A; Abramov, Victor; Goncharov, Petr; Kalinin, Alexey; Khmelnikov, Alexander; Korablev, Andrey; Korneev, Yury; Krinitsyn, Alexander; Kryshkin, V; Lukanin, Vladimir; Pikalov, Vladimir; Ryazanov, Anton; Talov, Vladimir; Turchanovich, L; Volkov, Alexey; Camporesi, Tiziano; de Visser, Theo; Vlassov, E; Aydin, Sezgin; Bakirci, Mustafa Numan; Cerci, Salim; Dumanoglu, Isa; Eskut, Eda; Kayis-Topaksu, A; Koylu, S; Kurt, Pelin; Onengüt, G; Ozkurt, Halil; Polatoz, A; Sogut, Kenan; Topakli, Huseyin; Vergili, Mehmet; Yetkin, Taylan; Cankoc, K; Esendemir, Akif; Gamsizkan, Halil; Güler, M; Ozkan, Cigdem; Sekmen, Sezen; Serin-Zeyrek, M; Sever, Ramazan; Yazgan, Efe; Zeyrek, Mehmet; Deliomeroglu, Mehmet; Gülmez, Erhan; Isiksal, Engin; Kaya, Mithat; Ozkorucuklu, Suat; Levchuk, Leonid; Sorokin, Pavel; Grynev, B; Lyubynskiy, Vadym; Senchyshyn, Vitaliy; Hauptman, John M; Abdullin, Salavat; Elias, John E; Elvira, D; Freeman, Jim; Green, Dan; Los, Serguei; ODell, V; Ronzhin, Anatoly; Suzuki, Ichiro; Vidal, Richard; Whitmore, Juliana; Arcidy, M; Hazen, Eric; Heering, Arjan Hendrix; Lawlor, C; Lazic, Dragoslav; Machado, Emanuel; Rohlf, James; Varela, F; Wu, Shouxiang; Baden, Drew; Bard, Robert; Eno, Sarah Catherine; Grassi, Tullio; Jarvis, Chad; Kellogg, Richard G; Kunori, Shuichi; Mans, Jeremy; Skuja, Andris; Podrasky, V; Sanzeni, Christopher; Winn, Dave; Akgun, Ugur; Ayan, S; Duru, Firdevs; Merlo, Jean-Pierre; Mestvirishvili, Alexi; Miller, Michael; Norbeck, Edwin; Olson, Jonathan; Onel, Yasar; Schmidt, Ianos; Akchurin, Nural; Carrell, Kenneth Wayne; Gusum, K; Kim, Heejong; Spezziga, Mario; Thomas, Ray; Wigmans, Richard; Baarmand, Marc M; Mermerkaya, Hamit; Ralich, Robert; Vodopiyanov, Igor; Kramer, Laird; Linn, Stephan; Markowitz, Pete; Cushman, Priscilla; Ma, Yousi; Sherwood, Brian; Cremaldi, Lucien Marcus; Reidy, Jim; Sanders, David A; Karmgard, Daniel John; Ruchti, Randy; Fisher, Wade Cameron; Tully, Christopher; Bodek, Arie; De Barbaro, Pawel; Budd, Howard; Chung, Yeon Sei; Haelen, T; Hagopian, Sharon; Hagopian, Vasken; Johnson, Kurtis F; Barnes, Virgil E; Laasanen, Alvin T

2008-01-01

Detailed measurements have been made with the CMS hadron calorimeter endcaps (HE) in response to beams of muons, electrons, and pions. Readout of HE with custom electronics and hybrid photodiodes (HPDs) shows no change of performance compared to readout with commercial electronics and photomultipliers. When combined with lead-tungstenate crystals, an energy resolution of 8\\% is achieved with 300 GeV/c pions. A laser calibration system is used to set the timing and monitor operation of the complete electronics chain. Data taken with radioactive sources in comparison with test beam pions provides an absolute initial calibration of HE to approximately 4\\% to 5\\%.

The Impact of Indoor and Outdoor Radiometer Calibration on Solar Measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Habte, Aron; Sengupta, Manajit; Andreas, Afshin; Reda, Ibrahim; Robinson, Justin

2016-06-02

This study addresses the effect of calibration methodologies on calibration responsivities and the resulting impact on radiometric measurements. The calibration responsivities used in this study are provided by NREL's broadband outdoor radiometer calibration (BORCAL) and a few prominent manufacturers. The BORCAL method provides outdoor calibration responsivity of pyranometers and pyrheliometers at a 45 degree solar zenith angle and responsivity as a function of solar zenith angle determined by clear-sky comparisons to reference irradiance. The BORCAL method also employs a thermal offset correction to the calibration responsivity of single-black thermopile detectors used in pyranometers. Indoor calibrations of radiometers by their manufacturers are performed using a stable artificial light source in a side-by-side comparison of the test radiometer under calibration to a reference radiometer of the same type. These different methods of calibration demonstrated 1percent to 2 percent differences in solar irradiance measurement. Analyzing these values will ultimately enable a reduction in radiometric measurement uncertainties and assist in developing consensus on a standard for calibration.

Practice for characterization and performance of a high-dose radiation dosimetry calibration laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

This practice addresses the specific requirements for laboratories engaged in dosimetry calibrations involving ionizing radiation, namely, gamma-radiation, electron beams or X-radiation (bremsstrahlung) beams. It specifically describes the requirements for the characterization and performance criteria to be met by a high-dose radiation dosimetry calibration laboratory. The absorbed-dose range is typically between 10 and 10 5 Gy. This practice addresses criteria for laboratories seeking accreditation for performing high-dose dosimetry calibrations, and is a supplement to the general requirements described in ISO/IEC 17025. By meeting these criteria and those in ISO/IEC 17025, the laboratory may be accredited by a recognized accreditation organization. Adherence to these criteria will help to ensure high standards of performance and instill confidence regarding the competency of the accredited laboratory with respect to the services it offers

Least square methods and covariance matrix applied to the relative efficiency calibration of a Ge(Li) detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geraldo, L.P.; Smith, D.L.

1989-01-01

The methodology of covariance matrix and square methods have been applied in the relative efficiency calibration for a Ge(Li) detector apllied in the relative efficiency calibration for a Ge(Li) detector. Procedures employed to generate, manipulate and test covariance matrices which serve to properly represent uncertainties of experimental data are discussed. Calibration data fitting using least square methods has been performed for a particular experimental data set. (author) [pt

Calibrations and verifications performed in view of the ILA reinstatement at JET

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dumortier, P., E-mail: pierre.dumortier@rma.ac.be; Durodié, F. [LPP-ERM-KMS, TEC partner, Brussels (Belgium); Helou, W. [CEA, IRFM, F-13108 St-Paul-Lez-Durance (France); Monakhov, I.; Noble, C.; Wooldridge, E.; Blackman, T.; Graham, M. [CCFE, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon (United Kingdom); Collaboration: EUROfusion Consortium

2015-12-10

The calibrations and verifications that are performed in preparation of the ITER-Like antenna (ILA) reinstatement at JET are reviewed. A brief reminder of the ILA system layout is given. The different calibration methods and results are then discussed. They encompass the calibrations of the directional couplers present in the system, the determination of the relation between the capacitor position readings and the capacitance value, the voltage probes calibration inside the antenna housing, the RF cables characterization and the acquisition electronics circuit calibration. Earlier experience with the ILA has shown that accurate calibrations are essential for the control of the full ILA close-packed antenna array, its protection through the S-Matrix Arc Detection and the new second stage matching algorithm to be implemented. Finally the voltage stand-off of the capacitors is checked and the phase range achievable with the system is verified. The system layout is modified as to allow dipole operation over the whole operating frequency range when operating with the 3dB combiner-splitters.

Calibration, validation, and sensitivity analysis: What's what

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trucano, T.G.; Swiler, L.P.; Igusa, T.; Oberkampf, W.L.; Pilch, M.

2006-01-01

One very simple interpretation of calibration is to adjust a set of parameters associated with a computational science and engineering code so that the model agreement is maximized with respect to a set of experimental data. One very simple interpretation of validation is to quantify our belief in the predictive capability of a computational code through comparison with a set of experimental data. Uncertainty in both the data and the code are important and must be mathematically understood to correctly perform both calibration and validation. Sensitivity analysis, being an important methodology in uncertainty analysis, is thus important to both calibration and validation. In this paper, we intend to clarify the language just used and express some opinions on the associated issues. We will endeavor to identify some technical challenges that must be resolved for successful validation of a predictive modeling capability. One of these challenges is a formal description of a 'model discrepancy' term. Another challenge revolves around the general adaptation of abstract learning theory as a formalism that potentially encompasses both calibration and validation in the face of model uncertainty

Calibration and Performance Testing of Sodium Iodide, NaI (Tl)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Administrator

performed by the well-established method of ... gamma-rays emitted from radionuclides in a ... 1 Radiation Protection Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, P. O. Box ... validation of the calibration showed that there were no significance ...

An overview of performance assessment methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hongnian Jow

2010-01-01

The definition of performance assessment (PA) within the context of a geologic repository program is a post-closure safety assessment; a system analysis of hazards associated with the facility and the ability of the site and the design of the facility to provide for the safety functions. For the last few decades, PA methodology bas been developed and applied to different waste disposal programs around the world. PA has been used in the safety analyses for waste disposal repositories for low-level waste, intermediate level waste, and high-level waste including spent nuclear fuels. This paper provides an overview of the performance assessment methodology and gives examples of its applications for the Yucca Mountain Project. (authors)

Calibration of well-type ionization chambers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alves, C.F.E.; Leite, S.P.; Pires, E.J.; Magalhaes, L.A.G.; David, M.G.; Almeida, C.E. de

2015-01-01

This paper presents the methodology developed by the Laboratorio de Ciencias Radiologicas and presently in use for determining of the calibration coefficient for well-type chambers used in the dosimetry of 192 Ir high dose rate sources. Uncertainty analysis involving the calibration procedure are discussed. (author)

Development and operational performance of a single calibration chamber for radon detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez-Coto, I.; Bolivar, J.P.; Mas, J.L.; Garcia-Tenorio, R.; Vargas, A.

2007-01-01

This work shows the design, setup and performance of a new single radon detector calibration chamber developed at the University of Huelva (Environmental Radioactivity Group). This system is based on a certified radon source and a traceable reference radon detector, which allows radon concentrations inside the chamber radon to be obtained in steady-state conditions within a range of 400-22 000 Bq m -3 with associated uncertainties in the range of 4%. In addition, the development of a new ad hoc calibration protocol (UHU-RC/01/06 'Rachel'), which is based on the modelling of radon concentration within the chamber, allows it to be used without the reference detector. To do that, a complete characterization and calibration of the different leakage constants and the flow meter reading have been performed. The accuracy and general performance of both working methods for the same chamber (i.e., with and without the reference detector) have been tested by means of their participation in an intercomparison exercise involving five active radon monitors

Calibration Uncertainties in the Droplet Measurement Technologies Cloud Condensation Nuclei Counter

Science.gov (United States)

Hibert, Kurt James

average surface pressure at Grand Forks, ND. The supersaturation calibration uncertainty is 2.3, 3.1, and 4.4 % for calibrations done at 700, 840, and 980 hPa respectively. The supersaturation calibration change with pressure is on average 0.047 % supersaturation per 100 hPa. The supersaturation calibrations done at UND are 42-45 % lower than supersaturation calibrations done at DMT approximately 1 year previously. Performance checks confirmed that all major leaks developed during shipping were fixed before conducting the supersaturation calibrations. Multiply-charged particles passing through the Electrostatic Classifier may have influenced DMT's activation curves, which is likely part of the supersaturation calibration difference. Furthermore, the fitting method used to calculate the activation size and the limited calibration points are likely significant sources of error in DMT's supersaturation calibration. While the DMT CCN counter's calibration uncertainties are relatively small, and the pressure dependence is easily accounted for, the calibration methodology used by different groups can be very important. The insights gained from the careful calibration of the DMT CCN counter indicate that calibration of scientific instruments using complex methodology is not trivial.

A theoretical and experimental investigation of propeller performance methodologies

Science.gov (United States)

Korkan, K. D.; Gregorek, G. M.; Mikkelson, D. C.

1980-01-01

This paper briefly covers aspects related to propeller performance by means of a review of propeller methodologies; presentation of wind tunnel propeller performance data taken in the NASA Lewis Research Center 10 x 10 wind tunnel; discussion of the predominent limitations of existing propeller performance methodologies; and a brief review of airfoil developments appropriate for propeller applications.

Optimizing the accuracy of a helical diode array dosimeter: A comprehensive calibration methodology coupled with a novel virtual inclinometer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kozelka, Jakub; Robinson, Joshua; Nelms, Benjamin; Zhang, Geoffrey; Savitskij, Dennis; Feygelman, Vladimir [Sun Nuclear Corp., Melbourne, Florida 32940 (United States); Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612 (United States); Canis Lupus LLC, Sauk County, Wisconsin 53561 (United States); Division of Radiation Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612 (United States); Sun Nuclear Corp., Melbourne, Florida 32940 (United States); Division of Radiation Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612 (United States)

2011-09-15

Purpose: The goal of any dosimeter is to be as accurate as possible when measuring absolute dose to compare with calculated dose. This limits the uncertainties associated with the dosimeter itself and allows the task of dose QA to focus on detecting errors in the treatment planning (TPS) and/or delivery systems. This work introduces enhancements to the measurement accuracy of a 3D dosimeter comprised of a helical plane of diodes in a volumetric phantom. Methods: We describe the methods and derivations of new corrections that account for repetition rate dependence, intrinsic relative sensitivity per diode, field size dependence based on the dynamic field size determination, and positional correction. Required and described is an accurate ''virtual inclinometer'' algorithm. The system allows for calibrating the array directly against an ion chamber signal collected with high angular resolution. These enhancements are quantitatively validated using several strategies including ion chamber measurements taken using a ''blank'' plastic shell mimicking the actual phantom, and comparison to high resolution dose calculations for a variety of fields: static, simple arcs, and VMAT. A number of sophisticated treatment planning algorithms were benchmarked against ion chamber measurements for their ability to handle a large air cavity in the phantom. Results: Each calibration correction is quantified and presented vs its independent variable(s). The virtual inclinometer is validated by direct comparison to the gantry angle vs time data from machine log files. The effects of the calibration are quantified and improvements are seen in the dose agreement with the ion chamber reference measurements and with the TPS calculations. These improved agreements are a result of removing prior limitations and assumptions in the calibration methodology. Average gamma analysis passing rates for VMAT plans based on the AAPM TG-119 report are 98.4 and 93

Calibration methodology application of kerma area product meters in situ: Preliminary results

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, N. A.; Potiens, M. P. A.

2014-11-01

The kerma-area product (KAP) is a useful quantity to establish the reference levels of conventional X-ray examinations. It can be obtained by measurements carried out with a KAP meter on a plane parallel transmission ionization chamber mounted on the X-ray system. A KAP meter can be calibrated in laboratory or in situ, where it is used. It is important to use one reference KAP meter in order to obtain reliable quantity of doses on the patient. The Patient Dose Calibrator (PDC) is a new equipment from Radcal that measures KAP. It was manufactured following the IEC 60580 recommendations, an international standard for KAP meters. This study had the aim to calibrate KAP meters using the PDC in situ. Previous studies and the quality control program of the PDC have shown that it has good function in characterization tests of dosimeters with ionization chamber and it also has low energy dependence. Three types of KAP meters were calibrated in four different diagnostic X-ray equipments. The voltages used in the two first calibrations were 50 kV, 70 kV, 100 kV and 120 kV. The other two used 50 kV, 70 kV and 90 kV. This was related to the equipments limitations. The field sizes used for the calibration were 10 cm, 20 cm and 30 cm. The calibrations were done in three different cities with the purpose to analyze the reproducibility of the PDC. The results gave the calibration coefficient for each KAP meter and showed that the PDC can be used as a reference instrument to calibrate clinical KAP meters.

An overview of the dynamic calibration of piezoelectric pressure transducers

Science.gov (United States)

Theodoro, F. R. F.; Reis, M. L. C. C.; d’ Souto, C.

2018-03-01

Dynamic calibration is a research area that is still under development and is of great interest to aerospace and automotive industries. This study discusses some concepts regarding dynamic measurements of pressure quantities and presents an overview of dynamic calibration of pressure transducers. Studies conducted by the Institute of Aeronautics and Space focusing on research regarding piezoelectric pressure transducer calibration in shock tube are presented. We employed the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty and a Monte Carlo Method in the methodology. The results show that both device and methodology employed are adequate to calibrate the piezoelectric sensor.

Use of calibration methodology of gamma cameras for the workers surveillance using a thyroid simulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alfaro, M.; Molina, G.; Vazquez, R.; Garcia, O.

2010-09-01

In Mexico there are a significant number of nuclear medicine centers in operation. For what the accidents risk related to the transport and manipulation of open sources used in nuclear medicine can exist. The National Institute of Nuclear Research (ININ) has as objective to establish a simple and feasible methodology for the workers surveillance related with the field of the nuclear medicine. This radiological surveillance can also be applied to the public in the event of a radiological accident. To achieve this it intends to use the available equipment s in the nuclear medicine centers, together with the neck-thyroid simulators elaborated by the ININ to calibrate the gamma cameras. The gamma cameras have among their component elements that conform spectrometric systems like the employees in the evaluation of the internal incorporation for direct measurements, reason why, besides their use for diagnostic for image, they can be calibrated with anthropomorphic simulators and also with punctual sources for the quantification of the radionuclides activity distributed homogeneously in the human body, or located in specific organs. Inside the project IAEA-ARCAL-RLA/9/049-LXXVIII -Procedures harmonization of internal dosimetry- where 9 countries intervened (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Spain). It was developed a protocol of cameras gamma calibration for the determination in vivo of radionuclides. The protocol is the base to establish and integrated network in Latin America to attend in response to emergencies, using nuclear medicine centers of public hospitals of the region. The objective is to achieve the appropriate radiological protection of the workers, essential for the sure and acceptable radiation use, the radioactive materials and the nuclear energy. (Author)

Test Takers' Performance Appraisals, Appraisal Calibration, and Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategy Use

Science.gov (United States)

Phakiti, Aek

2016-01-01

The current study explores the nature and relationships among test takers' performance appraisals, appraisal calibration, and reported cognitive and metacognitive strategy use in a language test situation. Performance appraisals are executive processes of strategic competence for judging test performance (e.g., evaluating the correctness or…

A methodology for calibration of hyperspectral and multispectral satellite data in coastal areas

Science.gov (United States)

Pennucci, Giuliana; Fargion, Giulietta; Alvarez, Alberto; Trees, Charles; Arnone, Robert

2012-06-01

The objective of this work is to determine the location(s) in any given oceanic area during different temporal periods where in situ sampling for Calibration/Validation (Cal/Val) provides the best capability to retrieve accurate radiometric and derived product data (lowest uncertainties). We present a method to merge satellite imagery with in situ measurements, to determine the best in situ sampling strategy suitable for satellite Cal/Val and to evaluate the present in situ locations through uncertainty indices. This analysis is required to determine if the present in situ sites are adequate for assessing uncertainty and where additional sites and ship programs should be located to improve Calibration/Validation (Cal/Val) procedures. Our methodology uses satellite acquisitions to build a covariance matrix encoding the spatial-temporal variability of the area of interest. The covariance matrix is used in a Bayesian framework to merge satellite and in situ data providing a product with lower uncertainty. The best in situ location for Cal/Val is then identified by using a design principle (A-optimum design) that looks for minimizing the estimated variance of the merged products. Satellite products investigated in this study include Ocean Color water leaving radiance, chlorophyll, and inherent and apparent optical properties (retrieved from MODIS and VIIRS). In situ measurements are obtained from systems operated on fixed deployment platforms (e.g., sites of the Ocean Color component of the AErosol RObotic NETwork- AERONET-OC), moorings (e.g, Marine Optical Buoy-MOBY), ships or autonomous vehicles (such as Autonomous Underwater Vehicles and/or Gliders).

Methodology for performing surveys for fixed contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durham, J.S.; Gardner, D.L.

1994-10-01

This report describes a methodology for performing instrument surveys for fixed contamination that can be used to support the release of material from radiological areas, including release to controlled areas and release from radiological control. The methodology, which is based on a fast scan survey and a series of statistical, fixed measurements, meets the requirements of the U.S. Department of Energy Radiological Control Manual (RadCon Manual) (DOE 1994) and DOE Order 5400.5 (DOE 1990) for surveys for fixed contamination and requires less time than a conventional scan survey. The confidence interval associated with the new methodology conforms to the draft national standard for surveys. The methodology that is presented applies only to surveys for fixed contamination. Surveys for removable contamination are not discussed, and the new methodology does not affect surveys for removable contamination

Cuban-Brazilian comparison of the calibration procedures for surface contamination monitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salas, Gonzalo W.; Garcia, Jose A.T.; Ramos, Manoel M.O.

2007-01-01

The calibration laboratory of the CPHR, Centro de Proteccion e Higiene de las Radiaciones, is the only laboratory that performs calibrations of radiation protection instruments in Cuba. Recently they started a cooperation project with IAEA, code number CUB3002-01 with the task title 'Assuring and Demonstrating the safety of radioactive Waste Management'. Within the frame of this project they have a compromise to implement the calibration service for surface contamination monitors, for which they received instruments and sources. In 2006 the Laboratorio Nacional de Metrologia das Radiacoes Ionizantes (LNMRI) from the Instituto de Radioprotecao e Dosimetria, IRD/CNEN, was invited to perform a mission to CPHR in order to evaluate the level of implementation of the service trough the insertion of the service in the Quality Assurance System of their laboratory, and perform a comparison exercise to test the calibration method implemented. The results were evaluated by the methodology recommended in the ISO/IEC 43-1 standard. These results show that all values from both laboratories are comparable for most radionuclides except for Cl-36. The preliminary investigation about this situation is presented in the paper. (author)

Performance and quality control of radionuclide calibrators in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woods, M.J.; Baker, M.

2002-01-01

Full text: The use of ionising radiations in nuclear medicine has traditionally divided itself into two specific areas. The diagnostic usage has generally been dominated by the injection or ingestion of radionuclides. The therapeutic applications, on the other hand, have usually been accomplished by the application of ionising radiation, both from machines and radionuclide sources, whereby the radiation source is external to the patient. Over recent years, this divide has become increasingly blurred and the science between diagnosis and therapy has become significantly closer. This is particularly the situation in respect of the instruments used to determine the activity or dose delivered by the radiation source. In the ideal therapeutic situation, the radiation dose would be delivered solely to the malignant tissue. With external radiation therapy, this can never be achieved completely but this ideal can be approached more closely with targeted radiotherapy wherein radionuclides are introduced directly into the malignancy either as a solid, physical source or as a solution that, by its chemistry, concentrates into the area of interest. In order to achieve the optimum efficacy of treatment, there is an associated requirement to determine accurately the activity or dose rate of the radioactive source being used. It is here that the technology used in the diagnostic field can also be used to advantage for therapeutic applications. For diagnosis, the instrument of choice is the radionuclide calibrator and this equipment is increasingly finding parallel usage for the characterisation of therapeutic sources. Despite their appearances however, radionuclide calibrators are not 'black boxes' and need to be used with care, subjected to a robust level of quality control and operated by personnel who have a fundamental understanding of their operational characteristics. A measure of the level of performance of operational radionuclide calibrators and the competence of their

Technological considerations in emergency instrumentation preparedness. Phase II-D. Evaluation testing and calibration methodology for emergency radiological instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bramson, P.E.; Andersen, B.V.; Fleming, D.M.; Kathren, R.L.; Mulhern, O.R.; Newton, C.E.; Oscarson, E.E.; Selby, J.M.

1976-09-01

In response to recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, the Division of Operational Safety, U.S. ERDA has contracted with Battelle, Pacific Northwest Laboratories to survey the adequacy of existing instrumentation at nuclear fuel cycle facilities to meet emergency requirements and to develop technical criteria for instrumentation systems to be used in assessment of environmental conditions following plant emergencies. This report, the fifth in a series, provides: (1) calibration methods to assure the quality of radiological measurements and (2) testing procedures for determining whether an emergency radiological instrument meets the performance specifications. Three previous reports in this series identified the emergency instrumentation needs for power reactors, mixed oxide fuel plants, and fuel reprocessing facilities. Each of these three reports contains a Section VI, which sets forth applicable radiological instrument performance criteria and calibration requirements. Testing and calibration procedures in this report have been formatted in two parts: IV and V, each divided into three subsections: (1) Power Reactors, (2) Mixed Oxide Fuel Plants, and (3) Fuel Reprocessing Facilities. The three performance criteria subsections directly coincide with the performance criteria sections of the previous reports. These performance criteria sections have been reproduced in this report as Part III with references of ''required action'' added

Online neural trigger for optimizing data acquisition during particle beam calibration tests with calorimeters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, P.V.M. da; Seixas, J.M. de; Damazio, D.O.; Ferreira, B.C.

2004-01-01

For LHC, the hadronic calorimetry of the ATLAS detector is performed by Tilecal, a scintillating tile calorimeter. For calibration purposes, a fraction of the Tilecal modules is placed in particle beam lines. Despite beam high quality, experimental beam contamination is observed and this masks the actual performance of the calorimeter. For optimizing the calibration task, an online neural particle classifier was developed for Tilecal. Envisaging a neural trigger for incoming particles, a neural process runs integrated to the data acquisition task and performs online training for particle identification. The neural classification performance is evaluated by correlating the neural response to classical methodology, confirming an ability for outsider identification at levels as high as 99.3%

Online neural trigger for optimizing data acquisition during particle beam calibration tests with calorimeters

CERN Document Server

Da Silva, P V M; De Seixas, J M; Ferreira, B C

2004-01-01

For LHC, the hadronic calorimetry of the ATLAS detector is performed by Tilecal, a scintillating tile calorimeter. For calibration purposes, a fraction of the Tilecal modules is placed in particle beam lines. Despite beam high quality, experimental beam contamination is observed and this masks the actual performance of the calorimeter. For optimizing the calibration task, an online neural particle classifier was developed for Tilecal. Envisaging a neural trigger for incoming particles, a neural process runs integrated to the data acquisition task and performs online training for particle identification. The neural classification performance is evaluated by correlating the neural response to classical methodology, confirming an ability for outsider identification at levels as high as 99.3%.

Overview of hypersonic CFD code calibration studies

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Charles G.

1987-01-01

The topics are presented in viewgraph form and include the following: definitions of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code validation; climate in hypersonics and LaRC when first 'designed' CFD code calibration studied was initiated; methodology from the experimentalist's perspective; hypersonic facilities; measurement techniques; and CFD code calibration studies.

Investigation of a Fiber Optic Strain Sensing (FOSS) Distributed Load Calibration Methodology

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — FOSS is a relatively newer technology that needs to be explored for application to load calibration and loads monitoring efforts. Load calibration opportunities are...

The CryoSat Interferometer after 6 years in orbit: calibration and achievable performance

Science.gov (United States)

Scagliola, Michele; Fornari, Marco; De Bartolomei, Maurizio; Bouffard, Jerome; Parrinello, Tommaso

2016-04-01

The main payload of CryoSat is a Ku-band pulse width limited radar altimeter, called SIRAL (Synthetic interferometric radar altimeter). When commanded in SARIn (synthetic aperture radar interferometry) mode, through coherent along-track processing of the returns received from two antennas, the interferometric phase related to the first arrival of the echo is used to retrieve the angle of arrival of the scattering in the across-track direction. In fact, the across-track echo direction can be derived by exploiting the precise knowledge of the baseline vector (i.e. the vector between the two antennas centers of phase) and simple geometry. The end-to-end calibration strategy for the CryoSat interferometer consists on in-orbit calibration campaigns following the approach described in [1]. From the beginning of the CryoSat mission, about once a year the interferometer calibration campaigns have been periodically performed by rolling left and right the spacecraft of about ±0.4 deg. This abstract is aimed at presenting our analysis of the calibration parameters and of the achievable performance of the CryoSat interferometer over the 6 years of mission. Additionally, some further studies have been performed to assess the accuracy of the roll angle computed on ground as function of the aberration (the apparent displacement of a celestial object from its true position, caused by the relative motion of the observer and the object) correction applied to the attitude quaternions, provided by the Star Tracker mounted on-board. In fact, being the roll information crucial to obtain an accurate estimate of the angle of arrival, the data from interferometer calibration campaigns have been used to verify how the application of the aberration correction affects the roll information and, in turns, the measured angle of arrival. [1] Galin, N.; Wingham, D.J.; Cullen, R.; Fornari, M.; Smith, W.H.F.; Abdalla, S., "Calibration of the CryoSat-2 Interferometer and Measurement of Across

Methodological approach to strategic performance optimization

OpenAIRE

Hell, Marko; Vidačić, Stjepan; Garača, Željko

2009-01-01

This paper presents a matrix approach to the measuring and optimization of organizational strategic performance. The proposed model is based on the matrix presentation of strategic performance, which follows the theoretical notions of the balanced scorecard (BSC) and strategy map methodologies, initially developed by Kaplan and Norton. Development of a quantitative record of strategic objectives provides an arena for the application of linear programming (LP), which is a mathematical tech...

Camera calibration in a hazardous environment performed in situ with automated analysis and verification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DePiero, F.W.; Kress, R.L.

1993-01-01

Camera calibration using the method of Two Planes is discussed. An implementation of the technique is described that may be performed in situ, e.g., in a hazardous or contaminated environment, thus eliminating the need for decontamination of camera systems before recalibration. Companion analysis techniques used for verifying the correctness of the calibration are presented

A Performance Tuning Methodology with Compiler Support

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oscar Hernandez

2008-01-01

Full Text Available We have developed an environment, based upon robust, existing, open source software, for tuning applications written using MPI, OpenMP or both. The goal of this effort, which integrates the OpenUH compiler and several popular performance tools, is to increase user productivity by providing an automated, scalable performance measurement and optimization system. In this paper we describe our environment, show how these complementary tools can work together, and illustrate the synergies possible by exploiting their individual strengths and combined interactions. We also present a methodology for performance tuning that is enabled by this environment. One of the benefits of using compiler technology in this context is that it can direct the performance measurements to capture events at different levels of granularity and help assess their importance, which we have shown to significantly reduce the measurement overheads. The compiler can also help when attempting to understand the performance results: it can supply information on how a code was translated and whether optimizations were applied. Our methodology combines two performance views of the application to find bottlenecks. The first is a high level view that focuses on OpenMP/MPI performance problems such as synchronization cost and load imbalances; the second is a low level view that focuses on hardware counter analysis with derived metrics that assess the efficiency of the code. Our experiments have shown that our approach can significantly reduce overheads for both profiling and tracing to acceptable levels and limit the number of times the application needs to be run with selected hardware counters. In this paper, we demonstrate the workings of this methodology by illustrating its use with selected NAS Parallel Benchmarks and a cloud resolving code.

Calibration and intercomparison methods of dose calibrators used in nuclear medicine facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa, Alessandro Martins da

1999-01-01

Dose calibrators are used in most of the nuclear medicine facilities to determine the amount of radioactivity administered to a patient in a particular investigation or therapeutic procedure. It is therefore of vital importance that the equipment used presents good performance and is regular;y calibrated at a authorized laboratory. This occurs of adequate quality assurance procedures are carried out. Such quality control tests should be performed daily, other biannually or yearly, testing, for example, its accuracy and precision, the reproducibility and response linearity. In this work a commercial dose calibrator was calibrated with solution of radionuclides used in nuclear medicine. Simple instrument tests, such as response linearity and the response variation of the source volume increase at a constant source activity concentration, were performed. This instrument can now be used as a working standard for calibration of other dose calibrators/ An intercomparison procedure was proposed as a method of quality control of dose calibrators used in nuclear medicine facilities. (author)

Characteristics of X ray calibration fields for performance test of radiation measuring instruments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, Shigeru; Takahashi, Fumiaki; Sawahata, Tadahiro; Tohnami, Kohichi; Kikuchi, Hiroshi; Murayama, Takashi

1999-02-01

Performance test and calibration of the radiation measuring instruments for low energy photons are made using the X ray calibration fields which are monochromatically characterized by filtration of continuous X ray spectrum. The X ray calibration field needs to be characterized by some quality conditions such as quality index and homogeneity coefficient. The present report describes quality conditions, spectrum and some characteristics of X ray irradiation fields in the Facility of Radiation Standard of the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (FRS-JAERI). Fifty nine X ray qualities with the quality index of 0.6, 0.7, 0.8 and 0.9 were set for the tube voltages between 10 kV and 350 kV. Estimation of X ray spectrum measured with a Ge detector was made in terms of exposure, ambient dose equivalent and fluence for all the obtained qualities. Practical irradiation field was determined as the dose distribution uniformity is within ±3%. The obtained results improve the quality of X ray calibration fields and calibration accuracy. (author)

Methodological approach to organizational performance improvement process

OpenAIRE

Buble, Marin; Dulčić, Želimir; Pavić, Ivan

2017-01-01

Organizational performance improvement is one of the fundamental enterprise tasks. This especially applies to the case when the term “performance improvement” implies efficiency improvement measured by indicators, such as ROI, ROE, ROA, or ROVA/ROI. Such tasks are very complex, requiring implementation by means of project management. In this paper, the authors propose a methodological approach to improving the organizational performance of a large enterprise.

Validation of a densimeter calibration procedure for a secondary calibration laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alpizar Herrera, Juan Carlos

2014-01-01

A survey was conducted to quantify the need for calibration of a density measurement instrument at the research units at the Sede Rodrigo Facio of the Universidad de Costa Rica. A calibration procedure was documented for the instrument that presented the highest demand in the survey by the calibration service. A study of INTE-ISO/IEC 17025: 2005 and specifically in section 5.4 of this standard was done, to document the procedure for calibrating densimeters. Densimeter calibration procedures and standards were sought from different national and international sources. The method of hydrostatic weighing or Cuckow method was the basis of the defined procedure. Documenting the calibration procedure and creating other documents was performed for data acquisition log, intermediate calculation log and calibration certificate copy. A veracity test was performed using as reference laboratory a laboratory of calibration secondary national as part of the validation process of the documented procedure. The results of the E_n statistic of 0.41; 0.34 and 0.46 for the calibration points 90%, 50% and 10% were obtained for the densimeter scale respectively. A reproducibility analysis of the method was performed with satisfactory results. Different suppliers were contacted to estimate the economic costs of the equipment and materials, needed to develop the documented method of densimeter calibration. The acquisition of an analytical balance was recommended, instead of a precision scale, in order to improve the results obtained with the documented method [es

Strategy for design NIR calibration sets based on process spectrum and model space: An innovative approach for process analytical technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Cárdenas, V; Cordobés, M; Blanco, M; Alcalà, M

2015-10-10

The pharmaceutical industry is under stringent regulations on quality control of their products because is critical for both, productive process and consumer safety. According to the framework of "process analytical technology" (PAT), a complete understanding of the process and a stepwise monitoring of manufacturing are required. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) combined with chemometrics have lately performed efficient, useful and robust for pharmaceutical analysis. One crucial step in developing effective NIRS-based methodologies is selecting an appropriate calibration set to construct models affording accurate predictions. In this work, we developed calibration models for a pharmaceutical formulation during its three manufacturing stages: blending, compaction and coating. A novel methodology is proposed for selecting the calibration set -"process spectrum"-, into which physical changes in the samples at each stage are algebraically incorporated. Also, we established a "model space" defined by Hotelling's T(2) and Q-residuals statistics for outlier identification - inside/outside the defined space - in order to select objectively the factors to be used in calibration set construction. The results obtained confirm the efficacy of the proposed methodology for stepwise pharmaceutical quality control, and the relevance of the study as a guideline for the implementation of this easy and fast methodology in the pharma industry. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How Six Sigma Methodology Improved Doctors' Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Zafiropoulos, George

2015-01-01

Six Sigma methodology was used in a District General Hospital to assess the effect of the introduction of an educational programme to limit unnecessary admissions. The performance of the doctors involved in the programme was assessed. Ishikawa Fishbone and 5 S's were initially used and Pareto analysis of their findings was performed. The results…

Online calibrations and performance of the ATLAS Pixel Detector

CERN Document Server

Keil, M; The ATLAS collaboration

2010-01-01

The ATLAS Pixel Detector is the innermost detector of the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. It consists of 1744 silicon sensors equipped with approximately 80 M electronic channels, providing typically three measurement points with high resolution for particles emerging from the beam-interaction region, thus allowing measuring particle tracks and secondary vertices with very high precision. The readout system of the Pixel Detector is based on a bi-directional optical data transmission system between the detector and the data acquisition system with an individual link for each of the 1744 modules. Signal conversion components are located on both ends, approximately 80 m apart. The talk will give an overview of the calibration and performance of both the detector and its optical readout. The most basic parameter to be tuned and calibrated for the detector electronics is the readout threshold of the individual pixel channels. These need to be carefully tuned to optimise position resolution a...

A methodology for performing computer security reviews

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunteman, W.J.

1991-01-01

DOE Order 5637.1, ''Classified Computer Security,'' requires regular reviews of the computer security activities for an ADP system and for a site. Based on experiences gained in the Los Alamos computer security program through interactions with DOE facilities, we have developed a methodology to aid a site or security officer in performing a comprehensive computer security review. The methodology is designed to aid a reviewer in defining goals of the review (e.g., preparation for inspection), determining security requirements based on DOE policies, determining threats/vulnerabilities based on DOE and local threat guidance, and identifying critical system components to be reviewed. Application of the methodology will result in review procedures and checklists oriented to the review goals, the target system, and DOE policy requirements. The review methodology can be used to prepare for an audit or inspection and as a periodic self-check tool to determine the status of the computer security program for a site or specific ADP system. 1 tab

A methodology for performing computer security reviews

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunteman, W.J.

1991-01-01

This paper reports on DIE Order 5637.1, Classified Computer Security, which requires regular reviews of the computer security activities for an ADP system and for a site. Based on experiences gained in the Los Alamos computer security program through interactions with DOE facilities, the authors have developed a methodology to aid a site or security officer in performing a comprehensive computer security review. The methodology is designed to aid a reviewer in defining goals of the review (e.g., preparation for inspection), determining security requirements based on DOE policies, determining threats/vulnerabilities based on DOE and local threat guidance, and identifying critical system components to be reviewed. Application of the methodology will result in review procedures and checklists oriented to the review goals, the target system, and DOE policy requirements. The review methodology can be used to prepare for an audit or inspection and as a periodic self-check tool to determine the status of the computer security program for a site or specific ADP system

Elementary Students' Metacognitive Processes and Post-Performance Calibration on Mathematical Problem-Solving Tasks

Science.gov (United States)

García, Trinidad; Rodríguez, Celestino; González-Castro, Paloma; González-Pienda, Julio Antonio; Torrance, Mark

2016-01-01

Calibration, or the correspondence between perceived performance and actual performance, is linked to students' metacognitive and self-regulatory skills. Making students more aware of the quality of their performance is important in elementary school settings, and more so when math problems are involved. However, many students seem to be poorly…

Methodological approach to organizational performance improvement process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marin Buble

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Organizational performance improvement is one of the fundamental enterprise tasks. This especially applies to the case when the term “performance improvement” implies efficiency improvement measured by indicators, such as ROI, ROE, ROA, or ROVA/ROI. Such tasks are very complex, requiring implementation by means of project management. In this paper, the authors propose a methodological approach to improving the organizational performance of a large enterprise.

Implied Volatility Surface: Construction Methodologies and Characteristics

OpenAIRE

Cristian Homescu

2011-01-01

The implied volatility surface (IVS) is a fundamental building block in computational finance. We provide a survey of methodologies for constructing such surfaces. We also discuss various topics which can influence the successful construction of IVS in practice: arbitrage-free conditions in both strike and time, how to perform extrapolation outside the core region, choice of calibrating functional and selection of numerical optimization algorithms, volatility surface dynamics and asymptotics.

Development of a calibration system for surface contamination monitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marechal, M.H.H.; Barbosa, M.P.

1992-01-01

A calibration system for surface contamination monitors is developed, aiming supply the existence demand of these instruments. A experimental arrangement and a methodology are described. The advantages of use this system for calibration routine optimization are also discussed. (C.G.C.)

Methodology for quantitative evaluation of diagnostic performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metz, C.

1981-01-01

Of various approaches that might be taken to the diagnostic performance evaluation problem, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis holds great promise. Further development of the methodology for a unified, objective, and meaningful approach to evaluating the usefulness of medical imaging procedures is done by consideration of statistical significance testing, optimal sequencing of correlated studies, and analysis of observer performance

Infrared stereo calibration for unmanned ground vehicle navigation

Science.gov (United States)

Harguess, Josh; Strange, Shawn

2014-06-01

The problem of calibrating two color cameras as a stereo pair has been heavily researched and many off-the-shelf software packages, such as Robot Operating System and OpenCV, include calibration routines that work in most cases. However, the problem of calibrating two infrared (IR) cameras for the purposes of sensor fusion and point could generation is relatively new and many challenges exist. We present a comparison of color camera and IR camera stereo calibration using data from an unmanned ground vehicle. There are two main challenges in IR stereo calibration; the calibration board (material, design, etc.) and the accuracy of calibration pattern detection. We present our analysis of these challenges along with our IR stereo calibration methodology. Finally, we present our results both visually and analytically with computed reprojection errors.

A performance assessment methodology for low-level radioactive waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deering, L.R.; Kozak, M.W.

1990-01-01

To demonstrate compliance with the performance objectives governing protection of the general population in 10 CFR 61.41, applicants for land disposal of low-level radioactive waste are required to conduct a pathways analysis, or quantitative evaluation of radionuclide release, transport through environmental media, and dose to man. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff defined a strategy and initiated a project at Sandia National Laboratories to develop a methodology for independently evaluating an applicant's analysis of postclosure performance. This performance assessment methodology was developed in five stages: (1) identification of environmental pathways, (2) ranking, the significance of the pathways, (3) identification and integration of models for pathway analyses, (4) identification and selection of computer codes and techniques for the methodology, and (5) implementation of the codes and documentation of the methodology. The final methodology implements analytical and simple numerical solutions for source term, ground-water flow and transport, surface water transport, air transport, food chain, and dosimetry analyses, as well as more complex numerical solutions for multidimensional or transient analyses when more detailed assessments are needed. The capability to perform both simple and complex analyses is accomplished through modular modeling, which permits substitution of various models and codes to analyze system components

A performance assessment methodology for low-level waste facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kozak, M.W.; Chu, M.S.Y.; Mattingly, P.A.

1990-07-01

A performance assessment methodology has been developed for use by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission in evaluating license applications for low-level waste disposal facilities. This report provides a summary of background reports on the development of the methodology and an overview of the models and codes selected for the methodology. The overview includes discussions of the philosophy and structure of the methodology and a sequential procedure for applying the methodology. Discussions are provided of models and associated assumptions that are appropriate for each phase of the methodology, the goals of each phase, data required to implement the models, significant sources of uncertainty associated with each phase, and the computer codes used to implement the appropriate models. In addition, a sample demonstration of the methodology is presented for a simple conceptual model. 64 refs., 12 figs., 15 tabs

A performance assessment methodology for low-level radioactive waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Derring, L.R.

1990-01-01

To demonstrate compliance with the performance objectives governing protection of the general population in 10 CFR 61.41, applicants for land disposal of low-level radioactive waste are required to conduct a pathways analysis, or quantitative evaluation of radionuclide release, transport through environmental media, and dose to man. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff defined a strategy and initiated a project at Sandia National Laboratories to develop a methodology for independently evaluating an applicant's analysis of postclosure performance. This performance assessment methodology was developed in five stages: identification of environmental pathways, ranking the significance of the pathways, identification and integration of models for pathway analyses, identification and selection of computer codes and techniques for the methodology, and implementation of the codes and documentation of the methodology. This paper summarizes the NRC approach for conducting evaluations of license applications for low-level radioactive waste facilities. 23 refs

Calibration Lessons Learned from Hyperion Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Casement, S.; Ho, K.; Sandor-Leahy, S.; Biggar, S.; Czapla-Myers, J.; McCorkel, J.; Thome, K.

2009-12-01

The use of hyperspectral imagers to provide climate-quality data sets, such as those expected from the solar reflective sensor on the Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO), requires stringent radiometric calibration requirements. These stringent requirements have been nearly met with broadband radiometers such as CERES, but high resolution spectrometers pose additional challenges. A review of the calibration processes for past space-based HSIs provide guidance on the calibration processes that will be needed for future sensors. In November 2000, the Earth Observer-1 (EO-1) platform was launched onboard a Boeing Delta II launch vehicle. The primary purpose of the EO-1 mission was to provide a technological testbed for spaceborne components. The platform has three sensors onboard, of which, the hyperspectral imager (HSI) Hyperion, is discussed here. The Hyperion sensor at the time had no comparable sensor in earth orbit, being the first grating-based, hyperspectral, civilian sensor in earth orbit. Ground and on-orbit calibration procedures including all cross-calibration activities have achieved an estimated instrument absolute radiometric error of 2.9% in the Visible channel (0.4 - 1.0 microns) and 3.4% in the shortwave infrared (SWIR, 0.9 - 2.5 microns) channel (EO-1/Hyperion Early Orbit Checkout Report Part II On-Orbit Performance Verification and Calibration). This paper describes the key components of the Hyperion calibration process that are applicable to future HSI missions. The pre-launch methods relied on then newly-developed, detector-based methods. Subsequent vicarious methods including cross-calibration with other sensors and the reflectance-based method showed significant differences from the prelaunch calibration. Such a difference demonstrated the importance of the vicarious methods as well as pointing to areas for improvement in the prelaunch methods. We also identify areas where lessons learned from Hyperion regarding

Using MCNP for in-core instrument calibration in CANDU

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taylor, D.C. [Point Lepreau Generating Station, NB Power, Lepreau, New Brunswick (Canada); Anghel, V.N.P.; Sur, B. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, Ontario (Canada)

2002-07-01

The calibration of in-core instruments is important for safe and economical CANDU operation. However, in-core detectors are not normally suited to bench calibration procedures. This paper describes the use and validation of detailed neutron transport calculations for the purpose of calibrating the response of in-core neutron flux detectors. The Monte-Carlo transport code, MCNP, was used to model the thermal neutron flux distribution in the region around self-powered in-core flux detectors (ICFDs), and in the vicinity of the calandria edge. The ICFD model was used to evaluate the reduction in signal of a given detector (the 'detector shading factor') due to neutron absorption in surrounding materials, detectors, and lead-cables. The calandria edge model was used to infer the accuracy of the calandria edge position from flux scans performed by AECL's traveling flux detector (TFD) system. The MCNP results were checked against experimental results on ICFDs, and also against shading factors computed by other means. The use of improved in-core detector calibration factors obtained by this new methodology will improve the accuracy of spatial flux control performance in CANDU-6 reactors. The accurate determination of TFD based calandria edge position is useful in the quantitative measurement of changes in in-core component dimensions and position due to aging, such as pressure tube sag. (author)

Calibration of modified parallel-plate rheometer through calibrated oil and lattice Boltzmann simulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ferraris, Chiara F; Geiker, Mette Rica; Martys, Nicos S

2007-01-01

inapplicable here. This paper presents the analysis of a modified parallel plate rheometer for measuring cement mortar and propose a methodology for calibration using standard oils and numerical simulation of the flow. A lattice Boltzmann method was used to simulate the flow in the modified rheometer, thus...

Efficient Calibration of Distributed Catchment Models Using Perceptual Understanding and Hydrologic Signatures

Science.gov (United States)

Hutton, C.; Wagener, T.; Freer, J. E.; Duffy, C.; Han, D.

2015-12-01

Distributed models offer the potential to resolve catchment systems in more detail, and therefore simulate the hydrological impacts of spatial changes in catchment forcing (e.g. landscape change). Such models may contain a large number of model parameters which are computationally expensive to calibrate. Even when calibration is possible, insufficient data can result in model parameter and structural equifinality. In order to help reduce the space of feasible models and supplement traditional outlet discharge calibration data, semi-quantitative information (e.g. knowledge of relative groundwater levels), may also be used to identify behavioural models when applied to constrain spatially distributed predictions of states and fluxes. The challenge is to combine these different sources of information together to identify a behavioural region of state-space, and efficiently search a large, complex parameter space to identify behavioural parameter sets that produce predictions that fall within this behavioural region. Here we present a methodology to incorporate different sources of data to efficiently calibrate distributed catchment models. Metrics of model performance may be derived from multiple sources of data (e.g. perceptual understanding and measured or regionalised hydrologic signatures). For each metric, an interval or inequality is used to define the behaviour of the catchment system, accounting for data uncertainties. These intervals are then combined to produce a hyper-volume in state space. The state space is then recast as a multi-objective optimisation problem, and the Borg MOEA is applied to first find, and then populate the hyper-volume, thereby identifying acceptable model parameter sets. We apply the methodology to calibrate the PIHM model at Plynlimon, UK by incorporating perceptual and hydrologic data into the calibration problem. Furthermore, we explore how to improve calibration efficiency through search initialisation from shorter model runs.

Better Drumming Through Calibration: Techniques for Pre-Performance Robotic Percussion Optimization

OpenAIRE

Murphy, Jim; Kapur, Ajay; Carnegie, Dale

2012-01-01

A problem with many contemporary musical robotic percussion systems lies in the fact that solenoids fail to respond lin-early to linear increases in input velocity. This nonlinearity forces performers to individually tailor their compositions to specific robotic drummers. To address this problem, we introduce a method of pre-performance calibration using metaheuristic search techniques. A variety of such techniques are introduced and evaluated and the results of the optimized solenoid-based p...

Overview of a performance assessment methodology for low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kozak, M.W.; Chu, M.S.Y.

1991-01-01

A performance assessment methodology has been developed for use by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission in evaluating license applications for low-level waste disposal facilities. This paper provides a summary and an overview of the modeling approaches selected for the methodology. The overview includes discussions of the philosophy and structure of the methodology. This performance assessment methodology is designed to provide the NRC with a tool for performing confirmatory analyses in support of license reviews related to postclosure performance. The methodology allows analyses of dose to individuals from off-site releases under normal conditions as well as on-site doses to inadvertent intruders. 24 refs., 1 tab

Calibration between Undergraduate Students' Prediction of and Actual Performance: The Role of Gender and Performance Attributions

Science.gov (United States)

Gutierrez, Antonio P.; Price, Addison F.

2017-01-01

This study investigated changes in male and female students' prediction and postdiction calibration accuracy and bias scores, and the predictive effects of explanatory styles on these variables beyond gender. Seventy undergraduate students rated their confidence in performance before and after a 40-item exam. There was an improvement in students'…

Calibrated Properties Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahlers, C.; Liu, H.

2000-01-01

The purpose of this Analysis/Model Report (AMR) is to document the Calibrated Properties Model that provides calibrated parameter sets for unsaturated zone (UZ) flow and transport process models for the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (YMP). This work was performed in accordance with the ''AMR Development Plan for U0035 Calibrated Properties Model REV00. These calibrated property sets include matrix and fracture parameters for the UZ Flow and Transport Model (UZ Model), drift seepage models, drift-scale and mountain-scale coupled-processes models, and Total System Performance Assessment (TSPA) models as well as Performance Assessment (PA) and other participating national laboratories and government agencies. These process models provide the necessary framework to test conceptual hypotheses of flow and transport at different scales and predict flow and transport behavior under a variety of climatic and thermal-loading conditions

Calibration and performance of the ATLAS Tile Calorimeter during the LHC Run 2

Science.gov (United States)

Cerda Alberich, L.

2018-02-01

The Tile Calorimeter (TileCal) is the hadronic sampling calorimeter of the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). TileCal uses iron absorbers and scintillators as active material and it covers the central region | η| < 1.7. Jointly with the other sub-detectors it is designed for measurements of hadrons, jets, tau-particles and missing transverse energy. It also assists in muon identification. TileCal is regularly monitored and calibrated by several different calibration systems: a Cs radioactive source, a laser light system to check the PMT response, and a charge injection system (CIS) to check the front-end electronics. These calibration systems, in conjunction with data collected during proton-proton collisions, Minimum Bias (MB) events, provide extensive monitoring of the instrument and a means for equalizing the calorimeter response at each stage of the signal propagation. The performance of the calorimeter has been established with cosmic ray muons and the large sample of the proton-proton collisions and compared to Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. The response of high momentum isolated muons is also used to study the energy response at the electromagnetic scale, isolated hadrons are used as a probe of the hadronic response. The calorimeter time resolution is studied with multijet events. A description of the different TileCal calibration systems and the results on the calorimeter performance during the LHC Run 2 are presented. The results on the pile-up noise and response uniformity studies are also discussed.

CryoSat-2: Post launch performance of SIRAL-2 and its calibration/validation

Science.gov (United States)

Cullen, Robert; Francis, Richard; Davidson, Malcolm; Wingham, Duncan

2010-05-01

1. INTRODUCTION The main payload of CryoSat-2 [1], SIRAL (Synthetic interferometric radar altimeter), is a Ku band pulse-width limited radar altimeter which transmits pulses at a high pulse repetition frequency thus making received echoes phase coherent and suitable for azimuth processing [2]. The azimuth processing in conjunction with correction for slant range improves along track resolution to about 250 meters which is a significant improvement over traditional pulse-width limited systems such as Envisat RA-2, [3]. CryoSat-2 will be launched on 25th February 2010 and this paper describes the pre and post launch measures of CryoSat/SIRAL performance and the status of mission validation planning. 2. SIRAL PERFORMANCE: INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CALIBRATION Phase coherent pulse-width limited radar altimeters such as SIRAL-2 pose a new challenge when considering a strategy for calibration. Along with the need to generate the well understood corrections for transfer function amplitude with respect to frequency, gain and instrument path delay there is also a need to provide corrections for transfer function phase with respect to frequency and AGC setting, phase variation across bursts of pulses. Furthermore, since some components of these radars are temperature sensitive one needs to be careful when the deciding how often calibrations are performed whilst not impacting mission performance. Several internal calibration ground processors have been developed to model imperfections within the CryoSat-2 radar altimeter (SIRAL-2) hardware and reduce their effect from the science data stream via the use of calibration correction auxiliary products within the ground segment. We present the methods and results used to model and remove imperfections and describe the baseline for usage of SIRAL-2 calibration modes during the commissioning phase and the operational exploitation phases of the mission. Additionally we present early results derived from external calibration of SIRAL via

Scanner calibration revisited

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pozhitkov Alexander E

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Calibration of a microarray scanner is critical for accurate interpretation of microarray results. Shi et al. (BMC Bioinformatics, 2005, 6, Art. No. S11 Suppl. 2. reported usage of a Full Moon BioSystems slide for calibration. Inspired by the Shi et al. work, we have calibrated microarray scanners in our previous research. We were puzzled however, that most of the signal intensities from a biological sample fell below the sensitivity threshold level determined by the calibration slide. This conundrum led us to re-investigate the quality of calibration provided by the Full Moon BioSystems slide as well as the accuracy of the analysis performed by Shi et al. Methods Signal intensities were recorded on three different microarray scanners at various photomultiplier gain levels using the same calibration slide from Full Moon BioSystems. Data analysis was conducted on raw signal intensities without normalization or transformation of any kind. Weighted least-squares method was used to fit the data. Results We found that initial analysis performed by Shi et al. did not take into account autofluorescence of the Full Moon BioSystems slide, which led to a grossly distorted microarray scanner response. Our analysis revealed that a power-law function, which is explicitly accounting for the slide autofluorescence, perfectly described a relationship between signal intensities and fluorophore quantities. Conclusions Microarray scanners respond in a much less distorted fashion than was reported by Shi et al. Full Moon BioSystems calibration slides are inadequate for performing calibration. We recommend against using these slides.

Calibrating the neutron moisture meter: Precision and economy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akhter, J.; Waheed, R.A.; Hignett, C.T.; Greacen, E.L.

2000-01-01

Established laboratory and field calibration procedures for the neutron moisture meter are demonstrated on a uniform soil and alternative, low cost procedures on a duplex, less uniform soil. The effect of field variability on the calibration methodology is discussed with the aim of optimising calibration reliability at minimal cost. The difference between calibration for a soil material, or for a field (a range of soil materials) is considered. In particular, calibration for the estimation of water content change is shown to be a different problem from calibration for the estimation of water content in a variable field. Techniques aimed at detecting field variability problems during calibration are suggested, and methods for optimising the results for the intended use of the instrument are outlined. Pairing of calibration tubes, alternative methods of analysis of calibration data, and use of other information from the field to measure its variability, can improve the precision of calibration procedures to the point where minimal calibration effort, with careful analysis, can provide reliable results. (author)

Calibrating the radiation detector of the ventilation of a PET radiopharmaceutical production facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lacerda, Marco Aurelio de Sousa; Tavares, Jose Carlos Freitas; Silva, Juliana Batista da

2011-01-01

The aim of this work is to demonstrate a new methodology of estimating the calibration factor of the ventilation duct of a PET radiopharmaceutical facility. The proposed methodology was studied to minimize contamination risks for the workers, as well as the uncertainties attributed to the gas sampling. The studied facility was the Development Centre of Nuclear Technology (CDTN/CNEN) in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. It was performed 3 consecutive irradiations with normal water (H 2 16 O) for production of nitrogen-13 to estimate the calibration factor of the detector located in the chimney of the facility. The readings of the detector were registered by the online radiation monitoring system (MEDISMARTS) during the transfer of the irradiated liquid until the count rate decreased for the background (BG) levels. The remaining activity of the water from the vial was measured and the decay corrected to the beginning of the transfer of the activity. The mean calibration factor estimated was (3.6 +- 0.5) kBq . m -3 . cps -1 . The maximum activities registered in the three irradiations were, respectively, 278 s, 370 s and 366 s after transferring of the activity to the hot cell. The conservative assumptions adopted and the values found for the calibration factor, which were close to the manufacturer published data, permit to estimate, safely, the discharges of radioactive gases in the installation. (author)

Calibrated Properties Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahlers, C.F.; Liu, H.H.

2001-01-01

The purpose of this Analysis/Model Report (AMR) is to document the Calibrated Properties Model that provides calibrated parameter sets for unsaturated zone (UZ) flow and transport process models for the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (YMP). This work was performed in accordance with the AMR Development Plan for U0035 Calibrated Properties Model REV00 (CRWMS M and O 1999c). These calibrated property sets include matrix and fracture parameters for the UZ Flow and Transport Model (UZ Model), drift seepage models, drift-scale and mountain-scale coupled-processes models, and Total System Performance Assessment (TSPA) models as well as Performance Assessment (PA) and other participating national laboratories and government agencies. These process models provide the necessary framework to test conceptual hypotheses of flow and transport at different scales and predict flow and transport behavior under a variety of climatic and thermal-loading conditions

Methodology for the development and calibration of the SCI-QOL item banks.

Science.gov (United States)

Tulsky, David S; Kisala, Pamela A; Victorson, David; Choi, Seung W; Gershon, Richard; Heinemann, Allen W; Cella, David

2015-05-01

To develop a comprehensive, psychometrically sound, and conceptually grounded patient reported outcomes (PRO) measurement system for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Individual interviews (n=44) and focus groups (n=65 individuals with SCI and n=42 SCI clinicians) were used to select key domains for inclusion and to develop PRO items. Verbatim items from other cutting-edge measurement systems (i.e. PROMIS, Neuro-QOL) were included to facilitate linkage and cross-population comparison. Items were field tested in a large sample of individuals with traumatic SCI (n=877). Dimensionality was assessed with confirmatory factor analysis. Local item dependence and differential item functioning were assessed, and items were calibrated using the item response theory (IRT) graded response model. Finally, computer adaptive tests (CATs) and short forms were administered in a new sample (n=245) to assess test-retest reliability and stability. A calibration sample of 877 individuals with traumatic SCI across five SCI Model Systems sites and one Department of Veterans Affairs medical center completed SCI-QOL items in interview format. We developed 14 unidimensional calibrated item banks and 3 calibrated scales across physical, emotional, and social health domains. When combined with the five Spinal Cord Injury--Functional Index physical function banks, the final SCI-QOL system consists of 22 IRT-calibrated item banks/scales. Item banks may be administered as CATs or short forms. Scales may be administered in a fixed-length format only. The SCI-QOL measurement system provides SCI researchers and clinicians with a comprehensive, relevant and psychometrically robust system for measurement of physical-medical, physical-functional, emotional, and social outcomes. All SCI-QOL instruments are freely available on Assessment CenterSM.

Maximum respiratory pressure measuring system : calibration and evaluation of uncertainty

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ferreira, J.L.; Pereira, N.C.; Oliveira Júnior, M.; Vasconcelos, F.H.; Parreira, V.F.; Tierra-Criollo, C.J.

2010-01-01

The objective of this paper is to present a methodology for the evaluation of uncertainties in the measurements results obtained during the calibration of a digital manovacuometer prototype (DM) with a load cell sensor pressure device incorporated. Calibration curves were obtained for both pressure

Automatic camera to laser calibration for high accuracy mobile mapping systems using INS

Science.gov (United States)

Goeman, Werner; Douterloigne, Koen; Gautama, Sidharta

2013-09-01

A mobile mapping system (MMS) is a mobile multi-sensor platform developed by the geoinformation community to support the acquisition of huge amounts of geodata in the form of georeferenced high resolution images and dense laser clouds. Since data fusion and data integration techniques are increasingly able to combine the complementary strengths of different sensor types, the external calibration of a camera to a laser scanner is a common pre-requisite on today's mobile platforms. The methods of calibration, nevertheless, are often relatively poorly documented, are almost always time-consuming, demand expert knowledge and often require a carefully constructed calibration environment. A new methodology is studied and explored to provide a high quality external calibration for a pinhole camera to a laser scanner which is automatic, easy to perform, robust and foolproof. The method presented here, uses a portable, standard ranging pole which needs to be positioned on a known ground control point. For calibration, a well studied absolute orientation problem needs to be solved. In many cases, the camera and laser sensor are calibrated in relation to the INS system. Therefore, the transformation from camera to laser contains the cumulated error of each sensor in relation to the INS. Here, the calibration of the camera is performed in relation to the laser frame using the time synchronization between the sensors for data association. In this study, the use of the inertial relative movement will be explored to collect more useful calibration data. This results in a better intersensor calibration allowing better coloring of the clouds and a more accurate depth mask for images, especially on the edges of objects in the scene.

Comparison of Performance between Genetic Algorithm and SCE-UA for Calibration of SCS-CN Surface Runoff Simulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ji-Hong Jeon

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Global optimization methods linked with simulation models are widely used for automated calibration and serve as useful tools for searching for cost-effective alternatives for environmental management. A genetic algorithm (GA and shuffled complex evolution (SCE-UA algorithm were linked with the Long-Term Hydrologic Impact Assessment (L-THIA model, which employs the curve number (SCS-CN method. The performance of the two optimization methods was compared by automatically calibrating L-THIA for monthly runoff from 10 watersheds in Indiana. The selected watershed areas ranged from 32.7 to 5844.1 km2. The SCS-CN values and total five-day rainfall for adjustment were optimized, and the objective function used was the Nash-Sutcliffe value (NS value. The GA method rapidly reached the optimal space until the 10th generating population (generation, and after the 10th generation solutions increased dispersion around the optimal space, called a cross hair pattern, because of mutation rate increase. The number of looping executions influenced the performance of model calibration for the SCE-UA and GA method. The GA method performed better for the case of fewer loop executions than the SCE-UA method. For most watersheds, calibration performance using GA was better than for SCE-UA until the 50th generation when the number of model loop executions was around 5150 (one generation has 100 individuals. However, after the 50th generation of the GA method, the SCE-UA method performed better for calibrating monthly runoff compared to the GA method. Optimized SCS-CN values for primary land use types were nearly the same for the two methods, but those for minor land use types and total five-day rainfall for AMC adjustment were somewhat different because those parameters did not significantly influence calculation of the objective function. The GA method is recommended for cases when model simulation takes a long time and the model user does not have sufficient time

Calibration of a dedicated software for 3D rendering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abrantes, Marcos E.S.; Felix, Warley F.; Veloso, Maria Auxiliadora F., E-mail: marcos.nuclear@yahoo.com.br, E-mail: warleyferreirafelix@gmail.com, E-mail: mdora@nuclear.ufmg.br [Faculdade Ciencias Medicas de Minas Gerais (FCMMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Departamento de Engenharia Nuclear

2017-11-01

With the increasing use of 3D reconstruction techniques, to assist in diagnosis, dedicated programs are being widely used. For this they must be calibrated in order to encounter the values of the real volumes of the human tissues. The purpose of this work is to indicate correction and calibration values for true volumes, read in a 3D reconstruction system dedicated, using DICOM images of Computed Tomography. This work utilized a PMMA thorax phantom associated with the DICOM image and the volume found by a program of a tomograph. The physical volume of the PMMA phantom found was 10359.0 cm³. For the volumes found according to the structures of interest, the values are 11005.5 cm³, 10249.3 cm³ and 10205.1 cm³ and the correction values are -6.2%, +1.1% e +1.5% respectively for tissues: pulmonary, bony and soft tissues. The procedure performed can be used for calibration in other 3D reconstruction programs, observing the necessary corrections and the methodology used. (author)

Calibration of a dedicated software for 3D rendering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abrantes, Marcos E.S.; Felix, Warley F.; Veloso, Maria Auxiliadora F.; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais

2017-01-01

With the increasing use of 3D reconstruction techniques, to assist in diagnosis, dedicated programs are being widely used. For this they must be calibrated in order to encounter the values of the real volumes of the human tissues. The purpose of this work is to indicate correction and calibration values for true volumes, read in a 3D reconstruction system dedicated, using DICOM images of Computed Tomography. This work utilized a PMMA thorax phantom associated with the DICOM image and the volume found by a program of a tomograph. The physical volume of the PMMA phantom found was 10359.0 cm³. For the volumes found according to the structures of interest, the values are 11005.5 cm³, 10249.3 cm³ and 10205.1 cm³ and the correction values are -6.2%, +1.1% e +1.5% respectively for tissues: pulmonary, bony and soft tissues. The procedure performed can be used for calibration in other 3D reconstruction programs, observing the necessary corrections and the methodology used. (author)

EnergiTools. A methodology for performance monitoring and diagnosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ancion, P.; Bastien, R.; Ringdahl, K.

2000-01-01

EnergiTools is a performance monitoring and diagnostic tool that combines the power of on-line process data acquisition with advanced diagnosis methodologies. Analytical models based on thermodynamic principles are combined with neural networks to validate sensor data and to estimate missing or faulty measurements. Advanced diagnostic technologies are then applied to point out potential faults and areas to be investigated further. The diagnosis methodologies are based on Bayesian belief networks. Expert knowledge is captured in the form of the fault-symptom relationships and includes historical information as the likelihood of faults and symptoms. The methodology produces the likelihood of component failure root causes using the expert knowledge base. EnergiTools is used at Ringhals nuclear power plants. It has led to the diagnosis of various performance issues. Three case studies based on this plant data and model are presented and illustrate the diagnosis support methodologies implemented in EnergiTools . In the first case, the analytical data qualification technique points out several faulty measurements. The application of a neural network for the estimation of the nuclear reactor power by interpreting several plant indicators is then illustrated. The use of the Bayesian belief networks is finally described. (author)

CALIBRATION OF LOW COST DIGITAL CAMERA USING DATA FROM SIMULTANEOUS LIDAR AND PHOTOGRAMMETRIC SURVEYS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Mitishita

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Digital photogrammetric products from the integration of imagery and lidar datasets are a reality nowadays. When the imagery and lidar surveys are performed together and the camera is connected to the lidar system, a direct georeferencing can be applied to compute the exterior orientation parameters of the images. Direct georeferencing of the images requires accurate interior orientation parameters to perform photogrammetric application. Camera calibration is a procedure applied to compute the interior orientation parameters (IOPs. Calibration researches have established that to obtain accurate IOPs, the calibration must be performed with same or equal condition that the photogrammetric survey is done. This paper shows the methodology and experiments results from in situ self-calibration using a simultaneous images block and lidar dataset. The calibration results are analyzed and discussed. To perform this research a test field was fixed in an urban area. A set of signalized points was implanted on the test field to use as the check points or control points. The photogrammetric images and lidar dataset of the test field were taken simultaneously. Four strips of flight were used to obtain a cross layout. The strips were taken with opposite directions of flight (W-E, E-W, N-S and S-N. The Kodak DSC Pro SLR/c digital camera was connected to the lidar system. The coordinates of the exposition station were computed from the lidar trajectory. Different layouts of vertical control points were used in the calibration experiments. The experiments use vertical coordinates from precise differential GPS survey or computed by an interpolation procedure using the lidar dataset. The positions of the exposition stations are used as control points in the calibration procedure to eliminate the linear dependency of the group of interior and exterior orientation parameters. This linear dependency happens, in the calibration procedure, when the vertical images and

Optimization of SPECT calibration for quantification of images applied to dosimetry with iodine-131

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, Samira Marques de

2018-01-01

SPECT systems calibration plays an essential role in the accuracy of the quantification of images. In this work, in its first stage, an optimized SPECT calibration method was proposed for 131 I studies, considering the partial volume effect (PVE) and the position of the calibration source. In the second stage, the study aimed to investigate the impact of count density and reconstruction parameters on the determination of the calibration factor and the quantification of the image in dosimetry studies, considering the reality of clinical practice in Brazil. In the final step, the study aimed evaluating the influence of several factors in the calibration for absorbed dose calculation using Monte Carlo simulations (MC) GATE code. Calibration was performed by determining a calibration curve (sensitivity versus volume) obtained by applying different thresholds. Then, the calibration factors were determined with an exponential function adjustment. Images were performed with high and low counts densities for several source positions within the simulator. To validate the calibration method, the calibration factors were used for absolute quantification of the total reference activities. The images were reconstructed adopting two approaches of different parameters, usually used in patient images. The methodology developed for the calibration of the tomographic system was easier and faster to implement than other procedures suggested to improve the accuracy of the results. The study also revealed the influence of the location of the calibration source, demonstrating better precision in the absolute quantification considering the location of the target region during the calibration of the system. The study applied in the Brazilian thyroid protocol suggests the revision of the calibration of the SPECT system, including different positions for the reference source, besides acquisitions considering the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) of the images. Finally, the doses obtained with the

Intercomparison and calibration of dose calibrators used in nuclear medicine facilities

CERN Document Server

Costa, A M D

2003-01-01

The aim of this work was to establish a working standard for intercomparison and calibration of dose calibrators used in most of nuclear medicine facilities for the determination of the activity of radionuclides administered to patients in specific examinations or therapeutic procedures. A commercial dose calibrator, a set of standard radioactive sources, and syringes, vials and ampoules with radionuclide solutions used in nuclear medicine were utilized in this work. The commercial dose calibrator was calibrated for radionuclide solutions used in nuclear medicine. Simple instrument tests, such as linearity response and variation response with the source volume at a constant source activity concentration were performed. This instrument may be used as a reference system for intercomparison and calibration of other activity meters, as a method of quality control of dose calibrators utilized in nuclear medicine facilities.

Using genetic algorithm and TOPSIS for Xinanjiang model calibration with a single procedure

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Chun-Tian; Zhao, Ming-Yan; Chau, K. W.; Wu, Xin-Yu

2006-01-01

Genetic Algorithm (GA) is globally oriented in searching and thus useful in optimizing multiobjective problems, especially where the objective functions are ill-defined. Conceptual rainfall-runoff models that aim at predicting streamflow from the knowledge of precipitation over a catchment have become a basic tool for flood forecasting. The parameter calibration of a conceptual model usually involves the multiple criteria for judging the performances of observed data. However, it is often difficult to derive all objective functions for the parameter calibration problem of a conceptual model. Thus, a new method to the multiple criteria parameter calibration problem, which combines GA with TOPSIS (technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution) for Xinanjiang model, is presented. This study is an immediate further development of authors' previous research (Cheng, C.T., Ou, C.P., Chau, K.W., 2002. Combining a fuzzy optimal model with a genetic algorithm to solve multi-objective rainfall-runoff model calibration. Journal of Hydrology, 268, 72-86), whose obvious disadvantages are to split the whole procedure into two parts and to become difficult to integrally grasp the best behaviors of model during the calibration procedure. The current method integrates the two parts of Xinanjiang rainfall-runoff model calibration together, simplifying the procedures of model calibration and validation and easily demonstrated the intrinsic phenomenon of observed data in integrity. Comparison of results with two-step procedure shows that the current methodology gives similar results to the previous method, is also feasible and robust, but simpler and easier to apply in practice.

Summary of KOMPSAT-5 Calibration and Validation

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, D.; Jeong, H.; Lee, S.; Kim, B.

2013-12-01

including pointing, relative and absolute calibration as well as geolocation accuracy determination. The absolute calibration will be accomplished by determining absolute radiometric accuracy using already deployed trihedral corner reflectors on calibration and validation sites located southeast from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. To establish a measure for the assess the final image products, geolocation accuracies of image products with different imaging modes will be determined by using deployed point targets and available Digital Terrain Model (DTM), and on different image processing levels. In summary, this paper will present calibration and validation activities performed during the LEOP and IOT of KOMPSAT-5. The methodology and procedure of calibration and validation will be explained as well as its results. Based on the results, the applications of SAR image products on geophysical processes will be also discussed.

Adaptive calibration of (u,v)‐wind ensemble forecasts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pinson, Pierre

2012-01-01

of sufficient reliability. The original framework introduced here allows for an adaptive bivariate calibration of these ensemble forecasts. The originality of this methodology lies in the fact that calibrated ensembles still consist of a set of (space–time) trajectories, after translation and dilation...... of translation and dilation factors are discussed. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society...

Calibration And Performance Verification Of LSC Packard 1900TR AFTER REPAIRING

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Satrio; Evarista-Ristin; Syafalni; Alip

2003-01-01

Calibration process and repeated verification of LSC Packard 1900TR at Hydrology Section-P3TlR has been done. In the period of middle 1997 to July 2000, the counting system of the instrument has damaged and repaired for several times. After repairing, the system was recalibrated and then verified. The calibration and verification were conducted by using standard 3 H, 14 C and background unquenched. The result of calibration shows that background count rates of 3 H and 14 C is 12.3 ± 0.79 cpm and 18.24 ± 0.69 cpm respectively; FOM 3 H and 14 C is 285.03 ± 15.95 and 641.06 ± 16.45 respectively; 3 H and 14 C efficiency is 59.13 ± 0.28 % and 95.09 ± 0.31 %. respectively. From the verification data's, the parameter of SIS and tSIE for 14 C is to be in range of limit. And then 3 H and 14 C efficiency is still above minimum limit. Whereas, the background fluctuation still show normal condition. It could be concluded that until now the performance of LSC Packard 1900TR is well condition and could be used for counting. (author)

Calibration requirements and methodology for remote sensors viewing the ocean in the visible

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Howard R.

1987-01-01

The calibration requirements for ocean-viewing sensors are outlined, and the present methods of effecting such calibration are described in detail. For future instruments it is suggested that provision be made for the sensor to view solar irradiance in diffuse reflection and that the moon be used as a source of diffuse light for monitoring the sensor stability.

Automated Energy Calibration and Fitting of LaCl3(Ce y-Spectra Using Peak Likelihood and Tabu Search

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy P. McClanahan

2008-10-01

Full Text Available An automated method for ?-emission spectrum calibration and deconvolution is presented for spaceflight applications for a Cerium doped Lanthanum Chloride, (LaCl3(Ce ?-ray detector system. This detector will be coupled with a pulsed neutron generator (PNG to induce and enhance nuclide signal quality and rates, yielding large volumes of spectral information. Automated analytical methods are required to deconvolve and quantify nuclide signals from spectra; this will both reduce human interactions in spectrum analysis and facilitate feedback to automated robotic and operations planning. Initial system tests indicate significant energy calibration drifts (>6%, that which must be mitigated for spectrum analysis. A linear energy calibration model is presently considered, with gain and zero factors. Deconvolution methods incorporate a tabu search heuristic to formulate and optimize searches using memory structures. Iterative use of a peak likelihood methodology identifies global calibration minima and peak areas. The method is compared to manual methods of calibration and indicates superior performance using tabu methods. Performance of the Tabu enhanced calibration method is superior to similar unoptimized local search. The techniques are also applicable to other emission spectroscopy, eg. X-ray and neutron.

Calibration and Performance of the ATLAS Tile Calorimeter During the LHC Run 2

CERN Document Server

Cerda Alberich, Leonor; The ATLAS collaboration

2017-01-01

The Tile Calorimeter (TileCal) is the hadronic sampling calorimeter of ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). TileCal uses iron absorbers and scintillators as active material and it covers the central region |η| < 1.7. Jointly with the other calorimeters it is designed for measurements of hadrons, jets, tau-particles and missing transverse energy. It also assists in muon identification. TileCal is regularly monitored and calibrated by several different calibration systems: a Cs radioactive source that illuminates the scintillating tiles directly, a laser light system to directly test the PMT response, and a charge injection system (CIS) for the front-end electronics. These calibrations systems, in conjunction with data collected during proton-proton collisions, provide extensive monitoring of the instrument and a means for equalizing the calorimeter response at each stage of the signal propagation. The performance of the calorimeter has been established with cosmic ray muons and the large sa...

Calibration of sources for alpha spectroscopy systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freitas, I.S.M.; Goncalez, O.L.

1992-01-01

This paper describes the calibration methodology for measuring the total alpha activity of plane and thin sources with the Alpha Spectrometer for Silicon Detector in the Nuclear Measures and Dosimetry laboratory at IEAv/CTA. (author)

RANS Based Methodology for Predicting the Influence of Leading Edge Erosion on Airfoil Performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Langel, Christopher M. [Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States). Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Chow, Raymond C. [Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States). Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; van Dam, C. P. [Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States). Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Maniaci, David Charles [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Wind Energy Technologies Dept.

2017-10-01

The impact of surface roughness on flows over aerodynamically designed surfaces is of interested in a number of different fields. It has long been known the surface roughness will likely accelerate the laminar- turbulent transition process by creating additional disturbances in the boundary layer. However, there are very few tools available to predict the effects surface roughness will have on boundary layer flow. There are numerous implications of the premature appearance of a turbulent boundary layer. Increases in local skin friction, boundary layer thickness, and turbulent mixing can impact global flow properties compounding the effects of surface roughness. With this motivation, an investigation into the effects of surface roughness on boundary layer transition has been conducted. The effort involved both an extensive experimental campaign, and the development of a high fidelity roughness model implemented in a R ANS solver. Vast a mounts of experimental data was generated at the Texas A&M Oran W. Nicks Low Speed Wind Tunnel for the calibration and validation of the roughness model described in this work, as well as future efforts. The present work focuses on the development of the computational model including a description of the calibration process. The primary methodology presented introduces a scalar field variable and associated transport equation that interacts with a correlation based transition model. The additional equation allows for non-local effects of surface roughness to be accounted for downstream of rough wall sections while maintaining a "local" formulation. The scalar field is determined through a boundary condition function that has been calibrated to flat plate cases with sand grain roughness. The model was initially tested on a NACA 0012 airfoil with roughness strips applied to the leading edge. Further calibration of the roughness model was performed using results from the companion experimental study on a NACA 63₃ -418 airfoil

A performance-oriented power transformer design methodology using multi-objective evolutionary optimization.

Science.gov (United States)

Adly, Amr A; Abd-El-Hafiz, Salwa K

2015-05-01

Transformers are regarded as crucial components in power systems. Due to market globalization, power transformer manufacturers are facing an increasingly competitive environment that mandates the adoption of design strategies yielding better performance at lower costs. In this paper, a power transformer design methodology using multi-objective evolutionary optimization is proposed. Using this methodology, which is tailored to be target performance design-oriented, quick rough estimation of transformer design specifics may be inferred. Testing of the suggested approach revealed significant qualitative and quantitative match with measured design and performance values. Details of the proposed methodology as well as sample design results are reported in the paper.

Design, manufacture, and calibration of infrared radiometric blackbody sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byrd, D.A.; Michaud, F.D.; Bender, S.C.

1996-04-01

A Radiometric Calibration Station (RCS) is being assembled at the Los Alamos National Laboratories (LANL) which will allow for calibration of sensors with detector arrays having spectral capability from about 0.4-15 μm. The configuration of the LANL RCS. Two blackbody sources have been designed to cover the spectral range from about 3-15 μm, operating at temperatures ranging from about 180-350 K within a vacuum environment. The sources are designed to present a uniform spectral radiance over a large area to the sensor unit under test. The thermal uniformity requirement of the blackbody cavities has been one of the key factors of the design, requiring less than 50 mK variation over the entire blackbody surface to attain effective emissivity values of about 0.999. Once the two units are built and verified to the level of about 100 mK at LANL, they will be sent to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where at least a factor of two improvement will be calibrated into the blackbody control system. The physical size of these assemblies will require modifications of the existing NIST Low Background Infrared (LBIR) Facility. LANL has constructed a bolt-on addition to the LBIR facility that will allow calibration of our large aperture sources. Methodology for attaining the two blackbody sources at calibrated levels of performance equivalent to present state of the art will be explained in the following

Updates on the Performance and Calibration of HST/STIS

Science.gov (United States)

Lockwood, Sean A.; Monroe, TalaWanda R.; Ogaz, Sara; Branton, Doug; Carlberg, Joleen K.; Debes, John H.; Jedrzejewski, Robert I.; Proffitt, Charles R.; Riley, Allyssa; Sohn, Sangmo Tony; Sonnentrucker, Paule; Walborn, Nolan R.; Welty, Daniel

2018-06-01

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has been in orbit for 21 years and continues to produce high quality scientific results using a diverse complement of operating modes. These include spatially resolved spectroscopy in the UV and optical, high spatial resolution echelle spectroscopy in the UV, and solar-blind imaging in the UV. In addition, STIS possesses unique visible-light coronagraphic modes that keep the instrument at the forefront of exoplanet and debris-disk research. As the instrument's characteristics evolve over its lifetime, the instrument team at the Space Telescope Science Institute monitors its performance and works towards improving the quality of its data products. Here we present updates on the status of the STIS CCD and FUV & NUV MAMA detectors, as well as changes to the CalSTIS reduction pipeline. We also discuss progress toward the recalibration of the E140M/1425 echelle mode. The E140M grating blaze function shapes have changed since flux calibration was carried out following SM4, which limits the relative photometric flux accuracy of some spectral orders up to 5-10% at the edges. In Cycle 25 a special calibration program was executed to obtain updated sensitivity curves for the E140M/1425 setting.

M&A Performance and Economic Impact: Integration and Critical Assessment of Methodological Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karolis Andriuskevicius

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Purpose of the article: Existing methodologies employed within the M&A performance framework are investigated and critically discuss. Methodology/methods: The research has been carried out as a structured assessment of past literature. The findings from scientific articles and studies by various scholars have been categorized, grouped and summarized to discern a meta-analytic view of the work carried out to date. Scientific aim: The conducted research seeks to ascertain and evaluate theoretically existing methodologies used in empirical studies that would allow proper and critical understanding of the results of various findings in the holistic and global M&As area. Findings: The research elaborates on several key developments in M&A methodology and performance studies carried out in empirical works during the last two decades. The findings help to independently and objectively assess performance of M&A from a holistic perspective. Conclusions: Each methodology measuring either M&A performance on a corporate level or effects of M&A on the economy level shall be interpreted and relied on with caution as each of them dispose their limitations whereas application of these methodologies is subject to data availability and case specific.

Calibration and performance of the ATLAS Tile Calorimeter during the Run 2 of the LHC

CERN Document Server

Solovyanov, Oleg; The ATLAS collaboration

2017-01-01

The Tile Calorimeter (TileCal) is a hadronic calorimeter covering the central region of the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. It is a non-compensating sampling calorimeter comprised of steel and scintillating plastic tiles which are read-out by photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). The TileCal is regularly monitored and calibrated by several different calibration systems: a Cs radioactive source that illuminates the scintillating tiles directly, a laser light system to directly test the PMT response and a charge injection system (CIS) for the front-end electronics. These calibrations systems, in conjunction with data collected during proton-proton collisions, provide extensive monitoring of the instrument and a means for equalising the calorimeter response at each stage of the signal propagation. The performance of the calorimeter and its calibration has been established with cosmic ray muons and the large sample of the proton-proton collisions to study the energy response at the electromagnetic scale, probe of the hadron...

Calibration and Performance of the ATLAS Tile Calorimeter During the Run 2 of the LHC

CERN Document Server

Solovyanov, Oleg; The ATLAS collaboration

2017-01-01

The Tile Calorimeter (TileCal) is a hadronic calorimeter covering the central region of the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. It is a non-compensating sampling calorimeter comprised of steel and scintillating plastic tiles which are read-out by photomultiplier tubes (PMT). The TileCal is regularly monitored and calibrated by several di erent calibration systems: a Cs radioactive source that illuminates the scintillating tiles directly, a laser light system to directly test the PMT response, and a charge injection system (CIS) for the front-end electronics. These calibrations systems, in conjunction with data collected during proton-proton collisions, provide extensive monitoring of the instrument and a means for equalizing the calorimeter response at each stage of the signal propagation. The performance of the calorimeter and its calibration has been established with cosmic ray muons and the large sample of the proton-proton collisions to study the energy response at the electromagnetic scale, probe of the hadroni...

Development and performance of a calibration system for a large calorimeter array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arenton, M.; Dawson, J.; Ditzler, W.R.

1982-01-01

Experiment 609 at Fermilab is a study of the properties of high-p/sub t/ collisions using a large segmented hadron calorimeter. The calibration and monitoring of such a large calorimeter array is a difficult undertaking. This paper describes the systems developed by E609 for automatic monitoring of the phototube gains and performance of the associated electronics

Evaluation of analytical performance based on partial order methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Carlsen, Lars; Bruggemann, Rainer; Kenessova, Olga; Erzhigitov, Erkin

2015-01-01

Classical measurements of performances are typically based on linear scales. However, in analytical chemistry a simple scale may be not sufficient to analyze the analytical performance appropriately. Here partial order methodology can be helpful. Within the context described here, partial order analysis can be seen as an ordinal analysis of data matrices, especially to simplify the relative comparisons of objects due to their data profile (the ordered set of values an object have). Hence, partial order methodology offers a unique possibility to evaluate analytical performance. In the present data as, e.g., provided by the laboratories through interlaboratory comparisons or proficiency testings is used as an illustrative example. However, the presented scheme is likewise applicable for comparison of analytical methods or simply as a tool for optimization of an analytical method. The methodology can be applied without presumptions or pretreatment of the analytical data provided in order to evaluate the analytical performance taking into account all indicators simultaneously and thus elucidating a "distance" from the true value. In the present illustrative example it is assumed that the laboratories analyze a given sample several times and subsequently report the mean value, the standard deviation and the skewness, which simultaneously are used for the evaluation of the analytical performance. The analyses lead to information concerning (1) a partial ordering of the laboratories, subsequently, (2) a "distance" to the Reference laboratory and (3) a classification due to the concept of "peculiar points". Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mercury Continuous Emmission Monitor Calibration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

John Schabron; Eric Kalberer; Ryan Boysen; William Schuster; Joseph Rovani

2009-03-12

Mercury continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMs) are being implemented in over 800 coal-fired power plant stacks throughput the U.S. Western Research Institute (WRI) is working closely with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to facilitate the development of the experimental criteria for a NIST traceability protocol for dynamic elemental mercury vapor calibrators/generators. These devices are used to calibrate mercury CEMs at power plant sites. The Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR) which was published in the Federal Register on May 18, 2005 and vacated by a Federal appeals court in early 2008 required that calibration be performed with NIST-traceable standards. Despite the vacature, mercury emissions regulations in the future will require NIST traceable calibration standards, and EPA does not want to interrupt the effort towards developing NIST traceability protocols. The traceability procedures will be defined by EPA. An initial draft traceability protocol was issued by EPA in May 2007 for comment. In August 2007, EPA issued a conceptual interim traceability protocol for elemental mercury calibrators. The protocol is based on the actual analysis of the output of each calibration unit at several concentration levels ranging initially from about 2-40 {micro}g/m{sup 3} elemental mercury, and in the future down to 0.2 {micro}g/m{sup 3}, and this analysis will be directly traceable to analyses by NIST. The EPA traceability protocol document is divided into two separate sections. The first deals with the qualification of calibrator models by the vendors for use in mercury CEM calibration. The second describes the procedure that the vendors must use to certify the calibrators that meet the qualification specifications. The NIST traceable certification is performance based, traceable to analysis using isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma

Non-Uniformity Correction Using Nonlinear Characteristic Performance Curves for Calibration

Science.gov (United States)

Lovejoy, McKenna Roberts

Infrared imaging is an expansive field with many applications. Advances in infrared technology have lead to a greater demand from both commercial and military sectors. However, a known problem with infrared imaging is its non-uniformity. This non-uniformity stems from the fact that each pixel in an infrared focal plane array has its own photoresponse. Many factors such as exposure time, temperature, and amplifier choice affect how the pixels respond to incoming illumination and thus impact image uniformity. To improve performance non-uniformity correction (NUC) techniques are applied. Standard calibration based techniques commonly use a linear model to approximate the nonlinear response. This often leaves unacceptable levels of residual non-uniformity. Calibration techniques often have to be repeated during use to continually correct the image. In this dissertation alternates to linear NUC algorithms are investigated. The goal of this dissertation is to determine and compare nonlinear non-uniformity correction algorithms. Ideally the results will provide better NUC performance resulting in less residual non-uniformity as well as reduce the need for recalibration. This dissertation will consider new approaches to nonlinear NUC such as higher order polynomials and exponentials. More specifically, a new gain equalization algorithm has been developed. The various nonlinear non-uniformity correction algorithms will be compared with common linear non-uniformity correction algorithms. Performance will be compared based on RMS errors, residual non-uniformity, and the impact quantization has on correction. Performance will be improved by identifying and replacing bad pixels prior to correction. Two bad pixel identification and replacement techniques will be investigated and compared. Performance will be presented in the form of simulation results as well as before and after images taken with short wave infrared cameras. The initial results show, using a third order

Performance improvement using methodology: case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Harmelink, Stacy

2008-01-01

The department of radiology at St. Luke's Regional Medical Center in Sioux City, IA implemented meaningful workflow changes for reducing patient wait times and, at the same time, improved customer and employee satisfaction scores. Lean methodology and the 7 Deadly Wastes, along with small group interaction, was used to evaluate and change the process of a patient waiting for an exam in the radiology department. The most important key to the success of a performance improvement project is the involvement of staff.

Methodology for performing measurements to release material from radiological control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durham, J.S.; Gardner, D.L.

1993-09-01

This report describes the existing and proposed methodologies for performing measurements of contamination prior to releasing material for uncontrolled use at the Hanford Site. The technical basis for the proposed methodology, a modification to the existing contamination survey protocol, is also described. The modified methodology, which includes a large-area swipe followed by a statistical survey, can be used to survey material that is unlikely to be contaminated for release to controlled and uncontrolled areas. The material evaluation procedure that is used to determine the likelihood of contamination is also described

Impact of automatic calibration techniques on HMD life cycle costs and sustainable performance

Science.gov (United States)

Speck, Richard P.; Herz, Norman E., Jr.

2000-06-01

Automatic test and calibration has become a valuable feature in many consumer products--ranging from antilock braking systems to auto-tune TVs. This paper discusses HMDs (Helmet Mounted Displays) and how similar techniques can reduce life cycle costs and increase sustainable performance if they are integrated into a program early enough. Optical ATE (Automatic Test Equipment) is already zeroing distortion in the HMDs and thereby making binocular displays a practical reality. A suitcase sized, field portable optical ATE unit could re-zero these errors in the Ready Room to cancel the effects of aging, minor damage and component replacement. Planning on this would yield large savings through relaxed component specifications and reduced logistic costs. Yet, the sustained performance would far exceed that attained with fixed calibration strategies. Major tactical benefits can come from reducing display errors, particularly in information fusion modules and virtual `beyond visual range' operations. Some versions of the ATE described are in production and examples of high resolution optical test data will be discussed.

UCalMiCeL – UNIFIED INTRINSIC AND EXTRINSIC CALIBRATION OF A MULTI-CAMERA-SYSTEM AND A LASERSCANNER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Hillemann

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV with adequate sensors enable new applications in the scope between expensive, large-scale, aircraftcarried remote sensing and time-consuming, small-scale, terrestrial surveyings. To perform these applications, cameras and laserscanners are a good sensor combination, due to their complementary properties. To exploit this sensor combination the intrinsics and relative poses of the individual cameras and the relative poses of the cameras and the laserscanners have to be known. In this manuscript, we present a calibration methodology for the Unified Intrinsic and Extrinsic Calibration of a Multi-Camera-System and a Laserscanner (UCalMiCeL. The innovation of this methodology, which is an extension to the calibration of a single camera to a line laserscanner, is an unifying bundle adjustment step to ensure an optimal calibration of the entire sensor system. We use generic camera models, including pinhole, omnidirectional and fisheye cameras. For our approach, the laserscanner and each camera have to share a joint field of view, whereas the fields of view of the individual cameras may be disjoint. The calibration approach is tested with a sensor system consisting of two fisheye cameras and a line laserscanner with a range measuring accuracy of 30 mm. We evaluate the estimated relative poses between the cameras quantitatively by using an additional calibration approach for Multi-Camera-Systems based on control points which are accurately measured by a motion capture system. In the experiments, our novel calibration method achieves a relative pose estimation with a deviation below 1.8° and 6.4 mm.

The GERDA calibration system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baudis, Laura; Froborg, Francis; Tarka, Michael; Bruch, Tobias; Ferella, Alfredo [Physik-Institut, Universitaet Zuerich (Switzerland); Collaboration: GERDA-Collaboration

2012-07-01

A system with three identical custom made units is used for the energy calibration of the GERDA Ge diodes. To perform a calibration the {sup 228}Th sources are lowered from the parking positions at the top of the cryostat. Their positions are measured by two independent modules. One, the incremental encoder, counts the holes in the perforated steel band holding the sources, the other measures the drive shaft's angular position even if not powered. The system can be controlled remotely by a Labview program. The calibration data is analyzed by an iterative calibration algorithm determining the calibration functions for different energy reconstruction algorithms and the resolution of several peaks in the {sup 228}Th spectrum is determined. A Monte Carlo simulation using the GERDA simulation software MAGE has been performed to determine the background induced by the sources in the parking positions.

A calibration rig for multi-component internal strain gauge balance using the new design-of-experiment (DOE) approach

Science.gov (United States)

Nouri, N. M.; Mostafapour, K.; Kamran, M.

2018-02-01

In a closed water-tunnel circuit, the multi-component strain gauge force and moment sensor (also known as balance) are generally used to measure hydrodynamic forces and moments acting on scaled models. These balances are periodically calibrated by static loading. Their performance and accuracy depend significantly on the rig and the method of calibration. In this research, a new calibration rig was designed and constructed to calibrate multi-component internal strain gauge balances. The calibration rig has six degrees of freedom and six different component-loading structures that can be applied separately and synchronously. The system was designed based on the applicability of formal experimental design techniques, using gravity for balance loading and balance positioning and alignment relative to gravity. To evaluate the calibration rig, a six-component internal balance developed by Iran University of Science and Technology was calibrated using response surface methodology. According to the results, calibration rig met all design criteria. This rig provides the means by which various methods of formal experimental design techniques can be implemented. The simplicity of the rig saves time and money in the design of experiments and in balance calibration while simultaneously increasing the accuracy of these activities.

Site Calibration report

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yordanova, Ginka; Vesth, Allan

The report describes site calibration measurements carried out on a site in Denmark. The measurements are carried out in accordance to Ref. [1]. The site calibration is carried out before a power performance measurement on a given turbine to clarify the influence from the terrain on the ratio...

Performance and calibration of the CHORUS scintillating fiber tracker and opto-electronics readout system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Annis, P.; Aoki, S.; Brunner, J.; De Jong, M.; Fabre, J.P.; Ferreira, R.; Flegel, W.; Frekers, D.; Gregoire, G.; Herin, J.; Kobayashi, M.; Konijn, J.; Lemaitre, V.; Macina, D.; Meijer Drees, R.; Meinhard, H.; Michel, L.; Mommaert, C.; Nakamura, K.; Nakamura, M.; Nakano, T.; Niwa, K.; Niu, E.; Panman, J.; Riccardi, F.; Rondeshagen, D.; Sato, O.; Stefanini, G.; Vander Donckt, M.; Vilain, P.; Wilquet, G.; Winter, K.; Wong, H.T.

1995-01-01

An essential component of the CERN WA95/CHORUS experiment is a scintillating fiber tracker system for precise track reconstruction of particles. The tracker design, its opto-electronics readout and calibration system are discussed. Performances of the detector are presented. (orig.)

Methodologic Guide for Evaluating Clinical Performance and Effect of Artificial Intelligence Technology for Medical Diagnosis and Prediction.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Seong Ho; Han, Kyunghwa

2018-03-01

The use of artificial intelligence in medicine is currently an issue of great interest, especially with regard to the diagnostic or predictive analysis of medical images. Adoption of an artificial intelligence tool in clinical practice requires careful confirmation of its clinical utility. Herein, the authors explain key methodology points involved in a clinical evaluation of artificial intelligence technology for use in medicine, especially high-dimensional or overparameterized diagnostic or predictive models in which artificial deep neural networks are used, mainly from the standpoints of clinical epidemiology and biostatistics. First, statistical methods for assessing the discrimination and calibration performances of a diagnostic or predictive model are summarized. Next, the effects of disease manifestation spectrum and disease prevalence on the performance results are explained, followed by a discussion of the difference between evaluating the performance with use of internal and external datasets, the importance of using an adequate external dataset obtained from a well-defined clinical cohort to avoid overestimating the clinical performance as a result of overfitting in high-dimensional or overparameterized classification model and spectrum bias, and the essentials for achieving a more robust clinical evaluation. Finally, the authors review the role of clinical trials and observational outcome studies for ultimate clinical verification of diagnostic or predictive artificial intelligence tools through patient outcomes, beyond performance metrics, and how to design such studies. © RSNA, 2018.

Sensitivity analysis and development of calibration methodology for near-surface hydrogeology model of Forsmark

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aneljung, Maria; Gustafsson, Lars-Goeran

2007-04-01

. Differences in the aquifer refilling process subsequent to dry periods, for example a too slow refill when the groundwater table rises after dry summers. This may be due to local deviations in the applied pF-curves in the unsaturated zone description. Differences in near-surface groundwater elevations. For example, the calculated groundwater level reaches the ground surface during the fall and spring at locations where the measured groundwater depth is just below the ground surface. This may be due to the presence of near-surface high-conductive layers. A sensitivity analysis has been made on calibration parameters. For parameters that have 'global' effects, such as the hydraulic conductivity in the saturated zone, the analysis was performed using the 'full' model. For parameters with more local effects, such as parameters influencing the evapotranspiration and the net recharge, the model was scaled down to a column model, representing two different type areas. The most important conclusions that can be drawn from the sensitivity analysis are the following: The results indicate that the horizontal hydraulic conductivity generally should be increased at topographic highs, and reduced at local depressions in the topography. The results indicate that no changes should be made to the vertical hydraulic conductivity at locations where the horizontal conductivity has been increased, and that the vertical conductivity generally should be decreased where the horizontal conductivity has been decreased. The vegetation parameters that have the largest influence on the total groundwater recharge are the root mass distribution and the crop coefficient. The unsaturated zone parameter that have the largest influence on the total groundwater recharge is the effective porosity given in the pF-curve. In addition, the shape of the pF-curve above the water content at field capacity is also of great importance. The general conclusion is that the surrounding conditions have large effects on water

Sensitivity analysis and development of calibration methodology for near-surface hydrogeology model of Forsmark

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aneljung, Maria; Gustafsson, Lars-Goeran [DHI Water and Environment AB, Goeteborg (Sweden)

2007-04-15

. Differences in the aquifer refilling process subsequent to dry periods, for example a too slow refill when the groundwater table rises after dry summers. This may be due to local deviations in the applied pF-curves in the unsaturated zone description. Differences in near-surface groundwater elevations. For example, the calculated groundwater level reaches the ground surface during the fall and spring at locations where the measured groundwater depth is just below the ground surface. This may be due to the presence of near-surface high-conductive layers. A sensitivity analysis has been made on calibration parameters. For parameters that have 'global' effects, such as the hydraulic conductivity in the saturated zone, the analysis was performed using the 'full' model. For parameters with more local effects, such as parameters influencing the evapotranspiration and the net recharge, the model was scaled down to a column model, representing two different type areas. The most important conclusions that can be drawn from the sensitivity analysis are the following: The results indicate that the horizontal hydraulic conductivity generally should be increased at topographic highs, and reduced at local depressions in the topography. The results indicate that no changes should be made to the vertical hydraulic conductivity at locations where the horizontal conductivity has been increased, and that the vertical conductivity generally should be decreased where the horizontal conductivity has been decreased. The vegetation parameters that have the largest influence on the total groundwater recharge are the root mass distribution and the crop coefficient. The unsaturated zone parameter that have the largest influence on the total groundwater recharge is the effective porosity given in the pF-curve. In addition, the shape of the pF-curve above the water content at field capacity is also of great importance. The general conclusion is that the surrounding conditions have

Improvements in absolute seismometer sensitivity calibration using local earth gravity measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Anthony, Robert E.; Ringler, Adam; Wilson, David

2018-01-01

The ability to determine both absolute and relative seismic amplitudes is fundamentally limited by the accuracy and precision with which scientists are able to calibrate seismometer sensitivities and characterize their response. Currently, across the Global Seismic Network (GSN), errors in midband sensitivity exceed 3% at the 95% confidence interval and are the least‐constrained response parameter in seismic recording systems. We explore a new methodology utilizing precise absolute Earth gravity measurements to determine the midband sensitivity of seismic instruments. We first determine the absolute sensitivity of Kinemetrics EpiSensor accelerometers to 0.06% at the 99% confidence interval by inverting them in a known gravity field at the Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory (ASL). After the accelerometer is calibrated, we install it in its normal configuration next to broadband seismometers and subject the sensors to identical ground motions to perform relative calibrations of the broadband sensors. Using this technique, we are able to determine the absolute midband sensitivity of the vertical components of Nanometrics Trillium Compact seismometers to within 0.11% and Streckeisen STS‐2 seismometers to within 0.14% at the 99% confidence interval. The technique enables absolute calibrations from first principles that are traceable to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) measurements while providing nearly an order of magnitude more precision than step‐table calibrations.

Methodology for Multileaf Collimator Quality Assurance in clinical conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diaz M, R. M.; Rodriguez Z, M.; Juarez D, A.; Romero R, R.

2013-01-01

Multileaf Collimators (MLCs) have become an important technological advance as part of clinical linear accelerators (linacs) for radiotherapy. Treatment planning and delivery were substantially modified after these devices. However, it was needed to develop Quality Assurance (QA) methodologies related to the performance of these developments. The most common methods for QA of MLC are made in basic conditions that hardly cover all possible difficulties in clinical practice. Diaz et. el. developed a methodology based upon volumetric detectors bidimensional arrays that can be extended to more demanding situations. In this work, the Auril methodology of Diaz et. al. was implemented to the irradiation with the linac gantry in horizontal position. A mathematical procedure was developed to ease the dosimetric centering of the device with the Auril centering tool. System calibration was made as in the typical Auril methodology. Patterns with leaf misplacements in known positions were irradiated. the method allowed the detection of leafs' misplacements with a minimum number of false positives. We concluded that Auril methodology can be applied in clinical conditions. (Author)

Calibration of a Modified Californium Shuffler

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sadowski, E.T.; Armstrong, F.; Oldham, R.; Ceo, R.; Williams, N.

1995-01-01

A californium shuffler originally designed to assay hollow cylindrical pieces of UA1 has been modified to assay solid cylinders. Calibration standards were characterized via chemical analysis of the molten UA1 taken during casting of the standards. The melt samples yielded much more reliable characterization data than drill samples taken from standards after the standards had solidified. By normalizing one well-characterized calibration curve to several standards at different enrichments, a relatively small number of standards was required to develop an enrichment-dependent calibration. The precision of this shuffler is 0.65%, and the typical random and systematic uncertainties are 0.53% and 0.73%, respectively, for a six minute assay of an ingot containing approximately 700 grams of 235 U. This paper will discuss (1) the discrepancies encountered when UA1 standards were characterized via melt samples versus drill samples, (2) a calibration methodology employing a small number of standards, and (3) a comparison of results from a previously unused shuffler with an existing shuffler. A small number of UA1 standards have been characterized using samples from the homogeneous molten state and have yielded enrichment-dependent and enrichment-independent calibration curves on two different shufflers

Beam standardization and dosimetric methodology in computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maia, Ana Figueiredo

2005-01-01

Special ionization chambers, named pencil ionization chambers, are used in dosimetric procedures in computed tomography beams (CT). In this work, an extensive study about pencil ionization chambers was performed, as a contribution to the accuracy of the dosimetric procedures in CT beams. The international scientific community has recently been discussing the need of the establishment of a specific calibration procedure for CT ionization chambers, once these chambers present special characteristics that differentiate them from other ionization chambers used in diagnostic radiology beams. In this work, an adequate calibration procedure for pencil ionization chambers was established at the Calibration Laboratory, of the Institute de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares, in accordance with the most recent international recommendations. Two calibration methodologies were tested and analyzed by comparative studies. Moreover, a new extended length parallel plate ionization chamber, with a transversal section very similar to pencil ionization chambers, was developed. The operational characteristics of this chamber were determined and the results obtained showed that its behaviour is adequate as a reference system in CT standard beams. Two other studies were performed during this work, both using CT ionization chambers. The first study was about the performance of a pencil ionization chamber in standard radiation beams of several types and energies, and the results showed that this chamber presents satisfactory behaviour in other radiation qualities as of diagnostic radiology, mammography and radiotherapy. In the second study, a tandem system for verification of hal'-value layer variations in CT equipment, using a pencil ionization chamber, was developed. Because of the X rays tube rotation, the determination of half-value layers in computed tomography equipment is not an easy task, and it is usually not performed within quality control programs. (author)

SCALA: In situ calibration for integral field spectrographs

Science.gov (United States)

Lombardo, S.; Küsters, D.; Kowalski, M.; Aldering, G.; Antilogus, P.; Bailey, S.; Baltay, C.; Barbary, K.; Baugh, D.; Bongard, S.; Boone, K.; Buton, C.; Chen, J.; Chotard, N.; Copin, Y.; Dixon, S.; Fagrelius, P.; Feindt, U.; Fouchez, D.; Gangler, E.; Hayden, B.; Hillebrandt, W.; Hoffmann, A.; Kim, A. G.; Leget, P.-F.; McKay, L.; Nordin, J.; Pain, R.; Pécontal, E.; Pereira, R.; Perlmutter, S.; Rabinowitz, D.; Reif, K.; Rigault, M.; Rubin, D.; Runge, K.; Saunders, C.; Smadja, G.; Suzuki, N.; Taubenberger, S.; Tao, C.; Thomas, R. C.; Nearby Supernova Factory

2017-11-01

Aims: The scientific yield of current and future optical surveys is increasingly limited by systematic uncertainties in the flux calibration. This is the case for type Ia supernova (SN Ia) cosmology programs, where an improved calibration directly translates into improved cosmological constraints. Current methodology rests on models of stars. Here we aim to obtain flux calibration that is traceable to state-of-the-art detector-based calibration. Methods: We present the SNIFS Calibration Apparatus (SCALA), a color (relative) flux calibration system developed for the SuperNova integral field spectrograph (SNIFS), operating at the University of Hawaii 2.2 m (UH 88) telescope. Results: By comparing the color trend of the illumination generated by SCALA during two commissioning runs, and to previous laboratory measurements, we show that we can determine the light emitted by SCALA with a long-term repeatability better than 1%. We describe the calibration procedure necessary to control for system aging. We present measurements of the SNIFS throughput as estimated by SCALA observations. Conclusions: The SCALA calibration unit is now fully deployed at the UH 88 telescope, and with it color-calibration between 4000 Å and 9000 Å is stable at the percent level over a one-year baseline.

High Gain Antenna Calibration on Three Spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Hashmall, Joseph A.

2011-01-01

This paper describes the alignment calibration of spacecraft High Gain Antennas (HGAs) for three missions. For two of the missions (the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Solar Dynamics Observatory) the calibration was performed on orbit. For the third mission (the Global Precipitation Measurement core satellite) ground simulation of the calibration was performed in a calibration feasibility study. These three satellites provide a range of calibration situations-Lunar orbit transmitting to a ground antenna for LRO, geosynchronous orbit transmitting to a ground antenna fer SDO, and low Earth orbit transmitting to TDRS satellites for GPM The calibration results depend strongly on the quality and quantity of calibration data. With insufficient data the calibration Junction may give erroneous solutions. Manual intervention in the calibration allowed reliable parameters to be generated for all three missions.

Guidance on the Technology Performance Level (TPL) Assessment Methodology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weber, Jochem [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Roberts, Jesse D. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Babarit, Aurelien [Ecole Centrale de Nantes (France). Lab. of Research in Hydrodynamics, Energetics and Atmospheric Environment (LHEEA); Costello, Ronan [Wave Venture, Penstraze (United Kingdom); Bull, Diana L. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Neilson, Kim [Ramboll, Copenhagen (Denmark); Bittencourt, Claudio [DNV GL, London (United Kingdom); Kennedy, Ben [Wave Venture, Penstraze (United Kingdom); Malins, Robert Joseph [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Dykes, Katherine [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2016-09-01

This document presents the revised Technology Performance Level (TPL) assessment methodology. There are three parts to this revised methodology 1) the Stakeholder Needs and Assessment Guidance (this document), 2) the Technical Submission form, 3) the TPL scoring spreadsheet. The TPL assessment is designed to give a technology neutral or agnostic assessment of any wave energy converter technology. The focus of the TPL is on the performance of the technology in meeting the customer’s needs. The original TPL is described in [1, 2] and those references also detail the critical differences in the nature of the TPL when compared to the more widely used technology readiness level (TRL). (Wave energy TRL is described in [3]). The revised TPL is particularly intended to be useful to investors and also to assist technology developers to conduct comprehensive assessments in a way that is meaningful and attractive to investors. The revised TPL assessment methodology has been derived through a structured Systems Engineering approach. This was a formal process which involved analyzing customer and stakeholder needs through the discipline of Systems Engineering. The results of the process confirmed the high level of completeness of the original methodology presented in [1] (as used in the Wave Energy Prize judging) and now add a significantly increased level of detail in the assessment and an improved more investment focused structure. The revised TPL also incorporates the feedback of the Wave Energy Prize judges.

Design methodology to enhance high impedance surfaces performances

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Grelier

2014-04-01

Full Text Available A methodology is introduced for designing wideband, compact and ultra-thin high impedance surfaces (HIS. A parametric study is carried out to examine the effect of the periodicity on the electromagnetic properties of an HIS. This approach allows designers to reach the best trade-off for HIS performances.

A New Calibration Methodology for Thorax and Upper Limbs Motion Capture in Children Using Magneto and Inertial Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luca Ricci

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Recent advances in wearable sensor technologies for motion capture have produced devices, mainly based on magneto and inertial measurement units (M-IMU, that are now suitable for out-of-the-lab use with children. In fact, the reduced size, weight and the wireless connectivity meet the requirement of minimum obtrusivity and give scientists the possibility to analyze children’s motion in daily life contexts. Typical use of magneto and inertial measurement units (M-IMU motion capture systems is based on attaching a sensing unit to each body segment of interest. The correct use of this setup requires a specific calibration methodology that allows mapping measurements from the sensors’ frames of reference into useful kinematic information in the human limbs’ frames of reference. The present work addresses this specific issue, presenting a calibration protocol to capture the kinematics of the upper limbs and thorax in typically developing (TD children. The proposed method allows the construction, on each body segment, of a meaningful system of coordinates that are representative of real physiological motions and that are referred to as functional frames (FFs. We will also present a novel cost function for the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm, to retrieve the rotation matrices between each sensor frame (SF and the corresponding FF. Reported results on a group of 40 children suggest that the method is repeatable and reliable, opening the way to the extensive use of this technology for out-of-the-lab motion capture in children.

Integrated cost estimation methodology to support high-performance building design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vaidya, Prasad; Greden, Lara; Eijadi, David; McDougall, Tom [The Weidt Group, Minnetonka (United States); Cole, Ray [Axiom Engineers, Monterey (United States)

2007-07-01

Design teams evaluating the performance of energy conservation measures (ECMs) calculate energy savings rigorously with established modelling protocols, accounting for the interaction between various measures. However, incremental cost calculations do not have a similar rigor. Often there is no recognition of cost reductions with integrated design, nor is there assessment of cost interactions amongst measures. This lack of rigor feeds the notion that high-performance buildings cost more, creating a barrier for design teams pursuing aggressive high-performance outcomes. This study proposes an alternative integrated methodology to arrive at a lower perceived incremental cost for improved energy performance. The methodology is based on the use of energy simulations as means towards integrated design and cost estimation. Various points along the spectrum of integration are identified and characterized by the amount of design effort invested, the scheduling of effort, and relative energy performance of the resultant design. It includes a study of the interactions between building system parameters as they relate to capital costs. Several cost interactions amongst energy measures are found to be significant.The value of this approach is demonstrated with alternatives in a case study that shows the differences between perceived costs for energy measures along various points on the integration spectrum. These alternatives show design tradeoffs and identify how decisions would have been different with a standard costing approach. Areas of further research to make the methodology more robust are identified. Policy measures to encourage the integrated approach and reduce the barriers towards improved energy performance are discussed.

The S-NPP VIIRS Day-Night Band On-Orbit Calibration/Characterization and Current State of SDR Products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shihyan Lee

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The launch of VIIRS on-board the Suomi-National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP on 28 October 2011, marked the beginning of the next chapter on nighttime lights observation started by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program’s (DMSP OLS sensor more than two decades ago. The VIIRS observes the nighttime lights on Earth through its day-night band (DNB, a panchromatic channel covering the wavelengths from 500 nm to 900 nm. Compared to its predecessors, the VIIRS DNB has a much improved spatial/temporal resolution, radiometric sensitivity and, more importantly, continuous calibration using on-board calibrators (OBCs. In this paper, we describe the current state of the NASA calibration and characterization methodology used in supporting mission data quality assurance and producing consistent mission-wide sensor data records (SDRs through NASA’s Land Product Evaluation and Analysis Tool Element (Land PEATE. The NASA calibration method utilizes the OBCs to determine gains, offset drift and sign-to-noise ratio (SNR over the entire mission. In gain determination, the time-dependent relative spectral response (RSR is used to correct the optical throughput change over time. A deep space view acquired during an S-NPP pitch maneuver is used to compute the airglow free dark offset for DNB’s high gain stage. The DNB stray light is estimated each month from new-moon dark Earth surface observations to remove the excessive stray light over the day-night terminators. As the VIIRS DNB on-orbit calibration is the first of its kind, the evolution of the calibration methodology is evident when the S-NPP VIIRS’s official calibrations are compared with our latest mission-wide reprocessing. In the future, the DNB calibration methodology is likely to continue evolving, and the mission-wide reprocessing is a key to providing consistently calibrated DNB SDRs for the user community. In the meantime, the NASA Land PEATE provides an alternative source to obtain

Modelling of thermal hydraulics in a KAROLINA calorimeter for its calibration methodology validation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luks Aleksandra

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Results of numerical calculations of heat exchange in a nuclear heating detector for nuclear reactors are presented in this paper. The gamma radiation is generated in nuclear reactor during fission and radiative capture reactions as well as radioactive decay of its products. A single-cell calorimeter has been designed for application in the MARIA research reactor in the National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ in Świerk near Warsaw, Poland, and can also be used in the Jules Horowitz Reactor (JHR, which is under construction in the research centre in Cadarache, France. It consists of a cylindrical sample, which is surrounded by a gas layer, contained in a cylindrical housing. Additional calculations had to be performed before its insertion into the reactor. Within this analysis, modern computational fluid dynamics (CFD methods have been used for assessing important parameters, for example, mean surface temperature, mean volume temperature, and maximum sample (calorimeter core temperature. Results of an experiment performed at a dedicated out-of-pile calibration bench and results of numerical modelling validation are also included in this paper.

Stochastic calibration and learning in nonstationary hydroeconomic models

Science.gov (United States)

Maneta, M. P.; Howitt, R.

2014-05-01

Concern about water scarcity and adverse climate events over agricultural regions has motivated a number of efforts to develop operational integrated hydroeconomic models to guide adaptation and optimal use of water. Once calibrated, these models are used for water management and analysis assuming they remain valid under future conditions. In this paper, we present and demonstrate a methodology that permits the recursive calibration of economic models of agricultural production from noisy but frequently available data. We use a standard economic calibration approach, namely positive mathematical programming, integrated in a data assimilation algorithm based on the ensemble Kalman filter equations to identify the economic model parameters. A moving average kernel ensures that new and past information on agricultural activity are blended during the calibration process, avoiding loss of information and overcalibration for the conditions of a single year. A regularization constraint akin to the standard Tikhonov regularization is included in the filter to ensure its stability even in the presence of parameters with low sensitivity to observations. The results show that the implementation of the PMP methodology within a data assimilation framework based on the enKF equations is an effective method to calibrate models of agricultural production even with noisy information. The recursive nature of the method incorporates new information as an added value to the known previous observations of agricultural activity without the need to store historical information. The robustness of the method opens the door to the use of new remote sensing algorithms for operational water management.

Development of new methodology for dose calculation in photographic dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daltro, T.F.L.

1994-01-01

A new methodology for equivalent dose calculations has been developed at IPEN-CNEN/SP to be applied at the Photographic Dosimetry Laboratory using artificial intelligence techniques by means of neutral network. The research was orientated towards the optimization of the whole set of parameters involves in the film processing going from the irradiation in order to obtain the calibration curve up to the optical density readings. The learning of the neutral network was performed by taking the readings of optical density from calibration curve as input and the effective energy and equivalent dose as output. The obtained results in the intercomparison show an excellent agreement with the actual values of dose and energy given by the National Metrology Laboratory of Ionizing Radiation. (author)

Development of new methodology for dose calculation in photographic dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daltro, T.F.L.; Campos, L.L.

1994-01-01

A new methodology for equivalent dose calculation has been developed at IPEN-CNEN/SP to be applied at the Photographic Dosimetry Laboratory using artificial intelligence techniques by means of neural network. The research was oriented towards the optimization of the whole set of parameters involved in the film processing going from the irradiation in order to obtain the calibration curve up to the optical density readings. The learning of the neural network was performed by taking readings of optical density from calibration curve as input and the effective energy and equivalent dose as output. The obtained results in the intercomparison show an excellent agreement with the actual values of dose and energy given by the National Metrology Laboratory of Ionizing Radiation

Establishment of a new calibration method of pencil ionization chamber for dosimetry in computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dias, Daniel Menezes

2010-01-01

Pencil ionization chambers are used for beam dosimetry in computed tomography equipment (CT). In this study, a new calibration methodology was established, in order to make the Calibration Laboratory of Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (LCI) suitable to international metrological standards, dealing with specific procedures for calibration of these chambers used in CT. Firstly, the setup for the new RQT radiation qualities was mounted, in agreement with IEC61267 from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). After the establishment of these radiation qualities, a specific calibration methodology for pencil ionization chambers was set, according to Technical Report Series No. 457, from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which describes particularities of the procedure to be followed by the Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratories (SSDL's), concerning to collimation and positioning related to the radiation beam. Initially, PPV (kV) measurements and the determination of copper additional filtrations were carried out, measuring the half value layers (HVL) recommended by the IEC 61267 standard, after that the RQT 8, RQT 9 and RQT 10 radiation quality references were established. For additional filters, aluminum and copper of high purity (around 99.9%) were used. RQT's in thickness of copper filters equivalent to the set 'RQR (Al) + Additional Filtration (Cu)' was directly found by an alternative methodology used to determine additional filtrations, which is a good option when RQR's have not the possibility of be setting up. With the establishment of this new methodology for the ionization pencil chambers calibration, the LCI is ready to calibrate these instruments according to the most recent international standards. Therefore, an improvement in calibration traceability, as well as in metrological services offered by IPEN to all Brazil is achieved. (author)

Results of the PEP`93 intercomparison of reference cell calibrations and newer technology performance measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Osterwald, C.R.; Emery, K. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States); Anevsky, S. [All-Union Research Inst. for Optophysical Measurements, Moscow (Russian Federation)] [and others

1996-05-01

This paper presents the results of an international intercomparison of photovoltaic (PV) performance measurements and calibrations. The intercomparison, which was organized and operated by a group of experts representing national laboratories from across the globe (i.e., the authors of this paper), was accomplished by circulating two sample sets. One set consisted of twenty silicon reference cells that would, hopefully, form the basis of an international PV reference scale. A qualification procedure applied to the calibration results gave average calibration numbers with an overall standard deviation of less than 2% for the entire set. The second set was assembled from a wide range of newer technologies that present unique problems for PV measurements. As might be expected, these results showed much larger differences among laboratories. Methods were then identified that should be used to measure such devices, along with problems to avoid.

CERN Radiation Protection (RP) calibration facilities

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(CDS)2082069; Macián-Juan, Rafael

Radiation protection calibration facilities are essential to ensure the correct operation of radiation protection instrumentation. Calibrations are performed in specific radiation fields according to the type of instrument to be calibrated: neutrons, photons, X-rays, beta and alpha particles. Some of the instruments are also tested in mixed radiation fields as often encountered close to high-energy particle accelerators. Moreover, calibration facilities are of great importance to evaluate the performance of prototype detectors; testing and measuring the response of a prototype detector to well-known and -characterized radiation fields contributes to improving and optimizing its design and capabilities. The CERN Radiation Protection group is in charge of performing the regular calibrations of all CERN radiation protection devices; these include operational and passive dosimeters, neutron and photon survey-meters, and fixed radiation detectors to monitor the ambient dose equivalent, H*(10), inside CERN accelera...

Application of advanced validation concepts to oxide fuel performance codes: LIFE-4 fast-reactor and FRAPCON thermal-reactor fuel performance codes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Unal, C., E-mail: cu@lanl.gov [Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Williams, B.J. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Yacout, A. [Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Lemont, IL 60439 (United States); Higdon, D.M. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States)

2013-10-15

Highlights: ► The application of advanced validation techniques (sensitivity, calibration and prediction) to nuclear performance codes FRAPCON and LIFE-4 is the focus of the paper. ► A sensitivity ranking methodology narrows down the number of selected modeling parameters from 61 to 24 for FRAPCON and from 69 to 35 for LIFE-4. ► Fuel creep, fuel thermal conductivity, fission gas transport/release, crack/boundary, and fuel gap conductivity models of LIFE-4 are identified for improvements. ► FRAPCON sensitivity results indicated the importance of the fuel thermal conduction and the fission gas release models. -- Abstract: Evolving nuclear energy programs expect to use enhanced modeling and simulation (M and S) capabilities, using multiscale, multiphysics modeling approaches, to reduce both cost and time from the design through the licensing phases. Interest in the development of the multiscale, multiphysics approach has increased in the last decade because of the need for predictive tools for complex interacting processes as a means of eliminating the limited use of empirically based model development. Complex interacting processes cannot be predicted by analyzing each individual component in isolation. In most cases, the mathematical models of complex processes and their boundary conditions are nonlinear. As a result, the solutions of these mathematical models often require high-performance computing capabilities and resources. The use of multiscale, multiphysics (MS/MP) models in conjunction with high-performance computational software and hardware introduces challenges in validating these predictive tools—traditional methodologies will have to be modified to address these challenges. The advanced MS/MP codes for nuclear fuels and reactors are being developed within the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program of the US Department of Energy (DOE) – Nuclear Energy (NE). This paper does not directly address challenges in calibration

Calibrating nacelle lidars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Courtney, M.

2013-01-15

Nacelle mounted, forward looking wind lidars are beginning to be used to provide reference wind speed measurements for the power performance testing of wind turbines. In such applications, a formal calibration procedure with a corresponding uncertainty assessment will be necessary. This report presents four concepts for performing such a nacelle lidar calibration. Of the four methods, two are found to be immediately relevant and are pursued in some detail. The first of these is a line of sight calibration method in which both lines of sight (for a two beam lidar) are individually calibrated by accurately aligning the beam to pass close to a reference wind speed sensor. A testing procedure is presented, reporting requirements outlined and the uncertainty of the method analysed. It is seen that the main limitation of the line of sight calibration method is the time required to obtain a representative distribution of radial wind speeds. An alternative method is to place the nacelle lidar on the ground and incline the beams upwards to bisect a mast equipped with reference instrumentation at a known height and range. This method will be easier and faster to implement and execute but the beam inclination introduces extra uncertainties. A procedure for conducting such a calibration is presented and initial indications of the uncertainties given. A discussion of the merits and weaknesses of the two methods is given together with some proposals for the next important steps to be taken in this work. (Author)

Calibration and statistical techniques for building an interactive screen for learning of alphabets by children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riby Abraham Boby

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This article focuses on the implementation details of a portable interactive device called Image-projective Desktop Varnamala Trainer. The device uses a projector to produce a virtual display on a flat surface. For enabling interaction, the information about a user’s hand movement is obtained from a single two-dimensional scanning laser range finder in contrast with a camera sensor used in many earlier applications. A generalized calibration process to obtain exact transformation from projected screen coordinate system to sensor coordinate system is proposed in this article and implemented for enabling interaction. This permits production of large interactive displays with minimal cost. Additionally, it makes the entire system portable, that is, display can be produced on any planar surface like floor, tabletop, and so on. The calibration and its performance have been evaluated by varying screen sizes and the number of points used for calibration. The device was successfully calibrated for different screens. A novel learning-based methodology for predicting a user’s behaviour was then realized to improve the system’s performance. This has been experimentally evaluated, and the overall accuracy of prediction was about 96%. An application was then designed for this set-up to improve the learning of alphabets by the children through an interactive audiovisual feedback system. It uses a game-based methodology to help students learn in a fun way. Currently, it has bilingual (Hindi and English user interface to enable learning of alphabets and elementary mathematics. A user survey was conducted after demonstrating it to school children. The survey results are very encouraging. Additionally, a study to ascertain the improvement in the learning outcome of the children was done. The results clearly indicate an improvement in the learning outcome of the children who used the device over those who did not.

Performance-based methodology for assessing seismic vulnerability and capacity of buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Shibin, Lin; Lili, Xie; Maosheng, Gong; Ming, Li

2010-06-01

This paper presents a performance-based methodology for the assessment of seismic vulnerability and capacity of buildings. The vulnerability assessment methodology is based on the HAZUS methodology and the improved capacitydemand-diagram method. The spectral displacement ( S d ) of performance points on a capacity curve is used to estimate the damage level of a building. The relationship between S d and peak ground acceleration (PGA) is established, and then a new vulnerability function is expressed in terms of PGA. Furthermore, the expected value of the seismic capacity index (SCev) is provided to estimate the seismic capacity of buildings based on the probability distribution of damage levels and the corresponding seismic capacity index. The results indicate that the proposed vulnerability methodology is able to assess seismic damage of a large number of building stock directly and quickly following an earthquake. The SCev provides an effective index to measure the seismic capacity of buildings and illustrate the relationship between the seismic capacity of buildings and seismic action. The estimated result is compared with damage surveys of the cities of Dujiangyan and Jiangyou in the M8.0 Wenchuan earthquake, revealing that the methodology is acceptable for seismic risk assessment and decision making. The primary reasons for discrepancies between the estimated results and the damage surveys are discussed.

On the performance of a calibrated nanoparticle generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Backman, Ulrika; Lyyraenen, Jussi; Tapper, Unto; Auvinen, Ari; Jokiniemi, Jorma

2009-01-01

There is a need for nanoparticle generators with well characterised properties in many fields. For instance the calibration of measurement instruments can be done in place and the downtime for the instrument hence decreased. Also in nanoparticle toxicity experiments it is very important to have a well characterised particle source. The aim of this study was to develop a calibrated nanoparticle generator with stable particle production. The number concentration should be regulated over many orders of magnitude and the particle size should also be adjustable. In this paper the design of the nanoparticle generator and the properties of the produced nanoparticles at one furnace temperature are presented.

Performance of the air2stream model that relates air and stream water temperatures depends on the calibration method

Science.gov (United States)

Piotrowski, Adam P.; Napiorkowski, Jaroslaw J.

2018-06-01

A number of physical or data-driven models have been proposed to evaluate stream water temperatures based on hydrological and meteorological observations. However, physical models require a large amount of information that is frequently unavailable, while data-based models ignore the physical processes. Recently the air2stream model has been proposed as an intermediate alternative that is based on physical heat budget processes, but it is so simplified that the model may be applied like data-driven ones. However, the price for simplicity is the need to calibrate eight parameters that, although have some physical meaning, cannot be measured or evaluated a priori. As a result, applicability and performance of the air2stream model for a particular stream relies on the efficiency of the calibration method. The original air2stream model uses an inefficient 20-year old approach called Particle Swarm Optimization with inertia weight. This study aims at finding an effective and robust calibration method for the air2stream model. Twelve different optimization algorithms are examined on six different streams from northern USA (states of Washington, Oregon and New York), Poland and Switzerland, located in both high mountains, hilly and lowland areas. It is found that the performance of the air2stream model depends significantly on the calibration method. Two algorithms lead to the best results for each considered stream. The air2stream model, calibrated with the chosen optimization methods, performs favorably against classical streamwater temperature models. The MATLAB code of the air2stream model and the chosen calibration procedure (CoBiDE) are available as Supplementary Material on the Journal of Hydrology web page.

Calibration of higher eigenmodes of cantilevers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Labuda, Aleksander; Kocun, Marta; Walsh, Tim; Meinhold, Jieh; Proksch, Tania; Meinhold, Waiman; Anderson, Caleb; Proksch, Roger; Lysy, Martin

2016-01-01

A method is presented for calibrating the higher eigenmodes (resonant modes) of atomic force microscopy cantilevers that can be performed prior to any tip-sample interaction. The method leverages recent efforts in accurately calibrating the first eigenmode by providing the higher-mode stiffness as a ratio to the first mode stiffness. A one-time calibration routine must be performed for every cantilever type to determine a power-law relationship between stiffness and frequency, which is then stored for future use on similar cantilevers. Then, future calibrations only require a measurement of the ratio of resonant frequencies and the stiffness of the first mode. This method is verified through stiffness measurements using three independent approaches: interferometric measurement, AC approach-curve calibration, and finite element analysis simulation. Power-law values for calibrating higher-mode stiffnesses are reported for several cantilever models. Once the higher-mode stiffnesses are known, the amplitude of each mode can also be calibrated from the thermal spectrum by application of the equipartition theorem.

Calibration of higher eigenmodes of cantilevers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Labuda, Aleksander; Kocun, Marta; Walsh, Tim; Meinhold, Jieh; Proksch, Tania; Meinhold, Waiman; Anderson, Caleb; Proksch, Roger [Asylum Research, an Oxford Instruments Company, Santa Barbara, California 93117 (United States); Lysy, Martin [Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 (Canada)

2016-07-15

A method is presented for calibrating the higher eigenmodes (resonant modes) of atomic force microscopy cantilevers that can be performed prior to any tip-sample interaction. The method leverages recent efforts in accurately calibrating the first eigenmode by providing the higher-mode stiffness as a ratio to the first mode stiffness. A one-time calibration routine must be performed for every cantilever type to determine a power-law relationship between stiffness and frequency, which is then stored for future use on similar cantilevers. Then, future calibrations only require a measurement of the ratio of resonant frequencies and the stiffness of the first mode. This method is verified through stiffness measurements using three independent approaches: interferometric measurement, AC approach-curve calibration, and finite element analysis simulation. Power-law values for calibrating higher-mode stiffnesses are reported for several cantilever models. Once the higher-mode stiffnesses are known, the amplitude of each mode can also be calibrated from the thermal spectrum by application of the equipartition theorem.

X-ray and gamma-ray standards for detector calibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-09-01

The IAEA established a Co-ordinated Research Programme (CRP) on the Measurements and Evaluation of X- and Gamma-Ray Standards for Detector Efficiency Calibration in 1986 with the aim of alleviating the generation of such discrepancies. Within the framework of this CRP, representatives of nine research groups from six Member States and one international organization performed a number of precise measurements and systematic in-depth evaluations of the required decay data. They have also contributed to the development of evaluation methodology and measurement techniques, and stimulated a number of such studies at laboratories not directly involved in the IAEA project. The results of the work of the CRP, which was finished in 1990, are presented in this report. Recommended values of half-lives and photon emission probabilities are given for a carefully selected set of radionuclides that are suitable for detector efficiency calibration (X-rays from 5 to 90 keV and gamma-rays from 30 to about 3000 keV). Detector efficiency calibration for higher gamma-ray energies (up to 14 MeV) is also considered. The evaluation procedures used to obtain the recommended values and their estimated uncertainties are reported, and a summary of the remaining discrepancies is given. Refs and tabs

Mercury CEM Calibration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

John Schabron; Joseph Rovani; Mark Sanderson

2008-02-29

Mercury continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS) are being implemented in over 800 coal-fired power plant stacks. The power industry desires to conduct at least a full year of monitoring before the formal monitoring and reporting requirement begins on January 1, 2009. It is important for the industry to have available reliable, turnkey equipment from CEM vendors. Western Research Institute (WRI) is working closely with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to facilitate the development of the experimental criteria for a NIST traceability protocol for dynamic elemental mercury vapor generators. The generators are used to calibrate mercury CEMs at power plant sites. The Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR) which was published in the Federal Register on May 18, 2005 requires that calibration be performed with NIST-traceable standards (Federal Register 2007). Traceability procedures will be defined by EPA. An initial draft traceability protocol was issued by EPA in May 2007 for comment. In August 2007, EPA issued an interim traceability protocol for elemental mercury generators (EPA 2007). The protocol is based on the actual analysis of the output of each calibration unit at several concentration levels ranging initially from about 2-40 {micro}g/m{sup 3} elemental mercury, and in the future down to 0.2 {micro}g/m{sup 3}, and this analysis will be directly traceable to analyses by NIST. The document is divided into two separate sections. The first deals with the qualification of generators by the vendors for use in mercury CEM calibration. The second describes the procedure that the vendors must use to certify the generator models that meet the qualification specifications. The NIST traceable certification is performance based, traceable to analysis using isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma/mass spectrometry performed by NIST in Gaithersburg, MD. The

Ultra wideband antennas design, methodologies, and performance

CERN Document Server

Galvan-Tejada, Giselle M; Jardón Aguilar, Hildeberto

2015-01-01

Ultra Wideband Antennas: Design, Methodologies, and Performance presents the current state of the art of ultra wideband (UWB) antennas, from theory specific for these radiators to guidelines for the design of omnidirectional and directional UWB antennas. Offering a comprehensive overview of the latest UWB antenna research and development, this book:Discusses the developed theory for UWB antennas in frequency and time domainsDelivers a brief exposition of numerical methods for electromagnetics oriented to antennasDescribes solid-planar equivalen

Methodology to include a correction for offset in the calibration of a Diode-based 2D verification device; Metodologia para incluir una correccion por offset en la calibracion de un dispositivo de verificacion 2D basado en diodos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramirez Ros, J. C.; Pamos Urena, M.; Jerez Sainz, M.; Lobato Munoz, M.; Jodar Lopez, C. A.; Ruiz Lopez, M. a.; Carrasco Rodriguez, J. L.

2013-07-01

We propose a methodology to correct doses of device verification 2D MapChek2 planes by offset. This methodology provides an array of correction by Offset applied to the calibration per dose due to the Offset of the diode Central as well as the correction of the Offset of each diode on each acquisition. (Author)

Sensitivity analysis and development of calibration methodology for near-surface hydrogeology model of Laxemar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aneljung, Maria; Sassner, Mona; Gustafsson, Lars-Goeran

2007-11-01

deeper MIKE SHE model down to less fractured bedrock, may also be interesting to evaluate. It is recommended that the observations above are further evaluated in connection with the next modelling phase for Laxemar during 2008. A sensitivity analysis has been made on calibration parameters. The most important results from the sensitivity analysis are the following: The hydraulic conductivity in the saturated zone proved to be more important than all of the tested vegetation and unsaturated zone parameters. The second most important parameters were the hydraulic conductivity of the unsaturated zone (K s ) and the specific yield (S y ). A lower hydraulic conductivity in the saturated zone increases the peak surface water flows, decreases the base flows, and increases the groundwater head amplitudes and the groundwater head elevations. A lower hydraulic conductivity in the unsaturated zone (K s ) increases the surface water flows, and, to some extent, decreases the groundwater head elevations. A lower specific yield in the unsaturated zone (S y ) increases the surface water flows (although with a smaller effect than K s ), increases the groundwater head amplitudes, and to some extent, increases the groundwater head elevations. A method for performing the calibrations of future models is also presented based on the results from the base case simulations and the sensitivity analysis

Using automatic calibration method for optimizing the performance of Pedotransfer functions of saturated hydraulic conductivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed M. Abdelbaki

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Pedotransfer functions (PTFs are an easy way to predict saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat without measurements. This study aims to auto calibrate 22 PTFs. The PTFs were divided into three groups according to its input requirements and the shuffled complex evolution algorithm was used in calibration. The results showed great modification in the performance of the functions compared to the original published functions. For group 1 PTFs, the geometric mean error ratio (GMER and the geometric standard deviation of error ratio (GSDER values were modified from range (1.27–6.09, (5.2–7.01 to (0.91–1.15, (4.88–5.85 respectively. For group 2 PTFs, the GMER and the GSDER values were modified from (0.3–1.55, (5.9–12.38 to (1.00–1.03, (5.5–5.9 respectively. For group 3 PTFs, the GMER and the GSDER values were modified from (0.11–2.06, (5.55–16.42 to (0.82–1.01, (5.1–6.17 respectively. The result showed that the automatic calibration is an efficient and accurate method to enhance the performance of the PTFs.

Comparison of Performance between Genetic Algorithm and SCE-UA for Calibration of SCS-CN Surface Runoff Simulation

OpenAIRE

Jeon, Ji-Hong; Park, Chan-Gi; Engel, Bernard

2014-01-01

Global optimization methods linked with simulation models are widely used for automated calibration and serve as useful tools for searching for cost-effective alternatives for environmental management. A genetic algorithm (GA) and shuffled complex evolution (SCE-UA) algorithm were linked with the Long-Term Hydrologic Impact Assessment (L-THIA) model, which employs the curve number (SCS-CN) method. The performance of the two optimization methods was compared by automatically calibrating L-THI...

Dose calibrator user and quality control guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanchis, Philippe; Amiot, Marie-Noelle; Moune, Muriel; Bellanger, Anne-Christine; Chauvenet, Bruno; Verdeau, Eric; Gardin, Isabelle; Martineau, Antoine; Ricard, Marcel; Caselles, Olivier; Guilhem, Marie-Therese; Hapdey, Sebastien; Lisbona, Albert; Bonnot-Lours, Sophie; Dumont, Agnes; Lemercier, Valerie; Rizzo-Padoin, Nathalie

2006-06-01

This document is a practical guide for the use and control of dose calibrators which are instruments used for radioactivity measurements. After a recall of the calibrator operation principle, the authors describe all the operations performed on this apparatus all along its lifetime: controls to be performed for device acceptance, aspects to be addressed during installation, controls to be performed before any use, daily controls, more detailed controls, and operations to be performed for maintenance, in case of dysfunctions or for re-calibration

The Utilization of Background Spectrum to Calibrate Gamma Spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahrouka, M. M.; Mutawa, A. M.

2004-01-01

Many developed countries have very poor reference standards to calibrate their nuclear instrumentations or may find some difficulties to obtain a reference standard. In this work a simple way for Gamma spectrometry calibration was developed. The method depends on one reference point and additional points from the background. The two derived equations were applied to the analyses of radioactive nuclides in soil and liquid samples prepared by IAEA laboratories through AL MERA Project. The results showed the precision of the methodology used, as well as, the possibility of using some points in the background spectrum as a replacement for reference standards of Gamma spectrometry calibration. (authors)

Horizontal scale calibration of theodolites and total station using a gauge index table

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vieira, L H B; Filho, W L O; Barros, W S

2015-01-01

This paper shows a methodology to calibrate the horizontal scale of theodolites and total station using a high accuracy index table. The calibration pursued the method of circular scales and precision polygons (also called Rosette Method [1] or multistep). This method consists in the angle comparison of two circular divisions in all relative positions possibilities. Index table errors and theodolite horizontal scale errors were obtained using the method of least squares which is used to process the data from Rosette Method. An experimental setup was used to evaluate this methodology and the details of the mechanical assembly are also described in this paper. Several theodolites and total stations were calibrated using the proposed system and the results infer that the method is suitable to calibrate the different models available in the market. The system showed good stability over time with measurements uncertainties around 1' (one second) depending on instrument features. (paper)

Oral cancer calibration and diagnosis among professionals from the public health in São Paulo, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Alves, José Carlos; da Silva, Renato Pereira; Cortellazzi, Karine Laura; Vazquez, Fabiana de Lima; Marques, Regina Auxiliadora de Amorim; Pereira, Antonio Carlos; Meneghim, Marcelo de Castro; Mialhe, Fábio Luiz

2013-01-01

Oral cancer is a public health problem responsible for 13% of deaths worldwide in 2008 and screening programs can be useful to detect individuals more vulnerable to the disease, improving its prognosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate oral cancer calibration (in lux and in vivo methodologies) and diagnosis processes performed by dental surgeons (DSs) of the public health system in São Paulo, Brazil. Thirty-three oral cancer photographs were examined during in lux calibration, while 560 individuals were examined during in vivo calibration. Oral conditions were coded as "0 - sound tissues", "1 - buccal lesions without malignant potential" and "2 - buccal lesions with malignant potential". The final sample for oral cancer screening was composed of 336 individuals, age-range 40 years or older. Kappa values for interexaminer agreement were 0.67 and 0.45 for in lux and in vivo respectively. The accuracy of both methodologies was over 80%. Oral cancer screening revealed 48 healthy individuals, 273 oral lesions coded as "1" and 12 oral lesions coded as "2". In spite of the low reproducibility, the validity of the visual examination in oral cancer screening was satisfactory, showing its importance as part of preventive oral cancer programs and public health system campaigns.

Strategy for reduced calibration sets to develop quantitative structure-retention relationships in high-performance liquid chromatography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andries, Jan P.M. [University of Professional Education, Department of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 90116, 4800 RA Breda (Netherlands); Claessens, Henk A. [University of Professional Education, Department of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 90116, 4800 RA Breda (Netherlands); Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry, P.O. Box 513 (Helix, STW 1.35), 5600 MB Eindhoven (Netherlands); Heyden, Yvan Vander [Department of Analytical Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel-VUB, Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090 Brussels (Belgium); Buydens, Lutgarde M.C., E-mail: L.Buydens@science.ru.nl [Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University Nijmegen, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen (Netherlands)

2009-10-12

In high-performance liquid chromatography, quantitative structure-retention relationships (QSRRs) are applied to model the relation between chromatographic retention and quantities derived from molecular structure of analytes. Classically a substantial number of test analytes is used to build QSRR models. This makes their application laborious and time consuming. In this work a strategy is presented to build QSRR models based on selected reduced calibration sets. The analytes in the reduced calibration sets are selected from larger sets of analytes by applying the algorithm of Kennard and Stone on the molecular descriptors used in the QSRR concerned. The strategy was applied on three QSRR models of different complexity, relating logk{sub w} or log k with either: (i) log P, the n-octanol-water partition coefficient, (ii) calculated quantum chemical indices (QCI), or (iii) descriptors from the linear solvation energy relationship (LSER). Models were developed and validated for 76 reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography systems. From the results we can conclude that it is possible to develop log P models suitable for the future prediction of retentions with as few as seven analytes. For the QCI and LSER models we derived the rule that three selected analytes per descriptor are sufficient. Both the dependent variable space, formed by the retention values, and the independent variable space, formed by the descriptors, are covered well by the reduced calibration sets. Finally guidelines to construct small calibration sets are formulated.

ACCESS, Absolute Color Calibration Experiment for Standard Stars: Integration, Test, and Ground Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Kaiser, Mary Elizabeth; Morris, Matthew; Aldoroty, Lauren; Kurucz, Robert; McCandliss, Stephan; Rauscher, Bernard; Kimble, Randy; Kruk, Jeffrey; Wright, Edward L.; Feldman, Paul; Riess, Adam; Gardner, Jonathon; Bohlin, Ralph; Deustua, Susana; Dixon, Van; Sahnow, David J.; Perlmutter, Saul

2018-01-01

Establishing improved spectrophotometric standards is important for a broad range of missions and is relevant to many astrophysical problems. Systematic errors associated with astrophysical data used to probe fundamental astrophysical questions, such as SNeIa observations used to constrain dark energy theories, now exceed the statistical errors associated with merged databases of these measurements. ACCESS, “Absolute Color Calibration Experiment for Standard Stars”, is a series of rocket-borne sub-orbital missions and ground-based experiments designed to enable improvements in the precision of the astrophysical flux scale through the transfer of absolute laboratory detector standards from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to a network of stellar standards with a calibration accuracy of 1% and a spectral resolving power of 500 across the 0.35‑1.7μm bandpass. To achieve this goal ACCESS (1) observes HST/ Calspec stars (2) above the atmosphere to eliminate telluric spectral contaminants (e.g. OH) (3) using a single optical path and (HgCdTe) detector (4) that is calibrated to NIST laboratory standards and (5) monitored on the ground and in-flight using a on-board calibration monitor. The observations are (6) cross-checked and extended through the generation of stellar atmosphere models for the targets. The ACCESS telescope and spectrograph have been designed, fabricated, and integrated. Subsystems have been tested. Performance results for subsystems, operations testing, and the integrated spectrograph will be presented. NASA sounding rocket grant NNX17AC83G supports this work.

Sandia WIPP calibration traceability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schuhen, M.D. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States); Dean, T.A. [RE/SPEC, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (United States)

1996-05-01

This report summarizes the work performed to establish calibration traceability for the instrumentation used by Sandia National Laboratories at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) during testing from 1980-1985. Identifying the calibration traceability is an important part of establishing a pedigree for the data and is part of the qualification of existing data. In general, the requirement states that the calibration of Measuring and Test equipment must have a valid relationship to nationally recognized standards or the basis for the calibration must be documented. Sandia recognized that just establishing calibration traceability would not necessarily mean that all QA requirements were met during the certification of test instrumentation. To address this concern, the assessment was expanded to include various activities.

Sandia WIPP calibration traceability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuhen, M.D.; Dean, T.A.

1996-05-01

This report summarizes the work performed to establish calibration traceability for the instrumentation used by Sandia National Laboratories at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) during testing from 1980-1985. Identifying the calibration traceability is an important part of establishing a pedigree for the data and is part of the qualification of existing data. In general, the requirement states that the calibration of Measuring and Test equipment must have a valid relationship to nationally recognized standards or the basis for the calibration must be documented. Sandia recognized that just establishing calibration traceability would not necessarily mean that all QA requirements were met during the certification of test instrumentation. To address this concern, the assessment was expanded to include various activities

Evaluation of radionuclide calibrator performance with Tc-99m and I-123 in nuclear medicine centers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahn, Ji Young; Kim, Gwe Ya; Yang, Hyun Kyu; Lim, Chun Il; Lee, Hyun Koo; Kim, Byung Tae; Jeong, Hee Kyo

2004-01-01

To minimize unnecessary radiation dose to patients, it is important to ensure that the radiopharmaceutical administered is accurately measured. Tc-99m is one of the popular radionuclide used in nuclear medicine and I-123 is also used widely in nuclear medicine. To investigate the level of measurement performance and to provide the participants with a traceable standard to check and review their calibration factors for these particular radionuclides, Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) as a national secondary standard dosimetry laboratory conducted comparison program for Tc-99m and I-123 in nuclear medicine centers. 72 nuclear medicine centers (78 calibrators) participated in the comparison program for Tc-99m in 2003 and 37 centers (41 calibrators) for I-123 in 2004. For a comparison, Tc-99m and I-123 were accurately sub-divided into a series of 4 ml aliquots in 10 ml P6 vial and delivered to participants. Participants were invited to assay their P6 vial in each of their radionuclide calibrators and to report their results directly to KFDA. For the evaluation of raionuclide, KFDA used NPL-CRC radionuclide calibrator that is traceable to NPL (National Physical Laboratory) primany standard. The difference between the value reported by the hospital (A h ospital) and of the KFDA (A k fda) is expressed as a percent deviation (DEV (%) = 100 (A h ospital - A k fda)/A k fda). If there were calibrators over 10 % deviations, those were checked again with the same procedure. In Tc-99m, 65% of the calibrators showed deviations within 5 % and 18 % were in the range of 5 % < | DEV | ≤10 %, and 17 % were over 10 % deviations. In I-123, 41 % of the calibrators were within ±5 % and 29 % were in the range of 5 % < | DEV | ≤10 % and 30 % were over 10 %. The results have shown that such comparisons are necessary to improve the accuracy of the measurement and to identify radionuclide calibrators that are malfunctioning

Automation of dosimeters calibration for radiotherapy in secondary dosimetric calibration laboratory of the CPHR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acosta, Andy L. Romero; Lores, Stefan Gutierrez

2013-01-01

This paper presents the design and implementation of an automated system for measurements in the calibration of reference radiation dosimeters. It was made a software application that performs the acquisition of the measured values of electric charge, calculated calibration coefficient and automates the calibration certificate issuance. These values are stored in a log file on a PC. The use of the application improves control over the calibration process, helps to humanize the work and reduces personnel exposure. The tool developed has been applied to the calibration of dosimeters radiation patterns in the LSCD of the Centro de Proteccion e Higiene de las Radiaciones, Cuba

Calibration and performance of the MARK II drift chamber vertex detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durrett, D.; Ford, W.T.; Hinshaw, D.A.; Rankin, P.; Smith, J.G.; Weber, P.

1990-05-01

We have calibrated and studied the performance of the MARK II drift chamber vertex detector with cosmic ray tracks collected with the chamber inside the MARK II detector at the SLC. The chamber achieves 30 μm impact parameter resolution and 500 μm track-pair resolution using CO 2 /C 2 H 6 H 6 (92/8) at 2 atmospheres pressure. The chamber has successfully recorded Z 0 decays at the SLC, and resolved tracks in dense hadronic jets with good efficiency and high accuracy. 5 refs., 13 figs

Fluorescent nanosensors for intracellular measurements: synthesis, characterisation, calibration and measurement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arpan Shailesh Desai

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Measurement of intracellular acidification is important for understanding fundamental biological pathways as well as developing effective therapeutic strategies. Fluorescent pH nanosensors are an enabling technology for real-time monitoring of intracellular acidification. The physicochemical characteristics of nanosensors can be engineered to target specific cellular compartments and respond to external stimuli. Therefore nanosensors represent a versatile approach for probing biological pathways inside cells. The fundamental components of nanosensors comprise a pH-sensitive fluorophore (signal transducer and a pH-insensitive reference fluorophore (internal standard immobilised in an inert non-toxic matrix. The inert matrix prevents interference of cellular components with the sensing elements as well as minimizing potentially harmful effects of some fluorophores on cell function. Fluorescent nanosensors are synthesised using standard laboratory equipment and are detectable by non-invasive widely accessibly imaging techniques. The outcomes of studies employing this technology are dependent on reliable methodology for performing measurements. In particular special consideration must be given to conditions for sensor calibration, uptake conditions and parameters for image analysis. We describe procedures for: 1 synthesis and characterisation of polyacrylamide and silica based nanosensors 2 nanosensor calibration and 3 performing measurements using fluorescence microscopy.

MoDOT pavement preservation research program volume VII, re-calibration of triggers and performance models.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-10-01

The objective of this task is to develop the concept and framework for a procedure to routinely create, re-calibrate, and update the : Trigger Tables and Performance Models. The scope of work for Task 6 includes a limited review of the recent pavemen...

Approaches to highly parameterized inversion-A guide to using PEST for groundwater-model calibration

Science.gov (United States)

Doherty, John E.; Hunt, Randall J.

2010-01-01

Highly parameterized groundwater models can create calibration difficulties. Regularized inversion-the combined use of large numbers of parameters with mathematical approaches for stable parameter estimation-is becoming a common approach to address these difficulties and enhance the transfer of information contained in field measurements to parameters used to model that system. Though commonly used in other industries, regularized inversion is somewhat imperfectly understood in the groundwater field. There is concern that this unfamiliarity can lead to underuse, and misuse, of the methodology. This document is constructed to facilitate the appropriate use of regularized inversion for calibrating highly parameterized groundwater models. The presentation is directed at an intermediate- to advanced-level modeler, and it focuses on the PEST software suite-a frequently used tool for highly parameterized model calibration and one that is widely supported by commercial graphical user interfaces. A brief overview of the regularized inversion approach is provided, and techniques for mathematical regularization offered by PEST are outlined, including Tikhonov, subspace, and hybrid schemes. Guidelines for applying regularized inversion techniques are presented after a logical progression of steps for building suitable PEST input. The discussion starts with use of pilot points as a parameterization device and processing/grouping observations to form multicomponent objective functions. A description of potential parameter solution methodologies and resources available through the PEST software and its supporting utility programs follows. Directing the parameter-estimation process through PEST control variables is then discussed, including guidance for monitoring and optimizing the performance of PEST. Comprehensive listings of PEST control variables, and of the roles performed by PEST utility support programs, are presented in the appendixes.

Sensitivity Analysis of FEAST-Metal Fuel Performance Code: Initial Results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edelmann, Paul Guy; Williams, Brian J.; Unal, Cetin; Yacout, Abdellatif

2012-01-01

This memo documents the completion of the LANL milestone, M3FT-12LA0202041, describing methodologies and initial results using FEAST-Metal. The FEAST-Metal code calculations for this work are being conducted at LANL in support of on-going activities related to sensitivity analysis of fuel performance codes. The objective is to identify important macroscopic parameters of interest to modeling and simulation of metallic fuel performance. This report summarizes our preliminary results for the sensitivity analysis using 6 calibration datasets for metallic fuel developed at ANL for EBR-II experiments. Sensitivity ranking methodology was deployed to narrow down the selected parameters for the current study. There are approximately 84 calibration parameters in the FEAST-Metal code, of which 32 were ultimately used in Phase II of this study. Preliminary results of this sensitivity analysis led to the following ranking of FEAST models for future calibration and improvements: fuel conductivity, fission gas transport/release, fuel creep, and precipitation kinetics. More validation data is needed to validate calibrated parameter distributions for future uncertainty quantification studies with FEAST-Metal. Results of this study also served to point out some code deficiencies and possible errors, and these are being investigated in order to determine root causes and to improve upon the existing code models.

Simultaneous calibration phantom commission and geometry calibration in cone beam CT

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yuan; Yang, Shuai; Ma, Jianhui; Li, Bin; Wu, Shuyu; Qi, Hongliang; Zhou, Linghong

2017-09-01

Geometry calibration is a vital step for describing the geometry of a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) system and is a prerequisite for CBCT reconstruction. In current methods, calibration phantom commission and geometry calibration are divided into two independent tasks. Small errors in ball-bearing (BB) positioning in the phantom-making step will severely degrade the quality of phantom calibration. To solve this problem, we propose an integrated method to simultaneously realize geometry phantom commission and geometry calibration. Instead of assuming the accuracy of the geometry phantom, the integrated method considers BB centers in the phantom as an optimized parameter in the workflow. Specifically, an evaluation phantom and the corresponding evaluation contrast index are used to evaluate geometry artifacts for optimizing the BB coordinates in the geometry phantom. After utilizing particle swarm optimization, the CBCT geometry and BB coordinates in the geometry phantom are calibrated accurately and are then directly used for the next geometry calibration task in other CBCT systems. To evaluate the proposed method, both qualitative and quantitative studies were performed on simulated and realistic CBCT data. The spatial resolution of reconstructed images using dental CBCT can reach up to 15 line pair cm-1. The proposed method is also superior to the Wiesent method in experiments. This paper shows that the proposed method is attractive for simultaneous and accurate geometry phantom commission and geometry calibration.

[Fundamental aspects for accrediting medical equipment calibration laboratories in Colombia].

Science.gov (United States)

Llamosa-Rincón, Luis E; López-Isaza, Giovanni A; Villarreal-Castro, Milton F

2010-02-01

Analysing the fundamental methodological aspects which should be considered when drawing up calibration procedure for electro-medical equipment, thereby permitting international standard-based accreditation of electro-medical metrology laboratories in Colombia. NTC-ISO-IEC 17025:2005 and GTC-51-based procedures for calibrating electro-medical equipment were implemented and then used as patterns. The mathematical model for determining the estimated uncertainty value when calibrating electro-medical equipment for accreditation by the Electrical Variable Metrology Laboratory's Electro-medical Equipment Calibration Area accredited in compliance with Superintendence of Industry and Commerce Resolution 25771 May 26th 2009 consists of two equations depending on the case; they are: E = (Ai + sigmaAi) - (Ar + sigmaAr + deltaAr1) and E = (Ai + sigmaAi) - (Ar + sigmaA + deltaAr1). The mathematical modelling implemented for measuring uncertainty in the Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira's Electrical Variable Metrology Laboratory (Electro-medical Equipment Calibration Area) will become a good guide for calibration initiated in other laboratories in Colombia and Latin-America.

Meta-analysis of prediction model performance across multiple studies: Which scale helps ensure between-study normality for the C-statistic and calibration measures?

Science.gov (United States)

Snell, Kym Ie; Ensor, Joie; Debray, Thomas Pa; Moons, Karel Gm; Riley, Richard D

2017-01-01

If individual participant data are available from multiple studies or clusters, then a prediction model can be externally validated multiple times. This allows the model's discrimination and calibration performance to be examined across different settings. Random-effects meta-analysis can then be used to quantify overall (average) performance and heterogeneity in performance. This typically assumes a normal distribution of 'true' performance across studies. We conducted a simulation study to examine this normality assumption for various performance measures relating to a logistic regression prediction model. We simulated data across multiple studies with varying degrees of variability in baseline risk or predictor effects and then evaluated the shape of the between-study distribution in the C-statistic, calibration slope, calibration-in-the-large, and E/O statistic, and possible transformations thereof. We found that a normal between-study distribution was usually reasonable for the calibration slope and calibration-in-the-large; however, the distributions of the C-statistic and E/O were often skewed across studies, particularly in settings with large variability in the predictor effects. Normality was vastly improved when using the logit transformation for the C-statistic and the log transformation for E/O, and therefore we recommend these scales to be used for meta-analysis. An illustrated example is given using a random-effects meta-analysis of the performance of QRISK2 across 25 general practices.

Radiometric calibration of the in-flight blackbody calibration system of the GLORIA interferometer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Monte

2014-01-01

Atmosphere is an airborne, imaging, infrared Fourier transform spectrometer that applies the limb-imaging technique to perform trace gas and temperature measurements in the Earth's atmosphere with three-dimensional resolution. To ensure the traceability of these measurements to the International Temperature Scale and thereby to an absolute radiance scale, GLORIA carries an on-board calibration system. Basically, it consists of two identical large-area and high-emissivity infrared radiators, which can be continuously and independently operated at two adjustable temperatures in a range from −50 °C to 0 °C during flight. Here we describe the radiometric and thermometric characterization and calibration of the in-flight calibration system at the Reduced Background Calibration Facility of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt. This was performed with a standard uncertainty of less than 110 mK. Extensive investigations of the system concerning its absolute radiation temperature and spectral radiance, its temperature homogeneity and its short- and long-term stability are discussed. The traceability chain of these measurements is presented.

Lidar to lidar calibration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fernandez Garcia, Sergio; Villanueva, Héctor

This report presents the result of the lidar to lidar calibration performed for ground-based lidar. Calibration is here understood as the establishment of a relation between the reference lidar wind speed measurements with measurement uncertainties provided by measurement standard and corresponding...... lidar wind speed indications with associated measurement uncertainties. The lidar calibration concerns the 10 minute mean wind speed measurements. The comparison of the lidar measurements of the wind direction with that from the reference lidar measurements are given for information only....

Technical guidelines for personnel dosimetry calibrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberson, P.L.; Fox, R.A.; Hadley, R.T.; Holbrook, K.L.; Hooker, C.D.; McDonald, J.C.

1983-01-01

A base of technical information has been acquire and used to evaluate the calibration, design, and performance of selected personnel systems in use at Department of Energy (DOE) facilites. A technical document was prepared to guide DOE and DOE contractors in selecting and evaluating personnel dosimetry systems and calibration. A parallel effort was initiated to intercompare the adiological calibrations standards used to calibrate DOE personnel dosimeters

Calibration and performance test of the Very-Front-End electronics for the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blaha, J.

2008-05-01

A Very-Front-End (VFE) card is an important part of the on-detector read-out electronics of the CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) electromagnetic calorimeter that is made of ∼ 76.000 radiation hard scintillating crystals PbWO 4 and operates on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. Almost 16.000 VFE cards that shape, amplify and digitize incoming signals from photodetectors generated by interacting particles. Since any maintenance of any part of the calorimeter is not possible during the 10-year lifetime of the experiment, the extensive screening program was employed throughout the whole manufacture process. As a part of readout electronics quality assurance program, the systems for burn-in and precise calibration of the VFE boards were developed and successfully used at IPN Lyon. In addition to functionality tests, all relevant electrical properties of each card were measured and analyzed in detail to obtain their full characterization and to build a database with all required parameters which will serve for the initial calibration of the whole calorimeter. In order to evaluate the calorimeter performance and also to deliver the most precise calibration constants, several fully equipped super-modules were extensively studied and calibrated during the test beam campaigns at CERN. As an important part of these tests, accurate studies of the electronics noise and relative gains, which are needed for measurement in high energy range, were carried out to optimize amplitude reconstruction procedure and thus improve the precision of the calorimeter energy determination. The heart of the thesis consists of the calibration of all VFE boards, including optimization of the laboratory calibration system and precise analysis of measured values to delivered desired calibration constants. The second half of the thesis is focused on the accurate evaluation and optimization of the read-out electronics in real data taking conditions. The results obtained in the laboratory at IPN Lyon

The KLOE online calibration system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasqualucci, E.; Alexander, G.; Aloisio, A.

2001-01-01

Based on all the features of the KLOE online software, the online calibration system performs current calibration quality checking in real time and starts automatically new calibration procedures when needed. A calibration manager process controls the system, implementing the interface to the online system, receiving information from the run control and translating its state transitions to a separate state machine. It acts as a 'calibration run controller' and performs failure recovery when requested by a set of process checkers. The core of the system is a multi-threaded OO histogram server that receives histogramming commands by remote processes and operates on local ROOT histograms. A client library and C, fortran and C++ application interface libraries allow the user to connect and define his own histogram or read histograms owned by others using an book-like interface. Several calibration processes running in parallel in a distributed, multiplatform environment can fill the same histograms, allowing fast external information check. A monitor thread allow remote browsing for visual inspection. Pre-filtered data are read in non-privileged spy mode from the data acquisition system via the Kloe Integrated Dataflow. The main characteristics of the system are presented

Calibration factor or calibration coefficient?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meghzifene, A.; Shortt, K.R.

2002-01-01

Full text: The IAEA/WHO network of SSDLs was set up in order to establish links between SSDL members and the international measurement system. At the end of 2001, there were 73 network members in 63 Member States. The SSDL network members provide calibration services to end-users at the national or regional level. The results of the calibrations are summarized in a document called calibration report or calibration certificate. The IAEA has been using the term calibration certificate and will continue using the same terminology. The most important information in a calibration certificate is a list of calibration factors and their related uncertainties that apply to the calibrated instrument for the well-defined irradiation and ambient conditions. The IAEA has recently decided to change the term calibration factor to calibration coefficient, to be fully in line with ISO [ISO 31-0], which recommends the use of the term coefficient when it links two quantities A and B (equation 1) that have different dimensions. The term factor should only be used for k when it is used to link the terms A and B that have the same dimensions A=k.B. However, in a typical calibration, an ion chamber is calibrated in terms of a physical quantity such as air kerma, dose to water, ambient dose equivalent, etc. If the chamber is calibrated together with its electrometer, then the calibration refers to the physical quantity to be measured per electrometer unit reading. In this case, the terms referred have different dimensions. The adoption by the Agency of the term coefficient to express the results of calibrations is consistent with the 'International vocabulary of basic and general terms in metrology' prepared jointly by the BIPM, IEC, ISO, OIML and other organizations. The BIPM has changed from factor to coefficient. The authors believe that this is more than just a matter of semantics and recommend that the SSDL network members adopt this change in terminology. (author)

Methodology of the Integrated Analysis of Company's Financial Status and Its Performance Results

OpenAIRE

Mackevičius, Jonas; Valkauskas, Romualdas

2010-01-01

Information about company's financial status and its performance results is very important for the objective evaluation of company's position in the market and competitive possibilities in the future. Such information is provided in the financial statement. It is important to apply and investigate this information properly. The methodology of company's financial status and performance results integrated analysis is recommended in this article. This methodology consists of these three elements...

The Performance and Usability of a Factory-Calibrated Flash Glucose Monitoring System

OpenAIRE

Bailey, Timothy; Bode, Bruce W.; Christiansen, Mark P.; Klaff, Leslie J.; Alva, Shridhara

2015-01-01

Abstract Introduction: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the performance and usability of the FreeStyle? Libre? Flash glucose monitoring system (Abbott Diabetes Care, Alameda, CA) for interstitial glucose results compared with capillary blood glucose results. Materials and Methods: Seventy-two study participants with type 1 or type 2 diabetes were enrolled by four U.S. clinical sites. A sensor was inserted on the back of each upper arm for up to 14 days. Three factory-only calibrated s...

A machine learning calibration model using random forests to improve sensor performance for lower-cost air quality monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmerman, Naomi; Presto, Albert A.; Kumar, Sriniwasa P. N.; Gu, Jason; Hauryliuk, Aliaksei; Robinson, Ellis S.; Robinson, Allen L.; Subramanian, R.

2018-01-01

Low-cost sensing strategies hold the promise of denser air quality monitoring networks, which could significantly improve our understanding of personal air pollution exposure. Additionally, low-cost air quality sensors could be deployed to areas where limited monitoring exists. However, low-cost sensors are frequently sensitive to environmental conditions and pollutant cross-sensitivities, which have historically been poorly addressed by laboratory calibrations, limiting their utility for monitoring. In this study, we investigated different calibration models for the Real-time Affordable Multi-Pollutant (RAMP) sensor package, which measures CO, NO2, O3, and CO2. We explored three methods: (1) laboratory univariate linear regression, (2) empirical multiple linear regression, and (3) machine-learning-based calibration models using random forests (RF). Calibration models were developed for 16-19 RAMP monitors (varied by pollutant) using training and testing windows spanning August 2016 through February 2017 in Pittsburgh, PA, US. The random forest models matched (CO) or significantly outperformed (NO2, CO2, O3) the other calibration models, and their accuracy and precision were robust over time for testing windows of up to 16 weeks. Following calibration, average mean absolute error on the testing data set from the random forest models was 38 ppb for CO (14 % relative error), 10 ppm for CO2 (2 % relative error), 3.5 ppb for NO2 (29 % relative error), and 3.4 ppb for O3 (15 % relative error), and Pearson r versus the reference monitors exceeded 0.8 for most units. Model performance is explored in detail, including a quantification of model variable importance, accuracy across different concentration ranges, and performance in a range of monitoring contexts including the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and the US EPA Air Sensors Guidebook recommendations of minimum data quality for personal exposure measurement. A key strength of the RF approach is that

An integrated methodology for the dynamic performance and reliability evaluation of fault-tolerant systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dominguez-Garcia, Alejandro D.; Kassakian, John G.; Schindall, Joel E.; Zinchuk, Jeffrey J.

2008-01-01

We propose an integrated methodology for the reliability and dynamic performance analysis of fault-tolerant systems. This methodology uses a behavioral model of the system dynamics, similar to the ones used by control engineers to design the control system, but also incorporates artifacts to model the failure behavior of each component. These artifacts include component failure modes (and associated failure rates) and how those failure modes affect the dynamic behavior of the component. The methodology bases the system evaluation on the analysis of the dynamics of the different configurations the system can reach after component failures occur. For each of the possible system configurations, a performance evaluation of its dynamic behavior is carried out to check whether its properties, e.g., accuracy, overshoot, or settling time, which are called performance metrics, meet system requirements. Markov chains are used to model the stochastic process associated with the different configurations that a system can adopt when failures occur. This methodology not only enables an integrated framework for evaluating dynamic performance and reliability of fault-tolerant systems, but also enables a method for guiding the system design process, and further optimization. To illustrate the methodology, we present a case-study of a lateral-directional flight control system for a fighter aircraft

A performance assessment methodology for high-level radioactive waste disposal in unsaturated, fractured tuff

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gallegos, D.P.

1991-07-01

Sandia National Laboratories, has developed a methodology for performance assessment of deep geologic disposal of high-level nuclear waste. The applicability of this performance assessment methodology has been demonstrated for disposal in bedded salt and basalt; it has since been modified for assessment of repositories in unsaturated, fractured tuff. Changes to the methodology are primarily in the form of new or modified ground water flow and radionuclide transport codes. A new computer code, DCM3D, has been developed to model three-dimensional ground-water flow in unsaturated, fractured rock using a dual-continuum approach. The NEFTRAN 2 code has been developed to efficiently model radionuclide transport in time-dependent velocity fields, has the ability to use externally calculated pore velocities and saturations, and includes the effect of saturation dependent retardation factors. In order to use these codes together in performance-assessment-type analyses, code-coupler programs were developed to translate DCM3D output into NEFTRAN 2 input. Other portions of the performance assessment methodology were evaluated as part of modifying the methodology for tuff. The scenario methodology developed under the bedded salt program has been applied to tuff. An investigation of the applicability of uncertainty and sensitivity analysis techniques to non-linear models indicate that Monte Carlo simulation remains the most robust technique for these analyses. No changes have been recommended for the dose and health effects models, nor the biosphere transport models. 52 refs., 1 fig

SCIAMACHY Level 1 data: calibration concept and in-flight calibration

Science.gov (United States)

Lichtenberg, G.; Kleipool, Q.; Krijger, J. M.; van Soest, G.; van Hees, R.; Tilstra, L. G.; Acarreta, J. R.; Aben, I.; Ahlers, B.; Bovensmann, H.; Chance, K.; Gloudemans, A. M. S.; Hoogeveen, R. W. M.; Jongma, R. T. N.; Noël, S.; Piters, A.; Schrijver, H.; Schrijvers, C.; Sioris, C. E.; Skupin, J.; Slijkhuis, S.; Stammes, P.; Wuttke, M.

2006-11-01

The calibration of SCIAMACHY was thoroughly checked since the instrument was launched on-board ENVISAT in February 2002. While SCIAMACHY's functional performance is excellent since launch, a number of technical difficulties have appeared, that required adjustments to the calibration. The problems can be separated into three types: (1) Those caused by the instrument and/or platform environment. Among these are the high water content in the satellite structure and/or MLI layer. This results in the deposition of ice on the detectors in channels 7 and 8 which seriously affects the retrievals in the IR, mostly because of the continuous change of the slit function caused by scattering of the light through the ice layer. Additionally a light leak in channel 7 severely hampers any retrieval from this channel. (2) Problems due to errors in the on-ground calibration and/or data processing affecting for example the radiometric calibration. A new approach based on a mixture of on-ground and in-flight data is shortly described here. (3) Problems caused by principal limitations of the calibration concept, e.g. the possible appearance of spectral structures after the polarisation correction due to unavoidable errors in the determination of atmospheric polarisation. In this paper we give a complete overview of the calibration and problems that still have to be solved. We will also give an indication of the effect of calibration problems on retrievals where possible. Since the operational processing chain is currently being updated and no newly processed data are available at this point in time, for some calibration issues only a rough estimate of the effect on Level 2 products can be given. However, it is the intention of this paper to serve as a future reference for detailed studies into specific calibration issues.

Methodology for calibration of detector of Nal (TI) 3 'X 3' for measurements in vivo of patients with hyperthyroidism undergoing radioiodine therapy; Metodologia para calibracao de detector de Nal(TI) 3'X3' para medicoes in vivo em pacientes portadores de hipertireoidismo submetidos a radioiodoterapia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carvalho, Carlaine B.; Lacerda, Isabelle V.B.; Oliveira, Mercia L.; Hazin, Clovis A.; Lima, Fabiana F., E-mail: carlaine.carvalho@gmail.com, E-mail: bellelacerda@hotmail.com, E-mail: mercial@cnen.gov.br, E-mail: chazin@cnen.gov.br, E-mail: fflima@cnen.gov.br [Centro Regional de Ciencias Nucleares do Nordeste (CRCN-Ne/CNEN-PE), Recife, PE (Brazil)

2013-11-01

The aim of this study is to establish the methodology for calibration of the detection system to be used in determining the therapeutic activity of {sup 131}I required to release the desired absorbed dose in the thyroid. This step is critical to the development of a protocol for individualized doses. The system consists of a detector of NaI (Tl ) 3 'x3' coupled to Genie 2000 software. The calibration sources of {sup 60}CO, {sup 137}Cs and {sup 133}Ba were used. Obtained straight calibration system, with {sup 60}CO and {sup 137}Cs sources. Subsequently, the detector was calibrated using a simulator -neck thyroid designed and produced by the IRD/CNEN with known standard solution containing 18.7 kBq {sup 133}Ba activity (in 12/09/24) evenly distributed. He was also calibrated with other thyroid - neck phantom Model 3108 manufactured by Searle Radigraphics Ind., containing a net source of {sup 131}I ( 7.7 MBq ). Five measurements of five minutes were realized for three different distances detector simulator, and the respective calculated calibration factors was performed to three. The values of the calibration factors found for the simulator manufactured by IRD and the Searle Radigraphics Ind. for the distances 20 , 25 and 30cm were 0.35, 0.24, 0.18, and 0.15, 0.11, 0.09, respectively. With the detection system properly calibrated and the calibration factors established, the technique is suitable for the evaluation of diagnostic activity of {sup 131}I incorporated by hyperthyroidism.

Calibration Under Uncertainty.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Swiler, Laura Painton; Trucano, Timothy Guy

2005-03-01

This report is a white paper summarizing the literature and different approaches to the problem of calibrating computer model parameters in the face of model uncertainty. Model calibration is often formulated as finding the parameters that minimize the squared difference between the model-computed data (the predicted data) and the actual experimental data. This approach does not allow for explicit treatment of uncertainty or error in the model itself: the model is considered the %22true%22 deterministic representation of reality. While this approach does have utility, it is far from an accurate mathematical treatment of the true model calibration problem in which both the computed data and experimental data have error bars. This year, we examined methods to perform calibration accounting for the error in both the computer model and the data, as well as improving our understanding of its meaning for model predictability. We call this approach Calibration under Uncertainty (CUU). This talk presents our current thinking on CUU. We outline some current approaches in the literature, and discuss the Bayesian approach to CUU in detail.

Multispectral calibration to enhance the metrology performance of C-mount camera systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Robson

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Low cost monochrome camera systems based on CMOS sensors and C-mount lenses have been successfully applied to a wide variety of metrology tasks. For high accuracy work such cameras are typically equipped with ring lights to image retro-reflective targets as high contrast image features. Whilst algorithms for target image measurement and lens modelling are highly advanced, including separate RGB channel lens distortion correction, target image circularity compensation and a wide variety of detection and centroiding approaches, less effort has been directed towards optimising physical target image quality by considering optical performance in narrow wavelength bands. This paper describes an initial investigation to assess the effect of wavelength on camera calibration parameters for two different camera bodies and the same ‘C-mount’ wide angle lens. Results demonstrate the expected strong influence on principal distance, radial and tangential distortion, and also highlight possible trends in principal point, orthogonality and affinity parameters which are close to the parameter estimation noise level from the strong convergent self-calibrating image networks.

Calibration of in vitro bioassay methodology for determination “1”3”1I urine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, C.B.; Hazin, C.; Lima, A.R.

2015-01-01

The use of unsealed radioactive sources in institutions practicing nuclear medicine poses a significant risk of internal exposure of workers. In this context, handling of “1”3”1I plays an important role in relation to other radionuclides due to its wide application, particularly in medical diagnosis and therapy of diseases related to the thyroid gland. Given the increasing number of services using “1”3”1I in their examination protocols, the probability of accidental incorporation of this radionuclide has increased. The present study aimed to implement methodologies for in vitro bioassay at the Centro Regional de Ciências Nucleares do Nordeste (CRCN-NE/CNEN), Recife, Brazil, for internal monitoring of individuals occupationally exposed to “1”3”1I. For in vitro system calibration, a coaxial HPGe detector model GC1018 and a standard “1”3”3Ba source were used. Upon obtaining the calibration factor, it was possible to determine the minimum detectable activities (MDA) for the system by using direct measurements of distilled water simulating urine (in vitro). Then, by using the biokinetic models provided by the International Commission on Radiological Protection, edited with the AIDE software version 6.0, it was possible to estimate the Minimum Detectable Effective Dose (MDED). MDED values obtained were compared to the record level of 1 mSv recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency in the urine compartment 24 h. The values found were lower than the record level of 1 mSv in all simulated incorporation scenarios: inhalation of vapor and particles with AMAD of 1 μ and 5 μ, type F compound, and ingestion. The results of this work show that the implemented technique is suitable for conducting internal monitoring of workers to “1”3”1I. It is intended to continue the work aiming the monitoring of occupationally exposed individuals from Nuclear Medicine Services in Recife, Brazil. (authors)

Vicarious Calibration of Beijing-1 Multispectral Imagers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhengchao Chen

2014-02-01

Full Text Available For on-orbit calibration of the Beijing-1 multispectral imagers (Beijing-1/MS, a field calibration campaign was performed at the Dunhuang calibration site during September and October of 2008. Based on the in situ data and images from Beijing-1 and Terra/Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS, three vicarious calibration methods (i.e., reflectance-based, irradiance-based, and cross-calibration were used to calculate the top-of-atmosphere (TOA radiance of Beijing-1. An analysis was then performed to determine or identify systematic and accidental errors, and the overall uncertainty was assessed for each individual method. The findings show that the reflectance-based method has an uncertainty of more than 10% if the aerosol optical depth (AOD exceeds 0.2. The cross-calibration method is able to reach an error level within 7% if the images are selected carefully. The final calibration coefficients were derived from the irradiance-based data for 6 September 2008, with an uncertainty estimated to be less than 5%.

Online Calibration and Performance of the ATLAS Pixel Detector

CERN Document Server

Keil, M

2011-01-01

The ATLAS Pixel Detector is the innermost detector of the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. It consists of 1744 silicon sensors equipped with approximately 80 million electronic channels, providing typically three measurement points with high resolution for particles emerging from the beam-interaction region, thus allowing measuring particle tracks and secondary vertices with very high precision. The readout system of the Pixel Detector is based on a bi-directional optical data transmission system between the detector and the data acquisition system with an individual link for each of the 1744 modules. Signal conversion components are located on both ends, approximately 80 m apart. This paper describes the tuning and calibration of the optical links and the detector modules, including measurements of threshold, noise, charge measurement, timing performance and the sensor leakage current.

Body composition in Nepalese children using isotope dilution: the production of ethnic-specific calibration equations and an exploration of methodological issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Devakumar, Delan; Grijalva-Eternod, Carlos S; Roberts, Sebastian; Chaube, Shiva Shankar; Saville, Naomi M; Manandhar, Dharma S; Costello, Anthony; Osrin, David; Wells, Jonathan C K

2015-01-01

Background. Body composition is important as a marker of both current and future health. Bioelectrical impedance (BIA) is a simple and accurate method for estimating body composition, but requires population-specific calibration equations. Objectives. (1) To generate population specific calibration equations to predict lean mass (LM) from BIA in Nepalese children aged 7-9 years. (2) To explore methodological changes that may extend the range and improve accuracy. Methods. BIA measurements were obtained from 102 Nepalese children (52 girls) using the Tanita BC-418. Isotope dilution with deuterium oxide was used to measure total body water and to estimate LM. Prediction equations for estimating LM from BIA data were developed using linear regression, and estimates were compared with those obtained from the Tanita system. We assessed the effects of flexing the arms of children to extend the range of coverage towards lower weights. We also estimated potential error if the number of children included in the study was reduced. Findings. Prediction equations were generated, incorporating height, impedance index, weight and sex as predictors (R (2) 93%). The Tanita system tended to under-estimate LM, with a mean error of 2.2%, but extending up to 25.8%. Flexing the arms to 90° increased the lower weight range, but produced a small error that was not significant when applied to children <16 kg (p 0.42). Reducing the number of children increased the error at the tails of the weight distribution. Conclusions. Population-specific isotope calibration of BIA for Nepalese children has high accuracy. Arm position is important and can be used to extend the range of low weight covered. Smaller samples reduce resource requirements, but leads to large errors at the tails of the weight distribution.

Body composition in Nepalese children using isotope dilution: the production of ethnic-specific calibration equations and an exploration of methodological issues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Delan Devakumar

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Background. Body composition is important as a marker of both current and future health. Bioelectrical impedance (BIA is a simple and accurate method for estimating body composition, but requires population-specific calibration equations.Objectives. (1 To generate population specific calibration equations to predict lean mass (LM from BIA in Nepalese children aged 7–9 years. (2 To explore methodological changes that may extend the range and improve accuracy.Methods. BIA measurements were obtained from 102 Nepalese children (52 girls using the Tanita BC-418. Isotope dilution with deuterium oxide was used to measure total body water and to estimate LM. Prediction equations for estimating LM from BIA data were developed using linear regression, and estimates were compared with those obtained from the Tanita system. We assessed the effects of flexing the arms of children to extend the range of coverage towards lower weights. We also estimated potential error if the number of children included in the study was reduced.Findings. Prediction equations were generated, incorporating height, impedance index, weight and sex as predictors (R2 93%. The Tanita system tended to under-estimate LM, with a mean error of 2.2%, but extending up to 25.8%. Flexing the arms to 90° increased the lower weight range, but produced a small error that was not significant when applied to children <16 kg (p 0.42. Reducing the number of children increased the error at the tails of the weight distribution.Conclusions. Population-specific isotope calibration of BIA for Nepalese children has high accuracy. Arm position is important and can be used to extend the range of low weight covered. Smaller samples reduce resource requirements, but leads to large errors at the tails of the weight distribution.

Vessel calibration for accurate material accountancy at RRP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanagisawa, Yuu; Ono, Sawako; Iwamoto, Tomonori

2004-01-01

RRP has a 800t·Upr capacity a year to re-process, where would be handled a large amount of nuclear materials as solution. A large scale plant like RRP will require accurate materials accountancy system, so that the vessel calibration with high-precision is very important as initial vessel calibration before operation. In order to obtain the calibration curve, it is needed well-known each the increment volume related with liquid height. Then we performed at least 2 or 3 times run with water for vessel calibration and careful evaluation for the calibration data should be needed. We performed vessel calibration overall 210 vessels, and the calibration of 81 vessels including IAT and OAT were held under presence of JSGO and IAEA inspectors taking into account importance on the material accountancy. This paper describes outline of the initial vessel calibration and calibration results based on back pressure measurement with dip tubes. (author)

"Found Performance": Towards a Musical Methodology for Exploring the Aesthetics of Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Stuart

2017-09-18

Concepts of performance in fine art reflect key processes in music therapy. Music therapy enables practitioners to reframe patients as performers, producing new meanings around the clinical knowledge attached to medical histories and constructs. In this paper, music therapy practices are considered in the wider context of art history, with reference to allied theories from social research. Tracing a century in art that has revised the performativity of found objects (starting with Duchamp's "Fountain"), and of found sound (crystallised by Cage's 4' 33) this paper proposes that music therapy might be a pioneer methodology of "found performance". Examples from music therapy and contemporary socially engaged art practices are brought as potential links between artistic methodologies and medical humanities research, with specific reference to notions of Aesthetics of Care.

Calibration and quality assurance for rounded leaf-end MLC systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graves, Maria N.; Thompson, Antoinette V.; Martel, Mary K.; McShan, Daniel L.; Fraass, Benedick A.

2001-01-01

Multileaf collimator (MLC) systems are available on most commercial linear accelerators, and many of these MLC systems utilize a design with rounded leaf ends and linear motion of the leaves. In this kind of system, the agreement between the digital MLC position readouts and the light field or radiation field edges must be achieved with software, since the leaves do not move in a focused motion like that used for most collimator jaw systems. In this work we address a number of the calibration and quality assurance issues associated with the acceptance, commissioning, and routine clinical use of this type of MLC system. These issues are particularly important for MLCs used for various types of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and small, conformal fields. For rounded leaf end MLCs, it is generally not possible to make both the light and radiation field edges agree with the digital readout, so differences between the two kinds of calibrations are illustrated in this work using one vendor's MLC system. It is increasingly critical that the MLC leaf calibration be very consistent with the radiation field edges, so in this work a methodology for performing accurate radiation field size calibration is discussed. A system external to the vendor's MLC control system is used to correct or handle limitations in the MLC control system. When such a system of corrections is utilized, it is found that the MLC radiation field size can be defined with an accuracy of approximately 0.3 mm, much more accurate than most vendor's specifications for MLC accuracy. Quality assurance testing for such a calibration correction system is also demonstrated

Gradient-based model calibration with proxy-model assistance

Science.gov (United States)

Burrows, Wesley; Doherty, John

2016-02-01

Use of a proxy model in gradient-based calibration and uncertainty analysis of a complex groundwater model with large run times and problematic numerical behaviour is described. The methodology is general, and can be used with models of all types. The proxy model is based on a series of analytical functions that link all model outputs used in the calibration process to all parameters requiring estimation. In enforcing history-matching constraints during the calibration and post-calibration uncertainty analysis processes, the proxy model is run for the purposes of populating the Jacobian matrix, while the original model is run when testing parameter upgrades; the latter process is readily parallelized. Use of a proxy model in this fashion dramatically reduces the computational burden of complex model calibration and uncertainty analysis. At the same time, the effect of model numerical misbehaviour on calculation of local gradients is mitigated, this allowing access to the benefits of gradient-based analysis where lack of integrity in finite-difference derivatives calculation would otherwise have impeded such access. Construction of a proxy model, and its subsequent use in calibration of a complex model, and in analysing the uncertainties of predictions made by that model, is implemented in the PEST suite.

Accuracy, calibration and clinical performance of the EuroSCORE: can we reduce the number of variables?

Science.gov (United States)

Ranucci, Marco; Castelvecchio, Serenella; Menicanti, Lorenzo; Frigiola, Alessandro; Pelissero, Gabriele

2010-03-01

The European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation (EuroSCORE) is currently used in many institutions and is considered a reference tool in many countries. We hypothesised that too many variables were included in the EuroSCORE using limited patient series. We tested different models using a limited number of variables. A total of 11150 adult patients undergoing cardiac operations at our institution (2001-2007) were retrospectively analysed. The 17 risk factors composing the EuroSCORE were separately analysed and ranked for accuracy of prediction of hospital mortality. Seventeen models were created by progressively including one factor at a time. The models were compared for accuracy with a receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis and area under the curve (AUC) evaluation. Calibration was tested with Hosmer-Lemeshow statistics. Clinical performance was assessed by comparing the predicted with the observed mortality rates. The best accuracy (AUC 0.76) was obtained using a model including only age, left ventricular ejection fraction, serum creatinine, emergency operation and non-isolated coronary operation. The EuroSCORE AUC (0.75) was not significantly different. Calibration and clinical performance were better in the five-factor model than in the EuroSCORE. Only in high-risk patients were 12 factors needed to achieve a good performance. Including many factors in multivariable logistic models increases the risk for overfitting, multicollinearity and human error. A five-factor model offers the same level of accuracy but demonstrated better calibration and clinical performance. Models with a limited number of factors may work better than complex models when applied to a limited number of patients. Copyright (c) 2009 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Energy Modelling and Automated Calibrations of Ancient Building Simulations: A Case Study of a School in the Northwest of Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Ogando

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In the present paper, the energy performance of buildings forming a school centre in the northwest of Spain was analyzed using a transient simulation of the energy model of the school, which was developed with TRNSYS, a software of proven reliability in the field of thermal simulations. A deterministic calibration approach was applied to the initial building model to adjust the predictions to the actual performance of the school, data acquired during the temperature measurement campaign. The buildings under study were in deteriorated conditions due to poor maintenance over the years, presenting a big challenge for modelling and simulating it in a reliable way. The results showed that the proposed methodology is successful for obtaining calibrated thermal models of these types of damaged buildings, as the metrics employed to verify the final error showed a reduced normalized mean bias error (NMBE of 2.73%. It was verified that a decrease of approximately 60% in NMBE and 17% in the coefficient of variation of the root mean square error (CV(RMSE was achieved due to the calibration process. Subsequent steps were performed with the aid of new software, which was developed under a European project that enabled the automated calibration of the simulations.

Design Methodology and Performance Evaluation of New Generation Sounding Rockets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Pallone

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Sounding rockets are currently deployed for the purpose of providing experimental data of the upper atmosphere, as well as for microgravity experiments. This work provides a methodology in order to design, model, and evaluate the performance of new sounding rockets. A general configuration composed of a rocket with four canards and four tail wings is sized and optimized, assuming different payload masses and microgravity durations. The aerodynamic forces are modeled with high fidelity using the interpolation of available data. Three different guidance algorithms are used for the trajectory integration: constant attitude, near radial, and sun-pointing. The sun-pointing guidance is used to obtain the best microgravity performance while maintaining a specified attitude with respect to the sun, allowing for experiments which are temperature sensitive. Near radial guidance has instead the main purpose of reaching high altitudes, thus maximizing the microgravity duration. The results prove that the methodology at hand is straightforward to implement and capable of providing satisfactory performance in term of microgravity duration.

Learning a common dictionary for subject-transfer decoding with resting calibration.

Science.gov (United States)

Morioka, Hiroshi; Kanemura, Atsunori; Hirayama, Jun-ichiro; Shikauchi, Manabu; Ogawa, Takeshi; Ikeda, Shigeyuki; Kawanabe, Motoaki; Ishii, Shin

2015-05-01

Brain signals measured over a series of experiments have inherent variability because of different physical and mental conditions among multiple subjects and sessions. Such variability complicates the analysis of data from multiple subjects and sessions in a consistent way, and degrades the performance of subject-transfer decoding in a brain-machine interface (BMI). To accommodate the variability in brain signals, we propose 1) a method for extracting spatial bases (or a dictionary) shared by multiple subjects, by employing a signal-processing technique of dictionary learning modified to compensate for variations between subjects and sessions, and 2) an approach to subject-transfer decoding that uses the resting-state activity of a previously unseen target subject as calibration data for compensating for variations, eliminating the need for a standard calibration based on task sessions. Applying our methodology to a dataset of electroencephalography (EEG) recordings during a selective visual-spatial attention task from multiple subjects and sessions, where the variability compensation was essential for reducing the redundancy of the dictionary, we found that the extracted common brain activities were reasonable in the light of neuroscience knowledge. The applicability to subject-transfer decoding was confirmed by improved performance over existing decoding methods. These results suggest that analyzing multisubject brain activities on common bases by the proposed method enables information sharing across subjects with low-burden resting calibration, and is effective for practical use of BMI in variable environments. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Contamination Upon the Performance of X-Ray Telescopes

Science.gov (United States)

O'Dell, Stephen L.; Elsner, Ronald F.; Oosterbroek, Tim

2010-01-01

Particulate and molecular contamination can each impact the performance of x-ray telescope systems. Furthermore, any changes in the level of contamination between on-ground calibration and in-space operation can compromise the validity of the calibration. Thus, it is important to understand the sensitivity of telescope performance, especially the net effective area and the wings of the point spread function to contamination. Here, we quantify this sensitivity and discuss the flow-down of science requirements to contamination-control requirements. As an example, we apply this methodology to the International X-ray Observatory (IXO), currently under joint study by ESA, JAXA, and NASA.

Quality control of CT units - methodology of performance I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prlic, I.; Radalj, Z.

1996-01-01

Increasing use of x-ray computed tomography systems (CT scanners) in the diagnostic requires an efficient means of evaluating the performance of them. Therefore, this paper presents the way to measure (Quality Control procedure-Q/C) and define the CT scanner performance through a special phantom which is based on the recommendation of the American association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM). The performance parameters measurable with the phantom represent the capability, so periodical evaluation of the parameters enable the users to recognize the stability of the CT scanner no matter on the manufacturer, model or software option of the scanner. There are five important performance parameters which are to be measured: Noise, Contrast scale, Nominal tomographic section thickness, High and Low contrast resolution (MTF). The sixth parameter is, of course the dose per scan and slice which gives the patient dose for the certain diagnostic procedure. The last but not the least parameter is the final image quality which is given through the image processing device connected to the scanner. This is the final medical information needed for the good medical practice according to the Quality Assurance (Q/A) procedures in diagnostic radiology. We have to assure the results of the performance evaluation without environmental influences (the measurements are to be made under the certain conditions according Q/A). This paper will give no detailed methodology recipe but will show on the one example; the system noise measurements and linearity; the need and relevant results of the measurements.1 The rest of the methodology is to be published. (author)

A Review of Sensor Calibration Monitoring for Calibration Interval Extension in Nuclear Power Plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coble, Jamie B.; Meyer, Ryan M.; Ramuhalli, Pradeep; Bond, Leonard J.; Hashemian, Hash; Shumaker, Brent; Cummins, Dara

2012-08-31

Currently in the United States, periodic sensor recalibration is required for all safety-related sensors, typically occurring at every refueling outage, and it has emerged as a critical path item for shortening outage duration in some plants. Online monitoring can be employed to identify those sensors that require calibration, allowing for calibration of only those sensors that need it. International application of calibration monitoring, such as at the Sizewell B plant in United Kingdom, has shown that sensors may operate for eight years, or longer, within calibration tolerances. This issue is expected to also be important as the United States looks to the next generation of reactor designs (such as small modular reactors and advanced concepts), given the anticipated longer refueling cycles, proposed advanced sensors, and digital instrumentation and control systems. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) accepted the general concept of online monitoring for sensor calibration monitoring in 2000, but no U.S. plants have been granted the necessary license amendment to apply it. This report presents a state-of-the-art assessment of online calibration monitoring in the nuclear power industry, including sensors, calibration practice, and online monitoring algorithms. This assessment identifies key research needs and gaps that prohibit integration of the NRC-approved online calibration monitoring system in the U.S. nuclear industry. Several needs are identified, including the quantification of uncertainty in online calibration assessment; accurate determination of calibration acceptance criteria and quantification of the effect of acceptance criteria variability on system performance; and assessment of the feasibility of using virtual sensor estimates to replace identified faulty sensors in order to extend operation to the next convenient maintenance opportunity. Understanding the degradation of sensors and the impact of this degradation on signals is key to

Improved best estimate plus uncertainty methodology, including advanced validation concepts, to license evolving nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Unal, C.; Williams, B.; Hemez, F.; Atamturktur, S.H.; McClure, P.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → The best estimate plus uncertainty methodology (BEPU) is one option in the licensing of nuclear reactors. → The challenges for extending the BEPU method for fuel qualification for an advanced reactor fuel are primarily driven by schedule, the need for data, and the sufficiency of the data. → In this paper we develop an extended BEPU methodology that can potentially be used to address these new challenges in the design and licensing of advanced nuclear reactors. → The main components of the proposed methodology are verification, validation, calibration, and uncertainty quantification. → The methodology includes a formalism to quantify an adequate level of validation (predictive maturity) with respect to existing data, so that required new testing can be minimized, saving cost by demonstrating that further testing will not enhance the quality of the predictive tools. - Abstract: Many evolving nuclear energy technologies use advanced predictive multiscale, multiphysics modeling and simulation (M and S) capabilities to reduce the cost and schedule of design and licensing. Historically, the role of experiments has been as a primary tool for the design and understanding of nuclear system behavior, while M and S played the subordinate role of supporting experiments. In the new era of multiscale, multiphysics computational-based technology development, this role has been reversed. The experiments will still be needed, but they will be performed at different scales to calibrate and validate the models leading to predictive simulations for design and licensing. Minimizing the required number of validation experiments produces cost and time savings. The use of multiscale, multiphysics models introduces challenges in validating these predictive tools - traditional methodologies will have to be modified to address these challenges. This paper gives the basic aspects of a methodology that can potentially be used to address these new challenges in

New calibration methodology for calorimetric determination of isobaric thermal expansivity of liquids as a function of temperature and pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Navia, Paloma; Troncoso, Jacobo [Departamento de Fisica Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias de Ourense, Campus As Lagoas, 32004 Ourense (Spain); Romani, Luis [Departamento de Fisica Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias de Ourense, Campus As Lagoas, 32004 Ourense (Spain)], E-mail: romani@uvigo.es

2008-11-15

A new method for determining isobaric thermal expansivity of liquids as a function of temperature and pressure through calorimetric measurements against pressure is described. It is based on a previously reported measurement technique, but due to the different kind of calorimeter and experimental set up, a new calibration procedure was developed. Two isobaric thermal expansivity standards are needed; in this work, with a view on the quality of the available literature data, hexane and water are chosen. The measurements were carried out in the temperature and pressure intervals (278.15 to 348.15) K and (0.5 to 55) MPa for a set of liquids, and experimental values are compared with the available literature data in order to evaluate the precision of the experimental procedure. The analysis of the results reveals that the proposed methodology is highly accurate for isobaric thermal expansivity determination, and it allows obtaining a precise characterisation of the temperature and pressure dependence of this thermodynamic coefficient.

New calibration methodology for calorimetric determination of isobaric thermal expansivity of liquids as a function of temperature and pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Navia, Paloma; Troncoso, Jacobo; Romani, Luis

2008-01-01

A new method for determining isobaric thermal expansivity of liquids as a function of temperature and pressure through calorimetric measurements against pressure is described. It is based on a previously reported measurement technique, but due to the different kind of calorimeter and experimental set up, a new calibration procedure was developed. Two isobaric thermal expansivity standards are needed; in this work, with a view on the quality of the available literature data, hexane and water are chosen. The measurements were carried out in the temperature and pressure intervals (278.15 to 348.15) K and (0.5 to 55) MPa for a set of liquids, and experimental values are compared with the available literature data in order to evaluate the precision of the experimental procedure. The analysis of the results reveals that the proposed methodology is highly accurate for isobaric thermal expansivity determination, and it allows obtaining a precise characterisation of the temperature and pressure dependence of this thermodynamic coefficient

A Methodology for Equitable Performance Assessment and Presentation of Wave Energy Converters Based on Sea Trials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kofoed, Jens Peter; Pecher, Arthur; Margheritini, Lucia

2013-01-01

This paper provides a methodology for the analysis and presentation of data obtained from sea trials of wave energy converters (WEC). The equitable aspect of this methodology lies in its wide application, as any WEC at any scale or stage of development can be considered as long as the tests are p...... parameters influence the performance of the WEC can also be investigated using this methodology.......This paper provides a methodology for the analysis and presentation of data obtained from sea trials of wave energy converters (WEC). The equitable aspect of this methodology lies in its wide application, as any WEC at any scale or stage of development can be considered as long as the tests...... leads to testing campaigns that are not as extensive as desired. Therefore, the performance analysis should be robust enough to allow for not fully complete sea trials and sub optimal performance data. In other words, this methodology is focused at retrieving the maximum amount of useful information out...

Calibration through on-line monitoring of instruments channels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

James, R.W.

1996-01-01

Plant technical specifications require periodic calibration of instrument channels, and this has traditionally meant calibration at fixed time intervals for nearly all instruments. Experience has shown that unnecessarily frequent calibrations reduce channel availability and reliability, impact outage durations, and increase maintenance costs. An alternative approach to satisfying existing requirements for periodic calibration consists of on-line monitoring and quantitative comparison of instrument channels during operation to identify instrument degradation and failure. A Utility Working Group has been formed by EPRI to support the technical activities necessary to achieve generic NRC acceptance of on-line monitoring of redundant instrument channels as a basis for determining when to perform calibrations. A topical report proposing NRC acceptance of this approach was submitted in August 1995, and the Working Group is currently resolving NRC technical questions. This paper describes the proposed approach and the current status of the topical report with regard to NRC review. While these activities will not preclude utilities from continuing to use existing calibration approaches, successful acceptance of this performance-based approach will allow utilities to substantially reduce the number of calibrations which are performed. Concurrent benefits will include reduced I ampersand C impact on outage durations and improved sensitivity to instrument channel performance

Validation and calibration of structural models that combine information from multiple sources.

Science.gov (United States)

Dahabreh, Issa J; Wong, John B; Trikalinos, Thomas A

2017-02-01

Mathematical models that attempt to capture structural relationships between their components and combine information from multiple sources are increasingly used in medicine. Areas covered: We provide an overview of methods for model validation and calibration and survey studies comparing alternative approaches. Expert commentary: Model validation entails a confrontation of models with data, background knowledge, and other models, and can inform judgments about model credibility. Calibration involves selecting parameter values to improve the agreement of model outputs with data. When the goal of modeling is quantitative inference on the effects of interventions or forecasting, calibration can be viewed as estimation. This view clarifies issues related to parameter identifiability and facilitates formal model validation and the examination of consistency among different sources of information. In contrast, when the goal of modeling is the generation of qualitative insights about the modeled phenomenon, calibration is a rather informal process for selecting inputs that result in model behavior that roughly reproduces select aspects of the modeled phenomenon and cannot be equated to an estimation procedure. Current empirical research on validation and calibration methods consists primarily of methodological appraisals or case-studies of alternative techniques and cannot address the numerous complex and multifaceted methodological decisions that modelers must make. Further research is needed on different approaches for developing and validating complex models that combine evidence from multiple sources.

Galileo spacecraft inertial sensors in-flight calibration design

Science.gov (United States)

Jahanshahi, M. H.; Lai, J. Y.

1983-01-01

The successful navigation of Galileo depends on accurate trajectory correction maneuvers (TCM's) performed during the mission. A set of Inertial Sensor (INS) units, comprised of gyros and accelerometers, mounted on the spacecraft, are utilized to control and monitor the performance of the TCM's. To provide the optimum performance, in-flight calibrations of INS are planned. These calibrations will take place on a regular basis. In this paper, a mathematical description is given of the data reduction technique used in analyzing a typical set of calibration data. The design of the calibration and the inertial sensor error models, necessary for the above analysis, are delineated in detail.

Relative efficiency calibration between two silicon drift detectors performed with a monochromatized X-ray generator over the 0.1-1.5 keV range

Science.gov (United States)

Hubert, S.; Boubault, F.

2018-03-01

In this article, we present the first X-ray calibration performed over the 0.1-1.5 keV spectral range by means of a soft X-ray Manson source and the monochromator SYMPAX. This monochromator, based on a classical Rowland geometry, presents the novelty to be able to board simultaneously two detectors and move them under vacuum in front of the exit slit of the monochromatizing stage. This provides the great advantage to perform radiometric measurements of the monochromatic X-ray photon flux with one reference detector while calibrating another X-ray detector. To achieve this, at least one secondary standard must be operated with SYMPAX. This paper presents thereby an efficiency transfer experiment between a secondary standard silicon drift detector (SDD), previously calibrated on BESSY II synchrotron Facility, and another one ("unknown" SDD), devoted to be used permanently with SYMPAX. The associated calibration process is described as well as corresponding results. Comparison with calibrated measurements performed at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) Radiometric Laboratory shows a very good agreement between the secondary standard and the unknown SDD.

A global fouling factor methodology for analyzing steam generator thermal performance degradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kreider, M.A.; White, G.A.; Varrin, R.D. Jr.

1998-06-01

Over the past few years, steam generator (SG) thermal performance degradation has led to decreased plant efficiency and power output at numerous PWR nuclear power plants with recirculating-type SGs. The authors have developed and implemented methodologies for quantitatively evaluating the various sources of SG performance degradation, both internal and external to the SG pressure boundary. These methodologies include computation of the global fouling factor history, evaluation of secondary deposit thermal resistance using deposit characterization data, and consideration of pressure loss causes unrelated to the tube bundle, such as hot-leg temperature streaming and SG moisture separator fouling. In order to evaluate the utility of the global fouling factor methodology, the authors performed case studies for a number of PWR SG designs. Key results from two of these studies are presented here. In tandem with the fouling-factor analyses, a study evaluated for each plant the potential causes of pressure loss. The combined results of the global fouling factor calculations and the pressure-loss evaluations demonstrated two key points: (1) that the available thermal margin against fouling, which can vary substantially from plant to plant, has an important bearing on whether a given plant exhibits losses in electrical generating capacity, and (2) that a wide variety of causes can result in SG thermal performance degradation

The Effect of Soft Skills and Training Methodology on Employee Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Rosli; Boerhannoeddin, Ali; Bakare, Kazeem Kayode

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of soft skill acquisition and the training methodology adopted on employee work performance. In this study, the authors study the trends of research in training and work performance in organisations that focus on the acquisition of technical or "hard skills" for employee…

Knowledge management performance methodology regarding manufacturing organizations

Science.gov (United States)

Istrate, C.; Herghiligiu, I. V.

2016-08-01

The current business situation is extremely complicated. Business must adapt to the changes in order (a) to survive on the increasingly dynamic markets, (b) to meet customers’ new request for complex, customized and innovative products. In modern manufacturing organizations it can be seen a substantial improvement regarding the management of knowledge. This occurs due to the fact that organizations realized that knowledge and an efficient management of knowledge generates the highest value. Even it could be said that the manufacturing organizations were and are the biggest beneficiary of KM science. Knowledge management performance (KMP) evaluation in manufacturing organizations can be considered as extremely important because without measuring it, they are unable to properly assess (a) what goals, targets and activities must have continuity, (b) what must be improved and (c) what must be completed. Therefore a proper KM will generate multiple competitive advantages for organizations. This paper presents a developed methodological framework regarding the KMP importance regarding manufacturing organizations. This methodological framework was developed using as research methods: bibliographical research and a panel of specialists. The purpose of this paper is to improve the evaluation process of KMP and to provide a viable tool for manufacturing organizations managers.

Radioactivity measurement of 18F in 16 ml vials for calibration of radionuclide calibrators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wurdiyanto, Gatot; Marsoem, Pujadi; Candra, Hermawan; Wijono, Paidi

2012-01-01

Fluorine-18 is obtained through the reaction 18 O(p, n) 18 F using a cyclotron that is situated in a hospital in Jakarta. Standardization of the 18 F solution is performed by gamma spectrometry using calibration sources of 152 Eu, 60 Co and 137 Cs that have traceability to the International System of units (SI). The activities in the 16 ml vials that were used for calibrating the radionuclide calibrators were between 1 and 2 GBq, with expanded uncertainties of 3.8%. The expanded uncertainty, at a coverage factor of k=2, on the derived calibration factor for the radionuclide calibrator was 6.6%. - Highlights: ► PTKMR–BATAN as a NMI of Indonesia is required to have procedures to calibrate the radionuclide calibrators. ► Standardizations were carried out on a solution of [ 18 F]FDG using gamma spectrometry. ► The volume of 18 F solutions used was 16 ml because this is the volume often used in hospitals. ► The Secondary Standard ionization chamber is a CRC-7BT Capintec radionuclide calibrator. ► A dial setting for 16 ml of [ 18 F]FDG solution in a vial is 443 for the Capintec dose calibrator.

On-line monitoring for calibration reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffmann, M.

2005-09-01

On-Line Monitoring evaluates instrument channel performance by assessing its consistency with other plant indications. Elimination or reduction of unnecessary field calibrations can reduce associated labour costs, reduce personnel radiation exposure, and reduce the potential for calibration errors. On-line calibration monitoring is an important technique to implement a state-based maintenance approach and reduce unnecessary field calibrations. In this report we will look at how the concept is currently applied in the industry and what the arising needs are as it becomes more commonplace. We will also look at the PEANO System, a tool developed by the Halden Project to perform signal validation and on-line calibration monitoring. Some issues will be identified that are being addressed in the further development of these tools to better serve the future needs of the industry in this area. An outline for how to improve these points and which aspects should be taken into account is described in detail. (Author)

SPOTS Calibration Example

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patterson E.

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The results are presented using the procedure outlined by the Standardisation Project for Optical Techniques of Strain measurement to calibrate a digital image correlation system. The process involves comparing the experimental data obtained with the optical measurement system to the theoretical values for a specially designed specimen. The standard states the criteria which must be met in order to achieve successful calibration, in addition to quantifying the measurement uncertainty in the system. The system was evaluated at three different displacement load levels, generating strain ranges from 289 µstrain to 2110 µstrain. At the 289 µstrain range, the calibration uncertainty was found to be 14.1 µstrain, and at the 2110 µstrain range it was found to be 28.9 µstrain. This calibration procedure was performed without painting a speckle pattern on the surface of the metal. Instead, the specimen surface was prepared using different grades of grit paper to produce the desired texture.

Performance and calibration of wave length shifting fibers for K2K SciBar detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morita, Taichi

2004-01-01

The wave length shifting (WLS) fibers (Kuraray Y11 (200) MS) are used for light collection from scintillators in the SciBar detector. The performance of WLS fibers was measured before installation. Because the number of WLS fibers is about 15,000, it is necessary to make a system to measure attenuation length of WLS fibers efficiently. I will report the pre-calibration method for measurement and the performance of the WLS fibers in SciBar detector. (author)

Performance Testing Methodology for Safety-Critical Programmable Logic Controller

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Chang Ho; Oh, Do Young; Kim, Ji Hyeon; Kim, Sung Ho; Sohn, Se Do

2009-01-01

The Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) for use in Nuclear Power Plant safety-related applications is being developed and tested first time in Korea. This safety-related PLC is being developed with requirements of regulatory guideline and industry standards for safety system. To test that the quality of the developed PLC is sufficient to be used in safety critical system, document review and various product testings were performed over the development documents for S/W, H/W, and V/V. This paper provides the performance testing methodology and its effectiveness for PLC platform conducted by KOPEC

Capital Structure Arbitrage under a Risk-Neutral Calibration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter J. Zeitsch

2017-01-01

Full Text Available By reinterpreting the calibration of structural models, a reassessment of the importance of the input variables is undertaken. The analysis shows that volatility is the key parameter to any calibration exercise, by several orders of magnitude. To maximize the sensitivity to volatility, a simple formulation of Merton’s model is proposed that employs deep out-of-the-money option implied volatilities. The methodology also eliminates the use of historic data to specify the default barrier, thereby leading to a full risk-neutral calibration. Subsequently, a new technique for identifying and hedging capital structure arbitrage opportunities is illustrated. The approach seeks to hedge the volatility risk, or vega, as opposed to the exposure from the underlying equity itself, or delta. The results question the efficacy of the common arbitrage strategy of only executing the delta hedge.

Methodology for calibration of detector of NaI (TI)) 3 ' X 3 ' for in vivo measurements of patients with hyperthyroidism undergoing to radioiodotherapy; Metodologia para calibracao de detector de NaI(TI) ) 3'X3' para medicoes in vivo em pacientes portadores de hipertireoidismo submetidos a radioiodoterapia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carvalho, Carlaine B.; Lacerda, Isabelle V.B.; Oliveira, Mercia L.; Hazin, Clovis A., E-mail: carlaine.carvalho@gmail.com, E-mail: bellelacerda@hotmail.com, E-mail: mercial@cnen.gov.br, E-mail: chazin@cnen.gov.br [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (DEN/UFPE), Recife, PE (Brazil). Departamento de Energia Nuclear; Centro Regional de Ciencias Nucleares do Nordeste (CRCN-NE/CNEN-PE), Recife, PE (Brazil); Lima, Fabiana F., E-mail: fflima@cnen.gov.br [Centro Regional de Ciencias Nucleares do Nordeste (CRCN-NE/CNEN-PE), Recife, PE (Brazil)

2013-10-01

The aim of this study is to establish the methodology for calibration of the detection system to be used in determining the therapeutic activity of {sup 131}I required to release desired absorbed dose in the thyroid gland . This step is critical to the development of a protocol for individualized doses. The system consists of a detector of NaI (Tl ) 3'x3' coupled to software Genie 2000. We used the calibration sources of {sup 60}Co , {sup 137}Cs and {sup 133}Ba. We obtained the straight calibration system, with sources {sup 60}Co and {sup 137}Cs. Subsequently , the detector was calibrated using a thyroid phantom-neck designed and produced by the IRD / CNEN with known activity of {sup 133}Ba standard solution containing 18.7 kBq (on 09/24/12) evenly distributed. He was also calibrated with other thyroid- neck phantom model 3108 manufactured by Searle Radigraphics Ind., containing a liquid source of {sup 131}I ( 7.7 MBq ). Five measurements were performed during 5 minutes for three different distances detector-simulator and calculated the corresponding calibration factors . The values of the calibration factors found for the simulator made by IRD and Searle Radigraphics Ind. for the distances 20, 25 and 30 cm were 0.35 , 0.24, 0.18, 0.15 , 0.11, 0, 09 , respectively. With the detection system properly calibrated and the calibration factors established, the technique is suitable for the evaluation of diagnostic activities of {sup 131}I incorporated by hyperthyroid patients. (author)

Vibration transducer calibration techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Brinkley, D. J.

1980-09-01

Techniques for the calibration of vibration transducers used in the Aeronautical Quality Assurance Directorate of the British Ministry of Defence are presented. Following a review of the types of measurements necessary in the calibration of vibration transducers, the performance requirements of vibration transducers, which can be used to measure acceleration, velocity or vibration amplitude, are discussed, with particular attention given to the piezoelectric accelerometer. Techniques for the accurate measurement of sinusoidal vibration amplitude in reference-grade transducers are then considered, including the use of a position sensitive photocell and the use of a Michelson laser interferometer. Means of comparing the output of working-grade accelerometers with that of previously calibrated reference-grade devices are then outlined, with attention given to a method employing a capacitance bridge technique and a method to be used at temperatures between -50 and 200 C. Automatic calibration procedures developed to speed up the calibration process are outlined, and future possible extensions of system software are indicated.

Calibration and field performance of membrane-enclosed sorptive coating for integrative passive sampling of persistent organic pollutants in water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vrana, Branislav; Paschke, Albrecht; Popp, Peter

2006-01-01

Membrane-enclosed sorptive coating (MESCO) is a miniaturised monitoring device that enables integrative passive sampling of persistent, hydrophobic organic pollutants in water. The system combines the passive sampling with solventless preconcentration of organic pollutants from water and subsequent desorption of analytes on-line into a chromatographic system. Exchange kinetics of chemicals between water and MESCO was studied at different flow rates of water, in order to characterize the effect of variable environmental conditions on the sampler performance, and to identify a method for in situ correction of the laboratory-derived calibration data. It was found that the desorption of chemicals from MESCO into water is isotropic to the absorption of the analytes onto the sampler under the same exposure conditions. This allows for the in situ calibration of the uptake of pollutants using elimination kinetics of performance reference compounds and more accurate estimates of target analyte concentrations. A field study was conducted to test the sampler performance alongside spot sampling. A good agreement of contaminant patterns and water concentrations was obtained by the two sampling techniques. - A robust calibration method of a passive sampling device for monitoring of persistent organic pollutants in water is described

Calibration of reference KAP-meters at SSDL and cross calibration of clinical KAP-meters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hetland, Per O.; Friberg, Eva G.; Oevreboe, Kirsti M.; Bjerke, Hans H.

2009-01-01

In the summer of 2007 the secondary standard dosimetry laboratory (SSDL) in Norway established a calibration service for reference air-kerma product meter (KAP-meter). The air-kerma area product, PKA, is a dosimetric quantity that can be directly related to the patient dose and used for risk assessment associated with different x-ray examinations. The calibration of reference KAP-meters at the SSDL gives important information on parameters influencing the calibration factor for different types of KAP-meters. The use of reference KAP-meters calibrated at the SSDL is an easy and reliable way to calibrate or verify the PKA indicated by the x-ray equipment out in the clinics. Material and methods. Twelve KAP-meters were calibrated at the SSDL by use of the substitution method at five diagnostic radiation qualities (RQRs). Results. The calibration factors varied from 0.94 to 1.18. The energy response of the individual KAP-meters varied by a total of 20% between the different RQRs and the typical chamber transmission factors ranged from 0.78 to 0.91. Discussion. It is important to use a calibrated reference KAP-meter and a harmonised calibration method in the PKA calibration in hospitals. The obtained uncertainty in the PKA readings is comparable with other calibration methods if the information in the calibration certificate is correct used, corrections are made and proper positioning of the KAP-chamber is performed. This will ensure a reliable estimate of the patient dose and a proper optimisation of conventional x-ray examinations and interventional procedures

CERN radiation protection (RP) calibration facilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pozzi, Fabio

2016-04-14

Radiation protection calibration facilities are essential to ensure the correct operation of radiation protection instrumentation. Calibrations are performed in specific radiation fields according to the type of instrument to be calibrated: neutrons, photons, X-rays, beta and alpha particles. Some of the instruments are also tested in mixed radiation fields as often encountered close to high-energy particle accelerators. Moreover, calibration facilities are of great importance to evaluate the performance of prototype detectors; testing and measuring the response of a prototype detector to well-known and -characterized radiation fields contributes to improving and optimizing its design and capabilities. The CERN Radiation Protection group is in charge of performing the regular calibrations of all CERN radiation protection devices; these include operational and passive dosimeters, neutron and photon survey-meters, and fixed radiation detectors to monitor the ambient dose equivalent, H*(10), inside CERN accelerators and at the CERN borders. A new state-of-the-art radiation protection calibration facility was designed, constructed and commissioned following the related ISO recommendations to replace the previous ageing (more than 30 years old) laboratory. In fact, the new laboratory aims also at the official accreditation according to the ISO standards in order to be able to release certified calibrations. Four radiation fields are provided: neutrons, photons and beta sources and an X-ray generator. Its construction did not only involve a pure civil engineering work; many radiation protection studies were performed to provide a facility that could answer the CERN calibration needs and fulfill all related safety requirements. Monte Carlo simulations have been confirmed to be a valuable tool for the optimization of the building design, the radiation protection aspects, e.g. shielding, and, as consequence, the overall cost. After the source and irradiator installation

Calibration belt for quality-of-care assessment based on dichotomous outcomes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefano Finazzi

Full Text Available Prognostic models applied in medicine must be validated on independent samples, before their use can be recommended. The assessment of calibration, i.e., the model's ability to provide reliable predictions, is crucial in external validation studies. Besides having several shortcomings, statistical techniques such as the computation of the standardized mortality ratio (SMR and its confidence intervals, the Hosmer-Lemeshow statistics, and the Cox calibration test, are all non-informative with respect to calibration across risk classes. Accordingly, calibration plots reporting expected versus observed outcomes across risk subsets have been used for many years. Erroneously, the points in the plot (frequently representing deciles of risk have been connected with lines, generating false calibration curves. Here we propose a methodology to create a confidence band for the calibration curve based on a function that relates expected to observed probabilities across classes of risk. The calibration belt allows the ranges of risk to be spotted where there is a significant deviation from the ideal calibration, and the direction of the deviation to be indicated. This method thus offers a more analytical view in the assessment of quality of care, compared to other approaches.

Surgical Treatment of Anal Stenosis with Diamond Flap Anoplasty Performed in a Calibrated Fashion.

Science.gov (United States)

Gülen, Merter; Leventoğlu, Sezai; Ege, Bahadir; Menteş, B Bülent

2016-03-01

Regarding anoplasty for anal stenosis, it is not clear to what extent the final anal caliber should be targeted. The aim of this study was to investigate the results of diamond-flap anoplasty performed in a calibrated manner for the treatment of severe anal stenosis due to a previous hemorrhoidectomy. Prospectively prepared standard forms were evaluated retrospectively. Anoplasty with unilateral or bilateral diamond flaps was performed for moderate or severe anal stenosis, targeting a final anal caliber of 25 to 26 mm. The demographic characteristics, causes of anal stenosis, number of previous surgeries, anal stenosis staging (Milsom and Mazier), anal calibers (millimeter), the Cleveland Clinic Incontinence Score, and the modified obstructed defecation syndrome Longo score were recorded on pre-prepared standard forms, as well as postoperative complications and the time of return to work. From January 2011 to July 2013, 18 patients (12 males, 67%) with a median age of 39 years (range, 27-70) were treated. All of the patients had a history of previous hemorrhoidectomy. The number of previous corrective interventions was 2.1 ± 1.8 (range, 0-4), and 2 patients had a history of failed anoplasty. Five patients (28%) had moderate anal stenosis and 13 (72%) had severe anal stenosis. Preoperative, intraoperative, and 12-month postoperative anal calibration values were 9 ± 3 mm (range, 5-15), 25 ± 0.75 mm (range, 24-26), and 25 ± 1 mm (range, 23-27) (p < 0.0001, for immediate postoperative and 12-month postoperative anal calibers compared with the intraoperative). Preoperative and 12-month postoperative Cleveland Clinic Incontinence Scores were 0.83 ± 1.15 (range, 0-4) and 0.39 ± 0.70 (range, 0-2) (p = 1.0). The clinical success rate was 88.9%. No severe postoperative complications were observed. This study was limited because it was a single-armed, retrospective analysis of prospectively designed data. Diamond-flap anoplasty performed in a standardized and calibrated

Calibration of detectors type CR-39 for methodology implementation for Radon-222 determination in CRCN-NE, Brazil; Calibração de detectores do tipo CR-39 para implementação da metodologia de determinação de radônio-222 no CRCN-NE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Karolayne E.M. da; Santos, Mariana L. de O.; Amaral, Déric S. do; Vilela, Eldice C.; França, Elvis J. de; Hazin, Clovis A.; Farias, Emerson E.G. de, E-mail: keesthefany@gmail.com, E-mail: marianasantos_ufpe@hotmail.com, E-mail: dericsoares@gmail.com, E-mail: ecvilela@cnen.gov.br, E-mail: ejfrana@cnen.gov.br, E-mail: chazin@cnen.gov.br, E-mail: emersonemiliamo@yahoo.com.br [Centro Regional de Ciências Nucleares do Nordeste (CRCN-NE/CNEN-PE), Recife, PE (Brazil)

2017-07-01

Radon-222 is a radioactive gas, a product of the decay of uranium-238, which emits alpha particles and represents more than 50% of the dose of natural radiation received by the population. Therefore, monitoring of this gas is essential. For indoor measurement, solid state detectors can be used, the most common of which is CR-39. For monitoring using CR-39, alpha particles, generated by radon-222 and the daughter radionuclides, strike the surface of the detector and generate traces. To relate the trace density per exposure area in environments with unknown activity concentration, it is necessary to determine the calibration factor. The objective of this study was to calibrate CR-39 type detectors for the implementation of the radon determination methodology in Centro Regional de Ciencias Nucleares do Nordeste - CRCN-NE of Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission - CNEN. In order to determine the CR-39 calibration factor, 19 exposures of the detectors were performed in the CRCN-NE calibration chamber (RN1-CRCN) at an activity of 5.00 kBq m{sup -3}, with the exposure time varying from 24 to 850 hours. For the detection of the detectors, sodium hydroxide was used in a thermostat bath at 90 ° C for 5 hours. The count of number of traits per unit of field was performed with the aid of optical microscopy with an increase of 100 times, being read 30 fields per dosimeters. As a result, the calibration factor was obtained, and the linear response of the trace density as a function of exposure was observed. The results allow the use of CR-39 in the determination of radon-222 by CRCN-NE.

Mercury CEM Calibration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

John F. Schabron; Joseph F. Rovani; Susan S. Sorini

2007-03-31

The Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR) which was published in the Federal Register on May 18, 2005, requires that calibration of mercury continuous emissions monitors (CEMs) be performed with NIST-traceable standards. Western Research Institute (WRI) is working closely with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to facilitate the development of the experimental criteria for a NIST traceability protocol for dynamic elemental mercury vapor generators. The traceability protocol will be written by EPA. Traceability will be based on the actual analysis of the output of each calibration unit at several concentration levels ranging from about 2-40 ug/m{sup 3}, and this analysis will be directly traceable to analyses by NIST using isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma/mass spectrometry (ID ICP/MS) through a chain of analyses linking the calibration unit in the power plant to the NIST ID ICP/MS. Prior to this project, NIST did not provide a recommended mercury vapor pressure equation or list mercury vapor pressure in its vapor pressure database. The NIST Physical and Chemical Properties Division in Boulder, Colorado was subcontracted under this project to study the issue in detail and to recommend a mercury vapor pressure equation that the vendors of mercury vapor pressure calibration units can use to calculate the elemental mercury vapor concentration in an equilibrium chamber at a particular temperature. As part of this study, a preliminary evaluation of calibration units from five vendors was made. The work was performed by NIST in Gaithersburg, MD and Joe Rovani from WRI who traveled to NIST as a Visiting Scientist.

A multilaboratory comparison of calibration accuracy and the performance of external references in analytical ultracentrifugation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huaying Zhao

Full Text Available Analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC is a first principles based method to determine absolute sedimentation coefficients and buoyant molar masses of macromolecules and their complexes, reporting on their size and shape in free solution. The purpose of this multi-laboratory study was to establish the precision and accuracy of basic data dimensions in AUC and validate previously proposed calibration techniques. Three kits of AUC cell assemblies containing radial and temperature calibration tools and a bovine serum albumin (BSA reference sample were shared among 67 laboratories, generating 129 comprehensive data sets. These allowed for an assessment of many parameters of instrument performance, including accuracy of the reported scan time after the start of centrifugation, the accuracy of the temperature calibration, and the accuracy of the radial magnification. The range of sedimentation coefficients obtained for BSA monomer in different instruments and using different optical systems was from 3.655 S to 4.949 S, with a mean and standard deviation of (4.304 ± 0.188 S (4.4%. After the combined application of correction factors derived from the external calibration references for elapsed time, scan velocity, temperature, and radial magnification, the range of s-values was reduced 7-fold with a mean of 4.325 S and a 6-fold reduced standard deviation of ± 0.030 S (0.7%. In addition, the large data set provided an opportunity to determine the instrument-to-instrument variation of the absolute radial positions reported in the scan files, the precision of photometric or refractometric signal magnitudes, and the precision of the calculated apparent molar mass of BSA monomer and the fraction of BSA dimers. These results highlight the necessity and effectiveness of independent calibration of basic AUC data dimensions for reliable quantitative studies.

A Multilaboratory Comparison of Calibration Accuracy and the Performance of External References in Analytical Ultracentrifugation

KAUST Repository

Zhao, Huaying

2015-05-21

Analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) is a first principles based method to determine absolute sedimentation coefficients and buoyant molar masses of macromolecules and their complexes, reporting on their size and shape in free solution. The purpose of this multi-laboratory study was to establish the precision and accuracy of basic data dimensions in AUC and validate previously proposed calibration techniques. Three kits of AUC cell assemblies containing radial and temperature calibration tools and a bovine serum albumin (BSA) reference sample were shared among 67 laboratories, generating 129 comprehensive data sets. These allowed for an assessment of many parameters of instrument performance, including accuracy of the reported scan time after the start of centrifugation, the accuracy of the temperature calibration, and the accuracy of the radial magnification. The range of sedimentation coefficients obtained for BSA monomer in different instruments and using different optical systems was from 3.655 S to 4.949 S, with a mean and standard deviation of (4.304 ± 0.188) S (4.4%). After the combined application of correction factors derived from the external calibration references for elapsed time, scan velocity, temperature, and radial magnification, the range of s-values was reduced 7-fold with a mean of 4.325 S and a 6-fold reduced standard deviation of ± 0.030 S (0.7%). In addition, the large data set provided an opportunity to determine the instrument-to-instrument variation of the absolute radial positions reported in the scan files, the precision of photometric or refractometric signal magnitudes, and the precision of the calculated apparent molar mass of BSA monomer and the fraction of BSA dimers. These results highlight the necessity and effectiveness of independent calibration of basic AUC data dimensions for reliable quantitative studies.

A Multilaboratory Comparison of Calibration Accuracy and the Performance of External References in Analytical Ultracentrifugation

KAUST Repository

Zhao, Huaying; Ghirlando, Rodolfo; Alfonso, Carlos; Arisaka, Fumio; Attali, Ilan; Bain, David L.; Bakhtina, Marina M.; Becker, Donald F.; Bedwell, Gregory J.; Bekdemir, Ahmet; Besong, Tabot M.D.; Birck, Catherine; Brautigam, Chad A.; Brennerman, William; Byron, Olwyn; Bzowska, Agnieszka; Chaires, Jonathan B.; Chaton, Catherine T.; Cö lfen, Helmut; Connaghan, Keith D.; Crowley, Kimberly A.; Curth, Ute; Daviter, Tina; Dean, William L.; Dí ez, Ana I.; Ebel, Christine; Eckert, Debra M.; Eisele, Leslie E.; Eisenstein, Edward; England, Patrick; Escalante, Carlos; Fagan, Jeffrey A.; Fairman, Robert; Finn, Ron M.; Fischle, Wolfgang; de la Torre, José Garcí a; Gor, Jayesh; Gustafsson, Henning; Hall, Damien; Harding, Stephen E.; Cifre, José G. Herná ndez; Herr, Andrew B.; Howell, Elizabeth E.; Isaac, Richard S.; Jao, Shu-Chuan; Jose, Davis; Kim, Soon-Jong; Kokona, Bashkim; Kornblatt, Jack A.; Kosek, Dalibor; Krayukhina, Elena; Krzizike, Daniel; Kusznir, Eric A.; Kwon, Hyewon; Larson, Adam; Laue, Thomas M.; Le Roy, Aline; Leech, Andrew P.; Lilie, Hauke; Luger, Karolin; Luque-Ortega, Juan R.; Ma, Jia; May, Carrie A.; Maynard, Ernest L.; Modrak-Wojcik, Anna; Mok, Yee-Foong; Mü cke, Norbert; Nagel-Steger, Luitgard; Narlikar, Geeta J.; Noda, Masanori; Piszczek, Grzegorz; Nourse, Amanda; Obsil, Tomas; Park, Chad K.; Park, Jin-Ku; Pawelek, Peter D.; Perdue, Erby E.; Perkins, Stephen J.; Perugini, Matthew A.; Peterson, Craig L.; Peverelli, Martin G.; Prag, Gali; Prevelige, Peter E.; Raynal, Bertrand D. E.; Rezabkova, Lenka; Richter, Klaus; Ringel, Alison E.; Rosenberg, Rose; Rowe, Arthur J.; Rufer, Arne C.; Swygert, Sarah G.; Scott, David J.; Seravalli, Javier G.; Solovyova, Alexandra S.; Song, Renjie; Staunton, David; Stoddard, Caitlin; Stott, Katherine; Strauss, Holger M.; Streicher, Werner W.; Sumida, John P.; Szczepanowski, Roman H.; Tessmer, Ingrid; Toth, Ronald T.; Tripathy, Ashutosh; Uchiyama, Susumu; Uebel, Stephan F. W.; Unzai, Satoru; Gruber, Anna Vitlin; von Hippel, Peter H.; null; Wandrey, Christine; Wang, Szu-Huan; Weitzel, Steven E.; Wielgus-Kutrowska, Beata; Wolberger, Cynthia; Wolff, Martin; Wright, Edward; Wu, Yu-Sung; Wubben, Jacinta M.; Schuck, Peter

2015-01-01

Analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) is a first principles based method to determine absolute sedimentation coefficients and buoyant molar masses of macromolecules and their complexes, reporting on their size and shape in free solution. The purpose of this multi-laboratory study was to establish the precision and accuracy of basic data dimensions in AUC and validate previously proposed calibration techniques. Three kits of AUC cell assemblies containing radial and temperature calibration tools and a bovine serum albumin (BSA) reference sample were shared among 67 laboratories, generating 129 comprehensive data sets. These allowed for an assessment of many parameters of instrument performance, including accuracy of the reported scan time after the start of centrifugation, the accuracy of the temperature calibration, and the accuracy of the radial magnification. The range of sedimentation coefficients obtained for BSA monomer in different instruments and using different optical systems was from 3.655 S to 4.949 S, with a mean and standard deviation of (4.304 ± 0.188) S (4.4%). After the combined application of correction factors derived from the external calibration references for elapsed time, scan velocity, temperature, and radial magnification, the range of s-values was reduced 7-fold with a mean of 4.325 S and a 6-fold reduced standard deviation of ± 0.030 S (0.7%). In addition, the large data set provided an opportunity to determine the instrument-to-instrument variation of the absolute radial positions reported in the scan files, the precision of photometric or refractometric signal magnitudes, and the precision of the calculated apparent molar mass of BSA monomer and the fraction of BSA dimers. These results highlight the necessity and effectiveness of independent calibration of basic AUC data dimensions for reliable quantitative studies.

Impact of missing attenuation and scatter corrections on 99m Tc-MAA SPECT 3D dosimetry for liver radioembolization using the patient relative calibration methodology: A retrospective investigation on clinical images.

Science.gov (United States)

Botta, Francesca; Ferrari, Mahila; Chiesa, Carlo; Vitali, Sara; Guerriero, Francesco; Nile, Maria Chiara De; Mira, Marta; Lorenzon, Leda; Pacilio, Massimiliano; Cremonesi, Marta

2018-04-01

To investigate the clinical implication of performing pre-treatment dosimetry for 90 Y-microspheres liver radioembolization on 99m Tc-MAA SPECT images reconstructed without attenuation or scatter correction and quantified with the patient relative calibration methodology. Twenty-five patients treated with SIR-Spheres ® at Istituto Europeo di Oncologia and 31 patients treated with TheraSphere ® at Istituto Nazionale Tumori were considered. For each acquired 99m Tc-MAA SPECT, four reconstructions were performed: with attenuation and scatter correction (AC_SC), only attenuation (AC_NoSC), only scatter (NoAC_SC) and without corrections (NoAC_NoSC). Absorbed dose maps were calculated from the activity maps, quantified applying the patient relative calibration to the SPECT images. Whole Liver (WL) and Tumor (T) regions were drawn on CT images. Injected Liver (IL) region was defined including the voxels receiving absorbed dose >3.8 Gy/GBq. Whole Healthy Liver (WHL) and Healthy Injected Liver (HIL) regions were obtained as WHL = WL - T and HIL = IL - T. Average absorbed dose to WHL and HIL were calculated, and the injection activity was derived following each Institute's procedure. The values obtained from AC_NoSC, NoAC_SC and NoAC_NoSC images were compared to the reference value suggested by AC_SC images using Bland-Altman analysis and Wilcoxon paired test (5% significance threshold). Absorbed-dose maps were compared to the reference map (AC_SC) in global terms using the Voxel Normalized Mean Square Error (%VNMSE), and at voxel level by calculating for each voxel the normalized difference with the reference value. The uncertainty affecting absorbed dose at voxel level was accounted for in the comparison; to this purpose, the voxel counts fluctuation due to Poisson and reconstruction noise was estimated from SPECT images of a water phantom acquired and reconstructed as patient images. NoAC_SC images lead to activity prescriptions not significantly different from the

A methodology to quantify the aerobic and anaerobic sludge digestion performance for nutrient recycling in aquaponics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Delaide, B.

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Description of the subject. This research note presents a methodology to quantify the tilapia sludge digestion performance in aerobic and anaerobic reactors for aquaponic purpose. Both organic reduction and macro- and microelements mineralization performances were addressed. Objectives. To set up an appropriate methodology to quantify sludge digestion performance in aquaponics. To describe the methodology and illustrate it with some results as example. Method. Equations were adapted to quantify (1 the organic reduction performance in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD and total suspended solids (TSS reduction, and (2 the nutrient recycling performance in terms of macro- and microelements mineralization. Results. The equations were applied to data obtained from experimental aerobic and anaerobic reactors as example. Reactors were able to remove at least 50% of the TSS and COD input. The nutrient mineralization was consistent with a 10 — 60% range for all macro- and micronutrients. Conclusions. The methodology provides explicit indicators on the sludge treatment performances for aquaponics. Treating aquaponic sludge onsite is promising to avoid sludge spillage, improve nutrient recycling and save water.

Calibration and reconstruction performances of the KLOE electromagnetic calorimeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adinolfi, M.; Aloisio, A.; Ambrosino, F.; Andryakov, A.; Antonelli, A.; Antonelli, M.; Anulli, F.; Bacci, C.; Bankamp, A.; Barbiellini, G.; Bellini, F.; Bencivenni, G.; Bertolucci, S.; Bini, C.; Bloise, C.; Bocci, V.; Bossi, F.; Branchini, P.; Bulychjov, S.A.; Cabibbo, G.; Calcaterra, A.; Caloi, R.; Campana, P.; Capon, G.; Carboni, G.; Cardini, A.; Casarsa, M.; Cataldi, G.; Ceradini, F.; Cervelli, F.; Cevenini, F.; Chiefari, G.; Ciambrone, P.; Conetti, S.; Conticelli, S.; Lucia, E. De; Robertis, G. De; Sangro, R. De; Simone, P. De; Zorzi, G. De; Dell'Agnello, S.; Denig, A.; Domenico, A. Di; Donato, C. Di; Falco, S. Di; Doria, A.; Drago, E.; Elia, V.; Erriquez, O.; Farilla, A.; Felici, G.; Ferrari, A.; Ferrer, M.L.; Finocchiaro, G.; Forti, C.; Franceschi, A.; Franzini, P.; Gao, M.L.; Gatti, C.; Gauzzi, P.; Giovannella, S.; Golovatyuk, V.; Gorini, E.; Grancagnolo, F.; Grandegger, W.; Graziani, E.; Guarnaccia, P.; Hagel, U.V.; Han, H.G.; Han, S.W.; Huang, X.; Incagli, M.; Ingrosso, L.; Jang, Y.Y.; Kim, W.; Kluge, W.; Kulikov, V.; Lacava, F.; Lanfranchi, G.; Lee-Franzini, J.; Lomtadze, F.; Luisi, C.; Mao, C.S.; Martemianov, M.; Matsyuk, M.; Mei, W.; Merola, L.; Messi, R.; Miscetti, S.; Moalem, A.; Moccia, S.; Moulson, M.; Mueller, S.; Murtas, F.; Napolitano, M.; Nedosekin, A.; Panareo, M.; Pacciani, L.; Pages, P.; Palutan, M.; Paoluzi, L.; Pasqualucci, E.; Passalacqua, L.; Passaseo, M.; Passeri, A.; Patera, V.; Petrolo, E.; Petrucci, G.; Picca, D.; Pirozzi, G.; Pistillo, C.; Pollack, M.; Pontecorvo, L.; Primavera, M.; Ruggieri, F.; Santangelo, P.; Santovetti, E.; Saracino, G.; Schamberger, R.D.; Schwick, C.; Sciascia, B.; Pirozzi, G.; Sciubba, A.; Scuri, F.; Sfiligoi, I.; Shan, J.; Silano, P.; Spadaro, T.; Spagnolo, S.; Spiriti, E.; Stanescu, C.; Tong, G.L.; Tortora, L.; Valente, E.; Valente, P.; Valeriani, B.; Venanzoni, G.; Veneziano, S.; Wu, Y.; Xie, Y.G.; Zhao, P.P.; Zhou, Y.

2001-01-01

The main aim of the KLOE experiment at DAPHINE, the Frascati phi-factory, is to study CP violation in the K 0 -K-bar 0 system. Requirements on shower detection are very stringent. An hermetic, lead-scintillating fiber sampling calorimeter has been chosen and built. A review of the methods used to calibrate and reconstruct energy and timing is reported in this paper. Emphasis is given to the calibration procedures developed using the 2.4 pb -1 collected in 1999. An energy resolution of 5.7% E/GeV is achieved together with a linearity in energy response better than 1% above 50 MeV. A time resolution of ∼54 ps E/GeV is also measured on samples of radiative Bhabha and PHI decays

Application of virtual distances methodology to laser tracker verification with an indexed metrology platform

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acero, R; Pueo, M; Santolaria, J; Aguilar, J J; Brau, A

2015-01-01

High-range measuring equipment like laser trackers need large dimension calibrated reference artifacts in their calibration and verification procedures. In this paper, a new verification procedure for portable coordinate measuring instruments based on the generation and evaluation of virtual distances with an indexed metrology platform is developed. This methodology enables the definition of an unlimited number of reference distances without materializing them in a physical gauge to be used as a reference. The generation of the virtual points and reference lengths derived is linked to the concept of the indexed metrology platform and the knowledge of the relative position and orientation of its upper and lower platforms with high accuracy. It is the measuring instrument together with the indexed metrology platform one that remains still, rotating the virtual mesh around them. As a first step, the virtual distances technique is applied to a laser tracker in this work. The experimental verification procedure of the laser tracker with virtual distances is simulated and further compared with the conventional verification procedure of the laser tracker with the indexed metrology platform. The results obtained in terms of volumetric performance of the laser tracker proved the suitability of the virtual distances methodology in calibration and verification procedures for portable coordinate measuring instruments, broadening and expanding the possibilities for the definition of reference distances in these procedures. (paper)

Application of virtual distances methodology to laser tracker verification with an indexed metrology platform

Science.gov (United States)

Acero, R.; Santolaria, J.; Pueo, M.; Aguilar, J. J.; Brau, A.

2015-11-01

High-range measuring equipment like laser trackers need large dimension calibrated reference artifacts in their calibration and verification procedures. In this paper, a new verification procedure for portable coordinate measuring instruments based on the generation and evaluation of virtual distances with an indexed metrology platform is developed. This methodology enables the definition of an unlimited number of reference distances without materializing them in a physical gauge to be used as a reference. The generation of the virtual points and reference lengths derived is linked to the concept of the indexed metrology platform and the knowledge of the relative position and orientation of its upper and lower platforms with high accuracy. It is the measuring instrument together with the indexed metrology platform one that remains still, rotating the virtual mesh around them. As a first step, the virtual distances technique is applied to a laser tracker in this work. The experimental verification procedure of the laser tracker with virtual distances is simulated and further compared with the conventional verification procedure of the laser tracker with the indexed metrology platform. The results obtained in terms of volumetric performance of the laser tracker proved the suitability of the virtual distances methodology in calibration and verification procedures for portable coordinate measuring instruments, broadening and expanding the possibilities for the definition of reference distances in these procedures.

A Performance-Based Technology Assessment Methodology to Support DoD Acquisition

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Mahafza, Sherry; Componation, Paul; Tippett, Donald

2005-01-01

.... This methodology is referred to as Technology Performance Risk Index (TPRI). The TPRI can track technology readiness through a life cycle, or it can be used at a specific time to support a particular system milestone decision...

Automated Attitude Sensor Calibration: Progress and Plans

Science.gov (United States)

Sedlak, Joseph; Hashmall, Joseph

2004-01-01

This paper describes ongoing work a NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center to improve the quality of spacecraft attitude sensor calibration and reduce costs by automating parts of the calibration process. The new calibration software can autonomously preview data quality over a given time span, select a subset of the data for processing, perform the requested calibration, and output a report. This level of automation is currently being implemented for two specific applications: inertial reference unit (IRU) calibration and sensor alignment calibration. The IRU calibration utility makes use of a sequential version of the Davenport algorithm. This utility has been successfully tested with simulated and actual flight data. The alignment calibration is still in the early testing stage. Both utilities will be incorporated into the institutional attitude ground support system.

Study and mitigation of calibration factor instabilities in a water vapor Raman lidar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. David

2017-07-01

Full Text Available We have investigated calibration variations in the Rameau water vapor Raman lidar. This lidar system was developed by the Institut National de l'Information Géographique et Forestière (IGN together with the Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS. It aims at calibrating Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS measurements for tropospheric wet delays and sounding the water vapor variability in the lower troposphere. The Rameau system demonstrated good capacity in retrieving water vapor mixing ratio (WVMR profiles accurately in several campaigns. However, systematic short-term and long-term variations in the lidar calibration factor pointed to persistent instabilities. A careful testing of each subsystem independently revealed that these instabilities are mainly induced by mode fluctuations in the optic fiber used to couple the telescope to the detection subsystem and by the spatial nonuniformity of the photomultiplier photocathodes. Laboratory tests that replicate and quantify these instability sources are presented. A redesign of the detection subsystem is presented, which, combined with careful alignment procedures, is shown to significantly reduce the instabilities. Outdoor measurements were performed over a period of 5 months to check the stability of the modified lidar system. The calibration changes in the detection subsystem were monitored with lidar profile measurements using a common nitrogen filter in both Raman channels. A short-term stability of 2–3 % and a long-term drift of 2–3 % per month are demonstrated. Compared to the earlier Development of Methodologies for Water Vapour Measurement (DEMEVAP campaign, this is a 3-fold improvement in the long-term stability of the detection subsystem. The overall water vapor calibration factors were determined and monitored with capacitive humidity sensor measurements and with GPS zenith wet delay (ZWD data. The changes in the water vapor calibration factors

Methodology for determining influence of organizational culture to business performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eva Skoumalová

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Content this article is to propose the possible methodology for quantitative measuring the organizational culture using the set of statistical methods. In view of aim we elected procedure consisting of two major sections. The first is classification of organizational culture and role of quantitative measurement on organizational culture. This part includes definition and several methods used to classify organizational culture: Hofstede, Peters and Waterman, Deal and Kennedy, Edgar Schein, Kotter and Heskett, Lukášová and opinions why a measurement perspective is worthwhile. The second major section contains methodology for measuring the organizational culture and its impact on organizational performance. We suggest using structural equation modeling for quantitative assessment of organizational culture.

The Wally plot approach to assess the calibration of clinical prediction models.

Science.gov (United States)

Blanche, Paul; Gerds, Thomas A; Ekstrøm, Claus T

2017-12-06

A prediction model is calibrated if, roughly, for any percentage x we can expect that x subjects out of 100 experience the event among all subjects that have a predicted risk of x%. Typically, the calibration assumption is assessed graphically but in practice it is often challenging to judge whether a "disappointing" calibration plot is the consequence of a departure from the calibration assumption, or alternatively just "bad luck" due to sampling variability. We propose a graphical approach which enables the visualization of how much a calibration plot agrees with the calibration assumption to address this issue. The approach is mainly based on the idea of generating new plots which mimic the available data under the calibration assumption. The method handles the common non-trivial situations in which the data contain censored observations and occurrences of competing events. This is done by building on ideas from constrained non-parametric maximum likelihood estimation methods. Two examples from large cohort data illustrate our proposal. The 'wally' R package is provided to make the methodology easily usable.

Physiotherapy ultrasound calibrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gledhill, M.

1996-01-01

Calibration of physiotherapy ultrasound equipment has long been a problem. Numerous surveys around the world over the past 20 years have all found that only a low percentage of the units tested had an output within 30% of that indicatd. In New Zealand, a survey carried out by the NRL in 1985 found that only 24% had an output, at the maximum setting, within + or - 20% of that indicated. The present performance Standard for new equipment (NZS 3200.2.5:1992) requires that the measured output should not deviate from that indicated by more than + or - 30 %. This may be tightened to + or - 20% in the next few years. Any calibration is only as good as the calibration equipment. Some force balances can be tested with small weights to simulate the force exerted by an ultrasound beam, but with others this is not possible. For such balances, testing may only be feasible with a calibrated source which could be used like a transfer standard. (author). 4 refs., 3 figs

Astrometric Calibration and Performance of the Dark Energy Camera

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bernstein, G. M.; Armstrong, R.; Plazas, A. A.; Walker, A. R.; Abbott, T. M. C.; Allam, S.; Bechtol, K.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Brooks, D.; Burke, D. L.; Rosell, A. Carnero; Kind, M. Carrasco; Carretero, J.; Cunha, C. E.; Costa, L. N. da; DePoy, D. L.; Desai, S.; Diehl, H. T.; Eifler, T. F.; Fernandez, E.; Fosalba, P.; Frieman, J.; García-Bellido, J.; Gerdes, D. W.; Gruen, D.; Gruendl, R. A.; Gschwend, J.; Gutierrez, G.; Honscheid, K.; James, D. J.; Kent, S.; Krause, E.; Kuehn, K.; Kuropatkin, N.; Li, T. S.; Maia, M. A. G.; March, M.; Marshall, J. L.; Menanteau, F.; Miquel, R.; Ogando, R. L. C.; Reil, K.; Roodman, A.; Rykoff, E. S.; Sanchez, E.; Scarpine, V.; Schindler, R.; Schubnell, M.; Sevilla-Noarbe, I.; Smith, M.; Smith, R. C.; Soares-Santos, M.; Sobreira, F.; Suchyta, E.; Swanson, M. E. C.; Tarle, G.

2017-05-30

We characterize the variation in photometric response of the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) across its 520~Mpix science array during 4 years of operation. These variations are measured using high signal-to-noise aperture photometry of $>10^7$ stellar images in thousands of exposures of a few selected fields, with the telescope dithered to move the sources around the array. A calibration procedure based on these results brings the RMS variation in aperture magnitudes of bright stars on cloudless nights down to 2--3 mmag, with <1 mmag of correlated photometric errors for stars separated by $\\ge20$". On cloudless nights, any departures of the exposure zeropoints from a secant airmass law exceeding >1 mmag are plausibly attributable to spatial/temporal variations in aperture corrections. These variations can be inferred and corrected by measuring the fraction of stellar light in an annulus between 6" and 8" diameter. Key elements of this calibration include: correction of amplifier nonlinearities; distinguishing pixel-area variations and stray light from quantum-efficiency variations in the flat fields; field-dependent color corrections; and the use of an aperture-correction proxy. The DECam response pattern across the 2-degree field drifts over months by up to $\\pm7$ mmag, in a nearly-wavelength-independent low-order pattern. We find no fundamental barriers to pushing global photometric calibrations toward mmag accuracy.

Development of performance assessment methodology for establishment of quantitative acceptance criteria of near-surface radioactive waste disposal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, C. R.; Lee, E. Y.; Park, J. W.; Chang, G. M.; Park, H. Y.; Yeom, Y. S. [Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2002-03-15

The contents and the scope of this study are as follows : review of state-of-the-art on the establishment of waste acceptance criteria in foreign near-surface radioactive waste disposal facilities, investigation of radiological assessment methodologies and scenarios, investigation of existing models and computer codes used in performance/safety assessment, development of a performance assessment methodology(draft) to derive quantitatively radionuclide acceptance criteria of domestic near-surface disposal facility, preliminary performance/safety assessment in accordance with the developed methodology.

Human Schedule Performance, Protocol Analysis, and the "Silent Dog" Methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Cabello, Francisco; Luciano, Carmen; Gomez, Inmaculada; Barnes-Holmes, Dermot

2004-01-01

The purpose of the current experiment was to investigate the role of private verbal behavior on the operant performances of human adults, using a protocol analysis procedure with additional methodological controls (the "silent dog" method). Twelve subjects were exposed to fixed ratio 8 and differential reinforcement of low rate 3-s schedules. For…

Design Methodology for Magnetic Field-Based Soft Tri-Axis Tactile Sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hongbo; de Boer, Greg; Kow, Junwai; Alazmani, Ali; Ghajari, Mazdak; Hewson, Robert; Culmer, Peter

2016-08-24

Tactile sensors are essential if robots are to safely interact with the external world and to dexterously manipulate objects. Current tactile sensors have limitations restricting their use, notably being too fragile or having limited performance. Magnetic field-based soft tactile sensors offer a potential improvement, being durable, low cost, accurate and high bandwidth, but they are relatively undeveloped because of the complexities involved in design and calibration. This paper presents a general design methodology for magnetic field-based three-axis soft tactile sensors, enabling researchers to easily develop specific tactile sensors for a variety of applications. All aspects (design, fabrication, calibration and evaluation) of the development of tri-axis soft tactile sensors are presented and discussed. A moving least square approach is used to decouple and convert the magnetic field signal to force output to eliminate non-linearity and cross-talk effects. A case study of a tactile sensor prototype, MagOne, was developed. This achieved a resolution of 1.42 mN in normal force measurement (0.71 mN in shear force), good output repeatability and has a maximum hysteresis error of 3.4%. These results outperform comparable sensors reported previously, highlighting the efficacy of our methodology for sensor design.

The Calibration and Use of Capacitance Sensors to Monitor Stem Water Content in Trees.

Science.gov (United States)

Matheny, Ashley M; Garrity, Steven R; Bohrer, Gil

2017-12-27

Water transport and storage through the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum is critical to the terrestrial water cycle, and has become a major research focus area. Biomass capacitance plays an integral role in the avoidance of hydraulic impairment to transpiration. However, high temporal resolution measurements of dynamic changes in the hydraulic capacitance of large trees are rare. Here, we present procedures for the calibration and use of capacitance sensors, typically used to monitor soil water content, to measure the volumetric water content in trees in the field. Frequency domain reflectometry-style observations are sensitive to the density of the media being studied. Therefore, it is necessary to perform species-specific calibrations to convert from the sensor-reported values of dielectric permittivity to volumetric water content. Calibration is performed on a harvested branch or stem cut into segments that are dried or re-hydrated to produce a full range of water contents used to generate a best-fit regression with sensor observations. Sensors are inserted into calibration segments or installed in trees after pre-drilling holes to a tolerance fit using a fabricated template to ensure proper drill alignment. Special care is taken to ensure that sensor tines make good contact with the surrounding media, while allowing them to be inserted without excessive force. Volumetric water content dynamics observed via the presented methodology align with sap flow measurements recorded using thermal dissipation techniques and environmental forcing data. Biomass water content data can be used to observe the onset of water stress, drought response and recovery, and has the potential to be applied to the calibration and evaluation of new plant-level hydrodynamics models, as well as to the partitioning of remotely sensed moisture products into above- and belowground components.

Preliminary assessment of the operating performance and calibration of rectilinear scanners and dose calibrators in Rio de Janeiro - Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mendes, L.; Wegst, A.

1983-01-01

Thirty rectilinear scanners and ten dose calibrators were tested for a variety of operating conditions. The test for rectilinear scanners were based on image quality obtained with phantoms of the brain, liver (Williams phantom) and thyroid. The parameters investigated specifically for rectilinear scanners included those under direct control of the operator, such as proper setting of the focal distance, the velocity, the photopeak calibration, contrast correct collimator, line spacing, and background count. (E.G.) [pt

Carbon resistor pressure gauge calibration at low stresses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cunningham, Bruce; Vandersall, Kevin S.; Niles, Angela M.; Greenwood, Daniel W.; Garcia, Frank; Forbes, Jerry W.; Wilson, William H.

2002-01-01

The 470 Ohm carbon resistor gauge has been used in the stress range up to 4-5 GPa for highly heterogeneous materials and/or divergent flow experiments. The attractiveness of the gauge is its rugged nature, simple construction, low cost, reproducibility, and survivability in dynamic events. Gauge drawbacks are the long time response to pressure equilibration and gauge resistance hysteresis. In the regime below 0.4 GPa, gauge calibration has been extrapolated. Because of the need for calibration data within this low stress regime, calibration experiments were performed using a split-Hopkinson bar, drop tower apparatus, and gas pressure chamber. Since the performance of the gauge at elevated temperatures is a concern, the change in resistance due to heating at atmospheric pressure was also investigated. Details of the various calibration arrangements and the results are discussed and compared to a calibration curve fit to previously published calibration data

LANL MTI calibration team experience

Science.gov (United States)

Bender, Steven C.; Atkins, William H.; Clodius, William B.; Little, Cynthia K.; Christensen, R. Wynn

2004-01-01

The Multispectral Thermal Imager (MTI) was designed as an imaging radiometer with absolute calibration requirements established by Department of Energy (DOE) mission goals. Particular emphasis was given to water surface temperature retrieval using two mid wave and three long wave infrared spectral bands, the fundamental requirement was a surface temperature determination of 1K at the 68% confidence level. For the ten solar reflective bands a one-sigma radiometric performance goal of 3% was established. In order to address these technical challenges a calibration facility was constructed containing newly designed sources that were calibrated at NIST. Additionally, the design of the payload and its onboard calibration system supported post launch maintenance and update of the ground calibration. The on-orbit calibration philosophy also included vicarious techniques using ocean buoys, playas and other instrumented sites; these became increasingly important subsequent to an electrical failure which disabled the onboard calibration system. This paper offers various relevant lessons learned in the eight-year process of reducing to practice the calibration capability required by the scientific mission. The discussion presented will include observations pertinent to operational and procedural issues as well as hardware experiences; the validity of some of the initial assumptions will also be explored.

High-frequency measurements of aeolian saltation flux: Field-based methodology and applications

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Raleigh L.; Kok, Jasper F.; Hugenholtz, Chris H.; Barchyn, Thomas E.; Chamecki, Marcelo; Ellis, Jean T.

2018-02-01

Aeolian transport of sand and dust is driven by turbulent winds that fluctuate over a broad range of temporal and spatial scales. However, commonly used aeolian transport models do not explicitly account for such fluctuations, likely contributing to substantial discrepancies between models and measurements. Underlying this problem is the absence of accurate sand flux measurements at the short time scales at which wind speed fluctuates. Here, we draw on extensive field measurements of aeolian saltation to develop a methodology for generating high-frequency (up to 25 Hz) time series of total (vertically-integrated) saltation flux, namely by calibrating high-frequency (HF) particle counts to low-frequency (LF) flux measurements. The methodology follows four steps: (1) fit exponential curves to vertical profiles of saltation flux from LF saltation traps, (2) determine empirical calibration factors through comparison of LF exponential fits to HF number counts over concurrent time intervals, (3) apply these calibration factors to subsamples of the saltation count time series to obtain HF height-specific saltation fluxes, and (4) aggregate the calibrated HF height-specific saltation fluxes into estimates of total saltation fluxes. When coupled to high-frequency measurements of wind velocity, this methodology offers new opportunities for understanding how aeolian saltation dynamics respond to variability in driving winds over time scales from tens of milliseconds to days.

Fermentation process tracking through enhanced spectral calibration modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Triadaphillou, Sophia; Martin, Elaine; Montague, Gary; Norden, Alison; Jeffkins, Paul; Stimpson, Sarah

2007-06-15

The FDA process analytical technology (PAT) initiative will materialize in a significant increase in the number of installations of spectroscopic instrumentation. However, to attain the greatest benefit from the data generated, there is a need for calibration procedures that extract the maximum information content. For example, in fermentation processes, the interpretation of the resulting spectra is challenging as a consequence of the large number of wavelengths recorded, the underlying correlation structure that is evident between the wavelengths and the impact of the measurement environment. Approaches to the development of calibration models have been based on the application of partial least squares (PLS) either to the full spectral signature or to a subset of wavelengths. This paper presents a new approach to calibration modeling that combines a wavelength selection procedure, spectral window selection (SWS), where windows of wavelengths are automatically selected which are subsequently used as the basis of the calibration model. However, due to the non-uniqueness of the windows selected when the algorithm is executed repeatedly, multiple models are constructed and these are then combined using stacking thereby increasing the robustness of the final calibration model. The methodology is applied to data generated during the monitoring of broth concentrations in an industrial fermentation process from on-line near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) spectrometers. It is shown that the proposed calibration modeling procedure outperforms traditional calibration procedures, as well as enabling the identification of the critical regions of the spectra with regard to the fermentation process.

Design methodology for flexible energy conversion systems accounting for dynamic performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pierobon, Leonardo; Casati, Emiliano; Casella, Francesco

2014-01-01

This article presents a methodology to help in the definition of the optimal design of power generation systems. The innovative element is the integration of requirements on dynamic performance into the system design procedure. Operational flexibility is an increasingly important specification...

Methodology for quantitative evalution of diagnostic performance. Project III

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metz, C.E.

1985-01-01

Receiver Operation Characteristic (ROC) methodology is now widely recognized as the most satisfactory approach to the problem of measuring and specifying the performance of a diagnostic procedure. The primary advantage of ROC analysis over alternative methodologies is that it seperates differences in diagnostic accuracy that are due to actual differences in discrimination capacity from those that are due to decision threshold effects. Our effort during the past year has been devoted to developing digital computer programs for fitting ROC curves to diagnostic data by maximum likelihood estimation and to developing meaningful and valid statistical tests for assessing the significance of apparent differences between measured ROC curves. FORTRAN programs previously written here for ROC curve fitting and statistical testing have been refined to make them easier to use and to allow them to be run in a large variety of computer systems. We have attempted also to develop two new curve-fitting programs: one for conventional ROC data that assumes a different functional form for the ROC curve, and one that can be used for ''free-response'' ROC data. Finally, we have cooperated with other investigators to apply our techniques to analyze ROC data generated in clinical studies, and we have sought to familiarize the medical community with the advantages of ROC methodology. 36 ref

Calibration-free optical chemical sensors

Science.gov (United States)

DeGrandpre, Michael D.

2006-04-11

An apparatus and method for taking absorbance-based chemical measurements are described. In a specific embodiment, an indicator-based pCO2 (partial pressure of CO2) sensor displays sensor-to-sensor reproducibility and measurement stability. These qualities are achieved by: 1) renewing the sensing solution, 2) allowing the sensing solution to reach equilibrium with the analyte, and 3) calculating the response from a ratio of the indicator solution absorbances which are determined relative to a blank solution. Careful solution preparation, wavelength calibration, and stray light rejection also contribute to this calibration-free system. Three pCO2 sensors were calibrated and each had response curves which were essentially identical within the uncertainty of the calibration. Long-term laboratory and field studies showed the response had no drift over extended periods (months). The theoretical response, determined from thermodynamic characterization of the indicator solution, also predicted the observed calibration-free performance.

Calibration procedure for Slocum glider deployed optical instruments.

Science.gov (United States)

Cetinić, Ivona; Toro-Farmer, Gerardo; Ragan, Matthew; Oberg, Carl; Jones, Burton H

2009-08-31

Recent developments in the field of the autonomous underwater vehicles allow the wide usage of these platforms as part of scientific experiments, monitoring campaigns and more. The vehicles are often equipped with sensors measuring temperature, conductivity, chlorophyll a fluorescence (Chl a), colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) fluorescence, phycoerithrin (PE) fluorescence and spectral volume scattering function at 117 degrees, providing users with high resolution, real time data. However, calibration of these instruments can be problematic. Most in situ calibrations are performed by deploying complementary instrument packages or water samplers in the proximity of the glider. Laboratory calibrations of the mounted sensors are difficult due to the placement of the instruments within the body of the vehicle. For the laboratory calibrations of the Slocum glider instruments we developed a small calibration chamber where we can perform precise calibrations of the optical instruments aboard our glider, as well as sensors from other deployment platforms. These procedures enable us to obtain pre- and post-deployment calibrations for optical fluorescence instruments, which may differ due to the biofouling and other physical damage that can occur during long-term glider deployments. We found that biofouling caused significant changes in the calibration scaling factors of fluorescent sensors, suggesting the need for consistent and repetitive calibrations for gliders as proposed in this paper.

A Study on Relative Radiometric Calibration without Calibration Field for YG-25

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ZHANG Guo

2017-08-01

Full Text Available YG-25 is the first agility optical remote sensing satellite of China to acquire the sub-meter imagery of the earth. The side slither calibration technique is an on-orbit maneuver that has been used to flat-field image data acquired over the uniform calibration field. However, imaging to the single uniform calibration field cannot afford to calibrate the full dynamic response range of the sensor and reduces the efficiency. The paper proposes a new relative radiometric calibration method that a 90-degree yaw maneuver is performed over any non-uniform features of the Earth for YG-25. Meanwhile, we use an enhanced side slither image horizontal correction method based on line segment detector(LSDalgorithm to solve the side slither image over-shifted problem.The shifted results are compared with other horizontal correction method. The histogram match algorithm is used to calculate the relative gains of all detectors. The correctness and validity of the proposed method are validated by using the YG-25 on-board side slither data. The results prove that the mean streaking metrics of relative correction images of YG-25 is better 0.07%, the noticeable striping artifact and residual noise are removed, the calibration accuracy of side slither technique based on non-uniform features is superior to life image statistics of sensor's life span.

Inertial Sensor Error Reduction through Calibration and Sensor Fusion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefan Lambrecht

2016-02-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the comparison between cooperative and local Kalman Filters (KF for estimating the absolute segment angle, under two calibration conditions. A simplified calibration, that can be replicated in most laboratories; and a complex calibration, similar to that applied by commercial vendors. The cooperative filters use information from either all inertial sensors attached to the body, Matricial KF; or use information from the inertial sensors and the potentiometers of an exoskeleton, Markovian KF. A one minute walking trial of a subject walking with a 6-DoF exoskeleton was used to assess the absolute segment angle of the trunk, thigh, shank, and foot. The results indicate that regardless of the segment and filter applied, the more complex calibration always results in a significantly better performance compared to the simplified calibration. The interaction between filter and calibration suggests that when the quality of the calibration is unknown the Markovian KF is recommended. Applying the complex calibration, the Matricial and Markovian KF perform similarly, with average RMSE below 1.22 degrees. Cooperative KFs perform better or at least equally good as Local KF, we therefore recommend to use cooperative KFs instead of local KFs for control or analysis of walking.

Fuel conditioning facility electrorefiner volume calibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bucher, R.G.; Orechwa, Y.

1995-01-01

In one of the electrometallurgical process steps of the Fuel Conditioning Facility (FCF), die in-process nuclear material is dissolved in the electrorefiner tank in an upper layer of a mixture of liquid LiCl-KCl salt and a lower layer of liquid cadmium. The electrorefiner tank, as most process tanks, is not a smooth right-circular cylinder for which a single linear volume calibration curve could be fitted over the whole height of the tank. Rather, the tank contains many internal components, which cause systematic deviations from a single linear function. The nominal operating temperature of the electrorefiner is 500 degrees C although the salt and cadmium are introduced at 410 degrees C. The operating materials and temperatures preclude multiple calibration runs at operating conditions. In order to maximize the calibration information, multiple calibration runs were performed with water at room temperature. These data allow identification of calibration segments, and preliminary estimation of the calibration function and calibration uncertainties. The final calibration function is based on a combination of data from die water calibrations and the measurements made during the filling of the electrorefiner with salt and cadmium for operation

Calibration of a stochastic health evolution model using NHIS data

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Aparna; Li, Zhisheng

2011-10-01

This paper presents and calibrates an individual's stochastic health evolution model. In this health evolution model, the uncertainty of health incidents is described by a stochastic process with a finite number of possible outcomes. We construct a comprehensive health status index (HSI) to describe an individual's health status, as well as a health risk factor system (RFS) to classify individuals into different risk groups. Based on the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) method and the method of nonlinear least squares fitting, model calibration is formulated in terms of two mixed-integer nonlinear optimization problems. Using the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data, the model is calibrated for specific risk groups. Longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) is used to validate the calibrated model, which displays good validation properties. The end goal of this paper is to provide a model and methodology, whose output can serve as a crucial component of decision support for strategic planning of health related financing and risk management.

A hydrological prediction system based on the SVS land-surface scheme: efficient calibration of GEM-Hydro for streamflow simulation over the Lake Ontario basin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

É. Gaborit

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This work explores the potential of the distributed GEM-Hydro runoff modeling platform, developed at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC over the last decade. More precisely, the aim is to develop a robust implementation methodology to perform reliable streamflow simulations with a distributed model over large and partly ungauged basins, in an efficient manner. The latest version of GEM-Hydro combines the SVS (Soil, Vegetation and Snow land-surface scheme and the WATROUTE routing scheme. SVS has never been evaluated from a hydrological point of view, which is done here for all major rivers flowing into Lake Ontario. Two established hydrological models are confronted to GEM-Hydro, namely MESH and WATFLOOD, which share the same routing scheme (WATROUTE but rely on different land-surface schemes. All models are calibrated using the same meteorological forcings, objective function, calibration algorithm, and basin delineation. GEM-Hydro is shown to be competitive with MESH and WATFLOOD: the NSE  √  (Nash–Sutcliffe criterion computed on the square root of the flows is for example equal to 0.83 for MESH and GEM-Hydro in validation on the Moira River basin, and to 0.68 for WATFLOOD. A computationally efficient strategy is proposed to calibrate SVS: a simple unit hydrograph is used for routing instead of WATROUTE. Global and local calibration strategies are compared in order to estimate runoff for ungauged portions of the Lake Ontario basin. Overall, streamflow predictions obtained using a global calibration strategy, in which a single parameter set is identified for the whole basin of Lake Ontario, show accuracy comparable to the predictions based on local calibration: the average NSE  √  in validation and over seven subbasins is 0.73 and 0.61, respectively for local and global calibrations. Hence, global calibration provides spatially consistent parameter values, robust performance at gauged locations, and reduces the

A hydrological prediction system based on the SVS land-surface scheme: efficient calibration of GEM-Hydro for streamflow simulation over the Lake Ontario basin

Science.gov (United States)

Gaborit, Étienne; Fortin, Vincent; Xu, Xiaoyong; Seglenieks, Frank; Tolson, Bryan; Fry, Lauren M.; Hunter, Tim; Anctil, François; Gronewold, Andrew D.

2017-09-01

This work explores the potential of the distributed GEM-Hydro runoff modeling platform, developed at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) over the last decade. More precisely, the aim is to develop a robust implementation methodology to perform reliable streamflow simulations with a distributed model over large and partly ungauged basins, in an efficient manner. The latest version of GEM-Hydro combines the SVS (Soil, Vegetation and Snow) land-surface scheme and the WATROUTE routing scheme. SVS has never been evaluated from a hydrological point of view, which is done here for all major rivers flowing into Lake Ontario. Two established hydrological models are confronted to GEM-Hydro, namely MESH and WATFLOOD, which share the same routing scheme (WATROUTE) but rely on different land-surface schemes. All models are calibrated using the same meteorological forcings, objective function, calibration algorithm, and basin delineation. GEM-Hydro is shown to be competitive with MESH and WATFLOOD: the NSE √ (Nash-Sutcliffe criterion computed on the square root of the flows) is for example equal to 0.83 for MESH and GEM-Hydro in validation on the Moira River basin, and to 0.68 for WATFLOOD. A computationally efficient strategy is proposed to calibrate SVS: a simple unit hydrograph is used for routing instead of WATROUTE. Global and local calibration strategies are compared in order to estimate runoff for ungauged portions of the Lake Ontario basin. Overall, streamflow predictions obtained using a global calibration strategy, in which a single parameter set is identified for the whole basin of Lake Ontario, show accuracy comparable to the predictions based on local calibration: the average NSE √ in validation and over seven subbasins is 0.73 and 0.61, respectively for local and global calibrations. Hence, global calibration provides spatially consistent parameter values, robust performance at gauged locations, and reduces the complexity and computation burden of the

Case-based Reasoning for Automotive Engine Performance Tune-up

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vong, C. M.; Huang, H.; Wong, P. K.

2010-01-01

The automotive engine performance tune-up is greatly affected by the calibration of its electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU calibration is traditionally done by trial-and-error method. This traditional method consumes a large amount of time and money because of a large number of dynamometer tests. To resolve this problem, case based reasoning (CBR) is employed, so that an existing and effective ECU setup can be adapted to fit another similar class of engines. The adaptation procedure is done through a more sophisticated step called case-based adaptation (CBA)[1, 2]. CBA is an effective knowledge management tool, which can interactively learn the expert adaptation knowledge. The paper briefly reviews the methodologies of CBR and CBA. Then the application to ECU calibration is described via a case study. With CBR and CBA, the efficiency of calibrating an ECU can be enhanced. A prototype system has also been developed to verify the usefulness of CBR in ECU calibration.

Study of the isolability of leaks in a network depending on calibration of demands

OpenAIRE

Pérez Magrané, Ramon; Nejjari Akhi-Elarab, Fatiha; Puig Cayuela, Vicenç; Quevedo Casín, Joseba Jokin; Cugueró Escofet, Miquel Àngel; Cugueró Escofet, Miquel Àngel; Peralta, Antoni

2011-01-01

Using the simulation models a methodology was developed for leakage detection and localisation in a water distribution network [4]. Such methodology is based on fault detection and isolation techniques. Sensitivity matrix of pressures to leaks [8] is generated using simulation models [1]. Such models are available in water companies. The methodology showed promising results but two main issues appeared. Calibration in models and precision in sensors was required. Investment in sensors could b...

Dose calibrators quality controls in Switzerland: six years of experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bochud, F.; Spring, Ph.; Baechler, S.; Twerenbold, D.; Linder, R.; Leibundgut, F.

2006-01-01

In Switzerland, the legal use of open radioactive sources in nuclear medicine and the general requirements for quality controls are defined in a federal ordinance. The metrological traceability is guaranteed through a directive of the Swiss metrological office (M.E.T.A.S.) that requires each instrument to be monitored at least once a year through either a verification or an intercomparison. The verification is performed onsite by an accredited laboratory with a set of three gamma sources (Co-57, Cs-137 and Co-60) and - if applicable - a beta source (Sr-90/Y- 90). The intercomparison is made through conventional mail. A source of I-131 or Tc- 99 m is measured both in the nuclear medicine department and in an accredited laboratory. The maximum tolerated error is 10% for gamma sources and 20% for beta sources. This methodology guarantees that the instruments have a correct response for most of the energy range used in practice. Not all nuclides are systematically probed and manufacturers are ultimately responsible for the calibration factors. The precision of the measurements performed in Switzerland is satisfactory with only about 6% of the measurements out of the tolerances. This monitoring also allowed us to improve the skills of the personnel and update the park of instruments by getting rid of dose calibrators displaying old units. (authors)

Dose calibrators quality controls in Switzerland: six years of experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bochud, F.; Spring, Ph.; Baechler, S. [Institut Universitaire de Radiophysique Appliquee, Lausanne (Switzerland); Twerenbold, D. [METAS, Lindenweg 50, Bern-Wabern (Switzerland); Linder, R. [Bundesamt fur Gesundheit, Abteilung Strahlenschutz, Bern (Switzerland); Leibundgut, F. [Raditec radiation and technology, Schoftland (Switzerland)

2006-07-01

In Switzerland, the legal use of open radioactive sources in nuclear medicine and the general requirements for quality controls are defined in a federal ordinance. The metrological traceability is guaranteed through a directive of the Swiss metrological office (M.E.T.A.S.) that requires each instrument to be monitored at least once a year through either a verification or an intercomparison. The verification is performed onsite by an accredited laboratory with a set of three gamma sources (Co-57, Cs-137 and Co-60) and - if applicable - a beta source (Sr-90/Y- 90). The intercomparison is made through conventional mail. A source of I-131 or Tc- 99 m is measured both in the nuclear medicine department and in an accredited laboratory. The maximum tolerated error is 10% for gamma sources and 20% for beta sources. This methodology guarantees that the instruments have a correct response for most of the energy range used in practice. Not all nuclides are systematically probed and manufacturers are ultimately responsible for the calibration factors. The precision of the measurements performed in Switzerland is satisfactory with only about 6% of the measurements out of the tolerances. This monitoring also allowed us to improve the skills of the personnel and update the park of instruments by getting rid of dose calibrators displaying old units. (authors)

Optimal calibration of variable biofuel blend dual-injection engines using sparse Bayesian extreme learning machine and metaheuristic optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, Ka In; Wong, Pak Kin

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A new calibration method is proposed for dual-injection engines under biofuel blends. • Sparse Bayesian extreme learning machine and flower pollination algorithm are employed in the proposed method. • An SI engine is retrofitted for operating under dual-injection strategy. • The proposed method is verified experimentally under the two idle speed conditions. • Comparison with other machine learning methods and optimization algorithms is conducted. - Abstract: Although many combinations of biofuel blends are available in the market, it is more beneficial to vary the ratio of biofuel blends at different engine operating conditions for optimal engine performance. Dual-injection engines have the potential to implement such function. However, while optimal engine calibration is critical for achieving high performance, the use of two injection systems, together with other modern engine technologies, leads the calibration of the dual-injection engines to a very complicated task. Traditional trial-and-error-based calibration approach can no longer be adopted as it would be time-, fuel- and labor-consuming. Therefore, a new and fast calibration method based on sparse Bayesian extreme learning machine (SBELM) and metaheuristic optimization is proposed to optimize the dual-injection engines operating with biofuels. A dual-injection spark-ignition engine fueled with ethanol and gasoline is employed for demonstration purpose. The engine response for various parameters is firstly acquired, and an engine model is then constructed using SBELM. With the engine model, the optimal engine settings are determined based on recently proposed metaheuristic optimization methods. Experimental results validate the optimal settings obtained with the proposed methodology, indicating that the use of machine learning and metaheuristic optimization for dual-injection engine calibration is effective and promising.

Remotely measuring the wind using turbine-mounted lidars: Application to power performance testing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borraccino, Antoine

the so-called whitebox approach. It consists mainly in calibrating the lidar primary measurementsof line-of-sight velocities. The line-of-sight velocity is the projection of the wind vector onto the laser beam propagation path. The calibration is performed in situ, by comparing the lidar velocity...... measurements to a reference quantity itself traceable to the international standards of units. The uncertainty of the line-ofsight velocity measurements was assessed using a normative methodology (GUM) which is based on the law of propagation of uncertainties. The generic calibration procedure was applied...... to two commercially developed nacelle lidars systems, the Avent 5-beam Demonstrator and the ZephIR Dual Mode lidars. Further, the lineof-sight positioning quantities such as inclination angles or beam trajectory werealso calibrated and their uncertainties assessed. Calibration results were of high...

Calibration of Ground -based Lidar instrument

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Villanueva, Héctor; Yordanova, Ginka

This report presents the result of the lidar calibration performed for the given Ground-based Lidar at DTU’s test site for large wind turbines at Høvsøre, Denmark. Calibration is here understood as the establishment of a relation between the reference wind speed measurements with measurement...

Calibration with near-continuous spectral measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Henrik Aalborg; Rasmussen, Michael; Madsen, Henrik

2001-01-01

In chemometrics traditional calibration in case of spectral measurements express a quantity of interest (e.g. a concentration) as a linear combination of the spectral measurements at a number of wavelengths. Often the spectral measurements are performed at a large number of wavelengths and in thi...... by an example in which the octane number of gasoline is related to near infrared spectral measurements. The performance is found to be much better that for the traditional calibration methods....

Proportional Counter Calibration and Analysis for 12C + p Resonance Scattering

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Austin; Rogachev, Grigory; Uberseder, Ethan; Hooker, Josh; Koshchiy, Yevgen

2014-09-01

Light exotic nuclei provide a unique opportunity to test the predictions of modern ab initio theoretical calculations near the drip line. In ab initio approaches, nuclear structure is described starting from bare nucleon-nucleon and three-nucleon interactions. Calculations are very heavy and can only be performed for the lightest nuclei (A objective of this project was to test the performance and perform position calibration of this proportional counter array. The test was done using 12C beam. The excitation function for 12C + p elastic scattering was measured and calibration of the proportional counter was performed using known resonances in 13N. The method of calibration, including solid angle calculations, normalization corrections, and position calibration will be presented. Light exotic nuclei provide a unique opportunity to test the predictions of modern ab initio theoretical calculations near the drip line. In ab initio approaches, nuclear structure is described starting from bare nucleon-nucleon and three-nucleon interactions. Calculations are very heavy and can only be performed for the lightest nuclei (A objective of this project was to test the performance and perform position calibration of this proportional counter array. The test was done using 12C beam. The excitation function for 12C + p elastic scattering was measured and calibration of the proportional counter was performed using known resonances in 13N. The method of calibration, including solid angle calculations, normalization corrections, and position calibration will be presented. Funded by DOE and NSF-REU Program; Grant No. PHY-1263281.

Calibration of three-axis magnetometers with differential evolution algorithm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pang, Hongfeng; Zhang, Qi; Wang, Wei; Wang, Junya; Li, Ji; Luo, Shitu; Wan, Chengbiao; Chen, Dixiang; Pan, Mengchun; Luo, Feilu

2013-01-01

The accuracy of three-axis magnetometers is influenced by different scale and bias of each axis and nonorthogonality between axes. One limitation of traditional iteration methods is that initial parameters influence the calibration, thus leading to the local optimal or wrong results. In this paper, a new method is proposed to calibrate three-axis magnetometers. To employ this method, a nonmagnetic rotation platform, a proton magnetometer, a DM-050 three-axis magnetometer and the differential evolution (DE) algorithm are used. The performance of this calibration method is analyzed with simulation and experiment. In simulation, the calibration results of DE, unscented Kalman filter (UKF), recursive least squares (RLS) and genetic algorithm (GA) are compared. RMS error using DE is least, which is reduced from 81.233 nT to 1.567 nT. Experimental results show that comparing with UKF, RLS and GA, the DE algorithm has not only the least calibration error but also the best robustness. After calibration, RMS error is reduced from 68.914 nT to 2.919 nT. In addition, the DE algorithm is not sensitive to initial parameters, which is an important advantage compared with traditional iteration algorithms. The proposed algorithm can avoid the troublesome procedure to select suitable initial parameters, thus it can improve the calibration performance of three-axis magnetometers. - Highlights: • The calibration results and robustness of UKF, GA, RLS and DE algorithm are analyzed. • Calibration error of DE is the least in simulation and experiment. • Comparing with traditional calibration algorithms, DE is not sensitive to initial parameters. • It can improve the calibration performance of three-axis magnetometers

Cross calibration of the Landsat-7 ETM+ and EO-1 ALI sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Chander, G.; Meyer, D.J.; Helder, D.L.

2004-01-01

As part of the Earth Observer 1 (EO-1) Mission, the Advanced Land Imager (ALI) demonstrates a potential technological direction for Landsat Data Continuity Missions. To evaluate ALI's capabilities in this role, a cross-calibration methodology has been developed using image pairs from the Landsat-7 (L7) Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) and EO-1 (ALI) to verify the radiometric calibration of ALI with respect to the well-calibrated L7 ETM+ sensor. Results have been obtained using two different approaches. The first approach involves calibration of nearly simultaneous surface observations based on image statistics from areas observed simultaneously by the two sensors. The second approach uses vicarious calibration techniques to compare the predicted top-of-atmosphere radiance derived from ground reference data collected during the overpass to the measured radiance obtained from the sensor. The results indicate that the relative sensor chip assemblies gains agree with the ETM+ visible and near-infrared bands to within 2% and the shortwave infrared bands to within 4%.

Spectrophotometric calibration system for DECam

Science.gov (United States)

Rheault, J.-P.; DePoy, D. L.; Marshall, J. L.; Prochaska, T.; Allen, R.; Wise, J.; Martin, E.; Williams, P.

2012-09-01

We describe a spectrophotometric calibration system that is being implemented as part of the DES DECam project at the Blanco 4 meter at CTIO. Our calibration system uses a 1nm wide tunable source to measure the instrumental response function of the telescope optics and detector from 300nm up to 1100nm. This calibration will be performed regularly to monitor any change in the transmission function of the telescope during the 5 year survey. The system consists of a monochromator based tunable light source that provides illumination on a dome flat that is monitored by calibrated photodiodes that allow us to measure the telescope throughput as a function of wavelength. Our system has a peak output power of 2 mW, equivalent to a flux of approximately 800 photons/s/pixel on DECam.

Performance evaluation methodology for historical document image binarization.

Science.gov (United States)

Ntirogiannis, Konstantinos; Gatos, Basilis; Pratikakis, Ioannis

2013-02-01

Document image binarization is of great importance in the document image analysis and recognition pipeline since it affects further stages of the recognition process. The evaluation of a binarization method aids in studying its algorithmic behavior, as well as verifying its effectiveness, by providing qualitative and quantitative indication of its performance. This paper addresses a pixel-based binarization evaluation methodology for historical handwritten/machine-printed document images. In the proposed evaluation scheme, the recall and precision evaluation measures are properly modified using a weighting scheme that diminishes any potential evaluation bias. Additional performance metrics of the proposed evaluation scheme consist of the percentage rates of broken and missed text, false alarms, background noise, character enlargement, and merging. Several experiments conducted in comparison with other pixel-based evaluation measures demonstrate the validity of the proposed evaluation scheme.

Data fusion for a vision-aided radiological detection system: Calibration algorithm performance

Science.gov (United States)

Stadnikia, Kelsey; Henderson, Kristofer; Martin, Allan; Riley, Phillip; Koppal, Sanjeev; Enqvist, Andreas

2018-05-01

In order to improve the ability to detect, locate, track and identify nuclear/radiological threats, the University of Florida nuclear detection community has teamed up with the 3D vision community to collaborate on a low cost data fusion system. The key is to develop an algorithm to fuse the data from multiple radiological and 3D vision sensors as one system. The system under development at the University of Florida is being assessed with various types of radiological detectors and widely available visual sensors. A series of experiments were devised utilizing two EJ-309 liquid organic scintillation detectors (one primary and one secondary), a Microsoft Kinect for Windows v2 sensor and a Velodyne HDL-32E High Definition LiDAR Sensor which is a highly sensitive vision sensor primarily used to generate data for self-driving cars. Each experiment consisted of 27 static measurements of a source arranged in a cube with three different distances in each dimension. The source used was Cf-252. The calibration algorithm developed is utilized to calibrate the relative 3D-location of the two different types of sensors without need to measure it by hand; thus, preventing operator manipulation and human errors. The algorithm can also account for the facility dependent deviation from ideal data fusion correlation. Use of the vision sensor to determine the location of a sensor would also limit the possible locations and it does not allow for room dependence (facility dependent deviation) to generate a detector pseudo-location to be used for data analysis later. Using manually measured source location data, our algorithm-predicted the offset detector location within an average of 20 cm calibration-difference to its actual location. Calibration-difference is the Euclidean distance from the algorithm predicted detector location to the measured detector location. The Kinect vision sensor data produced an average calibration-difference of 35 cm and the HDL-32E produced an average

Principles and applications of measurement and uncertainty analysis in research and calibration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wells, C.V.

1992-11-01

Interest in Measurement Uncertainty Analysis has grown in the past several years as it has spread to new fields of application, and research and development of uncertainty methodologies have continued. This paper discusses the subject from the perspectives of both research and calibration environments. It presents a history of the development and an overview of the principles of uncertainty analysis embodied in the United States National Standard, ANSI/ASME PTC 19.1-1985, Measurement Uncertainty. Examples are presented in which uncertainty analysis was utilized or is needed to gain further knowledge of a particular measurement process and to characterize final results. Measurement uncertainty analysis provides a quantitative estimate of the interval about a measured value or an experiment result within which the true value of that quantity is expected to lie. Years ago, Harry Ku of the United States National Bureau of Standards stated that ``The informational content of the statement of uncertainty determines, to a large extent, the worth of the calibrated value.`` Today, that statement is just as true about calibration or research results as it was in 1968. Why is that true? What kind of information should we include in a statement of uncertainty accompanying a calibrated value? How and where do we get the information to include in an uncertainty statement? How should we interpret and use measurement uncertainty information? This discussion will provide answers to these and other questions about uncertainty in research and in calibration. The methodology to be described has been developed by national and international groups over the past nearly thirty years, and individuals were publishing information even earlier. Yet the work is largely unknown in many science and engineering arenas. I will illustrate various aspects of uncertainty analysis with some examples drawn from the radiometry measurement and calibration discipline from research activities.

Principles and applications of measurement and uncertainty analysis in research and calibration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wells, C.V.

1992-11-01

Interest in Measurement Uncertainty Analysis has grown in the past several years as it has spread to new fields of application, and research and development of uncertainty methodologies have continued. This paper discusses the subject from the perspectives of both research and calibration environments. It presents a history of the development and an overview of the principles of uncertainty analysis embodied in the United States National Standard, ANSI/ASME PTC 19.1-1985, Measurement Uncertainty. Examples are presented in which uncertainty analysis was utilized or is needed to gain further knowledge of a particular measurement process and to characterize final results. Measurement uncertainty analysis provides a quantitative estimate of the interval about a measured value or an experiment result within which the true value of that quantity is expected to lie. Years ago, Harry Ku of the United States National Bureau of Standards stated that The informational content of the statement of uncertainty determines, to a large extent, the worth of the calibrated value.'' Today, that statement is just as true about calibration or research results as it was in 1968. Why is that true What kind of information should we include in a statement of uncertainty accompanying a calibrated value How and where do we get the information to include in an uncertainty statement How should we interpret and use measurement uncertainty information This discussion will provide answers to these and other questions about uncertainty in research and in calibration. The methodology to be described has been developed by national and international groups over the past nearly thirty years, and individuals were publishing information even earlier. Yet the work is largely unknown in many science and engineering arenas. I will illustrate various aspects of uncertainty analysis with some examples drawn from the radiometry measurement and calibration discipline from research activities.

Calibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greacen, E.L.; Correll, R.L.; Cunningham, R.B.; Johns, G.G.; Nicolls, K.D.

1981-01-01

Procedures common to different methods of calibration of neutron moisture meters are outlined and laboratory and field calibration methods compared. Gross errors which arise from faulty calibration techniques are described. The count rate can be affected by the dry bulk density of the soil, the volumetric content of constitutional hydrogen and other chemical components of the soil and soil solution. Calibration is further complicated by the fact that the neutron meter responds more strongly to the soil properties close to the detector and source. The differences in slope of calibration curves for different soils can be as much as 40%

Low-level waste disposal site performance assessment with the RQ/PQ methodology. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogers, V.C.; Grant, M.W.; Sutherland, A.A.

1982-12-01

A methodology called RQ/PQ (retention quotient/performance quotient) has been developed for relating the potential hazard of radioactive waste to the natural and man-made barriers provided by a disposal facility. The methodology utilizes a systems approach to quantify the safety of low-level waste disposed in a near-surface facility. The main advantages of the RQ/PQ methodology are its simplicity of analysis and clarity of presentation while still allowing a comprehensive set of nuclides and pathways to be treated. Site performance and facility designs for low-level waste disposal can be easily investigated with relatively few parameters needed to define the problem. Application of the methodology has revealed that the key factor affecting the safety of low-level waste disposal in near surface facilities is the potential for intrusion events. Food, inhalation and well water pathways dominate in the analysis of such events. While the food and inhalation pathways are not strongly site-dependent, the well water pathway is. Finally, burial at depths of 5 m or more was shown to reduce the impacts from intrusion events

A global fouling factor methodology for analyzing steam generator thermal performance degradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kreider, M.A.; White, G.A.; Varrin, R.D.

1998-01-01

Over the past few years, steam generator (SG) thermal performance degradation has led to decreased plant efficiency and power output at numerous PWR nuclear power plants with recirculating-type SGs. The authors have developed and implemented methodologies for quantitatively evaluating the various sources of SG performance degradation, both internal and external to the SG pressure boundary. These methodologies include computation of the global fouling factor history, evaluation of secondary deposit thermal resistance using deposit characterization data, and consideration of pressure loss causes unrelated to the tube bundle, such as hot-leg temperature streaming and SG moisture separator performance. In order to evaluate the utility of the global fouling factor methodology, the authors performed case studies for a number of PWR SG designs. Key results from two of these studies are presented here. Uncertainty analyses were performed to determine whether the calculated fouling factor for each plant represented significant fouling or whether uncertainty in key variables (e.g., steam pressure or feedwater flow rate) could be responsible for calculated fouling. The methodology was validated using two methods: by predicting the SG pressure following chemical cleaning at San Onofre 2 and also by performing a sensitivity study with the industry-standard thermal-hydraulics code ATHOS to investigate the effects of spatially varying tube scale distributions. This study indicated that the average scale thickness has a greater impact on fouling than the spatial distribution, showing that the assumption of uniform resistance inherent to the global fouling factor is reasonable. In tandem with the fouling-factor analyses, a study evaluated for each plant the potential causes of pressure loss. The combined results of the global fouling factor calculations and the pressure loss evaluations demonstrated two key points: 1) that the available thermal margin against fouling, which can

Calibration procedure for thermoluminescent dosemeters in water absorbed doses for Iridium-192 high dose rate sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reyes Cac, Franky Eduardo

2004-10-01

Thermoluminescent dosimeters are used in brachytherapy services quality assurance programs, with the aim of guaranteeing the correct radiation dose supplied to cancer patients, as well as with the purpose of evaluating new clinical procedures. This work describes a methodology for thermoluminescent dosimeters calibration in terms of absorbed dose to water for 192 Ir high dose rate sources. The reference dose used is measured with an ionization chamber previously calibrated for 192 Ir energy quality, applying the methodology proposed by Toelli. This methodology aims to standardizing the procedure, in a similar form to that used for external radiotherapy. The work evolves the adaptation of the TRS-277 Code of the International Atomic Energy Agency, for small and big cavities, through the introduction for non-uniform experimental factor, for the absorbed dose in the neighborhood of small brachytherapy sources. In order to simulate a water medium around the source during the experimental work, an acrylic phantom was used. It guarantees the reproducibility of the ionization chamber and the thermoluminescent dosimeter's location in relation to the radiation source. The values obtained with the ionization chamber and the thermoluminescent dosimeters, exposed to a 192 Ir high dose rate source, were compared and correction factors for different source-detector distances were determined for the thermoluminescent dosimeters. A numeric function was generated relating the correction factors and the source-detector distance. These correction factors are in fact the thermoluminescent dosimeter calibration factors for the 192 Ir source considered. As a possible application of this calibration methodology for thermoluminescent dosimeters, a practical range of source-detector distances is proposed for quality control of 192 Ir high dose rate sources. (author)

Sensitivity analysis and development of calibration methodology for near-surface hydrogeology model of Laxemar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aneljung, Maria; Sassner, Mona; Gustafsson, Lars-Goeran (DHI Sverige AB, Lilla Bommen 1, SE-411 04 Goeteborg (Sweden))

2007-11-15

This report describes modelling where the hydrological modelling system MIKE SHE has been used to describe surface hydrology, near-surface hydrogeology, advective transport mechanisms, and the contact between groundwater and surface water within the SKB site investigation area at Laxemar. In the MIKE SHE system, surface water flow is described with the one-dimensional modelling tool MIKE 11, which is fully and dynamically integrated with the groundwater flow module in MIKE SHE. In early 2008, a supplementary data set will be available and a process of updating, rebuilding and calibrating the MIKE SHE model based on this data set will start. Before the calibration on the new data begins, it is important to gather as much knowledge as possible on calibration methods, and to identify critical calibration parameters and areas within the model that require special attention. In this project, the MIKE SHE model has been further developed. The model area has been extended, and the present model also includes an updated bedrock model and a more detailed description of the surface stream network. The numerical model has been updated and optimized, especially regarding the modelling of evapotranspiration and the unsaturated zone, and the coupling between the surface stream network in MIKE 11 and the overland flow in MIKE SHE. An initial calibration has been made and a base case has been defined and evaluated. In connection with the calibration, the most important changes made in the model were the following: The evapotranspiration was reduced. The infiltration capacity was reduced. The hydraulic conductivities of the Quaternary deposits in the water-saturated part of the subsurface were reduced. Data from one surface water level monitoring station, four surface water discharge monitoring stations and 43 groundwater level monitoring stations (SSM series boreholes) have been used to evaluate and calibrate the model. The base case simulations showed a reasonable agreement

Improved best estimate plus uncertainty methodology including advanced validation concepts to license evolving nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Unal, Cetin; Williams, Brian; McClure, Patrick; Nelson, Ralph A.

2010-01-01

Many evolving nuclear energy programs plan to use advanced predictive multi-scale multi-physics simulation and modeling capabilities to reduce cost and time from design through licensing. Historically, the role of experiments was primary tool for design and understanding of nuclear system behavior while modeling and simulation played the subordinate role of supporting experiments. In the new era of multi-scale multi-physics computational based technology development, the experiments will still be needed but they will be performed at different scales to calibrate and validate models leading predictive simulations. Cost saving goals of programs will require us to minimize the required number of validation experiments. Utilization of more multi-scale multi-physics models introduces complexities in the validation of predictive tools. Traditional methodologies will have to be modified to address these arising issues. This paper lays out the basic aspects of a methodology that can be potentially used to address these new challenges in design and licensing of evolving nuclear technology programs. The main components of the proposed methodology are verification, validation, calibration, and uncertainty quantification. An enhanced calibration concept is introduced and is accomplished through data assimilation. The goal is to enable best-estimate prediction of system behaviors in both normal and safety related environments. To achieve this goal requires the additional steps of estimating the domain of validation and quantification of uncertainties that allow for extension of results to areas of the validation domain that are not directly tested with experiments, which might include extension of the modeling and simulation (M and S) capabilities for application to full-scale systems. The new methodology suggests a formalism to quantify an adequate level of validation (predictive maturity) with respect to required selective data so that required testing can be minimized for

Improved best estimate plus uncertainty methodology including advanced validation concepts to license evolving nuclear reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Unal, Cetin [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Williams, Brian [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Mc Clure, Patrick [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Nelson, Ralph A [IDAHO NATIONAL LAB

2010-01-01

Many evolving nuclear energy programs plan to use advanced predictive multi-scale multi-physics simulation and modeling capabilities to reduce cost and time from design through licensing. Historically, the role of experiments was primary tool for design and understanding of nuclear system behavior while modeling and simulation played the subordinate role of supporting experiments. In the new era of multi-scale multi-physics computational based technology development, the experiments will still be needed but they will be performed at different scales to calibrate and validate models leading predictive simulations. Cost saving goals of programs will require us to minimize the required number of validation experiments. Utilization of more multi-scale multi-physics models introduces complexities in the validation of predictive tools. Traditional methodologies will have to be modified to address these arising issues. This paper lays out the basic aspects of a methodology that can be potentially used to address these new challenges in design and licensing of evolving nuclear technology programs. The main components of the proposed methodology are verification, validation, calibration, and uncertainty quantification. An enhanced calibration concept is introduced and is accomplished through data assimilation. The goal is to enable best-estimate prediction of system behaviors in both normal and safety related environments. To achieve this goal requires the additional steps of estimating the domain of validation and quantification of uncertainties that allow for extension of results to areas of the validation domain that are not directly tested with experiments, which might include extension of the modeling and simulation (M&S) capabilities for application to full-scale systems. The new methodology suggests a formalism to quantify an adequate level of validation (predictive maturity) with respect to required selective data so that required testing can be minimized for cost

Estimation of the limit of detection in semiconductor gas sensors through linearized calibration models.

Science.gov (United States)

Burgués, Javier; Jiménez-Soto, Juan Manuel; Marco, Santiago

2018-07-12

The limit of detection (LOD) is a key figure of merit in chemical sensing. However, the estimation of this figure of merit is hindered by the non-linear calibration curve characteristic of semiconductor gas sensor technologies such as, metal oxide (MOX), gasFETs or thermoelectric sensors. Additionally, chemical sensors suffer from cross-sensitivities and temporal stability problems. The application of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) recommendations for univariate LOD estimation in non-linear semiconductor gas sensors is not straightforward due to the strong statistical requirements of the IUPAC methodology (linearity, homoscedasticity, normality). Here, we propose a methodological approach to LOD estimation through linearized calibration models. As an example, the methodology is applied to the detection of low concentrations of carbon monoxide using MOX gas sensors in a scenario where the main source of error is the presence of uncontrolled levels of humidity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Calibrating a novel multi-sensor physical activity measurement system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

John, D; Sasaki, J E; Howe, C A; Freedson, P S; Liu, S; Gao, R X; Staudenmayer, J

2011-01-01

Advancing the field of physical activity (PA) monitoring requires the development of innovative multi-sensor measurement systems that are feasible in the free-living environment. The use of novel analytical techniques to combine and process these multiple sensor signals is equally important. This paper describes a novel multi-sensor 'integrated PA measurement system' (IMS), the lab-based methodology used to calibrate the IMS, techniques used to predict multiple variables from the sensor signals, and proposes design changes to improve the feasibility of deploying the IMS in the free-living environment. The IMS consists of hip and wrist acceleration sensors, two piezoelectric respiration sensors on the torso, and an ultraviolet radiation sensor to obtain contextual information (indoors versus outdoors) of PA. During lab-based calibration of the IMS, data were collected on participants performing a PA routine consisting of seven different ambulatory and free-living activities while wearing a portable metabolic unit (criterion measure) and the IMS. Data analyses on the first 50 adult participants are presented. These analyses were used to determine if the IMS can be used to predict the variables of interest. Finally, physical modifications for the IMS that could enhance the feasibility of free-living use are proposed and refinement of the prediction techniques is discussed

Calibration method for a radwaste assay system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dulama, C.; Dobrin, R.; Toma, Al.; Paunoiu, C.

2004-01-01

A waste assay system entirely designed and manufactured in the Institute for Nuclear Research is used in radwaste treatment and conditioning stream to ensure compliance with national repository radiological requirements. Usually, waste assay systems are calibrated by using various experimental arrangements including calibration phantoms. The paper presents a comparative study concerning the efficiency calibration performed by shell source method and a semiempirical, computational method based on a Monte Carlo algorithm. (authors)

Assessment of the performance of containment and surveillance equipment part 1: methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rezniczek, A.; Richter, B.

2009-01-01

Equipment performance aims at the creation of relevant data. As Containment and Surveillance (C/S) is playing an ever increasing role in safeguards systems, the issue of how to assess the performance of C/S equipment is being addressed by the ESARDA Working Group on C/S. The issue is important not only for the development of appropriate safeguards approaches but also for the review of existing approaches with regard to the implementation of the Additional Protocol (A P) and Integrated Safeguards. It is expected that the selection process of appropriate equipment, especially for unattended operation, is facilitated by the availability of methods to determine the performance of such equipment. Apart from EURATOM, the users of assessment methodologies would be the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), plant operators, and instrument developers. The paper describes a non-quantitative performance assessment methodology. A structured procedure is outlined that allows assessing the suitability of different C/S instrumentation to comply with the objectives of its application. The principle to determine the performance of C/S equipment is to define, based on safeguards requirements, a task profile and to check the performance profile against the task profile. The performance profile of C/S equipment can be derived from the functional specifications and design basis tolerances provided by the equipment manufacturers.

Development of Testing Methodologies to Evaluate Postflight Locomotor Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Mulavara, A. P.; Peters, B. T.; Cohen, H. S.; Richards, J. T.; Miller, C. A.; Brady, R.; Warren, L. E.; Bloomberg, J. J.

2006-01-01

Crewmembers experience locomotor and postural instabilities during ambulation on Earth following their return from space flight. Gait training programs designed to facilitate recovery of locomotor function following a transition to a gravitational environment need to be accompanied by relevant assessment methodologies to evaluate their efficacy. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate the operational validity of two tests of locomotor function that were used to evaluate performance after long duration space flight missions on the International Space Station (ISS).

Improving integrity of on-line grammage measurement with traceable basic calibration.

Science.gov (United States)

Kangasrääsiö, Juha

2010-07-01

The automatic control of grammage (basis weight) in paper and board production is based upon on-line grammage measurement. Furthermore, the automatic control of other quality variables such as moisture, ash content and coat weight, may rely on the grammage measurement. The integrity of Kr-85 based on-line grammage measurement systems was studied, by performing basic calibrations with traceably calibrated plastic reference standards. The calibrations were performed according to the EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard, which is a requirement for calibration laboratories. The observed relative measurement errors were 3.3% in the first time calibrations at the 95% confidence level. With the traceable basic calibration method, however, these errors can be reduced to under 0.5%, thus improving the integrity of on-line grammage measurements. Also a standardised algorithm, based on the experience from the performed calibrations, is proposed to ease the adjustment of the different grammage measurement systems. The calibration technique can basically be applied to all beta-radiation based grammage measurements. 2010 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New calibration technique for KCD-based megavoltage imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Samant, Sanjiv S.; Zheng, Wei; DiBianca, Frank A.; Zeman, Herbert D.; Laughter, Joseph S.

1999-05-01

In megavoltage imaging, current commercial electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs), despite having the advantage of immediate digital imaging over film, suffer from poor image contrast and spatial resolution. The feasibility of using a kinestatic charge detector (KCD) as an EPID to provide superior image contrast and spatial resolution for portal imaging has already been demonstrated in a previous paper. The KCD system had the additional advantage of requiring an extremely low dose per acquired image, allowing for superior imaging to be reconstructed form a single linac pulse per image pixel. The KCD based images utilized a dose of two orders of magnitude less that for EPIDs and film. Compared with the current commercial EPIDs and film, the prototype KCD system exhibited promising image qualities, despite being handicapped by the use of a relatively simple image calibration technique, and the performance limits of medical linacs on the maximum linac pulse frequency and energy flux per pulse delivered. This image calibration technique fixed relative image pixel values based on a linear interpolation of extrema provided by an air-water calibration, and accounted only for channel-to-channel variations. The counterpart of this for area detectors is the standard flat fielding method. A comprehensive calibration protocol has been developed. The new technique additionally corrects for geometric distortions due to variations in the scan velocity, and timing artifacts caused by mis-synchronization between the linear accelerator and the data acquisition system (DAS). The role of variations in energy flux (2 - 3%) on imaging is demonstrated to be not significant for the images considered. The methodology is presented, and the results are discussed for simulated images. It also allows for significant improvements in the signal-to- noise ratio (SNR) by increasing the dose using multiple images without having to increase the linac pulse frequency or energy flux per pulse. The

Automatic Calibration of High Density Electric Muscle Stimulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knibbe, Jarrod; Strohmeier, Paul; Boring, Sebastian

2017-01-01

. (2) EMS requires time consuming, expert calibration -- confining these interaction techniques to the lab. EMS arrays have been shown to increase stimulation resolution, but as calibration complexity increases exponentially as more electrodes are used, we require heuristics or automated procedures......Electric muscle stimulation (EMS) can enable mobile force feedback, support pedestrian navigation, or confer object affordances. To date, however, EMS is limited by two interlinked problems. (1) EMS is low resolution -- achieving only coarse movements and constraining opportunities for exploration...... for successful calibration. We explore the feasibility of using electromyography (EMG) to auto-calibrate high density EMS arrays. We determine regions of muscle activity during human-performed gestures, to inform stimulation patterns for EMS-performed gestures. We report on a study which shows that auto...

Generalized Characterization Methodology for Performance Modelling of Lithium-Ion Batteries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stroe, Daniel Loan; Swierczynski, Maciej Jozef; Stroe, Ana-Irina

2016-01-01

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are complex energy storage devices with their performance behavior highly dependent on the operating conditions (i.e., temperature, load current, and state-of-charge (SOC)). Thus, in order to evaluate their techno-economic viability for a certain application, detailed...... information about Li-ion battery performance behavior becomes necessary. This paper proposes a comprehensive seven-step methodology for laboratory characterization of Li-ion batteries, in which the battery’s performance parameters (i.e., capacity, open-circuit voltage (OCV), and impedance) are determined...... and their dependence on the operating conditions are obtained. Furthermore, this paper proposes a novel hybrid procedure for parameterizing the batteries’ equivalent electrical circuit (EEC), which is used to emulate the batteries’ dynamic behavior. Based on this novel parameterization procedure, the performance model...

Informal uncertainty analysis (GLUE of continuous flow simulation in a hybrid sewer system with infiltration inflow – consistency of containment ratios in calibration and validation?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Breinholt

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Monitoring of flows in sewer systems is increasingly applied to calibrate urban drainage models used for long-term simulation. However, most often models are calibrated without considering the uncertainties. The generalized likelihood uncertainty estimation (GLUE methodology is here applied to assess parameter and flow simulation uncertainty using a simplified lumped sewer model that accounts for three separate flow contributions: wastewater, fast runoff from paved areas, and slow infiltrating water from permeable areas. Recently GLUE methodology has been critisised for generating prediction limits without statistical coherence and consistency and for the subjectivity in the choice of a threshold value to distinguish "behavioural" from "non-behavioural" parameter sets. In this paper we examine how well the GLUE methodology performs when the behavioural parameter sets deduced from a calibration period are applied to generate prediction bounds in validation periods. By retaining an increasing number of parameter sets we aim at obtaining consistency between the GLUE generated 90% prediction limits and the actual containment ratio (CR in calibration. Due to the large uncertainties related to spatio-temporal rain variability during heavy convective rain events, flow measurement errors, possible model deficiencies as well as epistemic uncertainties, it was not possible to obtain an overall CR of more than 80%. However, the GLUE generated prediction limits still proved rather consistent, since the overall CRs obtained in calibration corresponded well with the overall CRs obtained in validation periods for all proportions of retained parameter sets evaluated. When focusing on wet and dry weather periods separately, some inconsistencies were however found between calibration and validation and we address here some of the reasons why we should not expect the coverage of the prediction limits to be identical in calibration and validation periods in real

Methodology for evaluation of diagnostic performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metz, C.E.

1992-01-01

Effort in this project during the past year has focused on the development, refinement, and distribution of computer software that will allow current Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) methodology to be used conveniently and reliably by investigators in a variety of evaluation tasks in diagnostic medicine; and on the development of new ROC methodology that will broaden the spectrum of evaluation tasks and/or experimental settings to which the fundamental approach can be applied. Progress has been limited by the amount of financial support made available to the project

Variations in performance of LCDs are still evident after DICOM gray-scale standard display calibration.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Lowe, Joanna M

2010-07-01

Quality assurance in medical imaging is directly beneficial to image quality. Diagnostic images are frequently displayed on secondary-class displays that have minimal or no regular quality assurance programs, and treatment decisions are being made from these display types. The purpose of this study is to identify the impact of calibration on physical and psychophysical performance of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and the extent of potential variance across various types of LCDs.

A Study of IR Loss Correction Methodologies for Commercially Available Pyranometers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Long, Chuck; Andreas, Afshin; Augustine, John; Dooraghi, Mike; Habte, Aron; Hall, Emiel; Kutchenreiter, Mark; McComiskey, Allison; Reda, Ibrahim; Sengupta, Manajit

2017-03-24

This presentation provides a high-level overview of a study of IR Loss Connection Methodologies for Commercially Available Pyranometers. The IR Loss Corrections Study is investigating how various correction methodologies work for several makes and models of commercially available pyranometers in common use, both when operated in ventilators with DC fans and without ventilators, as when they are typically calibrated.

Description and performance of the OGSE for VNIR absolute spectroradiometric calibration of MTG-I satellites

Science.gov (United States)

Glastre, W.; Marque, J.; Compain, E.; Deep, A.; Durand, Y.; Aminou, D. M. A.

2017-09-01

respect to primary standards down to 3% (k=3) coupled with constraining environment (vacuum), large dynamic (up to factor 100), high spectral resolution of 3 nm. Another main difficulty is to adapt the specific MOTA etendue (300 mm pupil, 9 mrad field) to available primary standards. Each of these constraints were addressed by specific tool design and production, a fine optimization of the calibration procedure with a large involvement of metrology laboratories. This paper introduces the missions of MTG satellites and particularly of the FCI instrument. The requirements regarding the absolute calibration over the different spectrometric channels and the global strategy to fulfill them are described. The MOTA architecture and calibration strategy are then discussed and final expected results are presented, showing state of the art performances.

Calibration of Ground-based Lidar instrument

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yordanova, Ginka; Gómez Arranz, Paula

This report presents the result of the lidar calibration performed for the given Ground-based Lidar at DTU’s test site for large wind turbines at Høvsøre, Denmark. Calibration is here understood as the establishment of a relation between the reference wind speed measurements with measurement...... uncertainties provided by measurement standard and corresponding lidar wind speed indications with associated measurement uncertainties. The lidar calibration concerns the 10 minute mean wind speed measurements. The comparison of the lidar measurements of the wind direction with that from wind vanes...

Calibration of the TVO spent BWR reference fuel assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tarvainen, M.; Baecklin, A.; Haakanson, A.

1992-02-01

In 1989 the Support Programmes of Finland (FSP) and Sweden (SSP) initiated a joint task to cross calibrate the burnup of the IAEA spent BWR reference fuel assembly at the TVO AFR storage facility (TVO KPA-STORE) in Finland. The reference assembly, kept separately under the IAEA seal, is used for verification measurements of spent fuel by GBUV method (SG-NDA-38). The cross calibration was performed by establishing a calibration curve, 244 Cm neutron rate versus burnup, using passive neutron assay (PNA) measurements. The declared burnup of the reference assembly was compared with the burnup value deduced from the calibration curve. A calibration line was also established by using the GBUV method with the aid of high resolution gamma ray spectrometry (HRGS). Normalization between the two different facilities was performed using sealed neutron and gamma calibration sources. The results of the passive neutron assay show consistency, better than 1 %, between the declared mean burnup of the reference assembly and the burnup deduced from the calibration curve. The corresponding consistency is within +-2 % for the HRGS measurements

A PROMPT METHODOLOGY TO GEOREFERENCE COMPLEX HYPOGEA ENVIRONMENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Troisi

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Actually complex underground structures and facilities occupy a wide space in our cities, most of them are often unsurveyed; cable duct, drainage system are not exception. Furthermore, several inspection operations are performed in critical air condition, that do not allow or make more difficult a conventional survey. In this scenario a prompt methodology to survey and georeferencing such facilities is often indispensable. A visual based approach was proposed in this paper; such methodology provides a 3D model of the environment and the path followed by the camera using the conventional photogrammetric/Structure from motion software tools. The key-role is played by the lens camera; indeed, a fisheye system was employed to obtain a very wide field of view (FOV and therefore high overlapping among the frames. The camera geometry is in according to a forward motion along the axis camera. Consequently, to avoid instability of bundle adjustment algorithm a preliminary calibration of camera was carried out. A specific case study was reported and the accuracy achieved.

a Prompt Methodology to Georeference Complex Hypogea Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Troisi, S.; Baiocchi, V.; Del Pizzo, S.; Giannone, F.

2017-02-01

Actually complex underground structures and facilities occupy a wide space in our cities, most of them are often unsurveyed; cable duct, drainage system are not exception. Furthermore, several inspection operations are performed in critical air condition, that do not allow or make more difficult a conventional survey. In this scenario a prompt methodology to survey and georeferencing such facilities is often indispensable. A visual based approach was proposed in this paper; such methodology provides a 3D model of the environment and the path followed by the camera using the conventional photogrammetric/Structure from motion software tools. The key-role is played by the lens camera; indeed, a fisheye system was employed to obtain a very wide field of view (FOV) and therefore high overlapping among the frames. The camera geometry is in according to a forward motion along the axis camera. Consequently, to avoid instability of bundle adjustment algorithm a preliminary calibration of camera was carried out. A specific case study was reported and the accuracy achieved.

Calibration and performance of a stirred benthic chamber

Science.gov (United States)

Buchholtz-ten Brink, M. R.; Gust, G.; Chavis, D.

1989-07-01

The physical and chemical boundary layer parameters characteristic for a benthic chamber were cross-calibrated by the use of two methods in the laboratory: (1) flush-mounted hot-film sensors, which measure the friction velocity u ∗, and (2) the alabaster dissolution technique, which measures the equivalent film thickness z. Tests of five stirring devices were made, using both techniques, to improve the stirring mechanism in the MANOP Lander flux chambers. The stirring device that was finally implemented consisted of four rods and produced spatially averaged friction velocities u ∗ ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 cm s -1 (i.e. mean film thickness z from 500 to 180 μm) when running at speeds from 3 to 9 rpm. The friction velocity field at the sediment surface is related to the rpm of the stirring device and the penetration depth of the chamber into the sediments; combinations of both can create z and u ∗ inside the chamber that duplicate those of many natural environments. The log-log calibration relationship found between u ∗ and transfer coefficients K' also provides a means to predict the mass-transfer resistance of solutes at the sediment-water interface from measurements of mean bottom stress.

Calibrating EEG-based motor imagery brain-computer interface from passive movement.

Science.gov (United States)

Ang, Kai Keng; Guan, Cuntai; Wang, Chuanchu; Phua, Kok Soon; Tan, Adrian Hock Guan; Chin, Zheng Yang

2011-01-01

EEG data from performing motor imagery are usually collected to calibrate a subject-specific model for classifying the EEG data during the evaluation phase of motor imagery Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). However, there is no direct objective measure to determine if a subject is performing motor imagery correctly for proper calibration. Studies have shown that passive movement, which is directly observable, induces Event-Related Synchronization patterns that are similar to those induced from motor imagery. Hence, this paper investigates the feasibility of calibrating EEG-based motor imagery BCI from passive movement. EEG data of 12 healthy subjects were collected during motor imagery and passive movement of the hand by a haptic knob robot. The calibration models using the Filter Bank Common Spatial Pattern algorithm on the EEG data from motor imagery were compared against using the EEG data from passive movement. The performances were compared based on the 10×10-fold cross-validation accuracies of the calibration data, and off-line session-to-session transfer kappa values to other sessions of motor imagery performed on another day. The results showed that the calibration performed using passive movement yielded higher model accuracy and off-line session-to-session transfer (73.6% and 0.354) than the calibration performed using motor imagery (71.3% and 0.311), and no significant differences were observed between the two groups (p=0.20, 0.23). Hence, this study shows that it is feasible to calibrate EEG-based motor imagery BCI from passive movement.

Development of a reference system and a methodology for the calibration of ophthalmic applicators utilized in brachytherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, Mercia Liane de

2005-01-01

90 Sr+ 90 Y beta radiation sources are widely utilized in brachytherapy, in the treatment of superficial lesions of eyes and skin. According to international recommendations, these applicators should be specified in terms of the absorbed dose rate to water at the reference point (1 mm from the source surface, along its axis of symmetry). Two mini-extrapolation chambers were developed with adequate geometrical characteristics for the dosimetry of plane and concave 90 Sr+ 90 Y sources. These chambers have 3.0 cm of outer diameter and 11.3 cm of length. Aluminized polyester foils are used as entrance windows, and the collecting electrodes were made of graphited polymethylmethacrylate. The mini-chambers were tested in 90 Sr+ 90 Y radiation beams from a beta check source and plane and concave ophthalmic applicators. All results obtained show the usefulness of these chambers as reference primary standards for the calibration of 90 Sr+ 90 Y applicators. The previous calibration of the mini-chambers in relation to a standard ionization chamber or to a standard beta source is unnecessary. The minichamber with plane window showed utility for low energy X-rays too. In order to establish an alternative method for the calibration of beta radiation sources, different thermoluminescent materials were tested: LiF, CaF 2 :Mn, CaF 2 :Dy and CaS0 4 :Dy. For their characterization, the response reproducibility, calibration curves, TL response as a function of the source-detector distance, transmission factors and the linearity of the sample response were determined. The calibration procedures of ophthalmic applicators were established utilizing the ionometric technique and thermoluminescence dosimetry. (author)

Comparison of global optimization approaches for robust calibration of hydrologic model parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, I. W.

2015-12-01

Robustness of the calibrated parameters of hydrologic models is necessary to provide a reliable prediction of future performance of watershed behavior under varying climate conditions. This study investigated calibration performances according to the length of calibration period, objective functions, hydrologic model structures and optimization methods. To do this, the combination of three global optimization methods (i.e. SCE-UA, Micro-GA, and DREAM) and four hydrologic models (i.e. SAC-SMA, GR4J, HBV, and PRMS) was tested with different calibration periods and objective functions. Our results showed that three global optimization methods provided close calibration performances under different calibration periods, objective functions, and hydrologic models. However, using the agreement of index, normalized root mean square error, Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency as the objective function showed better performance than using correlation coefficient and percent bias. Calibration performances according to different calibration periods from one year to seven years were hard to generalize because four hydrologic models have different levels of complexity and different years have different information content of hydrological observation. Acknowledgements This research was supported by a grant (14AWMP-B082564-01) from Advanced Water Management Research Program funded by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Korean government.

International comparison of calibration standards for exposure and absorbed dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horakova, I.; Wagner, R.

1990-01-01

A comparison was performed of the primary calibration standards for 60 Co gamma radiation dose from Czechoslovakia (UDZ CSAV, Prague), Austria (OEFZS/BEV Seibersdorf) and Hungary (OMH Budapest) using ND 1005 (absolute measurement) and V-415 (by means of N x ) graphite ionization chambers. BEV achieved agreement better than 0.1%, OMH 0.35%. Good agreement was also achieved for the values of exposure obtained in absolute values and those obtained via N x , this for the ND 1005/8105 chamber. The first ever international comparison involving Czechoslovakia was also performed of the unit of absorbed gamma radiation in a water and/or graphite phantom. The participants included Czechoslovakia (UDZ CSAV Prague), the USSR (VNIIFTRI Moscow) and Austria (OEFZS/BEV Seibersdorf). In all measurements, the agreement was better than 1%, which, in view of the differences in methodologies (VNIIFTRI, BEV: calorimetry, UDZ, UVVVR: ionometry) and the overall inaccuracies in determining the absorbed dose values, is a good result. (author)

Calibration of radiation protection area monitoring instruments in Sudan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suliman, I.I.; Youssif, B.E.; Beineen, A.A.; Hassan, M.

2010-01-01

This article presents results of measurements for the calibration of radiation protection area monitoring instruments carried out during the period 2006-2008 at Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory of Sudan. The work performed included quality assurance measurements, measurements for the dosimeter calibrations and uncertainty analysis. Calibrations were performed using 137 Cs gamma ray sources produced by OB 85 and OB 34/1 gamma calibrators producing air kerma rate that ranged from 10 μGy/h to 50 mGy/h. Area monitoring instruments were calibrated in terms of ambient dose equivalent, H*(10) derived using air kerma to ambient dose equivalent conversion coefficients. Results are presented for 78 area monitoring instruments representing most commonly used types in Sudan. Radioactive check source measurements for the reference chamber showed deviation within 1% limit. The accuracy in the beam output measurements was within 5% internationally considered as acceptable. The results highlighted the importance of radiation protection calibrations. Regulations are further need to ensure safety aspect really meet the required international standards.

Reconstructing the calibrated strain signal in the Advanced LIGO detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Viets, A. D.; Wade, M.; Urban, A. L.; Kandhasamy, S.; Betzwieser, J.; Brown, Duncan A.; Burguet-Castell, J.; Cahillane, C.; Goetz, E.; Izumi, K.; Karki, S.; Kissel, J. S.; Mendell, G.; Savage, R. L.; Siemens, X.; Tuyenbayev, D.; Weinstein, A. J.

2018-05-01

Advanced LIGO’s raw detector output needs to be calibrated to compute dimensionless strain h(t) . Calibrated strain data is produced in the time domain using both a low-latency, online procedure and a high-latency, offline procedure. The low-latency h(t) data stream is produced in two stages, the first of which is performed on the same computers that operate the detector’s feedback control system. This stage, referred to as the front-end calibration, uses infinite impulse response (IIR) filtering and performs all operations at a 16 384 Hz digital sampling rate. Due to several limitations, this procedure currently introduces certain systematic errors in the calibrated strain data, motivating the second stage of the low-latency procedure, known as the low-latency gstlal calibration pipeline. The gstlal calibration pipeline uses finite impulse response (FIR) filtering to apply corrections to the output of the front-end calibration. It applies time-dependent correction factors to the sensing and actuation components of the calibrated strain to reduce systematic errors. The gstlal calibration pipeline is also used in high latency to recalibrate the data, which is necessary due mainly to online dropouts in the calibrated data and identified improvements to the calibration models or filters.

External calibration of GOCE data using regional terrestrial gravity data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wu Yunlong

2012-08-01

Full Text Available This paper reports on a study of the methodology of external calibration of GOCE data, using regional terrestrial-gravity data. Three regions around the world are selected in the numerical experiments. The result indicates that this calibration method is feasible. The effect is best with an accuracy of scale factor at 10−2 level, in Australia, where the area is smooth and the gravity data points are dense. The accuracy is one order of magnitude lower in both Canada where the area is smooth but the data points are sparse, and Norway, where the area is rather tough and the data points are sparse.

Test surfaces useful for calibration of surface profilometers

Science.gov (United States)

Yashchuk, Valeriy V; McKinney, Wayne R; Takacs, Peter Z

2013-12-31

The present invention provides for test surfaces and methods for calibration of surface profilometers, including interferometric and atomic force microscopes. Calibration is performed using a specially designed test surface, or the Binary Pseudo-random (BPR) grating (array). Utilizing the BPR grating (array) to measure the power spectral density (PSD) spectrum, the profilometer is calibrated by determining the instrumental modulation transfer.

ACCURATE POLARIZATION CALIBRATION AT 800 MHz WITH THE GREEN BANK TELESCOPE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liao, Yu-Wei; Chang, Tzu-Ching; Kuo, Cheng-Yu [Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, 11F of Astro-Math Building, AS/NTU, 1 Roosevelt Road Sec. 4, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Masui, Kiyoshi Wesley [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z1 (Canada); Oppermann, Niels; Pen, Ue-Li [Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Toronto, 60 St. George Street, Toronto ON, M5S 3H8 (Canada); Peterson, Jeffrey B., E-mail: ywliao@asiaa.sinica.edu.tw [McWilliams Center for Cosmology, Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Physics, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15213 (United States)

2016-12-20

Polarization leakage of foreground synchrotron emission is a critical issue in H i intensity mapping experiments. While the sought-after H i emission is unpolarized, polarized foregrounds such as Galactic and extragalactic synchrotron radiation, if coupled with instrumental impurity, can mimic or overwhelm the H i signals. In this paper, we present the methodology for polarization calibration at 700–900 MHz, applied on data obtained from the Green Bank Telescope (GBT). We use astrophysical sources, both polarized and unpolarized sources including quasars and pulsars, as calibrators to characterize the polarization leakage and control systematic effects in our GBT H i intensity mapping project. The resulting fractional errors on polarization measurements on boresight are well controlled to within 0.6%–0.8% of their total intensity. The polarized beam patterns are measured by performing spider scans across both polarized quasars and pulsars. A dominant Stokes I to V leakage feature and secondary features of Stokes I to Q and I to U leakages in the 700–900 MHz frequency range are identified. These characterizations are important for separating foreground polarization leakage from the H i 21 cm signal.

ACCURATE POLARIZATION CALIBRATION AT 800 MHz WITH THE GREEN BANK TELESCOPE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao, Yu-Wei; Chang, Tzu-Ching; Kuo, Cheng-Yu; Masui, Kiyoshi Wesley; Oppermann, Niels; Pen, Ue-Li; Peterson, Jeffrey B.

2016-01-01

Polarization leakage of foreground synchrotron emission is a critical issue in H i intensity mapping experiments. While the sought-after H i emission is unpolarized, polarized foregrounds such as Galactic and extragalactic synchrotron radiation, if coupled with instrumental impurity, can mimic or overwhelm the H i signals. In this paper, we present the methodology for polarization calibration at 700–900 MHz, applied on data obtained from the Green Bank Telescope (GBT). We use astrophysical sources, both polarized and unpolarized sources including quasars and pulsars, as calibrators to characterize the polarization leakage and control systematic effects in our GBT H i intensity mapping project. The resulting fractional errors on polarization measurements on boresight are well controlled to within 0.6%–0.8% of their total intensity. The polarized beam patterns are measured by performing spider scans across both polarized quasars and pulsars. A dominant Stokes I to V leakage feature and secondary features of Stokes I to Q and I to U leakages in the 700–900 MHz frequency range are identified. These characterizations are important for separating foreground polarization leakage from the H i 21 cm signal.

Generic methodology for calibrating profiling nacelle lidars

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borraccino, Antoine; Courtney, Michael; Wagner, Rozenn

Improving power performance assessment by measuring at different heights has been demonstrated using ground-based profiling LIDARs. More recently, nacelle-mounted lidars studies have shown promising capabilities to assess power performance. Using nacelle lidars avoids the erection of expensive me...

Preliminary Evaluation Methodology of ECCS Performance for Design Basis LOCA Redefinition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Dong Gu; Ahn, Seung Hoon; Seul, Kwang Won

2010-01-01

To improve their existing regulations, the USNRC has made efforts to develop the risk-informed and performance-based regulation (RIPBR) approaches. As a part of these efforts, the rule revision of 10CFR50.46 (ECCS Acceptance Criteria) is underway, considering some options for 4 categories of spectrum of break sizes, ECCS functional reliability, ECCS evaluation model, and ECCS acceptance criteria. Since the potential for safety benefits and unnecessary burden reduction from design basis LOCA redefinition is high relative to other options, the USNRC is proceeding with the rulemaking for design basis LOCA redefinition. An instantaneous break with a flow rate equivalent to a double ended guillotine break (DEGB) of the largest primary piping system in the plant is widely recognized as an extremely unlikely event, while redefinition of design basis LOCA can affect the existing regulatory practices and approaches. In this study, the status of the design basis LOCA redefinition and OECD/NEA SMAP (Safety Margin Action Plan) methodology are introduced. Preliminary evaluation methodology of ECCS performance for LOCA is developed and discussed for design basis LOCA redefinition

Compact blackbody calibration sources for in-flight calibration of spaceborne infrared instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Scheiding, S.; Driescher, H.; Walter, I.; Hanbuch, K.; Paul, M.; Hartmann, M.; Scheiding, M.

2017-11-01

High-emissivity blackbodies are mandatory as calibration sources in infrared radiometers. Besides the requirements on the high spectral emissivity and low reflectance, constraints regarding energy consumption, installation space and mass must be considered during instrument design. Cavity radiators provide an outstanding spectral emissivity to the price of installation space and mass of the calibration source. Surface radiation sources are mainly limited by the spectral emissivity of the functional coating and the homogeneity of the temperature distribution. The effective emissivity of a "black" surface can be optimized, by structuring the substrate with the aim to enlarge the ratio of the surface to its projection. Based on the experiences of the Mercury Radiometer and Thermal Infrared Spectrometer (MERTIS) calibration source MBB3, the results of the surface structuring on the effective emissivity are described analytically and compared to the experimental performance. Different geometries are analyzed and the production methods are discussed. The high-emissivity temperature calibration source features values of 0.99 for wavelength from 5 μm to 10 μm and emissivity larger than 0.95 for the spectral range from 10 μm to 40 μm.

The Principle of Pooled Calibrations and Outlier Retainment Elucidates Optimum Performance of Ion Chromatography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Jens Enevold Thaulov; Mikolajczak, Maria; Wojtachnio-Zawada, Katarzyna Olga

A new principle of statistical data treatment is presented. Since the majority of scientists and costumers are interested in determination of the true amount of analyte in real samples, the focus of attention should be directed towards the concept of accuracy rather than precision. By exploiting...... that the principle of pooled calibrations provides a more realistic picture of the analytical performance with the drawback however, that generally higher levels of uncertainties should be accepted, as compared to contemporary literature values. The implications to the science of analytical chemistry in general...

The principle of pooled calibrations and outlier retainment elucidates optimum performance of ion chromatography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Jens; Mikolajczak, Maria; Wojtachnio-Zawada, Katarzyna Olga

2012-01-01

A principle with quality assurance of ion chromatography (IC) is presented. Since the majority of scientists and costumers are interested in the determination of the true amount of analyte in real samples, the focus of attention should be directed towards the concept of accuracy rather than...... investigations of method validations where it was found that the principle of pooled calibrations provides a more realistic picture of the analytical performance with the drawback, however, that generally higher levels of uncertainties should be accepted, as compared to contemporary literature values...

(Per)Forming Archival Research Methodologies

Science.gov (United States)

Gaillet, Lynee Lewis

2012-01-01

This article raises multiple issues associated with archival research methodologies and methods. Based on a survey of recent scholarship and interviews with experienced archival researchers, this overview of the current status of archival research both complicates traditional conceptions of archival investigation and encourages scholars to adopt…

Calibration Improvements in the Detector-to-Detector Differences for the MODIS Ocean Color Bands

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yonghong; Angal, Amit; Wu, Aisheng; Geng, Xu; Link, Daniel; Xiong, Xiaoxiong

2016-01-01

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), a major instrument within NASAs Earth Observation System missions, has operated for over 16 and 14 years onboard the Terra and Aqua satellites, respectively. Its reflective solar bands (RSB) covering a spectral range from 0.4 to 2.1 micrometers are primarily calibrated using the on-board solar diffuser(SD), with its on-orbit degradation monitored using the Solar Diffuser Stability Monitor. RSB calibrations are supplemented by near-monthly lunar measurements acquired from the instruments space-view port. Nine bands (bands 8-16) in the visible to near infrared spectral range from 0.412 to 0.866 micrometers are primarily used for ocean color observations.During a recent reprocessing of ocean color products, performed by the NASA Ocean Biology Processing Group, detector-to-detector differences of up to 1.5% were observed in bands 13-16 of Terra MODIS. This paper provides an overview of the current approach to characterize the MODIS detector-to-detector differences. An alternative methodology was developed to mitigate the observed impacts for bands 13-16. The results indicated an improvement in the detector residuals and in turn are expected to improve the MODIS ocean color products. This paper also discusses the limitations,subsequent enhancements, and the improvements planned for future MODIS calibration collections.

Embedded Electro-Optic Sensor Network for the On-Site Calibration and Real-Time Performance Monitoring of Large-Scale Phased Arrays

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Yang, Kyoung

2005-01-01

This final report summarizes the progress during the Phase I SBIR project entitled "Embedded Electro-Optic Sensor Network for the On-Site Calibration and Real-Time Performance Monitoring of Large-Scale Phased Arrays...

Calibration and intercomparison methods of dose calibrators used in nuclear medicine facilities; Metodos de calibracao e de intercomparacao de calibradores de dose utilizados em servicos de medicina nuclear

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costa, Alessandro Martins da

1999-07-01

Dose calibrators are used in most of the nuclear medicine facilities to determine the amount of radioactivity administered to a patient in a particular investigation or therapeutic procedure. It is therefore of vital importance that the equipment used presents good performance and is regular;y calibrated at a authorized laboratory. This occurs of adequate quality assurance procedures are carried out. Such quality control tests should be performed daily, other biannually or yearly, testing, for example, its accuracy and precision, the reproducibility and response linearity. In this work a commercial dose calibrator was calibrated with solution of radionuclides used in nuclear medicine. Simple instrument tests, such as response linearity and the response variation of the source volume increase at a constant source activity concentration, were performed. This instrument can now be used as a working standard for calibration of other dose calibrators/ An intercomparison procedure was proposed as a method of quality control of dose calibrators used in nuclear medicine facilities. (author)

Efficient solution methodology for calibrating the hemodynamic model using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) measurements

KAUST Repository

Zambri, Brian

2015-11-05

Our aim is to propose a numerical strategy for retrieving accurately and efficiently the biophysiological parameters as well as the external stimulus characteristics corresponding to the hemodynamic mathematical model that describes changes in blood flow and blood oxygenation during brain activation. The proposed method employs the TNM-CKF method developed in [1], but in a prediction/correction framework. We present numerical results using both real and synthetic functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) measurements to highlight the performance characteristics of this computational methodology. © 2015 IEEE.

Efficient solution methodology for calibrating the hemodynamic model using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) measurements

KAUST Repository

Zambri, Brian; Djellouli, Rabia; Laleg-Kirati, Taous-Meriem

2015-01-01

Our aim is to propose a numerical strategy for retrieving accurately and efficiently the biophysiological parameters as well as the external stimulus characteristics corresponding to the hemodynamic mathematical model that describes changes in blood flow and blood oxygenation during brain activation. The proposed method employs the TNM-CKF method developed in [1], but in a prediction/correction framework. We present numerical results using both real and synthetic functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) measurements to highlight the performance characteristics of this computational methodology. © 2015 IEEE.

Analysis of thermal power calibration method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zagar, T.; Ravnik, M.; Persic, A.

2000-01-01

The methods for determining fuel element burnup have recently become interesting because of activities related to the shipment of highly enriched fuel elements back to the United States for final disposal before 2009. The most common and practical method for determining fuel element burnup in research reactors is reactor calculation. Experience has shown that burnup calculations become complicated and biased with uncertainties if a long period of reactor operation must be reproduced. Besides this, accuracy of calculated burnup is always limited with accuracy of reactor power calibration, since burnup calculation is based on calculated power density distribution, which is usually expressed in terms of power released per fuel element and normalised to the reactor power It is obvious that reactor thermal power calibration is very important for precise fuel element burnup calculation. Calculated fuel element burnup is linearly dependent on the thermal reactor power. The reactor power level may be determined from measured absolute thermal flux distribution across the core in the horizontal and vertical planes. Flux distributions are measured with activation of cadmium covered and bare foils irradiated by the steady reactor power. But it should be realised that this method is time consuming and not accurate. This method is practical only for zero power reactors and is in practice very seldom performed for other reactors (e.g. for TRIGA reactor in Ljubljana absolute thermal flux distribution was not performed since reactor reconstruction in 1991). In case of power reactors and research reactors in which a temperature rise across the core is produced and measured than a heat balance method is the most common and accurate method of determining the power output of the core. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the accuracy of calorimetric reactor power calibration method and to analyse the influence of control rod position on nuclear detector reading for TRIGA reactors

Multidetector calibration for mass spectrometers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bayne, C.K.; Donohue, D.L.; Fiedler, R.

1994-06-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency's Safeguards Analytical Laboratory has performed calibration experiments to measure the different efficiencies among multi-Faraday detectors for a Finnigan-MAT 261 mass spectrometer. Two types of calibration experiments were performed: (1) peak-shift experiments and (2) peak-jump experiments. For peak-shift experiments, the ion intensities were measured for all isotopes of an element in different Faraday detectors. Repeated measurements were made by shifting the isotopes to various Faraday detectors. Two different peak-shifting schemes were used to measure plutonium (UK Pu5/92138) samples. For peak-jump experiments, ion intensities were measured in a reference Faraday detector for a single isotope and compared with those measured in the other Faraday detectors. Repeated measurements were made by switching back-and-forth between the reference Faraday detector and a selected Faraday detector. This switching procedure is repeated for all Faraday detectors. Peak-jump experiments were performed with replicate measurements of 239 Pu, 187 Re, and 238 U. Detector efficiency factors were estimated for both peak-jump and peak-shift experiments using a flexible calibration model to statistically analyze both types of multidetector calibration experiments. Calculated detector efficiency factors were shown to depend on both the material analyzed and the experimental conditions. A single detector efficiency factor is not recommended for each detector that would be used to correct routine sample analyses. An alternative three-run peak-shift sample analysis should be considered. A statistical analysis of the data from this peak-shift experiment can adjust the isotopic ratio estimates for detector differences due to each sample analysis

40 CFR 92.119 - Hydrocarbon analyzer calibration.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... concentrations. (5) Perform a linear least square regression on the data generated. Use an equation of the form y... periodic calibration: (a) Initial and periodic optimization of detector response. Prior to introduction... to find the linear chart deflection (z) for each calibration gas concentration (y). (7) Determine the...

Shuttle TPS thermal performance and analysis methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Neuenschwander, W. E.; Mcbride, D. U.; Armour, G. A.

1983-01-01

Thermal performance of the thermal protection system was approximately as predicted. The only extensive anomalies were filler bar scorching and over-predictions in the high Delta p gap heating regions of the orbiter. A technique to predict filler bar scorching has been developed that can aid in defining a solution. Improvement in high Delta p gap heating methodology is still under study. Minor anomalies were also examined for improvements in modeling techniques and prediction capabilities. These include improved definition of low Delta p gap heating, an analytical model for inner mode line convection heat transfer, better modeling of structure, and inclusion of sneak heating. The limited number of problems related to penetration items that presented themselves during orbital flight tests were resolved expeditiously, and designs were changed and proved successful within the time frame of that program.

High-dose secondary calibration laboratory accreditation program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Humphreys, J.C. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD (United States)

1993-12-31

There is a need for high-dose secondary calibration laboratories to serve the multi-billion dollar radiation processing industry. This need is driven by the desires of industry for less costly calibrations and faster calibration-cycle response time. Services needed include calibration irradiations of routine processing dosimeters and the supply of reference standard transfer dosimeters for irradiation in the production processing facility. In order to provide measurement quality assurance and to demonstrate consistency with national standards, the high-dose secondary laboratories would be accredited by means of an expansion of an existing National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program. A laboratory performance criteria document is under development to implement the new program.

High-dose secondary calibration laboratory accreditation program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Humphreys, J.C.

1993-01-01

There is a need for high-dose secondary calibration laboratories to serve the multi-billion dollar radiation processing industry. This need is driven by the desires of industry for less costly calibrations and faster calibration-cycle response time. Services needed include calibration irradiations of routine processing dosimeters and the supply of reference standard transfer dosimeters for irradiation in the production processing facility. In order to provide measurement quality assurance and to demonstrate consistency with national standards, the high-dose secondary laboratories would be accredited by means of an expansion of an existing National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program. A laboratory performance criteria document is under development to implement the new program

Calibration of neutron detectors on the Joint European Torus.

Science.gov (United States)

Batistoni, Paola; Popovichev, S; Conroy, S; Lengar, I; Čufar, A; Abhangi, M; Snoj, L; Horton, L

2017-10-01

The present paper describes the findings of the calibration of the neutron yield monitors on the Joint European Torus (JET) performed in 2013 using a 252 Cf source deployed inside the torus by the remote handling system, with particular regard to the calibration of fission chambers which provide the time resolved neutron yield from JET plasmas. The experimental data obtained in toroidal, radial, and vertical scans are presented. These data are first analysed following an analytical approach adopted in the previous neutron calibrations at JET. In this way, a calibration function for the volumetric plasma source is derived which allows us to understand the importance of the different plasma regions and of different spatial profiles of neutron emissivity on fission chamber response. Neutronics analyses have also been performed to calculate the correction factors needed to derive the plasma calibration factors taking into account the different energy spectrum and angular emission distribution of the calibrating (point) 252 Cf source, the discrete positions compared to the plasma volumetric source, and the calibration circumstances. All correction factors are presented and discussed. We discuss also the lessons learnt which are the basis for the on-going 14 MeV neutron calibration at JET and for ITER.

Performance assessment methodology (PAM) for low level radioactive waste (LLRW) disposal facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selander, W.N.

1992-01-01

An overview is given for Performance Assessment Methodology (PAM) for Low Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW) disposal technologies, as required for licensing and safety studies. This is a multi-disciplinary activity, emphasizing applied mathematics, mass transfer, geohydrology and radiotoxicity effects on humans. (author). 2 refs

Novel Real-time Calibration and Alignment Procedure for LHCb Run II

CERN Multimedia

Prouve, Claire

2016-01-01

In order to achieve optimal detector performance the LHCb experiment has introduced a novel real-time detector alignment and calibration strategy for Run II of the LHC. For the alignment tasks, data is collected and processed at the beginning of each fill while the calibrations are performed for each run. This real time alignment and calibration allows the same constants being used in both the online and offline reconstruction, thus improving the correlation between triggered and offline selected events. Additionally the newly computed alignment and calibration constants can be instantly used in the trigger, making it more efficient. The online alignment and calibration of the RICH detectors also enable the use of hadronic particle identification in the trigger. The computing time constraints are met through the use of a new dedicated framework using the multi-core farm infrastructure for the LHCb trigger. An overview of all alignment and calibration tasks is presented and their performance is shown.

Reporting and Methodology of Multivariable Analyses in Prognostic Observational Studies Published in 4 Anesthesiology Journals: A Methodological Descriptive Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Guglielminotti, Jean; Dechartres, Agnès; Mentré, France; Montravers, Philippe; Longrois, Dan; Laouénan, Cedric

2015-10-01

Prognostic research studies in anesthesiology aim to identify risk factors for an outcome (explanatory studies) or calculate the risk of this outcome on the basis of patients' risk factors (predictive studies). Multivariable models express the relationship between predictors and an outcome and are used in both explanatory and predictive studies. Model development demands a strict methodology and a clear reporting to assess its reliability. In this methodological descriptive review, we critically assessed the reporting and methodology of multivariable analysis used in observational prognostic studies published in anesthesiology journals. A systematic search was conducted on Medline through Web of Knowledge, PubMed, and journal websites to identify observational prognostic studies with multivariable analysis published in Anesthesiology, Anesthesia & Analgesia, British Journal of Anaesthesia, and Anaesthesia in 2010 and 2011. Data were extracted by 2 independent readers. First, studies were analyzed with respect to reporting of outcomes, design, size, methods of analysis, model performance (discrimination and calibration), model validation, clinical usefulness, and STROBE (i.e., Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) checklist. A reporting rate was calculated on the basis of 21 items of the aforementioned points. Second, they were analyzed with respect to some predefined methodological points. Eighty-six studies were included: 87.2% were explanatory and 80.2% investigated a postoperative event. The reporting was fairly good, with a median reporting rate of 79% (75% in explanatory studies and 100% in predictive studies). Six items had a reporting rate website. Limiting the number of candidate variables, including cases with missing data, and not arbitrarily categorizing continuous variables should be encouraged.

Shield calculation of project for instrument calibration integrated laboratory of IPEN-Sao Paulo, Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barros, Gustavo A.S.J.; Caldas, Linda V.E.

2009-01-01

This work performed the shield calculation of the future rooms walls of the five X-ray equipment of the Instrument Calibration Laboratory of the IPEN, Sao Paulo, Brazil, which will be constructed in project of laboratory enlargement. The obtained results by application of a calculation methodology from an international regulation have shown that the largest thickness of shielding (25.7 cm of concrete or 7.1 mm of lead) will be of the wall which will receive the primary beam of the equipment with a 320 kV voltage. The cost/benefit analysis indicated the concrete as the best material option for the shielding

Robot-assisted automatic ultrasound calibration.

Science.gov (United States)

Aalamifar, Fereshteh; Cheng, Alexis; Kim, Younsu; Hu, Xiao; Zhang, Haichong K; Guo, Xiaoyu; Boctor, Emad M

2016-10-01

Ultrasound (US) calibration is the process of determining the unknown transformation from a coordinate frame such as the robot's tooltip to the US image frame and is a necessary task for any robotic or tracked US system. US calibration requires submillimeter-range accuracy for most applications, but it is a time-consuming and repetitive task. We provide a new framework for automatic US calibration with robot assistance and without the need for temporal calibration. US calibration based on active echo (AE) phantom was previously proposed, and its superiority over conventional cross-wire phantom-based calibration was shown. In this work, we use AE to guide the robotic arm motion through the process of data collection; we combine the capability of the AE point to localize itself in the frame of the US image with the automatic motion of the robotic arm to provide a framework for calibrating the arm to the US image automatically. We demonstrated the efficacy of the automated method compared to the manual method through experiments. To highlight the necessity of frequent ultrasound calibration, it is demonstrated that the calibration precision changed from 1.67 to 3.20 mm if the data collection is not repeated after a dismounting/mounting of the probe holder. In a large data set experiment, similar reconstruction precision of automatic and manual data collection was observed, while the time was reduced by 58 %. In addition, we compared ten automatic calibrations with ten manual ones, each performed in 15 min, and showed that all the automatic ones could converge in the case of setting the initial matrix as identity, while this was not achieved by manual data sets. Given the same initial matrix, the repeatability of the automatic was [0.46, 0.34, 0.80, 0.47] versus [0.42, 0.51, 0.98, 1.15] mm in the manual case for the US image four corners. The submillimeter accuracy requirement of US calibration makes frequent data collections unavoidable. We proposed an automated

Calibration metrology for fixed irradiation sensors; Metrologie d'etalonnage des capteurs d'irradiation a poste fixe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laloubere, L.; Ratsirahonana, A.; Djaroun, K. [CEA Saclay, 91 - Gif sur Yvette (France)

2009-07-01

After having recalled the regulatory and technical framework of the calibration of radioprotection measurement instruments, and outlined some technical and operational constraints, the authors report the development of an in situ calibration methodology, i.e. without displacement of the sensor. After the presentation of the calibration chain (from the measurement given by a fixed sensor to the reference value given by a primary standard), they indicate the definition and calculation of the different calibration coefficients allowing the linking up of the different levels, and also the taking of uncertainties into account. They finally report the validation of results

Evaluation of methods to calibrate radiation survey meters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, R.C.; Arbeau, N.D.

1987-04-01

Calibration requirements for radiation survey meters used in industrial radiography have been reviewed. Information obtained from a literature search, discussions with CSLD inspectors and firms performing calibrations has been considered. Based on this review a set of minimum calibration requirements was generated which, when met, will determine that the survey meter is suited for measurements described in the current AEC Regulations that apply to industrial radiography equipment. These requirements are presented in this report and may be used as guidelines for evaluating calibration methods proposed or in use in industry. 39 refs

Calibration of radiation monitors at nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boudreau, L.; Miller, A.D.; Naughton, M.D.

1994-03-01

This work was performed to provide guidance to the utilities in the primary and secondary calibration of the radiation monitoring systems (RMS) installed in nuclear power plants. These systems are installed in nuclear power plants to monitor ongoing processes, identify changing radiation fields, predict and limit personnel radiation exposures and measure and control discharge of radioactive materials to the environment. RMS are checked and calibrated on a continuing basis to ensure their precision and accuracy. This report discusses various approaches towards primary and secondary calibrations of the RMS equipment in light of accepted practices at typical power plants and recent interpretations of regulatory guidance. Detailed calibration techniques and overall system responses, trends, and practices are discussed. Industry, utility, and regulatory sources were contacted to create an overall consensus of the most reasonable approaches to optimizing the performance of this equipment

On self-propagating methodological flaws in performance normalization for strength and power sports.

Science.gov (United States)

Arandjelović, Ognjen

2013-06-01

Performance in strength and power sports is greatly affected by a variety of anthropometric factors. The goal of performance normalization is to factor out the effects of confounding factors and compute a canonical (normalized) performance measure from the observed absolute performance. Performance normalization is applied in the ranking of elite athletes, as well as in the early stages of youth talent selection. Consequently, it is crucial that the process is principled and fair. The corpus of previous work on this topic, which is significant, is uniform in the methodology adopted. Performance normalization is universally reduced to a regression task: the collected performance data are used to fit a regression function that is then used to scale future performances. The present article demonstrates that this approach is fundamentally flawed. It inherently creates a bias that unfairly penalizes athletes with certain allometric characteristics, and, by virtue of its adoption in the ranking and selection of elite athletes, propagates and strengthens this bias over time. The main flaws are shown to originate in the criteria for selecting the data used for regression, as well as in the manner in which the regression model is applied in normalization. This analysis brings into light the aforesaid methodological flaws and motivates further work on the development of principled methods, the foundations of which are also laid out in this work.

An alternative method for calibration of narrow band radiometer using a radiative transfer model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salvador, J; Wolfram, E; D' Elia, R [Centro de Investigaciones en Laseres y Aplicaciones, CEILAP (CITEFA-CONICET), Juan B. de La Salle 4397 (B1603ALO), Villa Martelli, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Zamorano, F; Casiccia, C [Laboratorio de Ozono y Radiacion UV, Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas (Chile) (Chile); Rosales, A [Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, UNPSJB, Facultad de Ingenieria, Trelew (Argentina) (Argentina); Quel, E, E-mail: jsalvador@citefa.gov.ar [Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral, Unidad Academica Rio Gallegos Avda. Lisandro de la Torre 1070 ciudad de Rio Gallegos-Sta Cruz (Argentina) (Argentina)

2011-01-01

The continual monitoring of solar UV radiation is one of the major objectives proposed by many atmosphere research groups. The purpose of this task is to determine the status and degree of progress over time of the anthropogenic composition perturbation of the atmosphere. Such changes affect the intensity of the UV solar radiation transmitted through the atmosphere that then interacts with living organisms and all materials, causing serious consequences in terms of human health and durability of materials that interact with this radiation. One of the many challenges that need to be faced to perform these measurements correctly is the maintenance of periodic calibrations of these instruments. Otherwise, damage caused by the UV radiation received will render any one calibration useless after the passage of some time. This requirement makes the usage of these instruments unattractive, and the lack of frequent calibration may lead to the loss of large amounts of acquired data. Motivated by this need to maintain calibration or, at least, know the degree of stability of instrumental behavior, we have developed a calibration methodology that uses the potential of radiative transfer models to model solar radiation with 5% accuracy or better relative to actual conditions. Voltage values in each radiometer channel involved in the calibration process are carefully selected from clear sky data. Thus, tables are constructed with voltage values corresponding to various atmospheric conditions for a given solar zenith angle. Then we model with a radiative transfer model using the same conditions as for the measurements to assemble sets of values for each zenith angle. The ratio of each group (measured and modeled) allows us to calculate the calibration coefficient value as a function of zenith angle as well as the cosine response presented by the radiometer. The calibration results obtained by this method were compared with those obtained with a Brewer MKIII SN 80 located in the

The ENEA calibration service for ionising radiations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monteventi, F.; Sermenghi, I.

1999-01-01

The report describes all the facilities available at the the service of the ENEA Calibration Service for Ionising Radiations at Bologna (Italy). It gives a detailed description of all equipments qualified for photon fields metrology including the secondary standards and the calibration procedures performed for radiation monitoring devices and dosemeters [it

Calibration of Avent Wind IRIS SN 01030167

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Courtney, Michael

This report presents the result of the lidar calibration performed for a two-beam nacelle based lidar at DTU’s test site for large wind turbines at Høvsøre, Denmark. Calibration is here understood as the establishment of a relation between the reference wind speed measurements with measurement un...

A laser calibration system for the STAR TPC

CERN Document Server

Lebedev, A

2002-01-01

A Time Projection Chamber (TPC) is the primary tracking detector for the STAR experiment at RHIC. A laser calibration system was built to calibrate and monitor the TPC tracking performance. The laser system uses a novel design which produces approx 500 thin, ionizing beams distributed throughout the tracking volume. This new approach is significantly simpler than the traditional ones, and provides complete TPC coverage at a reduced cost. The laser system was used during the RHIC 2000 summer run to measure drift velocities with about 0.02% accuracy and to monitor the TPC performance. Calibration runs were made with and without a magnetic field to check B field map corrections.

HPS instrument calibration laboratory accreditation program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Masse, F.X; Eisenhower, E.H.; Swinth, K.L.

1993-12-31

The purpose of this paper is to provide an accurate overview of the development and structure of the program established by the Health Physics Society (HPS) for accrediting instrument calibration laboratories relative to their ability to accurately calibrate portable health physics instrumentation. The purpose of the program is to provide radiation protection professionals more meaningful direct and indirect access to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) national standards, thus introducing a means for improving the uniformity, accuracy, and quality of ionizing radiation field measurements. The process is designed to recognize and document the continuing capability of each accredited laboratory to accurately perform instrument calibration. There is no intent to monitor the laboratory to the extent that each calibration can be guaranteed by the program; this responsibility rests solely with the accredited laboratory.

Calibrated Properties Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghezzehej, T.

2004-01-01

The purpose of this model report is to document the calibrated properties model that provides calibrated property sets for unsaturated zone (UZ) flow and transport process models (UZ models). The calibration of the property sets is performed through inverse modeling. This work followed, and was planned in, ''Technical Work Plan (TWP) for: Unsaturated Zone Flow Analysis and Model Report Integration'' (BSC 2004 [DIRS 169654], Sections 1.2.6 and 2.1.1.6). Direct inputs to this model report were derived from the following upstream analysis and model reports: ''Analysis of Hydrologic Properties Data'' (BSC 2004 [DIRS 170038]); ''Development of Numerical Grids for UZ Flow and Transport Modeling'' (BSC 2004 [DIRS 169855]); ''Simulation of Net Infiltration for Present-Day and Potential Future Climates'' (BSC 2004 [DIRS 170007]); ''Geologic Framework Model'' (GFM2000) (BSC 2004 [DIRS 170029]). Additionally, this model report incorporates errata of the previous version and closure of the Key Technical Issue agreement TSPAI 3.26 (Section 6.2.2 and Appendix B), and it is revised for improved transparency

Comparison and uncertainty evaluation of different calibration protocols and ionization chambers for low-energy surface brachytherapy dosimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Candela-Juan, C., E-mail: ccanjuan@gmail.com [Radiation Oncology Department, La Fe University and Polytechnic Hospital, Valencia 46026 (Spain); Vijande, J. [Department of Atomic, Molecular, and Nuclear Physics, University of Valencia, Burjassot 46100, Spain and Instituto de Física Corpuscular (UV-CSIC), Paterna 46980 (Spain); García-Martínez, T. [Radiation Oncology Department, Hospital La Ribera, Alzira 46600 (Spain); Niatsetski, Y.; Nauta, G.; Schuurman, J. [Elekta Brachytherapy, Veenendaal 3905 TH (Netherlands); Ouhib, Z. [Radiation Oncology Department, Lynn Regional Cancer Center, Boca Raton Community Hospital, Boca Raton, Florida 33486 (United States); Ballester, F. [Department of Atomic, Molecular, and Nuclear Physics, University of Valencia, Burjassot 46100 (Spain); Perez-Calatayud, J. [Radiation Oncology Department, La Fe University and Polytechnic Hospital, Valencia 46026, Spain and Department of Radiotherapy, Clínica Benidorm, Benidorm 03501 (Spain)

2015-08-15

Purpose: A surface electronic brachytherapy (EBT) device is in fact an x-ray source collimated with specific applicators. Low-energy (<100 kVp) x-ray beam dosimetry faces several challenges that need to be addressed. A number of calibration protocols have been published for x-ray beam dosimetry. The media in which measurements are performed are the fundamental difference between them. The aim of this study was to evaluate the surface dose rate of a low-energy x-ray source with small field applicators using different calibration standards and different small-volume ionization chambers, comparing the values and uncertainties of each methodology. Methods: The surface dose rate of the EBT unit Esteya (Elekta Brachytherapy, The Netherlands), a 69.5 kVp x-ray source with applicators of 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mm diameter, was evaluated using the AAPM TG-61 (based on air kerma) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) TRS-398 (based on absorbed dose to water) dosimetry protocols for low-energy photon beams. A plane parallel T34013 ionization chamber (PTW Freiburg, Germany) calibrated in terms of both absorbed dose to water and air kerma was used to compare the two dosimetry protocols. Another PTW chamber of the same model was used to evaluate the reproducibility between these chambers. Measurements were also performed with two different Exradin A20 (Standard Imaging, Inc., Middleton, WI) chambers calibrated in terms of air kerma. Results: Differences between surface dose rates measured in air and in water using the T34013 chamber range from 1.6% to 3.3%. No field size dependence has been observed. Differences are below 3.7% when measurements with the A20 and the T34013 chambers calibrated in air are compared. Estimated uncertainty (with coverage factor k = 1) for the T34013 chamber calibrated in water is 2.2%–2.4%, whereas it increases to 2.5% and 2.7% for the A20 and T34013 chambers calibrated in air, respectively. The output factors, measured with the PTW chambers

Radiation protection dosimetry and calibrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verhavere, Ph.

2007-01-01

At the SCK-CEN different specialised services are delivered for a whole range of external and internal customers in the radiation protection area. For the expertise group of radiation protection dosimetry and calibrations, these services are organized in four different laboratories: dosimetry, anthropogammametry, nuclear calibrations and non-nuclear calibrations. The services are given by a dedicated technical staff who has experience in the handling of routine and specialised cases. The scientific research that is performed by the expertise group makes sure that state-of-the-art techniques are being used, and that constant improvements and developments are implemented. Quality Assurance is an important aspect for the different services, and accreditation according national and international standards is achieved for all laboratories

Calibration of a compact magnetic proton recoil neutron spectrometer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Jianfu, E-mail: zhang_jianfu@163.com [School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, Xi' an 710024 (China); Ouyang, Xiaoping; Zhang, Xianpeng [School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, Xi' an 710024 (China); Ruan, Jinlu [Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, Xi' an 710024 (China); Zhang, Guoguang [Applied Institute of Nuclear Technology, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413 (China); Zhang, Xiaodong [Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, Xi' an 710024 (China); Qiu, Suizheng, E-mail: szqiu@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Chen, Liang; Liu, Jinliang; Song, Jiwen; Liu, Linyue; Yang, Shaohua [Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, Xi' an 710024 (China)

2016-04-21

Magnetic proton recoil (MPR) neutron spectrometer is considered as a powerful instrument to measure deuterium–tritium (DT) neutron spectrum, as it is currently used in inertial confinement fusion facilities and large Tokamak devices. The energy resolution (ER) and neutron detection efficiency (NDE) are the two most important parameters to characterize a neutron spectrometer. In this work, the ER calibration for the MPR spectrometer was performed by using the HI-13 tandem accelerator at China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE), and the NDE calibration was performed by using the neutron generator at CIAE. The specific calibration techniques used in this work and the associated accuracies were discussed in details in this paper. The calibration results were presented along with Monte Carlo simulation results.

Methodology for assessing performance of waste management systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meshkov, N.K.; Herzenberg, C.L.; Camasta, S.F.

1988-01-01

The newly revised draft DOE Order 5820.2, Chapter 3, requires that DOE low-level waste shall be managed on a systematic basis using the most appropriate combination of waste generation reduction, segregation, treatment, and disposal practices so that the radioactive components are contained and the overall cost effectiveness is minimized. This order expects each site to prepare and maintain an overall waste management systems performance assessment supporting the combination of waste management practices used in generation reduction segregation, treatment, packaging, storage, and disposal. A document prepared by EG and G Idaho, Inc. for the Department of Energy called Guidance for Conduct of Waste Management Systems Performance Assessment is specifically intended to provide the approach necessary to meet the systems performance assessment requirement of DOE Order 5820.2, Chapter 3, and other applicable state regulations dealing with LLW (low-level radioactive wastes). Methods and procedures are needed for assessing the performance of a waste management system. This report addresses this need. The purpose of the methodology provided in this report is to select the optimal way to manage particular sets of waste streams from generation to disposal in a safe and cost-effective manner, and thereby assist the DOE LLW mangers in complying with the DOE Order 5820.2, Chapter 3, and the associated guidance document

In-flight calibration of the ISGRI camera

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terrier, R.; Lebrun, F.; Belanger, G.; Blondel, C.; David, P.; Goldoni, P.; Goldwurm, A.; Gros, A.; Laurent, P.; Malaguti, G.; Sauvageon, A.; Bazzano, A.; Ubertini, P.; Segreto, A.; Malaguti, G.; Bird, A.J.

2003-01-01

ISGRI, the IBIS low energy camera (15 keV-1 MeV) on board INTEGRAL, is the first large CdTe gamma-ray imager in orbit. We present here an overview of the ISGRI in-flight calibrations performed during the first months after launch. We discuss the stability of the camera as well as the CdTe pixels response under cosmic radiation. The energy calibrations were done using lead and tungsten fluorescence lines and the 22 Na calibration unit. Thermal effects and charge correction algorithm are discussed, and the resulting energy resolution is presented. The ISGRI background spatial and spectral non-uniformity is also described, and some image correction results are presented. ISGRI, despite a few unexpected features like zero rise time events, performs well with only 4,5% noisy or disabled pixels. Thermal effects are at the origin of the largest difference between ground and in-flight data. Correcting for these effects yields good spectral performances close to the expectations with 8.4% at 59.3 keV and 4.9% at 511 keV. The resolution in the high energy band is broader than before launch because of residual rise time gains uncertainties. Handling of these errors requires a larger amount of calibration data than what is available today

Methodology for thermal hydraulic conceptual design and performance analysis of KALIMER core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Young-Gyun Kim; Won-Seok Kim; Young-Jin Kim; Chang-Kue Park

2000-01-01

This paper summarizes the methodology for thermal hydraulic conceptual design and performance analysis which is used for KALIMER core, especially the preliminary methodology for flow grouping and peak pin temperature calculation in detail. And the major technical results of the conceptual design for the KALIMER 98.03 core was shown and compared with those of KALIMER 97.07 design core. The KALIMER 98.03 design core is proved to be more optimized compared to the 97.07 design core. The number of flow groups are reduced from 16 to 11, and the equalized peak cladding midwall temperature from 654 deg. C to 628 deg. C. It was achieved from the nuclear and thermal hydraulic design optimization study, i.e. core power flattening and increase of radial blanket power fraction. Coolant flow distribution to the assemblies and core coolant/component temperatures should be determined in core thermal hydraulic analysis. Sodium flow is distributed to core assemblies with the overall goal of equalizing the peak cladding midwall temperatures for the peak temperature pin of each bundle, thus pin cladding damage accumulation and pin reliability. The flow grouping and the peak pin temperature calculation for the preliminary conceptual design is performed with the modules ORFCE-F60 and ORFCE-T60 respectively. The basic subchannel analysis will be performed with the SLTHEN code, and the detailed subchannel analysis will be done with the MATRA-LMR code which is under development for the K-Core system. This methodology was proved practical to KALIMER core thermal hydraulic design from the related benchmark calculation studies, and it is used to KALIMER core thermal hydraulic conceptual design. (author)

Probabilistic calibration of safety coefficients for flawed components in nuclear engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ardillon, E.; Pitner, P.; Barthelet, B.; Remond, A.

1996-01-01

The rules that are currently under application to verify the acceptance of flaws in nuclear components rely on deterministic criteria supposed to ensure the safe operating of plants. The interest of having a precise and reliable method to evaluate the safety margins and the integrity of components led Electricite de France to launch an approach to link directly safety coefficients with safety levels. This paper presents a probabilistic methodology to calibrate safety coefficients in relation to reliability target values. The proposed calibration procedure applies to the case of a ferritic flawed pipe using the R6 procedure for assessing the integrity of the structure. (authors). 5 refs., 5 figs

Probabilistic calibration of safety coefficients for flawed components in nuclear engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ardillon, E.; Pitner, P.; Barthelet, B.; Remond, A.

1995-01-01

The current rules applied to verify the flaws acceptance in nuclear components rely on deterministic criteria supposed to ensure the plant safe operation. The interest in have a precise and reliable method to evaluate the safety margins and the integrity of components led Electricite de France to launch an approach to link directly safety coefficients with safety levels. This paper presents a probabilistic methodology to calibrate safety coefficients in relation do reliability target values. The proposed calibration procedure applies to the case of a ferritic flawed pipe using the R 6 procedure for assessing the structure integrity. (author). 5 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab

Calibration issues for neutron diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sadler, G.J.; Adams, J.M.; Barnes, C.W.

1997-01-01

The performance of diagnostic systems are limited by their weakest constituents, including their calibration issues. Neutron diagnostics are notorious for problems encountered while determining their absolute calibrations, due mainly to the nature of the neutron transport problem. In order to facilitate the determination of an accurate and precise calibration, the diagnostic design should be such as to minimize the scattered neutron flux. ITER will use a comprehensive set of neutron diagnostics--comprising radial and vertical neutron cameras, neutron spectrometers, a neutron activation system and internal and external fission chambers--to provide accurate measurements of fusion power and power densities as a function of time. The calibration of such an important diagnostic system merits careful consideration. Some thoughts have already been given to this subject during the conceptual design phase in relation to the time-integrated neutron activation and time-dependent neutron yield monitors. However, no overall calibration strategy has been worked out so far. This paper represents a first attempt to address this vital issue. Experience gained from present large tokamaks (JET, TFTR and JT60U) and proposals for ITER are reviewed. The need to use a 14-MeV neutron generator as opposed to radioactive sources for in-situ calibration of D-T diagnostics will be stressed. It is clear that the overall absolute determination of fusion power will have to rely on a combination of nuclear measuring techniques, for which the provision of accurate and independent calibrations will constitute an ongoing process as ITER moves from one phase of operation to the next

The ethics of in vivo calibrations in oral health surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrade, Flávia Reis de; Narvai, Paulo Capel; Montagner, Miguel Ângelo

2016-01-01

To analyze the ethics of in vivo calibration, using the discourse of the administrators of the National Oral Health Survey (SBBrasil 2010) as a starting point. This is a qualitative research involving semi-structured individual interviews with 12 members of the Steering Group and Technical Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Health, and two coordinators, one State and the other Municipal. The discourse of the collective subject technique was used for data analysis. When asked about the experiences of SBBrasil 2010, which included ethical aspects, respondents identified the forms of standardization and training of teams who collected field data. For them, there is little scientific evidence to ethically support the way the training stage, including calibration, is carried out in oral health epidemiological surveys, as a certain unease can be predicted in participants of these studies. The ethics of a research also derives from its methodological rigor; the training process; and calibration in particular, is a fundamental technical and ethical requirement in surveys such as the SBBrasil 2010. The unease of the volunteers in face of test repetition does not ethically invalidate the in vivo calibration, but mechanisms to minimize it must be developed.

Calibration bench of flowmeters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bremond, J.; Da Costa, D.; Calvet, A.; Vieuxmaire, C.

1966-01-01

This equipment is devoted to the comparison of signals from two turbines installed in the Cabri experimental loop. The signal is compared to the standard turbine. The characteristics and the performance of the calibration bench are presented. (A.L.B.)

Calibration of a parsimonious distributed ecohydrological daily model in a data-scarce basin by exclusively using the spatio-temporal variation of NDVI

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz-Pérez, Guiomar; Koch, Julian; Manfreda, Salvatore; Caylor, Kelly; Francés, Félix

2017-12-01

Ecohydrological modeling studies in developing countries, such as sub-Saharan Africa, often face the problem of extensive parametrical requirements and limited available data. Satellite remote sensing data may be able to fill this gap, but require novel methodologies to exploit their spatio-temporal information that could potentially be incorporated into model calibration and validation frameworks. The present study tackles this problem by suggesting an automatic calibration procedure, based on the empirical orthogonal function, for distributed ecohydrological daily models. The procedure is tested with the support of remote sensing data in a data-scarce environment - the upper Ewaso Ngiro river basin in Kenya. In the present application, the TETIS-VEG model is calibrated using only NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) data derived from MODIS. The results demonstrate that (1) satellite data of vegetation dynamics can be used to calibrate and validate ecohydrological models in water-controlled and data-scarce regions, (2) the model calibrated using only satellite data is able to reproduce both the spatio-temporal vegetation dynamics and the observed discharge at the outlet and (3) the proposed automatic calibration methodology works satisfactorily and it allows for a straightforward incorporation of spatio-temporal data into the calibration and validation framework of a model.

SURF Model Calibration Strategy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menikoff, Ralph [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-03-10

SURF and SURFplus are high explosive reactive burn models for shock initiation and propagation of detonation waves. They are engineering models motivated by the ignition & growth concept of high spots and for SURFplus a second slow reaction for the energy release from carbon clustering. A key feature of the SURF model is that there is a partial decoupling between model parameters and detonation properties. This enables reduced sets of independent parameters to be calibrated sequentially for the initiation and propagation regimes. Here we focus on a methodology for tting the initiation parameters to Pop plot data based on 1-D simulations to compute a numerical Pop plot. In addition, the strategy for tting the remaining parameters for the propagation regime and failure diameter is discussed.

Calibration of the NPL secondary standard radionuclide calibrator for the new 10R Schott, Type 1+ vials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baker, M.

2005-01-01

For many years, P6 vials have been used for the distribution of a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic radioactive solutions. The activity measurements were performed in this geometry and, in time, the UK calibration system for nuclear medicine was based on this container as a standard. However, one major supplier of radiopharmaceuticals has replaced the P6 vial with the 10R Type 1+ Schott vial. As the dimensions of the new vial are different from those of the P6 vial and the responses of radionuclide calibrators are known to be container dependent, the need for re-calibration became apparent. Preliminary measurements made on some typical radionuclide calibrators for 125 I solution indicated a difference in response of about 10% between the two vials. The master ionisation chamber of the NPL secondary standard radionuclide calibrator has been re-calibrated and new calibration factors and volume correction factors for 10R Schott vials have been derived for the relevant medical radionuclides. The standard holder was also modified to accommodate the new larger vial. The complete list of factors and the method used to determine them is presented in this paper. The availability of these new factors will improve the quality of activity measurements in nuclear medicine, as calibration services can now be provided by NPL for the new container. These factors can also be employed for all commercial NPL secondary standard radionuclide calibrators (now known as the NPL-CRC and previously as the 671 or ISOCAL IV)

Influence of rainfall observation network on model calibration and application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Bárdossy

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The objective in this study is to investigate the influence of the spatial resolution of the rainfall input on the model calibration and application. The analysis is carried out by varying the distribution of the raingauge network. A meso-scale catchment located in southwest Germany has been selected for this study. First, the semi-distributed HBV model is calibrated with the precipitation interpolated from the available observed rainfall of the different raingauge networks. An automatic calibration method based on the combinatorial optimization algorithm simulated annealing is applied. The performance of the hydrological model is analyzed as a function of the raingauge density. Secondly, the calibrated model is validated using interpolated precipitation from the same raingauge density used for the calibration as well as interpolated precipitation based on networks of reduced and increased raingauge density. Lastly, the effect of missing rainfall data is investigated by using a multiple linear regression approach for filling in the missing measurements. The model, calibrated with the complete set of observed data, is then run in the validation period using the above described precipitation field. The simulated hydrographs obtained in the above described three sets of experiments are analyzed through the comparisons of the computed Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient and several goodness-of-fit indexes. The results show that the model using different raingauge networks might need re-calibration of the model parameters, specifically model calibrated on relatively sparse precipitation information might perform well on dense precipitation information while model calibrated on dense precipitation information fails on sparse precipitation information. Also, the model calibrated with the complete set of observed precipitation and run with incomplete observed data associated with the data estimated using multiple linear regressions, at the locations treated as