Modern integrated environmental monitoring and processing systems for nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oprea, I.

2000-01-01

presentation by using on-line dynamic evolution of the events, environment information, evacuation optimization, image and voice processing. These modern systems are proposed for environmental monitoring around nuclear facilities, as open interactive systems supporting the operator in the global overview of the environment and the status of the situation updating the remote GIS data base, assuring man-computer interaction and a good information flow for emergency knowledge exchange, improving the protection of the population and decision makers efforts. The local monitoring systems could be integrated into national or international environmental monitoring systems, achieving desired interoperability between government, civilian and army in disaster preparedness efforts

Integrated Wireless Monitoring and Control System in Reverse Osmosis Membrane Desalination Plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Al Haji Ahmad

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The operational processes of the Reverse Osmosis (RO membrane desalination plants require continuous monitoring through the constant attendance of operators to ensure proper productivity and minimize downtime and prevent membrane failure. Therefore, the plant must be equipped with a control system that monitors and controls the operational variables. Monitoring and controlling the affecting parameters are critical to the evaluation of the performance of the desalination plant, which will help the operator find and resolve problems immediately. Therefore, this paper was aimed at developing an RO unit by utilizing a wireless sensor network (WSN system. Hence, an RO pilot plant with a feed capacity of 1.2 m3/h was utilized, commissioned, and tested in Kuwait to assess and verify the performance of the integrated WSN in RO membrane desalination system. The investigated system allowed the operators to remotely monitor the operational process of the RO system. The operational data were smoothly recorded and monitored. Furthermore, the technical problems were immediately determined, which reduced the time and effort in rectifying the technical problems relevant to the RO performance. The manpower requirements of such treatment system were dramatically reduced by about 50%. Based on a comparison between manual and wireless monitoring operational processes, the availability of the integrated RO unit with a wireless monitoring was increased by 10%

Asian Economic Integration Monitor July 2012

OpenAIRE

Asian Development Bank (ADB); Asian Development Bank (ADB); Asian Development Bank (ADB); Asian Development Bank (ADB)

2012-01-01

The Asian Economic Integration Monitor is a semiannual review of Asia’s regional economic cooperation and integration. It covers 48 regional member countries of the Asian Development Bank. This issue includes a special section—Regional Integration: A Balanced View.

Testing integrated sensors for cooperative remote monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filby, E.E.; Smith, T.E.; Albano, R.K.; Andersen, M.K.; Lucero, R.L.; Tolk, K.M.; Andrews, N.S.

1996-01-01

The Modular Integrated Monitoring System (MIMS) program, with Sandia National Laboratory (SNL) as the lead lab, was devised to furnish sensors and integrated multi-sensor systems for cooperative remote monitoring. The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), via the Center for Integrated Monitoring and Control (CIMC), provides realistic field tests of the sensors and sensor-integration approach for the MIMS, and for other similar programs. This has two important goals: it helps insure that these systems are truly read for use, and provides a platform so they can be demonstrated for potential users. A remote monitoring test/demonstration has been initiated at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) to track the movement of spent nuclear fuel from one storage location to another, using a straddle carrier and shielded cask combination. Radiation monitors, motion sensors, videocameras, and other devices from several US Department of Energy (DOE) labs and commercial vendors were linked on the network. Currently, project personnel are collecting raw data from this large array of sensors, without trying to program any special network activities or other responses. These data will be used to determine which devices can actually provide useful information for a cooperative monitoring situation, versus those that may be redundant

NN-SITE: A remote monitoring testbed facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kadner, S.; White, R.; Roman, W.; Sheely, K.; Puckett, J.; Ystesund, K.

1997-01-01

DOE, Aquila Technologies, LANL and SNL recently launched collaborative efforts to create a Non-Proliferation Network Systems Integration and Test (NN-Site, pronounced N-Site) facility. NN-Site will focus on wide area, local area, and local operating level network connectivity including Internet access. This facility will provide thorough and cost-effective integration, testing and development of information connectivity among diverse operating systems and network topologies prior to full-scale deployment. In concentrating on instrument interconnectivity, tamper indication, and data collection and review, NN-Site will facilitate efforts of equipment providers and system integrators in deploying systems that will meet nuclear non-proliferation and safeguards objectives. The following will discuss the objectives of ongoing remote monitoring efforts, as well as the prevalent policy concerns. An in-depth discussion of the Non-Proliferation Network Systems Integration and Test facility (NN-Site) will illuminate the role that this testbed facility can perform in meeting the objectives of remote monitoring efforts, and its potential contribution in promoting eventual acceptance of remote monitoring systems in facilities worldwide

Innovative remote monitoring of plant health for environmental applications: A joint effort between EPCOT{reg_sign} and the DOE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robitaille, H. [Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL (United States); Capelle, G.; Di Benedetto, J. [Special Technologies Lab., Santa Barbara, CA (United States)] [and others

1996-12-31

In September of 1994, the US Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Management, Office of Science and Technology for (OST) and Epcot{reg_sign} in the WALT DISNEY WORLD{reg_sign} Resort (Epcot) signed an agreement to cooperate on the research, development, and public communication and display of environmental technologies. Although Epcot and OST have distinctive missions, certain areas of their respective research and development efforts are common, including the integration of remote sensors with robotics platforms, airborne surveys for environmental characterization and monitoring, and ground based measurements of vegetation stress. The first area of cooperative R&D pursued under the agreement is the evaluation of laser-induced fluorescence imaging (LIFI), a technology developed by OST and proven effective for uranium detection. This paper describes the efforts being conducted under the Epcot-OST agreement and presents initial results. An appendix describing LIFI technology is also included.

Safeguards equipment of the future: Integrated monitoring systems and remote monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sonnier, C.S.; Johnson, C.S.

1994-01-01

From the beginning, equipment to support IAEA Safeguards could be characterized as that which is used to measure nuclear material, Destructive Assay (DA) and Non Destructive Assay (NDA), and that which is used to provide continuity of knowledge between inspection intervals, Containment ampersand Surveillance (C/S). C/S equipment has often been thought of as Cameras and Seals, with a limited number of monitors being employed as they became available. In recent years, technology has advanced at an extremely rapid rate, and continues to do so. The traditional film cameras are being replaced by video equipment, and fiber optic and electronic seals have come into rather widespread use. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this evolution, and that which indicates the wave of the future without much question, is the integration of video surveillance and electronic seals with a variety of monitors. This is demonstrated by safeguards systems which are installed in several nuclear facilities in France, Germany, Japan, the UK, the USA, and elsewhere. The terminology of Integrated Monitoring Systems (IMS) has emerged, with the employment of network technology capable of interconnecting all desired elements in a very flexible manner. Also, the technology for transmission of a wide variety of information to off-site locations, termed Remote Monitoring, is in widespread industrial use, requiring very little adaptation for safeguards use. This paper examines the future of the Integrated Monitoring Systems and Remote Monitoring in International Safeguards, including technical and other related factors

A systematic approach to the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of integrated health services.

Science.gov (United States)

Reynolds, Heidi W; Sutherland, Elizabeth G

2013-05-06

Because of the current emphasis and enthusiasm focused on integration of health systems, there is a risk of piling resources into integrated strategies without the necessary systems in place to monitor their progress adequately or to measure impact, and to learn from these efforts. The rush to intervene without adequate monitoring and evaluation will continue to result in a weak evidence base for decision making and resource allocation. Program planning and implementation are inextricability linked to monitoring and evaluation. Country level guidance is needed to identify country-specific integrated strategies, thereby increasing country ownership. This paper focuses on integrated health services but takes into account how health services are influenced by the health system, managed by programs, and made up of interventions. We apply the principles in existing comprehensive monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks in order to outline a systematic approach to the M&E of integration for the country level. The approach is grounded by first defining the country-specific health challenges that integration is intended to affect. Priority points of contact for care can directly influence health, and essential packages of integration for all major client presentations need to be defined. Logic models are necessary to outline the plausible causal pathways and define the inputs, roles and responsibilities, indicators, and data sources across the health system. Finally, we recommend improvements to the health information system and in data use to ensure that data are available to inform decisions, because changes in the M&E function to make it more integrated will also facilitate integration in the service delivery, planning, and governance components. This approach described in the paper is the ideal, but its application at the country level can help reveal gaps and guide decisions related to what health services to prioritize for integration, help plan for how to

Integrated environmental monitoring -- prototype demonstration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bryce, R.W.; Vail, L.W.; Hostetler, D.D.; Meyer, P.D.; Carlson, T.J.; Miller, P.L.

1994-01-01

Groundwater monitoring is an important activity at US Department of Energy (DOE) sites. Monitoring programs at DOE facilities have evolved in response to operational needs at the facilities, public outcries for information, regulatory requirements, DOE orders, and improvements in monitoring technology. Decisions regarding sampling location, sampling frequency, analyses performed, and other aspects of monitoring network design can have major implications for detecting releases and for making subsequent higher level decisions about facility operation and remediation. The Integrated Environmental Monitoring (IEM) concept is a set of analytical procedures and software tools that can be used to improve monitoring network design decisions. Such decisions include the choice of monitoring locations, sampling frequencies, sensor technologies, and monitored constituents. IEM provides a set of monitoring alternatives that balance the tradeoffs between competing monitoring objectives such as the minimization of cost and the minimization of uncertainty. The alternatives provided are the best available with respect to the monitoring objectives, consistent with the physical and chemical characteristics of the site, and consist with applicable regulatory requirements. The selection of the best monitoring alternative to implement is made by the stakeholders after reviewing the alternatives and tradeoffs produced by the IEM process

Integrated reliability condition monitoring and maintenance of equipment

CERN Document Server

Osarenren, John

2015-01-01

Consider a Viable and Cost-Effective Platform for the Industries of the Future (IOF) Benefit from improved safety, performance, and product deliveries to your customers. Achieve a higher rate of equipment availability, performance, product quality, and reliability. Integrated Reliability: Condition Monitoring and Maintenance of Equipment incorporates reliable engineering and mathematical modeling to help you move toward sustainable development in reliability condition monitoring and maintenance. This text introduces a cost-effective integrated reliability growth monitor, integrated reliability degradation monitor, technological inheritance coefficient sensors, and a maintenance tool that supplies real-time information for predicting and preventing potential failures of manufacturing processes and equipment. The author highlights five key elements that are essential to any improvement program: improving overall equipment and part effectiveness, quality, and reliability; improving process performance with maint...

Integrating Statistical Machine Learning in a Semantic Sensor Web for Proactive Monitoring and Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jude Adekunle Adeleke

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Proactive monitoring and control of our natural and built environments is important in various application scenarios. Semantic Sensor Web technologies have been well researched and used for environmental monitoring applications to expose sensor data for analysis in order to provide responsive actions in situations of interest. While these applications provide quick response to situations, to minimize their unwanted effects, research efforts are still necessary to provide techniques that can anticipate the future to support proactive control, such that unwanted situations can be averted altogether. This study integrates a statistical machine learning based predictive model in a Semantic Sensor Web using stream reasoning. The approach is evaluated in an indoor air quality monitoring case study. A sliding window approach that employs the Multilayer Perceptron model to predict short term PM 2 . 5 pollution situations is integrated into the proactive monitoring and control framework. Results show that the proposed approach can effectively predict short term PM 2 . 5 pollution situations: precision of up to 0.86 and sensitivity of up to 0.85 is achieved over half hour prediction horizons, making it possible for the system to warn occupants or even to autonomously avert the predicted pollution situations within the context of Semantic Sensor Web.

Integrating Statistical Machine Learning in a Semantic Sensor Web for Proactive Monitoring and Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Adeleke, Jude Adekunle; Moodley, Deshendran; Rens, Gavin; Adewumi, Aderemi Oluyinka

2017-04-09

Proactive monitoring and control of our natural and built environments is important in various application scenarios. Semantic Sensor Web technologies have been well researched and used for environmental monitoring applications to expose sensor data for analysis in order to provide responsive actions in situations of interest. While these applications provide quick response to situations, to minimize their unwanted effects, research efforts are still necessary to provide techniques that can anticipate the future to support proactive control, such that unwanted situations can be averted altogether. This study integrates a statistical machine learning based predictive model in a Semantic Sensor Web using stream reasoning. The approach is evaluated in an indoor air quality monitoring case study. A sliding window approach that employs the Multilayer Perceptron model to predict short term PM 2 . 5 pollution situations is integrated into the proactive monitoring and control framework. Results show that the proposed approach can effectively predict short term PM 2 . 5 pollution situations: precision of up to 0.86 and sensitivity of up to 0.85 is achieved over half hour prediction horizons, making it possible for the system to warn occupants or even to autonomously avert the predicted pollution situations within the context of Semantic Sensor Web.

Characterization, Monitoring and Sensor Technology Integrated Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

This booklet contains summary sheets that describe FY 1993 characterization, monitoring, and sensor technology (CMST) development projects. Currently, 32 projects are funded, 22 through the OTD Characterization, Monitoring, and Sensor Technology Integrated Program (CMST-IP), 8 through the OTD Program Research and Development Announcement (PRDA) activity managed by the Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC), and 2 through Interagency Agreements (IAGs). This booklet is not inclusive of those CMST projects which are funded through Integrated Demonstrations (IDs) and other Integrated Programs (IPs). The projects are in six areas: Expedited Site Characterization; Contaminants in Soils and Groundwater; Geophysical and Hydrogeological Measurements; Mixed Wastes in Drums, Burial Grounds, and USTs; Remediation, D ampersand D, and Waste Process Monitoring; and Performance Specifications and Program Support. A task description, technology needs, accomplishments and technology transfer information is given for each project

Integrating structural health and condition monitoring

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

May, Allan; Thöns, Sebastian; McMillan, David

2015-01-01

window’ allowing for the possible detection of faults up to 6 months in advance. The SHM system model uses a reduction in the probability of failure factor to account for lower modelling uncertainties. A case study is produced that shows a reduction in operating costs and also a reduction in risk......There is a large financial incentive to minimise operations and maintenance (O&M) costs for offshore wind power by optimising the maintenance plan. The integration of condition monitoring (CM) and structural health monitoring (SHM) may help realise this. There is limited work on the integration...

Monitoring technology and firm boundaries: physician-hospital integration and technology utilization.

Science.gov (United States)

McCullough, Jeffrey S; Snir, Eli M

2010-05-01

We study the relationship between physician-hospital integration and its relation to monitoring IT utilization. We develop a theoretical model in which monitoring IT may complement or substitute for integration and test these relationships using a novel data source. Physician labor market heterogeneity identifies the empirical model. We find that monitoring IT utilization is increasing in integration, implying that expanded firm boundaries complement monitoring IT adoption. We argue that the relationship between monitoring IT and firm boundaries depends upon the contractibility of the monitored information.

Integrated Monitoring and Surveillance System demonstration project. Phase 2 accomplishments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aumeier, S.E.; Walters, B.G.; Singleterry, R.C.

1997-01-01

The paper presents the results of the Integrated Monitoring and Surveillance System (IMSS) demonstration project Phase 2 efforts. the rationale behind IMSS development is reviewed and progress in each of the 5 basic tasks is detailed. Significant results include further development of the data acquisition system and procurement of necessary hardware/software, options and associated costs for plutonium canning systems and gloveboxes, initiation of facility modifications, determination of possibly affected facility documentation, results from sensor system trade study, and preliminary storage configuration designs. Resources invested during Phase 1 and Phase 2 are summarized and budgetary requirements for completion of Phase 3 presented. The results show that the IMSS demonstration project team has met and in many cases exceeded the commitments made for Phase 2 deliverables

A statistically rigorous sampling design to integrate avian monitoring and management within Bird Conservation Regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlacky, David C; Lukacs, Paul M; Blakesley, Jennifer A; Skorkowsky, Robert C; Klute, David S; Hahn, Beth A; Dreitz, Victoria J; George, T Luke; Hanni, David J

2017-01-01

Monitoring is an essential component of wildlife management and conservation. However, the usefulness of monitoring data is often undermined by the lack of 1) coordination across organizations and regions, 2) meaningful management and conservation objectives, and 3) rigorous sampling designs. Although many improvements to avian monitoring have been discussed, the recommendations have been slow to emerge in large-scale programs. We introduce the Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions (IMBCR) program designed to overcome the above limitations. Our objectives are to outline the development of a statistically defensible sampling design to increase the value of large-scale monitoring data and provide example applications to demonstrate the ability of the design to meet multiple conservation and management objectives. We outline the sampling process for the IMBCR program with a focus on the Badlands and Prairies Bird Conservation Region (BCR 17). We provide two examples for the Brewer's sparrow (Spizella breweri) in BCR 17 demonstrating the ability of the design to 1) determine hierarchical population responses to landscape change and 2) estimate hierarchical habitat relationships to predict the response of the Brewer's sparrow to conservation efforts at multiple spatial scales. The collaboration across organizations and regions provided economy of scale by leveraging a common data platform over large spatial scales to promote the efficient use of monitoring resources. We designed the IMBCR program to address the information needs and core conservation and management objectives of the participating partner organizations. Although it has been argued that probabilistic sampling designs are not practical for large-scale monitoring, the IMBCR program provides a precedent for implementing a statistically defensible sampling design from local to bioregional scales. We demonstrate that integrating conservation and management objectives with rigorous statistical

A statistically rigorous sampling design to integrate avian monitoring and management within Bird Conservation Regions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David C Pavlacky

Full Text Available Monitoring is an essential component of wildlife management and conservation. However, the usefulness of monitoring data is often undermined by the lack of 1 coordination across organizations and regions, 2 meaningful management and conservation objectives, and 3 rigorous sampling designs. Although many improvements to avian monitoring have been discussed, the recommendations have been slow to emerge in large-scale programs. We introduce the Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions (IMBCR program designed to overcome the above limitations. Our objectives are to outline the development of a statistically defensible sampling design to increase the value of large-scale monitoring data and provide example applications to demonstrate the ability of the design to meet multiple conservation and management objectives. We outline the sampling process for the IMBCR program with a focus on the Badlands and Prairies Bird Conservation Region (BCR 17. We provide two examples for the Brewer's sparrow (Spizella breweri in BCR 17 demonstrating the ability of the design to 1 determine hierarchical population responses to landscape change and 2 estimate hierarchical habitat relationships to predict the response of the Brewer's sparrow to conservation efforts at multiple spatial scales. The collaboration across organizations and regions provided economy of scale by leveraging a common data platform over large spatial scales to promote the efficient use of monitoring resources. We designed the IMBCR program to address the information needs and core conservation and management objectives of the participating partner organizations. Although it has been argued that probabilistic sampling designs are not practical for large-scale monitoring, the IMBCR program provides a precedent for implementing a statistically defensible sampling design from local to bioregional scales. We demonstrate that integrating conservation and management objectives with rigorous

Global nuclear material monitoring with NDA and C/S data through integrated facility monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howell, J.A.; Menlove, H.O.; Argo, P.; Goulding, C.; Klosterbuer, S.; Halbig, J.

1996-01-01

This paper focuses on a flexible, integrated demonstration of a monitoring approach for nuclear material monitoring. This includes aspects of item signature identification, perimeter portal monitoring, advanced data analysis, and communication as a part of an unattended continuous monitoring system in an operating nuclear facility. Advanced analysis is applied to the integrated nondestructive assay and containment and surveillance data that are synchronized in time. End result will be the foundation for a cost-effective monitoring system that could provide the necessary transparency even in areas that are denied to foreign nationals of both US and Russia should these processes and materials come under full-scope safeguards or bilateral agreements. Monitoring systems of this kind have the potential to provide additional benefits including improved nuclear facility security and safeguards and lower personnel radiation exposures. Demonstration facilities in this paper include VTRAP-prototype, Los Alamos Critical Assemblies Facility, Kazakhstan BM-350 Reactor monitor, DUPIC radiation monitoring, and JOYO and MONJU radiation monitoring

An integrated system for pipeline condition monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strong, Andrew P.; Lees, Gareth; Hartog, Arthur; Twohig, Richard; Kader, Kamal; Hilton, Graeme; Mullens, Stephen; Khlybov, Artem [Schlumberger, Southampton (United Kingdom); Sanderson, Norman [BP Exploration, Sunbury (United Kingdom)

2009-07-01

In this paper we present the unique and innovative 'Integriti' pipeline and flow line integrity monitoring system developed by Schlumberger in collaboration with BP. The system uses optical fiber distributed sensors to provide simultaneous distributed measurements of temperature, strain and vibration for the detection, monitoring, and location of events including: Third Party Interference (TPI), including multiple simultaneous disturbances; geo-hazards and landslides; gas and oil leaks; permafrost protection. The Integriti technology also provides a unique means for tracking the progress of cleaning and instrumented pigs using existing optical telecom and data communications cables buried close to pipelines. The Integriti solution provides a unique and proactive approach to pipeline integrity management. It performs analysis of a combination of measurands to provide the pipeline operator with an event recognition and location capability, in effect providing a hazard warning system, and offering the operator the potential to take early action to prevent loss. Through the use of remote, optically powered amplification, an unprecedented detection range of 100 km is possible without the need for any electronics and therefore remote power in the field. A system can thus monitor 200 km of pipeline when configured to monitor 100 km upstream and downstream from a single location. As well as detecting conditions and events leading to leaks, this fully integrated system provides a means of detecting and locating small leaks in gas pipelines below the threshold of present online leak detection systems based on monitoring flow parameters. Other significant benefits include: potential reductions in construction costs; enhancement of the operator's existing integrity management program; potential reductions in surveillance costs and HSE risks. In addition to onshore pipeline systems this combination of functionality and range is available for practicable

Integrated Status and Effectiveness Monitoring Program - Entiat River Snorkel Surveys, 2006-2007.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nelle, R.D.

2007-10-01

The USFWS Mid-Columbia River Fishery Resource Office conducted snorkel surveys at 11 sites during the summer 2006 survey period and at 15 sites during fall 2006 and winter 2007 survey periods as part of the Integrated Status and Effectiveness Monitoring Program in the Entiat River. A total of 39,898 fish from 14 species/genera and an unknown category were enumerated. Chinook salmon were the overall most common fish observed and comprised 19% of fish enumerated followed by mountain whitefish (18%) and rainbow trout (14%). Day and night surveys were conducted during the summer 2006 period (August), while night surveys were conducted during the fall 2006 (October) and winter 2007 (February/March) surveys. This is second annual progress report to Bonneville Power Administration for the snorkel surveys conducted in the Entiat River as related to long-term effectiveness monitoring of restoration programs in this watershed. The objective of this study is to monitor the fish habitat utilization of planned in-stream restoration efforts in the Entiat River by conducting pre- and post-construction snorkel surveys at selected treatment and control sites.

Integrated photovoltaic (PV) monitoring system

Science.gov (United States)

Mahinder Singh, Balbir Singh; Husain, NurSyahidah; Mohamed, Norani Muti

2012-09-01

The main aim of this research work is to design an accurate and reliable monitoring system to be integrated with solar electricity generating system. The performance monitoring system is required to ensure that the PVEGS is operating at an optimum level. The PV monitoring system is able to measure all the important parameters that determine an optimum performance. The measured values are recorded continuously, as the data acquisition system is connected to a computer, and data is stored at fixed intervals. The data can be locally used and can also be transmitted via internet. The data that appears directly on the local monitoring system is displayed via graphical user interface that was created by using Visual basic and Apache software was used for data transmission The accuracy and reliability of the developed monitoring system was tested against the data that captured simultaneously by using a standard power quality analyzer device. The high correlation which is 97% values indicates the level of accuracy of the monitoring system. The aim of leveraging on a system for continuous monitoring system is achieved, both locally, and can be viewed simultaneously at a remote system.

Health disparities monitoring in the U.S.: lessons for monitoring efforts in Israel and other countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Abu-Saad, Kathleen; Avni, Shlomit; Kalter-Leibovici, Ofra

2018-02-28

Health disparities are a persistent problem in many high-income countries. Health policymakers recognize the need to develop systematic methods for documenting and tracking these disparities in order to reduce them. The experience of the U.S., which has a well-established health disparities monitoring infrastructure, provides useful insights for other countries. This article provides an in-depth review of health disparities monitoring in the U.S. Lessons of potential relevance for other countries include: 1) the integration of health disparities monitoring in population health surveillance, 2) the role of political commitment, 3) use of monitoring as a feedback loop to inform future directions, 4) use of monitoring to identify data gaps, 5) development of extensive cross-departmental cooperation, and 6) exploitation of digital tools for monitoring and reporting. Using Israel as a case in point, we provide a brief overview of the healthcare and health disparities landscape in Israel, and examine how the lessons from the U.S. experience might be applied in the Israeli context. The U.S. model of health disparities monitoring provides useful lessons for other countries with respect to documentation of health disparities and tracking of progress made towards their elimination. Given the persistence of health disparities both in the U.S. and Israel, there is a need for monitoring systems to expand beyond individual- and healthcare system-level factors, to incorporate social and environmental determinants of health as health indicators/outcomes.

Pollution control and environmental monitoring efforts at DOE's Coal-Fired Flow Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Attig, R.C.; Crawford, L.W.; Lynch, T.P.; Sheth, A.C.

1991-01-01

Proof-of-Concept (POC) scale demonstration of such technology is currently being carried out at the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Coal-Fired Flow Facility (CFFF), located at The University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI) in Tullahoma, Tennessee and at the Component Development and Integration Facility in Butte, Montana. The CFFF is dedicated to the evaluation of downstream (steam cycle) components and technology that may be considered for a full-scale MHD system. The objectives of the CFFF testing include the demonstration of various pollution control devices and techniques at a scale sufficient for future scale-up. The CFFF offers a unique test environment in which emissions control techniques can be developed and evaluated through emissions and environmental monitoring. Results thus far have demonstrated the ability of sulfur oxide (SO x ), nitrogen oxide (NO x ) and particulate emissions well below the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS). Regeneration of the potassium sulfate to produce sulfur-free compounds also has been demonstrated. The experimental program at the CFFF is now aimed at determining the optimum conditions for future commercial scale designs. Because of increased interests in Air Toxics, measurements of nitrous oxide (N 2 O), a potential greenhouse gas, priority pollutants (inorganic as well as organics), and chlorine-containing species (Cl 2 and HCl) are also included in our ongoing efforts. Environmental monitoring activities are being pursued to develop an environmental impact assessment data base. These include the use of three ambient air sites to determine the impacts of gaseous and particulate emissions, five lake water sites to determine impacts due to process water discharges and seven sites to collect terrestrial data on possible soil contamination and tree growth. In this paper, we will summarize the status of our ongoing environmental program. 16 refs., 15 figs., 3 tabs

Integration of structural health monitoring and asset management.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-01

This project investigated the feasibility and potential benefits of the integration of infrastructure monitoring systems into enterprise-scale transportation management systems. An infrastructure monitoring system designed for bridges was implemented...

Joint Efforts Towards European HF Radar Integration

Science.gov (United States)

Rubio, A.; Mader, J.; Griffa, A.; Mantovani, C.; Corgnati, L.; Novellino, A.; Schulz-Stellenfleth, J.; Quentin, C.; Wyatt, L.; Ruiz, M. I.; Lorente, P.; Hartnett, M.; Gorringe, P.

2016-12-01

During the past two years, significant steps have been made in Europe for achieving the needed accessibility to High Frequency Radar (HFR) data for a pan-European use. Since 2015, EuroGOOS Ocean Observing Task Teams (TT), such as HFR TT, are operational networks of observing platforms. The main goal is on the harmonization of systems requirements, systems design, data quality, improvement and proof of the readiness and standardization of HFR data access and tools. Particular attention is being paid by HFR TT to converge from different projects and programs toward those common objectives. First, JERICO-NEXT (Joint European Research Infrastructure network for Coastal Observatory - Novel European eXpertise for coastal observaTories, H2020 2015 Programme) will contribute on describing the status of the European network, on seeking harmonization through exchange of best practices and standardization, on developing and giving access to quality control procedures and new products, and finally on demonstrating the use of such technology in the general scientific strategy focused by the Coastal Observatory. Then, EMODnet (European Marine Observation and Data Network) Physics started to assemble HF radar metadata and data products within Europe in a uniform way. This long term program is providing a combined array of services and functionalities to users for obtaining free of charge data, meta-data and data products on the physical conditions of European sea basins and oceans. Additionally, the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) delivers from 2015 a core information service to any user related to 4 areas of benefits: Maritime Safety, Coastal and Marine Environment, Marine Resources, and Weather, Seasonal Forecasting and Climate activities. INCREASE (Innovation and Networking for the integration of Coastal Radars into EuropeAn marine SErvices - CMEMS Service Evolution 2016) will set the necessary developments towards the integration of existing European

Integrated monitoring and surveillance system demonstration project: Phase I accomplishments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aumeier, S.E.; Walters, B.G.; Crawford, D.C.

1997-01-01

The authors present the results of the Integrated Monitoring and Surveillance System (IMSS) demonstration project Phase I efforts. The rationale behind IMSS development is reviewed and progress in each of the 5 basic tasks is detailed. Significant results include decisions to use Echelon LonWorks networking protocol and Microsoft Access for the data system needs, a preliminary design for the plutonium canning system glovebox, identification of facilities and materials available for the demonstration, determination of possibly affected facility documentation, and a preliminary list of available sensor technologies. Recently imposed changes in the overall project schedule and scope are also discussed and budgetary requirements for competition of Phase II presented. The results show that the IMSS demonstration project team has met and in many cases exceeded the commitments made for Phase I deliverables

IMPROVING STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY MONITORING CAPABILITY FOR WATER MAINS: COLLABORATION EFFORTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Science.gov (United States)

The structural integrity of the approximately 1,000,000 miles of U.S. water mains is important to both immediate and long-term drinking water quality and availability. As pipes wear out, leaks and main breaks increase, as well as the associated occurrences of water loss and low-...

System specification for the integrated monitoring and surveillance system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-09-01

This System Specification establishes the requirements for the Plutonium Focus Area (PFA) Integrated Monitoring and Surveillance System (IMSS). In this document, ''Integrated Monitoring and Surveillance System'' is used to describe the concept of integrated sensors, computers, personnel, and systems that perform the functions of sensing conditions, acquiring data, monitoring environmental safety and health, controlling and accounting for materials, monitoring material stability, monitoring container integrity, transferring data, and analyzing, reporting, and storing data. This concept encompasses systems (e.g. sensors, personnel, databases, etc.) that are already in place at the sites but may require modifications or additions to meet all identified surveillance requirements. The purpose of this System Specification is to provide Department of Energy (DOE) sites that store plutonium materials with a consolidation of all known requirements for the storage and surveillance of 3013 packages of stabilized plutonium metals and oxides. This compilation may be used (1) as a baseline for surveillance system design specifications where 3013 packages of stabilized plutonium metals and oxides will be stored and monitored; (2) as a checklist for evaluating existing surveillance systems to ensure that all requirements are met for the storage and surveillance of 3013 packages of stabilized plutonium metals and oxides; and (3) as a baseline for preparing procurement specifications tailored for site specific storage and surveillance of 3013 packages of stabilized plutonium metals and oxides

Integrating environmental monitoring with cumulative effects management and decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Cronmiller, Joshua G; Noble, Bram F

2018-05-01

Cumulative effects (CE) monitoring is foundational to emerging regional and watershed CE management frameworks, yet monitoring is often poorly integrated with CE management and decision-making processes. The challenges are largely institutional and organizational, more so than scientific or technical. Calls for improved integration of monitoring with CE management and decision making are not new, but there has been limited research on how best to integrate environmental monitoring programs to ensure credible CE science and to deliver results that respond to the more immediate questions and needs of regulatory decision makers. This paper examines options for the integration of environmental monitoring with CE frameworks. Based on semistructured interviews with practitioners, regulators, and other experts in the Lower Athabasca, Alberta, Canada, 3 approaches to monitoring system design are presented. First, a distributed monitoring system, reflecting the current approach in the Lower Athabasca, where monitoring is delegated to different external programs and organizations; second, a 1-window system in which monitoring is undertaken by a single, in-house agency for the purpose of informing management and regulatory decision making; third, an independent system driven primarily by CE science and understanding causal relationships, with knowledge adopted for decision support where relevant to specific management questions. The strengths and limitations of each approach are presented. A hybrid approach may be optimal-an independent, nongovernment, 1-window model for CE science, monitoring, and information delivery-capitalizing on the strengths of distributed, 1-window, and independent monitoring systems while mitigating their weaknesses. If governments are committed to solving CE problems, they must invest in the long-term science needed to do so; at the same time, if science-based monitoring programs are to be sustainable over the long term, they must be responsive to

Fully integrated safeguards and security for reprocessing plant monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duran, Felicia Angelica; Ward, Rebecca; Cipiti, Benjamin B.; Middleton, Bobby D.

2011-01-01

Nuclear fuel reprocessing plants contain a wealth of plant monitoring data including material measurements, process monitoring, administrative procedures, and physical protection elements. Future facilities are moving in the direction of highly-integrated plant monitoring systems that make efficient use of the plant data to improve monitoring and reduce costs. The Separations and Safeguards Performance Model (SSPM) is an analysis tool that is used for modeling advanced monitoring systems and to determine system response under diversion scenarios. This report both describes the architecture for such a future monitoring system and present results under various diversion scenarios. Improvements made in the past year include the development of statistical tests for detecting material loss, the integration of material balance alarms to improve physical protection, and the integration of administrative procedures. The SSPM has been used to demonstrate how advanced instrumentation (as developed in the Material Protection, Accounting, and Control Technologies campaign) can benefit the overall safeguards system as well as how all instrumentation is tied into the physical protection system. This concept has the potential to greatly improve the probability of detection for both abrupt and protracted diversion of nuclear material.

Integrated nuclear radiation detector and monitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biehl, B.L.; Lieberman, S.I.

1982-01-01

A battery powered device which can continuously monitor and detect nuclear radiation utilizing fully integrated circuitry and which is provided with an alarm which alerts persons when the radiation level exceeds a predetermined threshold

The need for integration of drought monitoring tools for proactive food security management in sub-Saharan Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Tadesse, T.; Haile, M.; Senay, G.; Wardlow, B.D.; Knutson, C.L.

2008-01-01

Reducing the impact of drought and famine remains a challenge in sub-Saharan Africa despite ongoing drought relief assistance in recent decades. This is because drought and famine are primarily addressed through a crisis management approach when a disaster occurs, rather than stressing preparedness and risk management. Moreover, drought planning and food security efforts have been hampered by a lack of integrated drought monitoring tools, inadequate early warning systems (EWS), and insufficient information flow within and between levels of government in many sub-Saharan countries. The integration of existing drought monitoring tools for sub-Saharan Africa is essential for improving food security systems to reduce the impacts of drought and famine on society in this region. A proactive approach emphasizing integration requires the collective use of multiple tools, which can be used to detect trends in food availability and provide early indicators at local, national, and regional scales on the likely occurrence of food crises. In addition, improving the ability to monitor and disseminate critical drought-related information using available modern technologies (e.g., satellites, computers, and modern communication techniques) may help trigger timely and appropriate preventive responses and, ultimately, contribute to food security and sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa. ?? 2008 United Nations.

100-N pilot project: Proposed consolidated groundwater monitoring program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borghese, J.V.; Hartman, M.J.; Lutrell, S.P.; Perkins, C.J.; Zoric, J.P.; Tindall, S.C.

1996-11-01

This report presents a proposed consolidated groundwater monitoring program for the 100-N Pilot Project. This program is the result of a cooperative effort between the Hanford Site contractors who monitor the groundwater beneath the 100-N Area. The consolidation of the groundwater monitoring programs is being proposed to minimize the cost, time, and effort necessary for groundwater monitoring in the 100-N Area, and to coordinate regulatory compliance activities. The integrity of the subprograms requirements remained intact during the consolidation effort. The purpose of this report is to present the proposed consolidated groundwater monitoring program and to summarize the process by which it was determined

Integrated Microfluidic Gas Sensors for Water Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, L.; Sniadecki, N.; DeVoe, D. L.; Beamesderfer, M.; Semancik, S.; DeVoe, D. L.

2003-01-01

A silicon-based microhotplate tin oxide (SnO2) gas sensor integrated into a polymer-based microfluidic system for monitoring of contaminants in water systems is presented. This device is designed to sample a water source, control the sample vapor pressure within a microchannel using integrated resistive heaters, and direct the vapor past the integrated gas sensor for analysis. The sensor platform takes advantage of novel technology allowing direct integration of discrete silicon chips into a larger polymer microfluidic substrate, including seamless fluidic and electrical interconnects between the substrate and silicon chip.

A new multi-sensor integrated index for drought monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Jiao, W.; Wang, L.; Tian, C.

2017-12-01

Drought is perceived as one of the most expensive and least understood natural disasters. The remote-sensing-based integrated drought indices, which integrate multiple variables, could reflect the drought conditions more comprehensively than single drought indices. However, most of current remote-sensing-based integrated drought indices focus on agricultural drought (i.e., deficit in soil moisture), their application in monitoring meteorological drought (i.e., deficit in precipitation) was limited. More importantly, most of the remote-sensing-based integrated drought indices did not take into consideration of the spatially non-stationary nature of the related variables, so such indices may lose essential local details when integrating multiple variables. In this regard, we proposed a new mathematical framework for generating integrated drought index for meteorological drought monitoring. The geographically weighted regression (GWR) model and principal component analysis were used to composite Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) based temperature condition index (TCI), the Vegetation Index based on the Universal Pattern Decomposition method (VIUPD) based vegetation condition index (VCI), tropical rainfall measuring mission (TRMM) based Precipitation Condition Index (PCI) and Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-EOS (AMSR-E) based soil moisture condition index (SMCI). We called the new remote-sensing-based integrated drought index geographical-location-based integrated drought index (GLIDI). We examined the utility of the GLIDI for drought monitoring in various climate divisions across the continental United States (CONUS). GLIDI showed high correlations with in-situ drought indices and outperformed most other existing drought indices. The results also indicate that the performance of GLIDI is not affected by environmental factors such as land cover, precipitation, temperature and soil conditions. As such, the GLIDI has considerable potential for

Efforts Toward an Early Warning Crop Monitor for Countries at Risk

Science.gov (United States)

Budde, M. E.; Verdin, J. P.; Barker, B.; Humber, M. L.; Becker-Reshef, I.; Justice, C. O.; Magadzire, T.; Galu, G.; Rodriguez, M.; Jayanthi, H.

2015-12-01

Assessing crop growing conditions is a crucial aspect of monitoring food security in the developing world. One of the core components of the Group on Earth Observations - Global Agricultural Monitoring (GEOGLAM) targets monitoring Countries at Risk (component 3). The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) has a long history of utilizing remote sensing and crop modeling to address food security threats in the form of drought, floods, pest infestation, and climate change in some of the world's most at risk countries. FEWS NET scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center and the University of Maryland Department of Geography have undertaken efforts to address component 3, by promoting the development of a collaborative Early Warning Crop Monitor (EWCM) that would specifically address Countries at Risk. A number of organizations utilize combinations of satellite earth observations, field campaigns, network partner inputs, and crop modeling techniques to monitor crop conditions throughout the world. Agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), and the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) provide agricultural monitoring information and reporting across a broad number of areas at risk and in many cases, organizations routinely report on the same countries. The latter offers an opportunity for collaboration on crop growing conditions among agencies. The reduction of uncertainty and achievement of consensus will help strengthen confidence in decisions to commit resources for mitigation of acute food insecurity and support for resilience and development programs. In addition, the development of a collaborative global EWCM will provide each of the partner agencies with the ability to quickly gather crop condition information for areas where they may not typically work or have access to local networks. Using a framework

Integrated Monitoring System for Durability Assessment of Concrete Bridges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristian-Claudiu Comisu

2005-01-01

Full Text Available An ageing and deteriorating bridge stock presents the bridge owners with the growing challenge of maintaining the structures at a satisfactory level of safety, performance and aesthetic appearance within the allocated budgets. This task calls for optimized bridge management based on efficient methods of selecting technical and economical optimal maintenance and rehabilitation strategies. One of the crucial points in the assessment of the current condition and future development and performance. Selecting the optimal maintenance and rehabilitation strategy within the actual budget is a key point in bridge management for which an accurate assessment of performance and deterioration rate is necessary. For this assessment, the use of integrated monitoring system has several advantages compared to the traditional approach of scattered visual inspections combined with occasional on site testing with portable equipment and laboratory testing of collected samples. For this reason, attention is more focusing on the development of permanent integrated monitoring system for durability assessment of concrete bridges. It is estimated that with the implementation of such integrated monitoring systems, it should be possible to reduce the operating costs of inspections and maintenance by 25% and the operator of the structures will be able to take protective actions before damaging processes start. This paper indentifies the main bridge owner requirements to integrated monitoring systems and outlines how monitoring systems may be used for performance and deterioration rate assessment to establish a better basis for selecting the optimal maintenance and rehabilitation strategy.

Development of multimedia computer-based training for VXI integrated fuel monitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keeffe, R.; Ellacott, T.; Truong, Q.S.

1999-01-01

The Canadian Safeguards Support Program has developed the VXI Integrated Fuel Monitor (VFIM) which is based on the international VXI instrument bus standard. This equipment is a generic radiation monitor which can be used in an integrated mode where several detection systems can be connected to a common system where information is collected, displayed, and analyzed via a virtual control panel with the aid of computers, trackball and computer monitor. The equipment can also be used in an autonomous mode as a portable radiation monitor with a very low power consumption. The equipment has been described at previous international symposia. Integration of several monitoring systems (bundle counter, core discharge monitor, and yes/no monitor) has been carried out at Wolsong 2. Performance results from one of the monitoring systems which was installed at CANDU nuclear stations are discussed in a companion paper at this symposium. This paper describes the development of an effective multimedia computer-based training package for the primary users of the equipment; namely IAEA inspectors and technicians. (author)

Seismic monitoring: a unified system for research and verifications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thigpen, L.

1979-01-01

A system for characterizing either a seismic source or geologic media from observational data was developed. This resulted from an examination of the forward and inverse problems of seismology. The system integrates many seismic monitoring research efforts into a single computational capability. Its main advantage is that it unifies computational and research efforts in seismic monitoring. 173 references, 9 figures, 3 tables

JEM-X: The X-ray monitor on INTEGRAL

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Budtz-Jørgensen, Carl; Lund, Niels; Westergaard, Niels Jørgen Stenfeldt

2004-01-01

The INTEGRAL X-ray monitor, JEM-X, (together with the two gamma ray instruments, SPI and IBIS) provides simultaneous imaging with arcminute angular resolution in the 3-35 keV band. The good angular resolution and low energy response of JEM-X plays an important role in the detection and identifica......The INTEGRAL X-ray monitor, JEM-X, (together with the two gamma ray instruments, SPI and IBIS) provides simultaneous imaging with arcminute angular resolution in the 3-35 keV band. The good angular resolution and low energy response of JEM-X plays an important role in the detection...

Sinabro: A Smartphone-Integrated Opportunistic Electrocardiogram Monitoring System

OpenAIRE

Sungjun Kwon; Dongseok Lee; Jeehoon Kim; Youngki Lee; Seungwoo Kang; Sangwon Seo; Kwangsuk Park

2016-01-01

In our preliminary study, we proposed a smartphone-integrated, unobtrusive electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring system, Sinabro, which monitors a user?s ECG opportunistically during daily smartphone use without explicit user intervention. The proposed system also monitors ECG-derived features, such as heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV), to support the pervasive healthcare apps for smartphones based on the user?s high-level contexts, such as stress and affective state levels. In th...

Microprocessor-based integration of microfluidic control for the implementation of automated sensor monitoring and multithreaded optimization algorithms.

Science.gov (United States)

Ezra, Elishai; Maor, Idan; Bavli, Danny; Shalom, Itai; Levy, Gahl; Prill, Sebastian; Jaeger, Magnus S; Nahmias, Yaakov

2015-08-01

Microfluidic applications range from combinatorial synthesis to high throughput screening, with platforms integrating analog perfusion components, digitally controlled micro-valves and a range of sensors that demand a variety of communication protocols. Currently, discrete control units are used to regulate and monitor each component, resulting in scattered control interfaces that limit data integration and synchronization. Here, we present a microprocessor-based control unit, utilizing the MS Gadgeteer open framework that integrates all aspects of microfluidics through a high-current electronic circuit that supports and synchronizes digital and analog signals for perfusion components, pressure elements, and arbitrary sensor communication protocols using a plug-and-play interface. The control unit supports an integrated touch screen and TCP/IP interface that provides local and remote control of flow and data acquisition. To establish the ability of our control unit to integrate and synchronize complex microfluidic circuits we developed an equi-pressure combinatorial mixer. We demonstrate the generation of complex perfusion sequences, allowing the automated sampling, washing, and calibrating of an electrochemical lactate sensor continuously monitoring hepatocyte viability following exposure to the pesticide rotenone. Importantly, integration of an optical sensor allowed us to implement automated optimization protocols that require different computational challenges including: prioritized data structures in a genetic algorithm, distributed computational efforts in multiple-hill climbing searches and real-time realization of probabilistic models in simulated annealing. Our system offers a comprehensive solution for establishing optimization protocols and perfusion sequences in complex microfluidic circuits.

Research on monitoring and management information integration technique in waste treatment and management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kong Jinsong; Yu Ren; Mao Wei

2013-01-01

The integration of the waste treatment process and the device status monitoring information and management information is a key problem required to be solved in the information integration of the waste treatment and management. The main content of the monitoring and management information integration is discussed in the paper. The data exchange techniques, which are based on the OPC, FTP and data push technology, are applied to the different monitoring system respectively, according to their development platform, to realize the integration of the waste treatment process and device status monitoring information and management information in a waste treatment center. (authors)

A Bayesian Approach to Integrate Real-Time Data into Probabilistic Risk Analysis of Remediation Efforts in NAPL Sites

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez-Garcia, D.; Sanchez-Vila, X.; Bolster, D.; Tartakovsky, D. M.

2010-12-01

treatment technology is then updated given the observed real-time measurements of concentrations at nearby monitoring wells. Thus, the methodology allows combining the probability of failure of a remediation effort due to multiple causes; each one associated to different potential pathways and receptors, and provides a way of integrating real-time measurements into PRA analysis.

ANALYZING THE CONSUMER PROFILING FOR IMPROVING EFFORTS OF INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olimpia OANCEA

2014-06-01

Full Text Available In an economy with a strong concurential character, organizations must capitalize the integrated marketing communication in the most effective way, to ensure the creation and maintenance of long-term relationships with current and potential customers. Building and managing the relationships with customers can have a direct and favourable effect on the efficiency of an organization's communication efforts. The integrated marketing communication identifies with the nowadays market dynamics and learns the organizations how easy can be to prosper in an environment where changes occur in an alarming way. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the socio-demographic profile of the consumers of bread in Arges County, as well as the preferences and purchasing behaviour at the level of the market segments identified using the K-Means Cluster Analysis method.

Integrated environmental monitoring and information system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klinda, J.; Lieskovska, Z.

1998-01-01

The concept of the environmental monitoring within the territory of the Slovak Republic and the concept of the integrated environmental information system of the Slovak Republic were accepted and confirmed by the Government Order No. 449/1992. The state monitoring system covering the whole territory of Slovakia is the most important and consists of 13 Partial Monitoring Systems (PMSs). List of PMSs is included. The listed PMSs are managed according to the concept of the Sectoral Information System (SIS) of the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic (MESR) which was established by the National Council Act No. 261/1995 Coll. on the SIS. The SIS consists of 18 subsystems which are listed. The overviews of budget of PMSs as well as of environmental publications and periodicals of the MESR are included

Integral Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS) Facility conceptual design report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-09-01

This report presents a summary design description of the Conceptual Design for an Integral Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS) Facility, as prepared by The Ralph M. Parsons Company under an A-E services contract with the Richland Operations Office of the Department of Energy. More detailed design requirements and design data are set forth in the Basis for Design and Design Report, bound under separate cover and available for reference by those desiring such information. The design data provided in this Design Report Executive Summary, the Basis for Design, and the Design Report include contributions by the Waste Technology Services Division of Westinghouse Electric Corporation (WEC), which was responsible for the development of the waste receiving, packaging, and storage systems, and Golder Associates Incorporated (GAI), which supported the design development with program studies. The MRS Facility design requirements, which formed the basis for the design effort, were prepared by Pacific Northwest Laboratory for the US Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office, in the form of a Functional Design Criteria (FDC) document, Rev. 4, August 1985. 9 figs., 6 tabs

Integrated control rod monitoring device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saito, Katsuhiro

1997-01-01

The present invention provides a device in which an entire control rod driving time measuring device and a control rod position support device in a reactor building and a central control chamber are integrated systematically to save hardwares such as a signal input/output device and signal cables between boards. Namely, (1) functions of the entire control rod driving time measuring device for monitoring control rods which control the reactor power and a control rod position indication device are integrated into one identical system. Then, the entire devices can be made compact by the integration of the functions. (2) The functions of the entire control rod driving time measuring device and the control rod position indication device are integrated in a central operation board and a board in the site. Then, the place for the installation of them can be used in common in any of the cases. (3) The functions of the entire control rod driving time measuring device and the control rod position indication device are integrated to one identical system to save hardware to be used. Then, signal input/output devices and drift branching panel boards in the site and the central operation board can be saved, and cables for connecting both of the boards is no more necessary. (I.S.)

Integrating wireless sensor network for monitoring subsidence phenomena

Science.gov (United States)

Marturià, Jordi; Lopez, Ferran; Gigli, Giovanni; Intrieri, Emanuele; Mucchi, Lorenzo; Fornaciai, Alessandro

2016-04-01

An innovative wireless sensor network (WSN) for the 3D superficial monitoring of deformations (such as landslides and subsidence) is being developed in the frame of the Wi-GIM project (Wireless sensor network for Ground Instability Monitoring - LIFE12 ENV/IT/001033). The surface movement is detected acquiring the position (x, y and z) by integrating large bandwidth technology able to detect the 3D coordinates of the sensor with a sub-meter error, with continuous wave radar, which allows decreasing the error down to sub-cm. The Estació neighborhood in Sallent is located over the old potassium mine Enrique. This zone has been affected by a subsidence process over more than twenty years. The implementation of a wide network for ground auscultation has allowed monitoring the process of subsidence since 1997. This network consists of: i) a high-precision topographic leveling network to control the subsidence in surface; ii) a rod extensometers network to monitor subsurface deformation; iii) an automatic Leica TCA Total Station to monitor building movements; iv) an inclinometers network to measure the horizontal displacements on subsurface and v) a piezometer to measure the water level. Those networks were implemented within an alert system for an organized an efficient response of the civil protection authorities in case of an emergency. On 23rd December 2008, an acceleration of subsoil movements (of approx. 12-18 cm/year) provoked the activation of the emergency plan by the Catalan Civil Protection. This implied the preventive and scheduled evacuation of the neighbours (January 2009) located in the area with a higher risk of collapse: around 120 residents of 43 homes. As a consequence, the administration implemented a compensation plan for the evacuation of the whole neighbourhood residents and the demolition of 405 properties. In this work, the adaptation and integration process of Wi-GIM system with those conventional monitoring network are presented for its testing

Integrated Monitoring AWAReness Environment (IM-AWARE), Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — American GNC Corporation (AGNC) and Louisiana Tech University (LaTECH) are proposing a significant breakthrough technology, the Integrated Monitoring AWAReness...

Monitor de Control Integral

OpenAIRE

García Corominas, Estefania

2016-01-01

Control Integral es un programa informático especializado en gestión de ferreterías, bricolaje, suministros industriales y centros de construcción. Este programa está formado por dos ejecutables: el primero de ellos es el de ‘Gestión' y el segundo es el llamado ‘Monitor'. El módulo de gestión se compone de diferentes características para satisfacer las necesidades de los clientes, actualización automática de precios de los artículos, terminal punto de venta (TPV) este permite la creación e im...

Integrated radiobioecological monitoring of Semipalatinsk test site: general approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sejsebaev, A.T.; Shenal', K.; Bakhtin, M.M.; Kadyrova, N.Zh.

2001-01-01

This paper presents major research directions and general methodology for establishment of an integrated radio-bio-ecological monitoring system at the territory of the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. Also, it briefly provides the first results of monitoring the natural plant and animal populations at STS. (author)

GRIM : Leveraging GPUs for Kernel integrity monitoring

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koromilas, Lazaros; Vasiliadis, Giorgos; Athanasopoulos, Ilias; Ioannidis, Sotiris

2016-01-01

Kernel rootkits can exploit an operating system and enable future accessibility and control, despite all recent advances in software protection. A promising defense mechanism against rootkits is Kernel Integrity Monitor (KIM) systems, which inspect the kernel text and data to discover any malicious

An integrated environment monitoring system for underground coal mines--Wireless Sensor Network subsystem with multi-parameter monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yu; Yang, Wei; Han, Dongsheng; Kim, Young-Il

2014-07-21

Environment monitoring is important for the safety of underground coal mine production, and it is also an important application of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). We put forward an integrated environment monitoring system for underground coal mine, which uses the existing Cable Monitoring System (CMS) as the main body and the WSN with multi-parameter monitoring as the supplementary technique. As CMS techniques are mature, this paper mainly focuses on the WSN and the interconnection between the WSN and the CMS. In order to implement the WSN for underground coal mines, two work modes are designed: periodic inspection and interrupt service; the relevant supporting technologies, such as routing mechanism, collision avoidance, data aggregation, interconnection with the CMS, etc., are proposed and analyzed. As WSN nodes are limited in energy supply, calculation and processing power, an integrated network management scheme is designed in four aspects, i.e., topology management, location management, energy management and fault management. Experiments were carried out both in a laboratory and in a real underground coal mine. The test results indicate that the proposed integrated environment monitoring system for underground coal mines is feasible and all designs performed well as expected.

An Integrated Environment Monitoring System for Underground Coal Mines—Wireless Sensor Network Subsystem with Multi-Parameter Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yu; Yang, Wei; Han, Dongsheng; Kim, Young-Il

2014-01-01

Environment monitoring is important for the safety of underground coal mine production, and it is also an important application of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). We put forward an integrated environment monitoring system for underground coal mine, which uses the existing Cable Monitoring System (CMS) as the main body and the WSN with multi-parameter monitoring as the supplementary technique. As CMS techniques are mature, this paper mainly focuses on the WSN and the interconnection between the WSN and the CMS. In order to implement the WSN for underground coal mines, two work modes are designed: periodic inspection and interrupt service; the relevant supporting technologies, such as routing mechanism, collision avoidance, data aggregation, interconnection with the CMS, etc., are proposed and analyzed. As WSN nodes are limited in energy supply, calculation and processing power, an integrated network management scheme is designed in four aspects, i.e., topology management, location management, energy management and fault management. Experiments were carried out both in a laboratory and in a real underground coal mine. The test results indicate that the proposed integrated environment monitoring system for underground coal mines is feasible and all designs performed well as expected. PMID:25051037

An Integrated Environment Monitoring System for Underground Coal Mines—Wireless Sensor Network Subsystem with Multi-Parameter Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Zhang

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Environment monitoring is important for the safety of underground coal mine production, and it is also an important application of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs. We put forward an integrated environment monitoring system for underground coal mine, which uses the existing Cable Monitoring System (CMS as the main body and the WSN with multi-parameter monitoring as the supplementary technique. As CMS techniques are mature, this paper mainly focuses on the WSN and the interconnection between the WSN and the CMS. In order to implement the WSN for underground coal mines, two work modes are designed: periodic inspection and interrupt service; the relevant supporting technologies, such as routing mechanism, collision avoidance, data aggregation, interconnection with the CMS, etc., are proposed and analyzed. As WSN nodes are limited in energy supply, calculation and processing power, an integrated network management scheme is designed in four aspects, i.e., topology management, location management, energy management and fault management. Experiments were carried out both in a laboratory and in a real underground coal mine. The test results indicate that the proposed integrated environment monitoring system for underground coal mines is feasible and all designs performed well as expected.

Integrating Modeling and Monitoring to Provide Long-Term Control of Contaminants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fogwell, Th.

2009-01-01

An introduction is presented of the types of problems that exist for long-term control of radionuclides at DOE sites. A breakdown of the distributions at specific sites is given, together with the associated difficulties. A paradigm for remediation showing the integration of monitoring with modeling is presented. It is based on a feedback system that allows for the monitoring to act as principal sensors in a control system. Currently the establishment of a very prescriptive monitoring program fails to have a mechanism for improving models and improving control of the contaminants. The resulting system can be optimized to improve performance. Optimizing monitoring automatically entails linking the monitoring with modeling. If monitoring designs were required to be more efficient, thus requiring optimization, then the monitoring automatically becomes linked to modeling. Records of decision could be written to accommodate revisions in monitoring as better modeling evolves. The technical pieces of the required paradigm are already available; they just need to be implemented and applied to solve the long-term control of the contaminants. An integration of the various parts of the system is presented. Each part is described, and examples are given. References are given to other projects which bring together similar elements in systems for the control of contaminants. Trends are given for the development of the technical features of a robust system. Examples of monitoring methods for specific sites are given. The examples are used to illustrate how such a system would work. Examples of technology needs are presented. Finally, other examples of integrated modeling-monitoring approaches are presented. (authors)

Optimizing Groundwater Monitoring Networks Using Integrated Statistical and Geostatistical Approaches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jay Krishna Thakur

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work is to investigate new approaches using methods based on statistics and geo-statistics for spatio-temporal optimization of groundwater monitoring networks. The formulated and integrated methods were tested with the groundwater quality data set of Bitterfeld/Wolfen, Germany. Spatially, the monitoring network was optimized using geo-statistical methods. Temporal optimization of the monitoring network was carried out using Sen’s method (1968. For geostatistical network optimization, a geostatistical spatio-temporal algorithm was used to identify redundant wells in 2- and 2.5-D Quaternary and Tertiary aquifers. Influences of interpolation block width, dimension, contaminant association, groundwater flow direction and aquifer homogeneity on statistical and geostatistical methods for monitoring network optimization were analysed. The integrated approach shows 37% and 28% redundancies in the monitoring network in Quaternary aquifer and Tertiary aquifer respectively. The geostatistical method also recommends 41 and 22 new monitoring wells in the Quaternary and Tertiary aquifers respectively. In temporal optimization, an overall optimized sampling interval was recommended in terms of lower quartile (238 days, median quartile (317 days and upper quartile (401 days in the research area of Bitterfeld/Wolfen. Demonstrated methods for improving groundwater monitoring network can be used in real monitoring network optimization with due consideration given to influencing factors.

Integrating multiple distribution models to guide conservation efforts of an endangered toad

Science.gov (United States)

Treglia, Michael L.; Fisher, Robert N.; Fitzgerald, Lee A.

2015-01-01

Species distribution models are used for numerous purposes such as predicting changes in species’ ranges and identifying biodiversity hotspots. Although implications of distribution models for conservation are often implicit, few studies use these tools explicitly to inform conservation efforts. Herein, we illustrate how multiple distribution models developed using distinct sets of environmental variables can be integrated to aid in identification sites for use in conservation. We focus on the endangered arroyo toad (Anaxyrus californicus), which relies on open, sandy streams and surrounding floodplains in southern California, USA, and northern Baja California, Mexico. Declines of the species are largely attributed to habitat degradation associated with vegetation encroachment, invasive predators, and altered hydrologic regimes. We had three main goals: 1) develop a model of potential habitat for arroyo toads, based on long-term environmental variables and all available locality data; 2) develop a model of the species’ current habitat by incorporating recent remotely-sensed variables and only using recent locality data; and 3) integrate results of both models to identify sites that may be employed in conservation efforts. We used a machine learning technique, Random Forests, to develop the models, focused on riparian zones in southern California. We identified 14.37% and 10.50% of our study area as potential and current habitat for the arroyo toad, respectively. Generally, inclusion of remotely-sensed variables reduced modeled suitability of sites, thus many areas modeled as potential habitat were not modeled as current habitat. We propose such sites could be made suitable for arroyo toads through active management, increasing current habitat by up to 67.02%. Our general approach can be employed to guide conservation efforts of virtually any species with sufficient data necessary to develop appropriate distribution models.

Integrated online condition monitoring system for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hashemian, Hashem M.

2010-01-01

Online condition monitoring or online monitoring (OLM) uses data acquired while a nuclear power is operating to continuously assess the health of the plant's sensors, processes, and equipment; to measure the dynamic performance of the plant's process instrumentation; to verify in-situ the calibration of the process instrumentation; to detect blockages, voids, and leaks in the pressure sensing lines; to identify core flow anomalies; to extend the life of neutron detectors and other sensors; and to measure the vibration of reactor internals. Both the steady-state or DC output of plant sensors and their AC signal or noise output can be used to assess sensor health, depending on whether the application is monitoring a rapidly changing (e.g., core barrel motion) or a slowly changing (e.g., sensor calibration) process. The author has designed, developed, installed, and tested OLM systems (comprised of software/hardware-based data acquisition and data processing modules) that integrate low-frequency (1 mHz to 1 Hz) techniques such as RTD cross-calibration, pressure transmitter calibration monitoring, and equipment condition monitoring and high-frequency (1 Hz to 1 kHz) techniques such as the noise analysis technique. The author has demonstrated the noise analysis technique's effectiveness for measuring the dynamic response-time of pressure transmitters and their sensing lines; for performing predictive maintenance on reactor internals; for detecting core flow anomalies; and for extending neutron detector life. Integrated online condition monitoring systems can combine AC and DC data acquisition and signal processing techniques, can use data from existing process sensors during all modes of plant operation, including startup, normal operation, and shutdown; can be retrofitted into existing PWRs, BWRs, and other reactor types and will be integrated into next-generation plants. (orig.)

Integrated online condition monitoring system for nuclear power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hashemian, Hashem M. [Analysis and Measurement Services Corporation, Knoxville, TN (United States). AMS Technology Center

2010-09-15

Online condition monitoring or online monitoring (OLM) uses data acquired while a nuclear power is operating to continuously assess the health of the plant's sensors, processes, and equipment; to measure the dynamic performance of the plant's process instrumentation; to verify in-situ the calibration of the process instrumentation; to detect blockages, voids, and leaks in the pressure sensing lines; to identify core flow anomalies; to extend the life of neutron detectors and other sensors; and to measure the vibration of reactor internals. Both the steady-state or DC output of plant sensors and their AC signal or noise output can be used to assess sensor health, depending on whether the application is monitoring a rapidly changing (e.g., core barrel motion) or a slowly changing (e.g., sensor calibration) process. The author has designed, developed, installed, and tested OLM systems (comprised of software/hardware-based data acquisition and data processing modules) that integrate low-frequency (1 mHz to 1 Hz) techniques such as RTD cross-calibration, pressure transmitter calibration monitoring, and equipment condition monitoring and high-frequency (1 Hz to 1 kHz) techniques such as the noise analysis technique. The author has demonstrated the noise analysis technique's effectiveness for measuring the dynamic response-time of pressure transmitters and their sensing lines; for performing predictive maintenance on reactor internals; for detecting core flow anomalies; and for extending neutron detector life. Integrated online condition monitoring systems can combine AC and DC data acquisition and signal processing techniques, can use data from existing process sensors during all modes of plant operation, including startup, normal operation, and shutdown; can be retrofitted into existing PWRs, BWRs, and other reactor types and will be integrated into next-generation plants. (orig.)

Temporal Dynamics of Sensorimotor Networks in Effort-Based Cost-Benefit Valuation: Early Emergence and Late Net Value Integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Alison; Lim, Seung-Lark

2016-07-06

Although physical effort can impose significant costs on decision-making, when and how effort cost information is incorporated into choice remains contested, reflecting a larger debate over the role of sensorimotor networks in specifying behavior. Serial information processing models, in which motor circuits simply implement the output of cognitive systems, hypothesize that effort cost factors into decisions relatively late, via integration with stimulus values into net (combined) value signals in dorsomedial frontal cortex (dmFC). In contrast, ethology-inspired approaches suggest a more active role for the dorsal sensorimotor stream, with effort cost signals emerging rapidly after stimulus onset. Here we investigated the time course of effort cost integration using event-related potentials in hungry human subjects while they made decisions about expending physical effort for appetitive foods. Consistent with the ethological perspective, we found that effort cost was represented from as early as 100-250 ms after stimulus onset, localized to dorsal sensorimotor regions including middle cingulate, somatosensory, and motor/premotor cortices. However, examining the same data time-locked to motor output revealed net value signals combining stimulus value and effort cost approximately -400 ms before response, originating from sensorimotor areas including dmFC, precuneus, and posterior parietal cortex. Granger causal connectivity analysis of the motor effector signal in the time leading to response showed interactions between these sensorimotor regions and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, a structure associated with adjusting behavior-response mappings. These results suggest that rapid activation of sensorimotor regions interacts with cognitive valuation systems, producing a net value signal reflecting both physical effort and reward contingencies. Although physical effort imposes a cost on choice, when and how effort cost influences neural correlates of decision

Physical integrity: the missing link in biological monitoring and TMDLs.

Science.gov (United States)

Asmus, Brenda; Magner, Joseph A; Vondracek, Bruce; Perry, Jim

2009-12-01

The Clean Water Act mandates that the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of our nation's waters be maintained and restored. Physical integrity has often been defined as physical habitat integrity, and as such, data collected during biological monitoring programs focus primarily on habitat quality. However, we argue that channel stability is a more appropriate measure of physical integrity and that channel stability is a foundational element of physical habitat integrity in low-gradient alluvial streams. We highlight assessment tools that could supplement stream assessments and the Total Maximum Daily Load stressor identification process: field surveys of bankfull cross-sections; longitudinal thalweg profiles; particle size distribution; and regionally calibrated, visual, stream stability assessments. Benefits of measuring channel stability include a more informed selection of reference or best attainable stream condition for an Index of Biotic Integrity, establishment of a baseline for monitoring changes in present and future condition, and indication of channel stability for investigations of chemical and biological impairments associated with sediment discontinuity and loss of habitat quality.

Sterilization Monitoring management of the integration of the operating room with CSSD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shu-yan XIA

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Objective: Explore the Sterilization Monitoring management of the integration of the operating room with CSSD. Methods: Compare sterilization process monitoring with biological monitoring and chemical monitoring. Results: The management in Biological monitoring, chemical monitoring and sterilization process monitoring is crucial. Conclusion: Sterilization monitoring is to ensure the safe use of sterile goods so as to protect the safety of surgical patients.

Integrated High Resolution Monitoring of Mediterranean vegetation

Science.gov (United States)

Cesaraccio, Carla; Piga, Alessandra; Ventura, Andrea; Arca, Angelo; Duce, Pierpaolo; Mereu, Simone

2017-04-01

The study of the vegetation features in a complex and highly vulnerable ecosystems, such as Mediterranean maquis, leads to the need of using continuous monitoring systems at high spatial and temporal resolution, for a better interpretation of the mechanisms of phenological and eco-physiological processes. Near-surface remote sensing techniques are used to quantify, at high temporal resolution, and with a certain degree of spatial integration, the seasonal variations of the surface optical and radiometric properties. In recent decades, the design and implementation of global monitoring networks involved the use of non-destructive and/or cheaper approaches such as (i) continuous surface fluxes measurement stations, (ii) phenological observation networks, and (iii) measurement of temporal and spatial variations of the vegetation spectral properties. In this work preliminary results from the ECO-SCALE (Integrated High Resolution Monitoring of Mediterranean vegetation) project are reported. The project was manly aimed to develop an integrated system for environmental monitoring based on digital photography, hyperspectral radiometry , and micrometeorological techniques during three years of experimentation (2013-2016) in a Mediterranean site of Italy (Capo Caccia, Alghero). The main results concerned the analysis of chromatic coordinates indices from digital images, to characterized the phenological patterns for typical shrubland species, determining start and duration of the growing season, and the physiological status in relation to different environmental drought conditions; then the seasonal patterns of canopy phenology, was compared to NEE (Net Ecosystem Exchange) patterns, showing similarities. However, maximum values of NEE and ER (Ecosystem respiration), and short term variation, seemed mainly tuned by inter annual pattern of meteorological variables, in particular of temperature recorded in the months preceding the vegetation green-up. Finally, green signals

A distributed cloud-based cyberinfrastructure framework for integrated bridge monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Seongwoon; Hou, Rui; Lynch, Jerome P.; Sohn, Hoon; Law, Kincho H.

2017-04-01

This paper describes a cloud-based cyberinfrastructure framework for the management of the diverse data involved in bridge monitoring. Bridge monitoring involves various hardware systems, software tools and laborious activities that include, for examples, a structural health monitoring (SHM), sensor network, engineering analysis programs and visual inspection. Very often, these monitoring systems, tools and activities are not coordinated, and the collected information are not shared. A well-designed integrated data management framework can support the effective use of the data and, thereby, enhance bridge management and maintenance operations. The cloud-based cyberinfrastructure framework presented herein is designed to manage not only sensor measurement data acquired from the SHM system, but also other relevant information, such as bridge engineering model and traffic videos, in an integrated manner. For the scalability and flexibility, cloud computing services and distributed database systems are employed. The information stored can be accessed through standard web interfaces. For demonstration, the cyberinfrastructure system is implemented for the monitoring of the bridges located along the I-275 Corridor in the state of Michigan.

Remote Monitoring Transparency Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sukhoruchkin, V.K.; Shmelev, V.M.; Roumiantsev, A.N.

1996-01-01

The objective of the Remote Monitoring Transparency Program is to evaluate and demonstrate the use of remote monitoring technologies to advance nonproliferation and transparency efforts that are currently being developed by Russia and the United States without compromising the national security to the participating parties. Under a lab-to-lab transparency contract between Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and the Kurchatov Institute (KI RRC), the Kurchatov Institute will analyze technical and procedural aspects of the application of remote monitoring as a transparency measure to monitor inventories of direct- use HEU and plutonium (e.g., material recovered from dismantled nuclear weapons). A goal of this program is to assist a broad range of political and technical experts in learning more about remote monitoring technologies that could be used to implement nonproliferation, arms control, and other security and confidence building measures. Specifically, this program will: (1) begin integrating Russian technologies into remote monitoring systems; (2) develop remote monitoring procedures that will assist in the application of remote monitoring techniques to monitor inventories of HEU and Pu from dismantled nuclear weapons; and (3) conduct a workshop to review remote monitoring fundamentals, demonstrate an integrated US/Russian remote monitoring system, and discuss the impacts that remote monitoring will have on the national security of participating countries

The Integrated Design for Micro - environment Monitoring System of Showcase in Museum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dong Chan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In order to improve the current environment quality of cultural relics in museum and make them preserved for a long time, the paper proposes the integrated design for micro - environment monitoring system of showcase in museum, the system mainly monitors the micro-environment of heritage, such as ultraviolet, light, formaldehyde, CO2, TVOC, PM 2.5, choosing cotex-M3 ARM microcontroller STM32F103ZET6 as the control core. Based on the concept of integration, the system integrates the single air monitoring instruments. The design of circuit mainly includes the process of digital power supply and analog power supply, the acquisition and processing of 5 analog signals from sensors, and the design of reserved interface. In the aspect of interaction, the serial port lcd module was uesd for the display and control, which can get rid of the control of PC and achieve the functions of environmental monitoring, environmental warning, environmental assessment, historical data query. The integrated design for Micro-environment of Showcase in Museum achieves a monitoring platform successfully which is easy for users’ operation and access to display information conveniently. The advantages of the system are strong portability, low cost and short development cycle.

Integrated Status and Effectiveness Monitoring Program - Entiat River Snorkel Surveys and Rotary Screw Trap, 2007.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nelle, R.D.

2008-01-01

The USFWS Mid-Columbia River Fishery Resource Office conducted snorkel surveys at 24 sites during the summer and fall periods of 2006 survey periods as part of the Integrated Status and Effectiveness Monitoring Program in the Entiat River. A total of 37,938 fish from 15 species/genera and an unknown category were enumerated. Chinook salmon were the overall most common fish observed and comprised 15% of fish enumerated followed by rainbow trout (10%) and mountain whitefish (7%). Day surveys were conducted during the summer period 2007 (August), while night surveys were conducted during the fall 2007 (October) surveys. The USFWS Mid-Columbia River Fishery Resource Office (MCFRO) operated two rotary screw traps on the Entiat River as part of the Integrated Status and Effectiveness Monitoring Program (ISEMP) program from August through November of 2007. Along with the smolt traps, juvenile emigrants were also captured at remote locations throughout the Entiat watershed and its major tributary, the Mad River. A total of 999 wild Oncorhynchus mykiss and 5,107 wild run O. tshawytscha were PIT tagged during the study period. Rotary screw trap efficiencies averaged 22.3% for juvenile O. tshawytscha and 9.0% for juvenile O. mykiss. Rotary screw traps operated 7 days a week and remote capture operations were conducted when flow and temperature regimes permitted. This is third annual progress report to Bonneville Power Administration for the snorkel surveys conducted in the Entiat River as related to long-term effectiveness monitoring of restoration programs in this watershed. The objective of this study is to monitor the fish habitat utilization of planned in-stream restoration efforts in the Entiat River by conducting pre- and post-construction snorkel surveys at selected treatment and control sites.

Heat management in integrated circuits on-chip and system-level monitoring and cooling

CERN Document Server

Ogrenci-Memik, Seda

2016-01-01

This essential overview covers the subject of thermal monitoring and management in integrated circuits. Specifically, it focuses on devices and materials that are intimately integrated on-chip (as opposed to in-package or on-board) for the purposes of thermal monitoring and thermal management.

Safeguards equipment of the future integrated monitoring systems and remote monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sonnier, C.S.; Johnson, C.S.

1994-01-01

Becoming aware of the significant events of the past four years and their effect on the expectations to international safeguards, it is necessary to reflect on which direction the development of nuclear safeguards in a new era needs to take and the implications. The lime proven monitoring techniques, based on quantitative factor's and demonstrated universal application, have shown their merit. However, the new expectations suggest a possibility that a future IAEA safeguards system could rely more heavily on the value of a comprehensive, transparent and open implementation regime. Within such a regime, the associated measures need to be determined and technological support identified. This paper will identify the proven techniques which, with appropriate implementation support, could most quickly make available additional measures for a comprehensive, transparent and open implementation regime. In particular, it will examine the future of Integrated Monitoring Systems and Remote Monitoring in international safeguards, including technical and other related factors

Integrated neutron/gamma-ray portal monitors for nuclear safeguards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fehlau, P.E.

1994-01-01

Radiation monitoring is one nuclear-safeguards measure used to protect against the theft of special nuclear materials (SNM) by pedestrians departing from SNM access areas. The integrated neutron/gamma-ray portal monitor is an ideal radiation monitor for the task when the SNM is plutonium. It achieves high sensitivity for detecting both bare and shielded plutonium by combining two types of radiation detector. One type is a neutron-chamber detector, comprising a large, hollow, neutron moderator that contains a single thermal-neutron proportional counter. The entrance wall of each chamber is thin to admit slow neutrons from plutonium contained in a moderating shield, while the other walls are thick to moderate fast neutrons from bare or lead-shielded plutonium so that they can be detected. The other type of detector is a plastic scintillator that is primarily for detecting gamma rays from small amounts of unshielded plutonium. The two types of detector are easily integrated by making scintillators part of the thick back wall of each neutron chamber or by inserting them into each chamber void. The authors compared the influence of the two methods of integration on detecting neutrons and gamma rays, and they examined the effectiveness of other design factors and the methods for signal detection as well

Danish integrated antimicrobial in resistance monitoring and research program

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hammerum, Anette Marie; Heuer, Ole Eske; Emborg, Hanne-Dorthe

2007-01-01

a systematic and continuous monitoring program of antimicrobial drug consumption and antimicrobial agent resistance in animals, food, and humans, the Danish Integrated Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring and Research Program (DANMAP). Monitoring of antimicrobial drug resistance and a range of research......Resistance to antimicrobial agents is an emerging problem worldwide. Awareness of the undesirable consequences of its widespread occurrence has led to the initiation of antimicrobial agent resistance monitoring programs in several countries. In 1995, Denmark was the first country to establish...... activities related to DANMAP have contributed to restrictions or bans of use of several antimicrobial agents in food animals in Denmark and other European Union countries....

Creating an Integrated Community-Wide Effort to Enhance Diversity in the Geosciences

Science.gov (United States)

Manduca, C. A.; Weingroff, M.

2001-05-01

Supporting the development and sustenance of a diverse geoscience workforce and improving Earth system education for the full diversity of students are important goals for our community. There are numerous established programs and many new efforts beginning. However, these efforts can become more powerful if dissemination of opportunities, effective practices, and web-based resources enable synergies to develop throughout our community. The Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE; www.dlese.org) has developed a working group and a website to support these goals. The DLESE Diversity Working Group provides an open, virtual community for those interested in enhancing diversity in the geosciences. The working group has focused its initial effort on 1) creating a geoscience community engaged in supporting increased diversity that builds on and is integrated with work taking place in other venues; 2) developing a web resource designed to engage and support members of underrepresented groups in learning about the Earth; and 3) assisting in enhancing DLESE collections and services to better support learning experiences of students from underrepresented groups. You are invited to join the working group and participate in these efforts. The DLESE diversity website provides a mechanism for sharing information and resources. Serving as a community database, the website provides a structure in which community members can post announcements of opportunities, information on programs, and links to resources and services. Information currently available on the site includes links to professional society activities; mentoring opportunities; grant, fellowship, employment, and internship opportunities for students and educators; information on teaching students from underrepresented groups; and professional development opportunities of high interest to members of underrepresented groups. These tools provide a starting point for developing a community wide effort to enhance

An Integrated Environment Monitoring System for Underground Coal Mines—Wireless Sensor Network Subsystem with Multi-Parameter Monitoring

OpenAIRE

Zhang, Yu; Yang, Wei; Han, Dongsheng; Kim, Young-Il

2014-01-01

Environment monitoring is important for the safety of underground coal mine production, and it is also an important application of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). We put forward an integrated environment monitoring system for underground coal mine, which uses the existing Cable Monitoring System (CMS) as the main body and the WSN with multi-parameter monitoring as the supplementary technique. As CMS techniques are mature, this paper mainly focuses on the WSN and the interconnection between t...

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary: Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network (SIMoN)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network (SIMoN) is an integrated, long-term program that takes an ecosystem approach to identify and understand changes to the...

Integrating working level monitor EML Type TF-11

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Latner, N.; Watnick, S.; Graveson, R.T.

1981-01-01

A time-integrating working level radiation monitor is described. The purpose of the instrument is the evaluation of the alpha emission from radon and its daughter products. It has been designed to be virtually silent in operation, making it suitable for residential studies

Guidelines for integrated catchments monitoring: ICM mind map development and demonstration

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Jovanovic, Nebojsa

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Advances have been made in recent years in developing networks and databases for monitoring water systems in South Africa. However, these monitoring systems need to be consolidated and integrated amongst various components of catchment systems...

Perceptions of seniors with heart failure regarding autonomous zero-effort monitoring of physiological parameters in the smart-home environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Grace, Sherry L; Taherzadeh, Golnoush; Jae Chang, Isaac Sung; Boger, Jennifer; Arcelus, Amaya; Mak, Susanna; Chessex, Caroline; Mihailidis, Alex

Technological advances are leading to the ability to autonomously monitor patient's health status in their own homes, to enable aging-in-place. To understand the perceptions of seniors with heart failure (HF) regarding smart-home systems to monitor their physiological parameters. In this qualitative study, HF outpatients were invited to a smart-home lab, where they completed a sequence of activities, during which the capacity of 5 autonomous sensing modalities was compared to gold standard measures. Afterwards, a semi-structured interview was undertaken. These were transcribed and analyzed using an interpretive-descriptive approach. Five themes emerged from the 26 interviews: (1) perceptions of technology, (2) perceived benefits of autonomous health monitoring, (3) disadvantages of autonomous monitoring, (4) lack of perceived need for continuous health monitoring, and (5) preferences for autonomous monitoring. Patient perception towards autonomous monitoring devices was positive, lending credence to zero-effort technology as a viable and promising approach. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Participation in multilateral effort to develop high performance integrated CPC evacuated collectors

Science.gov (United States)

Winston, R.; Ogallagher, J. J.

1992-05-01

The University of Chicago Solar Energy Group has had a continuing program and commitment to develop an advanced evacuated solar collector integrating nonimaging concentration into its design. During the period from 1985-1987, some of our efforts were directed toward designing and prototyping a manufacturable version of an Integrated Compound Parabolic Concentrator (ICPC) evacuated collector tube as part of an international cooperative effort involving six organizations in four different countries. This 'multilateral' project made considerable progress towards a commercially practical collector. One of two basic designs considered employed a heat pipe and an internal metal reflector CPC. We fabricated and tested two large diameter (125 mm) borosilicate glass collector tubes to explore this concept. The other design also used a large diameter (125 mm) glass tube but with a specially configured internal shaped mirror CPC coupled to a U-tube absorber. Performance projections in a variety of systems applications using the computer design tools developed by the International Energy Agency (IEA) task on evacuated collectors were used to optimize the optical and thermal design. The long-term goal of this work continues to be the development of a high efficiency, low cost solar collector to supply solar thermal energy at temperatures up to 250 C. Some experience and perspectives based on our work are presented and reviewed. Despite substantial progress, the stability of research support and the market for commercial solar thermal collectors were such that the project could not be continued. A cooperative path involving university, government, and industrial collaboration remains the most attractive near term option for developing a commercial ICPC.

Environmental monitoring network for India

Science.gov (United States)

P.V. Sundareshwar; R. Murtugudde; G. Srinivasan; S. Singh; K.J. Ramesh; R. Ramesh; S.B. Verma; D. Agarwal; D. Baldocchi; C.K. Baru; K.K. Baruah; G.R. Chowdhury; V.K. Dadhwal; C.B.S. Dutt; J. Fuentes; Prabhat Gupta; W.W. Hardgrove; M. Howard; C.S. Jha; S. Lal; W.K. Michener; A.P. Mitra; J.T. Morris; R.R. Myneni; M. Naja; R. Nemani; R. Purvaja; S. Raha; S.K. Santhana Vanan; M. Sharma; A. Subramaniam; R. Sukumar; R.R. Twilley; P.R. Zimmerman

2007-01-01

Understanding the consequences of global environmental change and its mitigation will require an integrated global effort of comprehensive long-term data collection, synthesis, and action (1). The last decade has seen a dramatic global increase in the number of networked monitoring sites. For example, FLUXNET is a global collection of >300 micrometeorological...

Arduino and Nagios integration for monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernández, V; Pazos, A; Saborido, J; Seco, M

2014-01-01

The data centre at the Galician Institute of High Energy Physics (IGFAE) of the Santiago de Compostela University (USC) is a computing cluster with about 150 nodes and 1250 cores that hosts the LHCb Tiers 2 and 3. In this small data centre, and of course in similar or bigger ones, it is very important to keep optimal conditions of temperature, humidity and pressure. Therefore, it is a necessity to monitor the environment and be able to trigger alarms when operating outside the recommended settings. There are currently many tools and systems developed for data centre monitoring, but until recent years all of them were of commercial nature and expensive. In recent years there has been an increasing interest in the use of technologies based on Arduino due to its open hardware licensing and the low cost of this type of components. In this article we describe the system developed to monitor IGFAE's data centre, which integrates an Arduino controlled sensor network with the Nagios monitoring software. Sensors of several types, temperature, humidity and pressure, are connected to the Arduino board. The Nagios software is in charge of monitoring the various sensors and, with the help of Nagiosgraph, to keep track of the historic data and to produce the plots. An Arduino program, developed in house, provides the Nagios plugin with the readout of one or several sensors depending on the plugin's request. The Nagios plugin for reading the temperature sensors also broadcasts an SNMP trap when the temperature gets out of the allowed operating range.

Arduino and Nagios integration for monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernández, V; Pazos, A; Saborido, J; Seco, M [Instituto Galego de Fisica de Altas Enerxías (IGFAE), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela (Spain)

2014-06-11

The data centre at the Galician Institute of High Energy Physics (IGFAE) of the Santiago de Compostela University (USC) is a computing cluster with about 150 nodes and 1250 cores that hosts the LHCb Tiers 2 and 3. In this small data centre, and of course in similar or bigger ones, it is very important to keep optimal conditions of temperature, humidity and pressure. Therefore, it is a necessity to monitor the environment and be able to trigger alarms when operating outside the recommended settings. There are currently many tools and systems developed for data centre monitoring, but until recent years all of them were of commercial nature and expensive. In recent years there has been an increasing interest in the use of technologies based on Arduino due to its open hardware licensing and the low cost of this type of components. In this article we describe the system developed to monitor IGFAE's data centre, which integrates an Arduino controlled sensor network with the Nagios monitoring software. Sensors of several types, temperature, humidity and pressure, are connected to the Arduino board. The Nagios software is in charge of monitoring the various sensors and, with the help of Nagiosgraph, to keep track of the historic data and to produce the plots. An Arduino program, developed in house, provides the Nagios plugin with the readout of one or several sensors depending on the plugin's request. The Nagios plugin for reading the temperature sensors also broadcasts an SNMP trap when the temperature gets out of the allowed operating range.

Evaluation and prioritization of stream habitat monitoring in the Lower Columbia Salmon and Steelhead Recovery Domain as related to the habitat monitoring needs of ESA recovery plans

Science.gov (United States)

Puls, Amy L.; Anlauf Dunn, Kara; Graham Hudson, Bernadette

2014-01-01

The lower Columbia River and its tributaries once supported abundant runs of salmon and steelhead; however, there are five species currently listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). The National Marine Fisheries Service has completed, and is proposing for adoption, a comprehensive ESA Recovery Plan for the Lower Columbia Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) based on the recovery plans developed by Oregon and Washington. One of the primary factors attributed to the decline of these species is habitat degradation. There are numerous entities conducting status and/or trends monitoring of instream habitat in the lower Columbia River Basin, but because the programs were developed for agency specific reasons, the existing monitoring efforts are not well coordinated, and often lack the spatial coverage, certainty, or species coverage necessary to answer questions related to status and trends of the ESA listed populations. The Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership’s Integrated Status and Trends Monitoring (ISTM) project was initiated to improve integration of existing and new monitoring efforts by developing recommendations for sampling frames, protocols, and data sharing. In an effort to meet the ISTM project goals, five objectives were identified: (1) identify and prioritize decisions, questions, and monitoring objectives, (2) evaluate how existing programs align with these management decisions, questions, and objectives, (3) identify the most appropriate monitoring design to inform priority management decisions, questions, and objectives, (4) use trade-off analysis to develop specific recommendations for monitoring based on outcomes of Objectives 1-3 and (5) recommend implementation and reporting mechanisms. This report summarizes the effort to address Objectives 1 and 2, detailing the commonalities among the habitat characteristics that all entities measure and monitor, and how the metrics align with the priorities listed in the

Characterization, Monitoring, and Sensor Technology Integrated Program (CMST-IP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-04-01

The Characterization, Monitoring, and Sensor Technology Integrated Program seeks to deliver needed technologies, timely and cost-effectively, to the Office of Waste Management (EM-30), the Office of Environmental Restoration (EM-40), and the Office of Facility Transition and Management (EM-60). The scope of characterizations monitoring, and sensor technology needs that are required by those organizations encompass: (1) initial location and characterization of wastes and waste environments - prior to treatment; (2) monitoring of waste retrieval, remediation and treatment processes; (3) characterization of the co-position of final waste treatment forms to evaluate the performance of waste treatments processes; and (4) site closure and compliance monitoring. Wherever possible, the CMST-IP fosters technology transfer and commercialization of technologies that it sponsors

Integrated monitoring of wind plant systems

Science.gov (United States)

Whelan, Matthew J.; Janoyan, Kerop D.; Qiu, Tong

2008-03-01

Wind power is a renewable source of energy that is quickly gaining acceptance by many. Advanced sensor technologies have currently focused solely on improving wind turbine rotor aerodynamics and increasing of the efficiency of the blade design and concentration. Alternatively, potential improvements in wind plant efficiency may be realized through reduction of reactionary losses of kinetic energy to the structural and substructural systems supporting the turbine mechanics. Investigation of the complete dynamic structural response of the wind plant is proposed using a large-scale, high-rate wireless sensor network. The wireless network enables sensors to be placed across the sizable structure, including the rotating blades, without consideration of cabling issues and the economic burden associated with large spools of measurement cables. A large array of multi-axis accelerometers is utilized to evaluate the modal properties of the system as well as individual members and would enable long-term structural condition monitoring of the wind turbine as well. Additionally, environmental parameters, including wind speed, temperature, and humidity, are wirelessly collected for correlation. Such a wireless system could be integrated with electrical monitoring sensors and actuators and incorporated into a remote multi-turbine centralized plant monitoring and control system.

Toward an integrated system concept for monitoring and evaluation of safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makino, Maomi; Sakaue, Takeharu

2004-01-01

The concept of ''nuclear safety culture'' has been advocated and has been much discussed internationally by INSAG (The International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group) under IAEA (the International Atomic Energy Agency) and other institutions since Chernobyl accident. On the safety front, Japan had maintained an excellent track record in nuclear power operations throughout the 1990s. However, there have been a series of new type of problems strongly implying degradation of safety culture, e.g., Monju accident, fire and explosion accident at an Asphalt Solidification Process Facility at Tokai, falsification of annealing data at nuclear power plants (NPP), another data falsification for transport cask of spent fuel and JCO criticality accident. Then the TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company) issue was revealed in 2002. Triggered by this issue, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) has been implementing a variety of improvements, one of which was the establishment of a study group in 2003, which invited experts from other fields as well as from nuclear-related industries, to study on how to implement safety culture sufficiently and possible recommendations. Subjects such as the followings piled in the study report will indicate leading keys in case it is going to realize such efforts: ''Foundation of safety culture is a quality management'' and ''Realistic and scientific technique is necessary for the evaluation of safety culture''. In order to respond to these requests, JNES have been advancing the development toward an Integrated System Concept for Monitoring and Evaluation of Safety Culture. This paper describes the outline of the study results reported by the study group and then introduces one of subsystems, SCEST, structuring the integrated system concept for Monitoring and Evaluation of Safety Culture. (author)

Long X-ray burst monitoring with INTEGRAL

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

X-ray bursts are thermonuclear explosions on the surface of accreting neutron stars in low mass X-ray binary systems. In the frame of the INTEGRAL observational Key Programme over the Galactic Center a good number of the known X-ray bursters are frequently being monitored. An international...... collaboration lead by the JEM-X team at the Danish National Space Center has proposed to exploit the improved sensitivity of the INTEGRAL instruments to investigate the observational properties and physics up to high energies of exceptional burst events lasting between a few tens of minutes and several hours....... Of special interest are low luminosity bursting sources that exhibit X-ray bursts of very different durations allowing to study the transition from a hydrogen-rich bursting regime to a pure helium regime and from helium burning to carbon burning. I will present results obtained from INTEGRAL archive data...

Real-time long term measurement using integrated framework for ubiquitous smart monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Heo, Gwanghee; Lee, Giu; Lee, Woosang; Jeon, Joonryong; Kim, Pil-Joong

2007-04-01

Ubiquitous monitoring combining internet technologies and wireless communication is one of the most promising technologies of infrastructure health monitoring against the natural of man-made hazards. In this paper, an integrated framework of the ubiquitous monitoring is developed for real-time long term measurement in internet environment. This framework develops a wireless sensor system based on Bluetooth technology and sends measured acceleration data to the host computer through TCP/IP protocol. And it is also designed to respond to the request of web user on real time basis. In order to verify this system, real time monitoring tests are carried out on a prototype self-anchored suspension bridge. Also, wireless measurement system is analyzed to estimate its sensing capacity and evaluate its performance for monitoring purpose. Based on the evaluation, this paper proposes the effective strategies for integrated framework in order to detect structural deficiencies and to design an early warning system.

Remote monitoring in international safeguards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dupree, S.A.; Sonnier, C.S.; Johnson, C.S.

1996-01-01

In recent years, technology that permits the integration of monitoring sensors and instruments into a coherent network has become available. Such integrated monitoring systems provide a means for the automatic collection and assessment of sensor signals and instrument readings and for processing such signals and readings in near real time. To gain experience with the new monitoring system technology, the US Department of energy, through bilateral agreements with its international partners, has initiated a project to emplace demonstration systems in various nuclear facilities and conduct field trials of the technology. This effort is the International Remote Monitoring Project. Under this project, remote monitoring systems are being deployed around the world in an incremental manner. Each deployment is different and each offers lessons for improving the performance and flexibility of the technology. Few problems were encountered with the operation of the installations to date, and much has been learned about the operation and use of the new technology. In the future, the authors believe systems for safeguards applications should be capable of being monitored remotely, emphasize the use of sensors, and utilize selective triggering for recording of images. Remote monitoring across national borders can occur only in the context of a cooperative, nonadversarial implementation regime. However, significant technical and policy work remains to be done before widespread safeguards implementation of remote monitoring should be considered. This paper shows that an abundance of technology supports the implementation of integrated and remote monitoring systems. Current field trials of remote monitoring systems are providing practical data and operational experience to aid in the design of tomorrow's systems

Integrating IPix immersive video surveillance with unattended and remote monitoring (UNARM) systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michel, K.D.; Klosterbuer, S.F.; Langner, D.C.

2004-01-01

Commercially available IPix cameras and software are being researched as a means by which an inspector can be virtually immersed into a nuclear facility. A single IPix camera can provide 360 by 180 degree views with full pan-tilt-zoom capability, and with no moving parts on the camera mount. Immersive video technology can be merged into the current Unattended and Remote Monitoring (UNARM) system, thereby providing an integrated system of monitoring capabilities that tie together radiation, video, isotopic analysis, Global Positioning System (GPS), etc. The integration of the immersive video capability with other monitoring methods already in place provides a significantly enhanced situational awareness to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors.

Monitoring sterile and wild insects in area-wide integrated pest management programmes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vreysen, M.J.B.

2005-01-01

Insect pest control programmes, which integrate the release of sterile insects, can be efficient only if the released insects have an optimal biological quality. Frequent monitoring of the quality of reared insects after being released in the field is an important but often neglected component of area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programmes that integrate the sterile insect technique (SIT). Parameters of sterile insects, which should be monitored regularly, are sexual competitiveness of the released insects, and related components, e.g. survival, mobility, dispersal characteristics, and spatial occupation of the habitat. A well-balanced monitoring programme will, at any given time, provide essential feedback on the progress being made. This information is prerequisite to efficient implementation of the release and cost-efficient use of sterile insects. The type of monitoring to be done will be determined largely by the particular biology of the target insect species. The most important parameter in relation to the release of sterile insects is the rate of sterility induced in the wild insect pest population; it will provide the best evidence that any observed changes, e.g. in the density of the target insect, are caused by the release of sterile insects. (author)

The background simulations for the integral X-ray monitor JEM-X

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Feroci, M.; Rapisarda, M.; Costa, E.

1999-01-01

The JEM-X experiment (Joint European X-ray Monitor, Lund et al. (1998) and Westergaard and Lund (1998)) is the X-ray monitor of the INTEGRAL satellite. It is a coded aperture, high pressure microstrip proportional counter. It will operate in the primary energy range from 3 to 35 keV (with...

Community Radiation Monitoring Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooper, E.N.

1993-05-01

The Community Radiation Monitoring Program (CRMP) is a cooperative effort between the US Department of Energy (DOE); the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); the Desert Research Institute (DRI), a division of the University and Community College System of Nevada and the Nuclear Engineering Laboratory of the University of Utah (UNEL). The twelfth year of the program began in the fall of 1991, and the work continues as an integral part of the DOE-sponsored long-term offsite radiological monitoring effort that has been conducted by EPA and its predecessors since the inception of nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The program began as an outgrowth of activities that occurred during the Three Mile Island incident in 1979. The local interest and public participation that took place there were thought to be transferrable to the situation at the NTS, so, with adaptations, that methodology was implemented for this program. The CRMP began by enhancing and centralizing environmental monitoring and sampling equipment at 15 communities in the existing EPA monitoring network, and has since expanded to 19 locations in Nevada, Utah and California. The primary objectives of this program are still to increase the understanding by the people who live in the area surrounding the NTS of the activities for which DOE is responsible, to enhance the performance of radiological sampling and monitoring, and to inform all concerned of the results of these efforts. One of the primary methods used to improve the communication link with people in the potentially impacted area has been the hiring and training of local citizens as station managers and program representatives in those selected communities in the offsite area. These managers, active science teachers wherever possible, have succeeded, through their training, experience, community standing, and effort, in becoming a very visible, able and valuable asset in this link

Remote and terrestrial ground monitoring techniques integration for hazard assessment in mountain areas

Science.gov (United States)

Chinellato, Giulia; Kenner, Robert; Iasio, Christian; Mair, Volkmar; Mosna, David; Mulas, Marco; Phillips, Marcia; Strada, Claudia; Zischg, Andreas

2014-05-01

In high mountain regions the choice of appropriate sites for infrastructure such as roads, railways, cable cars or hydropower dams is often very limited. In parallel, the increasing demand for supply infrastructure in the Alps induces a continuous transformation of the territory. The new role played by the precautionary monitoring in the risk governance becomes fundamental and may overcome the modeling of future events, which represented so far the predominant approach to these sort of issues. Furthermore the consequence of considering methodologies alternative to those more exclusive allow to reduce costs and increasing the frequency of measurements, updating continuously the cognitive framework of existing hazard condition in most susceptible territories. The scale factor of the observed area and the multiple purpose of such regional ordinary surveys make it convenient to adopt Radar Satellite-based systems, but they need to be integrated with terrestrial systems for validation and eventual early warning purposes. Significant progress over the past decade in Remote Sensing (RS), Proximal Sensing and integration-based sensor networks systems now provide technologies, that allow to implement monitoring systems for ordinary surveys of extensive areas or regions, which are affected by active natural processes and slope instability. The Interreg project SloMove aims to provide solutions for such challenges and focuses on using remote sensing monitoring techniques for the monitoring of mass movements in two test sites, in South Tyrol (Italy) and in Grisons Canton (Switzerland). The topics faced in this project concern mass movements and slope deformation monitoring techniques, focusing mainly on the integration of multi-temporal interferometry, new generation of terrestrial technologies for differential digital terrain model elaboration provided by laser scanner (TLS), and GNSS-based topographic surveys, which are used not only for validation purpose, but also for

Distributed optical fiber sensors for integrated monitoring of railway infrastructures

Science.gov (United States)

Minardo, Aldo; Coscetta, Agnese; Porcaro, Giuseppe; Giannetta, Daniele; Bernini, Romeo; Zeni, Luigi

2014-05-01

We propose the application of a distributed optical fiber sensor based on stimulated Brillouin scattering, as an integrated system for safety monitoring of railway infrastructures. The strain distribution was measured dynamically along a 60 meters length of rail track, as well as along a 3-m stone arch bridge. The results indicate that distributed sensing technology is able to provide useful information in railway traffic and safety monitoring.

DATA PROCESSING CONCEPTS FOR THE INTEGRATION OF SAR INTO OPERATIONAL VOLCANO MONITORING SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. J. Meyer

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Remote Sensing plays a critical role in operational volcano monitoring due to the often remote locations of volcanic systems and the large spatial extent of potential eruption pre-cursor signals. Despite the all-weather capabilities of radar remote sensing and despite its high performance in monitoring change, the contribution of radar data to operational monitoring activities has been limited in the past. This is largely due to (1 the high data costs associated with radar data, (2 the slow data processing and delivery procedures, and (3 the limited temporal sampling provided by spaceborne radars. With this paper, we present new data processing and data integration techniques that mitigate some of the above mentioned limitations and allow for a meaningful integration of radar remote sensing data into operational volcano monitoring systems. The data integration concept presented here combines advanced data processing techniques with fast data access procedures in order to provide high quality radar-based volcano hazard information at improved temporal sampling rates. First performance analyses show that the integration of SAR can significantly improve the ability of operational systems to detect eruptive precursors. Therefore, the developed technology is expected to improve operational hazard detection, alerting, and management capabilities.

How much effort is enough? The power of citizen science to monitor trends in coastal cetacean species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C.B. Embling

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Citizen scientists provide a cost-effective means of carrying out broad scale, long-term monitoring of the environment while fostering earth stewardship. In this study we investigate how much effort is required by citizen scientists to detect trends in the occurrence of a protected population of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus. We analyse the WDC citizen science shore-based data collected over nine years (2005–2013 between April to October from within and in the vicinity of a Special Area of Conservation (SAC for bottlenose dolphins in the Moray Firth, Scotland. Watches comprised a continuous 10 minute scan of the survey area in an hour. During peak season, around 5 watches per day were required to detect annual or between-site trends of 50% in dolphin occurrence in locations where dolphins were sighted reliably (0.1 sightings per hour. Less effort was required at higher sightings rates, and it was not possible to statistically detect trends of <30%. This study highlights the importance of power analysis in designing citizen science programmes and demonstrates their effectiveness in carrying out long term shore-based monitoring of coastal cetacean species, providing a cost-effective early warning system for changes in the marine environment.

Demonstration of innovative monitoring technologies at the Savannah River Integrated Demonstration Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rossabi, J. [Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States); Jenkins, R.A.; Wise, M.B. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)] [and others

1993-12-31

The Department of Energy`s Office of Technology Development initiated an Integrated Demonstration Program at the Savannah River Site in 1989. The objective of this program is to develop, demonstrate, and evaluate innovative technologies that can improve present-day environmental restoration methods. The Integrated Demonstration Program at SRS is entitled ``Cleanup of Organics in Soils and Groundwater at Non-Arid Sites.`` New technologies in the areas of drilling, characterization, monitoring, and remediation are being demonstrated and evaluated for their technical performance and cost effectiveness in comparison with baseline technologies. Present site characterization and monitoring methods are costly, time-consuming, overly invasive, and often imprecise. Better technologies are required to accurately describe the subsurface geophysical and geochemical features of a site and the nature and extent of contamination. More efficient, nonintrusive characterization and monitoring techniques are necessary for understanding and predicting subsurface transport. More reliable procedures are also needed for interpreting monitoring and characterization data. Site characterization and monitoring are key elements in preventing, identifying, and restoring contaminated sites. The remediation of a site cannot be determined without characterization data, and monitoring may be required for 30 years after site closure.

Demonstration of innovative monitoring technologies at the Savannah River Integrated Demonstration Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossabi, J.; Jenkins, R.A.; Wise, M.B.

1993-01-01

The Department of Energy's Office of Technology Development initiated an Integrated Demonstration Program at the Savannah River Site in 1989. The objective of this program is to develop, demonstrate, and evaluate innovative technologies that can improve present-day environmental restoration methods. The Integrated Demonstration Program at SRS is entitled ''Cleanup of Organics in Soils and Groundwater at Non-Arid Sites.'' New technologies in the areas of drilling, characterization, monitoring, and remediation are being demonstrated and evaluated for their technical performance and cost effectiveness in comparison with baseline technologies. Present site characterization and monitoring methods are costly, time-consuming, overly invasive, and often imprecise. Better technologies are required to accurately describe the subsurface geophysical and geochemical features of a site and the nature and extent of contamination. More efficient, nonintrusive characterization and monitoring techniques are necessary for understanding and predicting subsurface transport. More reliable procedures are also needed for interpreting monitoring and characterization data. Site characterization and monitoring are key elements in preventing, identifying, and restoring contaminated sites. The remediation of a site cannot be determined without characterization data, and monitoring may be required for 30 years after site closure

The use of biomarkers as integrative tools for transitional water bodies monitoring in the Water Framework Directive context - A holistic approach in Minho river transitional waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Capela, R; Raimundo, J; Santos, M M; Caetano, M; Micaelo, C; Vale, C; Guimarães, L; Reis-Henriques, M A

2016-01-01

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) provides an important legislative opportunity to promote and implement an integrated approach for the protection of inland surface waters, transitional waters, coastal waters and groundwaters. The transitional waters constitute a central piece as they are usually under high environmental pressure and by their inherent characteristics present monitoring challenges. Integrating water quality monitoring with biological monitoring can increase the cost-effectiveness of monitoring efforts. One way of doing this is with biomarkers, which effectively integrate physical-chemical status and biological quality elements, dealing holistically with adverse consequences on the health of water bodies. The new Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) already incorporates the biomarker approach. Given the recent activities of OSPAR and HELCOM to harmonize existing monitoring guidelines between MSFD and WFD the use of similar methodologies should be fostered. To illustrate the potential of the biomarker approach, juveniles of flounder (Platichthys flesus) were used to evaluate the quality of the Minho river-estuary water bodies. The use of juveniles instead of adults eliminates several confounding factors such changes on the biological responses associated with reproduction. Here, a panel of well-established biomarkers, EROD, AChE, SOD, CAT, GST, LPO, ENA and FACs (1-Hydroxyrene) were selected and measured along with a gradient of different physical conditions, and integrated with trace elements characterization on both biota and sediments. In general, a clear profile along the water bodies was found, with low seasonal and spatial variation, consistent with a low impacted area. Overall, the results support the use of both the battery of biomarkers and the use of juvenile flounders in the monitoring of the water quality status within the WFD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An integrated model of statistical process control and maintenance based on the delayed monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin, Hui; Zhang, Guojun; Zhu, Haiping; Deng, Yuhao; He, Fei

2015-01-01

This paper develops an integrated model of statistical process control and maintenance decision. The proposal of delayed monitoring policy postpones the sampling process till a scheduled time and contributes to ten-scenarios of the production process, where equipment failure may occur besides quality shift. The equipment failure and the control chart alert trigger the corrective maintenance and the predictive maintenance, respectively. The occurrence probability, the cycle time and the cycle cost of each scenario are obtained by integral calculation; therefore, a mathematical model is established to minimize the expected cost by using the genetic algorithm. A Monte Carlo simulation experiment is conducted and compared with the integral calculation in order to ensure the analysis of the ten-scenario model. Another ordinary integrated model without delayed monitoring is also established as comparison. The results of a numerical example indicate satisfactory economic performance of the proposed model. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is performed to investigate the effect of model parameters. - Highlights: • We develop an integrated model of statistical process control and maintenance. • We propose delayed monitoring policy and derive an economic model with 10 scenarios. • We consider two deterioration mechanisms, quality shift and equipment failure. • The delayed monitoring policy will help reduce the expected cost

Sinabro: A Smartphone-Integrated Opportunistic Electrocardiogram Monitoring System.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Sungjun; Lee, Dongseok; Kim, Jeehoon; Lee, Youngki; Kang, Seungwoo; Seo, Sangwon; Park, Kwangsuk

2016-03-11

In our preliminary study, we proposed a smartphone-integrated, unobtrusive electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring system, Sinabro, which monitors a user's ECG opportunistically during daily smartphone use without explicit user intervention. The proposed system also monitors ECG-derived features, such as heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV), to support the pervasive healthcare apps for smartphones based on the user's high-level contexts, such as stress and affective state levels. In this study, we have extended the Sinabro system by: (1) upgrading the sensor device; (2) improving the feature extraction process; and (3) evaluating extensions of the system. We evaluated these extensions with a good set of algorithm parameters that were suggested based on empirical analyses. The results showed that the system could capture ECG reliably and extract highly accurate ECG-derived features with a reasonable rate of data drop during the user's daily smartphone use.

Sinabro: A Smartphone-Integrated Opportunistic Electrocardiogram Monitoring System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sungjun Kwon

2016-03-01

Full Text Available In our preliminary study, we proposed a smartphone-integrated, unobtrusive electrocardiogram (ECG monitoring system, Sinabro, which monitors a user’s ECG opportunistically during daily smartphone use without explicit user intervention. The proposed system also monitors ECG-derived features, such as heart rate (HR and heart rate variability (HRV, to support the pervasive healthcare apps for smartphones based on the user’s high-level contexts, such as stress and affective state levels. In this study, we have extended the Sinabro system by: (1 upgrading the sensor device; (2 improving the feature extraction process; and (3 evaluating extensions of the system. We evaluated these extensions with a good set of algorithm parameters that were suggested based on empirical analyses. The results showed that the system could capture ECG reliably and extract highly accurate ECG-derived features with a reasonable rate of data drop during the user’s daily smartphone use.

Preliminary background prediction for the INTEGRAL x-ray monitor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Feroci, M.; Costa, E.; Budtz-Joergensen, C.

1996-01-01

The JEM-X (joint European x-ray monitor) experiment will be flown onboard the ESA's INTEGRAL satellite. The instrumental background level of the two JEM-X twin detectors will depend on several parameters, among which the satellite orbit and mass distribution, and the detectors materials play...

Integrated systems of monitoring and environmental data processing for nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diaconu, C.; Guta, V.; Oprea, I.; Oprea, M.; Stoica, M.; Pirvu, V.; Vasilache, E.; Pirvu, I.

2001-01-01

The processing of huge amount of data necessary to assess the real radiological situation both in normal operational conditions and during accidents requires an efficient system of monitoring and data processing. It must be able to secure information for the complex systems of radioactivity control aiming at evaluating the nuclear accident consequences and establishing a basis for correct decision making in the field of civil protection. The integrated environmental monitoring systems are based on a number of fixed and mobile installations, a meteorological parameter measurement station, a center for data processing and a communication network, working all under the control of a real-time operation system. They collect, and process the radioactivity level and meteorological data and transmit them through the communication network. The local monitoring stations are made of detector ensembles with pressurized ionization chambers and autonomous units providing continuously information on dose and integrated rates, average values as well as the current state of the station. The meteorological data acquisition station supplies information concerning wind direction and speed, the temperature and precipitation level. The information processing center is based on a PC integrated in a local network which collects data from the radiation monitoring equipment, meteorological station as well as other work stations which process various dosimetric parameters. It is connected to Internet, so ensuring fast transfer of information towards interested authorities. The communication network consists in a local or extended Ethernet network, radio or serial connections for radioactivity level monitoring units which can be stationary, portable or mobile. Requirements raised by the application of geographic information system (GIS) and the real time operation system (QNX) ensuring multiuser and multitask operations are discussed

Whatever the cost? Information integration in memory-based inferences depends on cognitive effort.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilbig, Benjamin E; Michalkiewicz, Martha; Castela, Marta; Pohl, Rüdiger F; Erdfelder, Edgar

2015-05-01

One of the most prominent models of probabilistic inferences from memory is the simple recognition heuristic (RH). The RH theory assumes that judgments are based on recognition in isolation, such that other information is ignored. However, some prior research has shown that available knowledge is not generally ignored. In line with the notion of adaptive strategy selection--and, thus, a trade-off between accuracy and effort--we hypothesized that information integration crucially depends on how easily accessible information beyond recognition is, how much confidence decision makers have in this information, and how (cognitively) costly it is to acquire it. In three experiments, we thus manipulated (a) the availability of information beyond recognition, (b) the subjective usefulness of this information, and (c) the cognitive costs associated with acquiring this information. In line with the predictions, we found that RH use decreased substantially, the more easily and confidently information beyond recognition could be integrated, and increased substantially with increasing cognitive costs.

Integrated Atmosphere Resource Recovery and Environmental Monitoring Technology Demonstration for Deep Space Exploration

Science.gov (United States)

Perry, Jay L.; Abney, Morgan B.; Knox, James C.; Parrish, Keith J.; Roman, Monserrate C.; Jan, Darrell L.

2012-01-01

Exploring the frontiers of deep space continues to be defined by the technological challenges presented by safely transporting a crew to and from destinations of scientific interest. Living and working on that frontier requires highly reliable and efficient life support systems that employ robust, proven process technologies. The International Space Station (ISS), including its environmental control and life support (ECLS) system, is the platform from which humanity's deep space exploration missions begin. The ISS ECLS system Atmosphere Revitalization (AR) subsystem and environmental monitoring (EM) technical architecture aboard the ISS is evaluated as the starting basis for a developmental effort being conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) via the Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Atmosphere Resource Recovery and Environmental Monitoring (ARREM) Project.. An evolutionary approach is employed by the ARREM project to address the strengths and weaknesses of the ISS AR subsystem and EM equipment, core technologies, and operational approaches to reduce developmental risk, improve functional reliability, and lower lifecycle costs of an ISS-derived subsystem architecture suitable for use for crewed deep space exploration missions. The most promising technical approaches to an ISS-derived subsystem design architecture that incorporates promising core process technology upgrades will be matured through a series of integrated tests and architectural trade studies encompassing expected exploration mission requirements and constraints.

Allocating monitoring effort in the face of unknown unknowns

Science.gov (United States)

Wintle, B.A.; Runge, M.C.; Bekessy, S.A.

2010-01-01

There is a growing view that to make efficient use of resources, ecological monitoring should be hypothesis-driven and targeted to address specific management questions. 'Targeted' monitoring has been contrasted with other approaches in which a range of quantities are monitored in case they exhibit an alarming trend or provide ad hoc ecological insights. The second form of monitoring, described as surveillance, has been criticized because it does not usually aim to discern between competing hypotheses, and its benefits are harder to identify a priori. The alternative view is that the existence of surveillance data may enable rapid corroboration of emerging hypotheses or help to detect important 'unknown unknowns' that, if undetected, could lead to catastrophic outcomes or missed opportunities. We derive a model to evaluate and compare the efficiency of investments in surveillance and targeted monitoring. We find that a decision to invest in surveillance monitoring may be defensible if: (1) the surveillance design is more likely to discover or corroborate previously unknown phenomena than a targeted design and (2) the expected benefits (or avoided costs) arising from discovery are substantially higher than those arising from a well-planned targeted design. Our examination highlights the importance of being explicit about the objectives, costs and expected benefits of monitoring in a decision analytic framework. ?? 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS.

Vaccine adverse event monitoring systems across the European Union countries: time for unifying efforts.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Zanoni, Giovanna

2009-05-26

A survey conducted among 26 European Countries within the Vaccine European New Integrated Collaboration Effort (VENICE) project assessed the status of organization in prevention and management of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) and level of interconnection, with the aim at individuating points of strength and weakness. The emerging picture is for a strong political commitment to control AEFIs in Member States (MS), but with consistent heterogeneity in procedures, regulations and capacity of systems to collect, analyze and use data, although with great potentialities. Suggestions are posed by authors to promote actions for unifying strategies and policies among MS.

Integrating High-Resolution Taskable Imagery into a Sensorweb for Automatic Space-Based Monitoring of Flooding in Thailand

Science.gov (United States)

Chien, Steve; Mclaren, David; Doubleday, Joshua; Tran, Daniel; Tanpipat, Veerachai; Chitradon, Royol; Boonya-aroonnet, Surajate; Thanapakpawin, Porranee; Mandl, Daniel

2012-01-01

Several space-based assets (Terra, Aqua, Earth Observing One) have been integrated into a sensorweb to monitor flooding in Thailand. In this approach, the Moderate Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) data from Terra and Aqua is used to perform broad-scale monitoring to track flooding at the regional level (250m/pixel) and EO-1 is autonomously tasked in response to alerts to acquire higher resolution (30m/pixel) Advanced Land Imager (ALI) data. This data is then automatically processed to derive products such as surface water extent and volumetric water estimates. These products are then automatically pushed to organizations in Thailand for use in damage estimation, relief efforts, and damage mitigation. More recently, this sensorweb structure has been used to request imagery, access imagery, and process high-resolution (several m to 30m), targetable asset imagery from commercial assets including Worldview-2, Ikonos, Radarsat-2, Landsat-7, and Geo-Eye-1. We describe the overall sensorweb framework as well as new workflows and products made possible via these extensions.

Finnish remote environmental monitoring field demonstration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toivonen, H.; Leppaenen, A.; Ylaetalo, S.; Lehtinen, J.; Hokkinen, J.; Tarvainen, M.; Crawford, T.; Glidewell, D.; Smartt, H.; Torres, J.

1997-10-01

Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), Helsinki, Finland and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), working under the Finnish Support Program to IAEA Safeguards and the United States Department of Energy (DOE) funded International Remote Monitoring Program (Task FIN E 935), have undertaken a joint effort to demonstrate the use of remote monitoring for environmental air sampling and safeguards applications. The results of the task will be used by the IAEA to identify the feasibility, cost-effectiveness, reliability, advantages, and problems associated with remote environmental monitoring. An essential prerequisite for a reliable remote air sampling system is the protection of samples against tampering. Means must be developed to guarantee that the sampling itself has been performed as designed and the original samples are not substituted with samples produced with other equipment at another site. One such method is to label the samples with an unequivocal tag. In addition, the inspection personnel must have the capability to remotely monitor and access the automated environmental air sampling system through the use of various sensors and video imagery equipment. A unique aspect to this project is the network integration of remote monitoring equipment with a STUK radiation monitoring system. This integration will allow inspectors to remotely view air sampler radiation data and sensor/image data through separate software applications on the same review station. A sensor network and video system will be integrated with the SNL developed Modular Integrated Monitoring System (MIMS) to provide a comprehensive remote monitoring approach for safeguards purposes. This field trial system is being implemented through a multiphase approach for use by STUK, SNL, and for possible future use by the IAEA

Integrating SAR and derived products into operational volcano monitoring and decision support systems

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, F. J.; McAlpin, D. B.; Gong, W.; Ajadi, O.; Arko, S.; Webley, P. W.; Dehn, J.

2015-02-01

Remote sensing plays a critical role in operational volcano monitoring due to the often remote locations of volcanic systems and the large spatial extent of potential eruption pre-cursor signals. Despite the all-weather capabilities of radar remote sensing and its high performance in monitoring of change, the contribution of radar data to operational monitoring activities has been limited in the past. This is largely due to: (1) the high costs associated with radar data; (2) traditionally slow data processing and delivery procedures; and (3) the limited temporal sampling provided by spaceborne radars. With this paper, we present new data processing and data integration techniques that mitigate some of these limitations and allow for a meaningful integration of radar data into operational volcano monitoring decision support systems. Specifically, we present fast data access procedures as well as new approaches to multi-track processing that improve near real-time data access and temporal sampling of volcanic systems with SAR data. We introduce phase-based (coherent) and amplitude-based (incoherent) change detection procedures that are able to extract dense time series of hazard information from these data. For a demonstration, we present an integration of our processing system with an operational volcano monitoring system that was developed for use by the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO). Through an application to a historic eruption, we show that the integration of SAR into systems such as AVO can significantly improve the ability of operational systems to detect eruptive precursors. Therefore, the developed technology is expected to improve operational hazard detection, alerting, and management capabilities.

Integrated monitoring and assessment of air pollution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hertel, O.

2009-09-15

Improved quality, better understanding of processes and optimisation of allocated resources, these are the main advantages of applying Integrated Monitoring and Assessment (IMA) in air quality management. The IMA is defined as the combined use of measurements and model calculations. The use of IMA is demonstrated with examples with different aims: to obtain data for air pollution in urban streets, to assess human exposure to traffic air pollution, and to assess atmospheric deposition of nitrogen compounds to marine and terrestrial ecosystems. (author)

Connecting the dots: a collaborative USGS-NPS effort to expand the utility of monitoring data

Science.gov (United States)

Grace, James B.; Schoolmaster, Donald R.; Schweiger, E. William; Mitchell, Brian R.; Miller, Kathryn; Guntenspergen, Glenn R.

2014-01-01

The Natural Resource Challenge (National Park Service 1999) was a call to action. It constituted a mandate for monitoring based on the twin premises that (1) natural resources in national parks require active management and stewardship if we are to protect them from gradual degradation, and (2) we cannot protect what we do not understand. The intent of the challenge was embodied in its original description: We must expand existing inventory programs and develop efficient ways to monitor the vital signs of natural systems. We must enlist others in the scientific community to help, and also facilitate their inquiry. Managers must have and apply this information to preserve our natural resources. In this article, we report on ongoing collaborative work between the National Park Service (NPS) and the US Geological Survey (USGS) that seeks to add to our scientific understanding of the ecological processes operating behind vital signs monitoring data. The ultimate goal of this work is to provide insights that can facilitate an understanding of the systems and identify potential opportunities for active stewardship by NPS managers (Bennetts et al. 2007; Mitchell et al. 2014). The bulk of the work thus far has involved Acadia and Rocky Mountain national parks, but there are plans for extending the work to additional parks. Our story stats with work designed to consider ways of assessing the status and condition of natural resources and the potential for historical or ongoing influences of human activities. In the 1990s, the concept of "biotic integrity" began to take hold as an aspiration for developing quantitative indices describing how closely the conditions at a site resemble those found at pristine, unimpacted sites. Quantitative methods for developing indices of biotic integrity (IBIs) and elaborations of that idea (e.g., ecological integrity) have received considerable attention and application of these methods to natural resources has become widespread (Karr 1991

Storage monitoring systems for the year 2000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nilsen, C.; Pollock, R.

1997-01-01

In September 1993, President Clinton stated the US would ensure that its fissile material meet the highest standards of safety, security, and international accountability. Frequent human inspection of the material could be used to ensure these standards. However, it may be more effective and less expensive to replace these manual inspections with virtual inspections via remote monitoring technologies. To prepare for this future, Sandia National Laboratories has developed several monitoring systems, including the Modular Integrated Monitoring System (MIMS) and Project Straight-Line. The purpose of this paper is to describe a Sandia effort that merges remote monitoring technologies into a comprehensive storage monitoring system that will meet the near-term as well as the long-term requirements for these types of systems. Topics discussed include: motivations for storage monitoring systems to include remote monitoring; an overview of the needs and challenges of providing a storage monitoring system for the year 2000; an overview of how the MIMS and Straight-Line can be enhanced so that together they create an integrated and synergistic information system by the end of 1997; and suggested milestones for 1998 and 1999 to assure steady progress in preparing for the needs of 2000

The impact of clinical trial monitoring approaches on data integrity and cost--a review of current literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Olsen, Rasmus; Bihlet, Asger Reinstrup; Kalakou, Faidra; Andersen, Jeppe Ragnar

2016-04-01

Monitoring is a costly requirement when conducting clinical trials. New regulatory guidance encourages the industry to consider alternative monitoring methods to the traditional 100 % source data verification (SDV) approach. The purpose of this literature review is to provide an overview of publications on different monitoring methods and their impact on subject safety data, data integrity, and monitoring cost. The literature search was performed by keyword searches in MEDLINE and hand search of key journals. All publications were reviewed for details on how a monitoring approach impacted subject safety data, data integrity, or monitoring costs. Twenty-two publications were identified. Three publications showed that SDV has some value for detection of not initially reported adverse events and centralized statistical monitoring (CSM) captures atypical trends. Fourteen publications showed little objective evidence of improved data integrity with traditional monitoring such as 100 % SDV and sponsor queries as compared to reduced SDV, CSM, and remote monitoring. Eight publications proposed a potential for significant cost reductions of monitoring by reducing SDV without compromising the validity of the trial results. One hundred percent SDV is not a rational method of ensuring data integrity and subject safety based on the high cost, and this literature review indicates that reduced SDV is a viable monitoring method. Alternative methods of monitoring such as centralized monitoring utilizing statistical tests are promising alternatives but have limitations as stand-alone tools. Reduced SDV combined with a centralized, risk-based approach may be the ideal solution to reduce monitoring costs while improving essential data quality.

Study concerning an integrated radiation monitoring systems for nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oprea, I.; Oprea, M.; Stoica, M.; Cerga, V.; Pirvu, V; Badea, E.

1996-01-01

This paper presents an integrated radiation monitoring system designed to assess the effects of nuclear accidents and to provide a basis for making right decisions and countermeasures in order to reduce health damages. The system implies a number of stationary monitoring equipment, data processing unit and a communication network. The system meets the demands of efficiency and reliability, providing the needed tools to easily create programs able to process simple input data filling the information management system. (author). 10 refs

Monitoring and evaluation of disaster response efforts undertaken by local health departments: a rapid realist review.

Science.gov (United States)

Gossip, Kate; Gouda, Hebe; Lee, Yong Yi; Firth, Sonja; Bermejo, Raoul; Zeck, Willibald; Jimenez Soto, Eliana

2017-06-29

Local health departments are often at the forefront of a disaster response, attending to the immediate trauma inflicted by the disaster and also the long term health consequences. As the frequency and severity of disasters are projected to rise, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) efforts are critical to help local health departments consolidate past experiences and improve future response efforts. Local health departments often conduct M&E work post disaster, however, many of these efforts fail to improve response procedures. We undertook a rapid realist review (RRR) to examine why M&E efforts undertaken by local health departments do not always result in improved disaster response efforts. We aimed to complement existing frameworks by focusing on the most basic and pragmatic steps of a M&E cycle targeted towards continuous system improvements. For these purposes, we developed a theoretical framework that draws on the quality improvement literature to 'frame' the steps in the M&E cycle. This framework encompassed a M&E cycle involving three stages (i.e., document and assess, disseminate and implement) that must be sequentially completed to learn from past experiences and improve future disaster response efforts. We used this framework to guide our examination of the literature and to identify any context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) configurations which describe how M&E may be constrained or enabled at each stage of the M&E cycle. This RRR found a number of explanatory CMO configurations that provide valuable insights into some of the considerations that should be made when using M&E to improve future disaster response efforts. Firstly, to support the accurate documentation and assessment of a disaster response, local health departments should consider how they can: establish a culture of learning within health departments; use embedded training methods; or facilitate external partnerships. Secondly, to enhance the widespread dissemination of lessons learned and facilitate

HEIS: An integrated information system for environmental restoration and monitoring at Hanford

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tzemos, S.; Kissinger, B.

1991-11-01

The US Department of Energy`s Hanford Site has about 1500 waste sites that contain a complex mixture of chemical and radioactive contaminants. After many years of environmental monitoring to assess the impact of Hanford operations to the environment, the Site`s mission is shifting to environmental restoration. The Hanford Environmental Information System (HEIS) is being developed to provide advanced tools to (1) support environmental restoration and routine site-wide monitoring, and (2) aid the scientists in understanding and conducting the restoration efforts. This paper describes some of the highlights and distinctive features of HEIS.

The integrated monitoring area Lheebroekerzand the Netherlands. Data of 1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mathijssen-Spiekman, E.A.M.; Wolters-Balk, M.A.H.

1998-12-31

The objectives of this paper are to compile and present the 1996 monitoring data which are forwarded to the international database in Helsinki, Finland, in November 1997, and to inform participating organizations and volunteers on the scope and progress of the monitoring programme on a national and international level. Additional non-obligatory data are also reported. In 1996, the biological part of the integrated monitoring programme consisted of a regular inventory of birds, leafminers and butterflies in the monitoring area, as well as inventories of the aquatic macrofauna present in the moorland pool Kliplo and observations on the performance of pine trees. The chemical-physical part included meteorological variables like temperature, humidity, the amount of precipitation and irradiation, together with chemical analysis of air, precipitation, leaves, needles, mosses and pool water. Where possible, the series of data are described, interpreted and compared

Integrating existing radiation monitors into a microprocessor-based display system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalita, R, S.; Bartucci, C.M.; Mason, R.G.; Greaves, C.

1992-01-01

Plantwide digital radiation monitoring systems (RMSs) have been generally installed as part of the original design for newer nuclear reactors. For older plants, area and process radiation monitors were either analog or a combination of analog and digital but were not part of an integrated system design. At some plants, individual monitors have been replaced or modified, resulting in a rainbow of different monitors and vendors being represented at the plant. Usually at some point, consideration is given to replacing these monitors with a state-of-the-art RMS to improve overall reliability and achieve the benefits of sound human factors engineering. This can be a very costly project in terms of expenditures for engineering, equipment, construction, startup, and time. When human engineering deficiencies (HEDs) became an issue at Zion station, Commonwealth Edison elected to install a computer-based radiation monitoring display system (RMDS) that would interface existing raidation monitors. After reviewing the existing as-built RMS configuration and internal circuits of the various monitors, it was concluded that a microprocessor-based RMDS could be successfully designed and installed that would solve the HEDs and would tie the older analog channels into a system configuration. Although in many cases, internal modifications were made to existing RMS monitors, the RMDS upgrade allowed the existing RMS monitors to retain their original functionality and location

Towards integration of research and monitoring at forest ecosystems in Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Danielewsha, A.; Paoletti, E.; Clarke, N.; Olejnik, J.; Urbaniak, M.; Baran, M.; Siedlecki, P.; Hansen, K.; Lundin, L.; Vries, W.; Norgaard Mikkelsen, T.; Dillen, S.; Fischer

2013-07-01

Aim of study: The main aim of the work was to summarize availability, quality and comparability of on-going European Research and Monitoring Networks (ERMN), based on the results of a COST FP0903 Action questionnaire carried out in September 2010 and May 2012. Area of study: The COST Action FP0903 involves 29 European countries and 4 non-COST institutions from USA, Morocco and Tunisia. In this study, the total of 22 replies to the questionnaire from 18 countries were included. Materials and methods: Based on the feedback from the Action FP0903 countries, the most popular European Networks were identified. Thereafter, the access to the network database, available quality assurance/quality control procedures and publication were described. Finally, the so-called Supersites concept, defined as a highly instrumented research infrastructure, for both research and monitoring of soil-plant-atmosphere interactions was discussed. Main results: The result of the survey indicate that the vast majority of the Action FP0903 countries participate in the International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forest (ICP Forest). The multi-disciplinary International Cooperative Programme on Integrated Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Ecosystems (ICPIM) is the second most widespread forest programme. Research highlights: To fully understand biochemical cycles in forest ecosystems, long-term monitoring is needed. Hence, a network of Supersites, is proposed. The application of the above infrastructure can be an effective way to attain a better integration of research and monitoring networks at forest sites in Europe. (Author)

Nuclear Explosion Monitoring Research and Engineering Program - Strategic Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Casey, Leslie A. [DOE/NNSA

2004-09-01

The Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Nuclear Explosion Monitoring Research and Engineering (NEM R&E) Program is dedicated to providing knowledge, technical expertise, and products to US agencies responsible for monitoring nuclear explosions in all environments and is successful in turning scientific breakthroughs into tools for use by operational monitoring agencies. To effectively address the rapidly evolving state of affairs, the NNSA NEM R&E program is structured around three program elements described within this strategic plan: Integration of New Monitoring Assets, Advanced Event Characterization, and Next-Generation Monitoring Systems. How the Program fits into the National effort and historical accomplishments are also addressed.

Fluorescence monitoring of capillary electrophoresis separation of biomolecules with monolithically integrated optical waveguides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dongre, C.; Dekker, R.; Hoekstra, Hugo; Martinez-Vazquez, R.; Osellame, R.; Ramponi, R.; Cerullo, G.; van Weeghel, R.; Besselink, G.A.J.; van den Vlekkert, H.H.; Pollnau, Markus

2009-01-01

Monolithic integration of optical waveguides in a commercial lab-on-a-chip by femtosecond-laser material processing enables arbitrary 3D geometries of optical sensing structures in combination with fluidic microchannels. Integrated fluorescence monitoring of molecular separation, as applicable in

From extended integrity monitoring to the safety evaluation of satellite-based localisation system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Legrand, Cyril; Beugin, Julie; Marais, Juliette; Conrard, Blaise; El-Koursi, El-Miloudi; Berbineau, Marion

2016-01-01

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as GPS, already used in aeronautics for safety-related applications, can play a major role in railway safety by allowing a train to locate itself safely. However, in order to implement this positioning solution in any embedded system, its performances must be evaluated according to railway standards. The evaluation of GNSS performances is not based on the same attributes class than RAMS evaluation. Face to these diffculties, we propose to express the integrity attribute, performance of satellite-based localisation. This attribute comes from aeronautical standards and for a hybridised GNSS with inertial system. To achieve this objective, the integrity attribute must be extended to this kind of system and algorithms initially devoted to GNSS integrity monitoring only must be adapted. Thereafter, the formalisation of this integrity attribute permits us to analyse the safety quantitatively through the probabilities of integrity risk and wrong-side failure. In this paper, after an introductory discussion about the use of localisation systems in railway safety context together with integrity issues, a particular integrity monitoring is proposed and described. The detection events of this algorithm permit us to conclude about safety level of satellite-based localisation system.

Report to the Congressional Defense Committees: Status of the Department of Defense’s Business Transformation Efforts

Science.gov (United States)

2008-03-15

installation deployment officers, unit deployment managers, and unit training monitors an end to end deployment readiness data intergration service...synchronizes DoD medical/surgical product data with DoD manufacturers and distributors. This pilot integrates VA and DoD community efforts with VA/DoD trading ...conferences for BTA leadership and subject matter experts, participating in and disseminating information at trade shows, and coordinating outreach

Dry Cask Storage Inspection and Monitoring. Interim Report.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bakhtiari, Susan [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Elmer, Thomas W. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Koehl, Eugene R. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Wang, Ke [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Raptis, Apostolos C. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Kunerth, Dennis C. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Birk, Sandra M. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2014-03-04

Recently, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued the guidance on the aging management of dry storage facilities that indicates the necessity to monitor the conditions of dry cask storage systems (DCSSs) over extended periods of time.1 Part of the justification of the aging management plans is the requirement for inspection and monitoring to verify whether continued monitoring, inspection or mitigation are necessary. To meet this challenge Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is conducting scoping studies on current and emerging nondestructive evaluation/examination (NDE) and online monitoring (OLM) technologies for DCSS integrity assessments. The scope of work plan includes identification and verification of technologies for long-term online monitoring of DCSSs’ crucial physical parameters such as temperature, pressure, leakage and structural integrity in general. Modifications have been made to the current technologies to accommodate field inspections and monitoring. A summary of the scoping studies and experimental efforts conducted to date as well as plans for future activities is provided below.

Integrating real-time subsurface hydrologic monitoring with empirical rainfall thresholds to improve landslide early warning

Science.gov (United States)

Mirus, Benjamin B.; Becker, Rachel E.; Baum, Rex L.; Smith, Joel B.

2018-01-01

Early warning for rainfall-induced shallow landsliding can help reduce fatalities and economic losses. Although these commonly occurring landslides are typically triggered by subsurface hydrological processes, most early warning criteria rely exclusively on empirical rainfall thresholds and other indirect proxies for subsurface wetness. We explore the utility of explicitly accounting for antecedent wetness by integrating real-time subsurface hydrologic measurements into landslide early warning criteria. Our efforts build on previous progress with rainfall thresholds, monitoring, and numerical modeling along the landslide-prone railway corridor between Everett and Seattle, Washington, USA. We propose a modification to a previously established recent versus antecedent (RA) cumulative rainfall thresholds by replacing the antecedent 15-day rainfall component with an average saturation observed over the same timeframe. We calculate this antecedent saturation with real-time telemetered measurements from five volumetric water content probes installed in the shallow subsurface within a steep vegetated hillslope. Our hybrid rainfall versus saturation (RS) threshold still relies on the same recent 3-day rainfall component as the existing RA thresholds, to facilitate ready integration with quantitative precipitation forecasts. During the 2015–2017 monitoring period, this RS hybrid approach has an increase of true positives and a decrease of false positives and false negatives relative to the previous RA rainfall-only thresholds. We also demonstrate that alternative hybrid threshold formats could be even more accurate, which suggests that further development and testing during future landslide seasons is needed. The positive results confirm that accounting for antecedent wetness conditions with direct subsurface hydrologic measurements can improve thresholds for alert systems and early warning of rainfall-induced shallow landsliding.

Image processing of integrated video image obtained with a charged-particle imaging video monitor system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iida, Takao; Nakajima, Takehiro

1988-01-01

A new type of charged-particle imaging video monitor system was constructed for video imaging of the distributions of alpha-emitting and low-energy beta-emitting nuclides. The system can display not only the scintillation image due to radiation on the video monitor but also the integrated video image becoming gradually clearer on another video monitor. The distortion of the image is about 5% and the spatial resolution is about 2 line pairs (lp)mm -1 . The integrated image is transferred to a personal computer and image processing is performed qualitatively and quantitatively. (author)

Citizen surveillance for environmental monitoring: combining the efforts of citizen science and crowdsourcing in a quantitative data framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Welvaert, Marijke; Caley, Peter

2016-01-01

Citizen science and crowdsourcing have been emerging as methods to collect data for surveillance and/or monitoring activities. They could be gathered under the overarching term citizen surveillance . The discipline, however, still struggles to be widely accepted in the scientific community, mainly because these activities are not embedded in a quantitative framework. This results in an ongoing discussion on how to analyze and make useful inference from these data. When considering the data collection process, we illustrate how citizen surveillance can be classified according to the nature of the underlying observation process measured in two dimensions-the degree of observer reporting intention and the control in observer detection effort. By classifying the observation process in these dimensions we distinguish between crowdsourcing, unstructured citizen science and structured citizen science. This classification helps the determine data processing and statistical treatment of these data for making inference. Using our framework, it is apparent that published studies are overwhelmingly associated with structured citizen science, and there are well developed statistical methods for the resulting data. In contrast, methods for making useful inference from purely crowd-sourced data remain under development, with the challenges of accounting for the unknown observation process considerable. Our quantitative framework for citizen surveillance calls for an integration of citizen science and crowdsourcing and provides a way forward to solve the statistical challenges inherent to citizen-sourced data.

Towards integration of research and monitoring at forest ecosystems in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Danielewska, A; Paoletti, E.; Clarke, N.

2013-01-01

identified. Thereafter, the access to the network database, available quality assurance/quality control procedures and publication were described. Finally, the so-called “Supersites” concept, defined as a “highly instrumented research infrastructure, for both research and monitoring of soil-plant-atmosphere...... interactions” was discussed. Main results: The result of the survey indicate that the vast majority of the Action FP0903 countries participate in the International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forest (ICP Forest). The multi-disciplinary International...... Cooperative Programme on Integrated Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Ecosystems (ICPIM) is the second most widespread forest programme. Research highlights: To fully understand biochemical cycles in forest ecosystems, long-term monitoring is needed. Hence, a network of “Supersites”, is proposed...

Monitoring land- and water-use dynamics in the Columbia Plateau using remote-sensing computer analysis and integration techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wukelic, G.E.; Foote, H.P.; Blair, S.C.; Begej, C.D.

1981-09-01

This study successfully utilized advanced, remote-sensing computer-analysis techniques to quantify and map land- and water-use trends potentially relevant to siting, developing, and operating a national high-level nuclear waste repository on the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Hanford Site in eastern Washington State. Specifically, using a variety of digital data bases (primarily multidate Landsat data) and digital analysis programs, the study produced unique numerical data and integrated data reference maps relevant to regional (Columbia Plateau) and localized (Pasco Basin) hydrologic considerations associated with developing such a facility. Accordingly, study results should directly contribute to the preparation of the Basalt Waste Isolation Project site-characterization report currently in progress. Moreover, since all study data developed are in digital form, they can be called upon to contribute to furute reference repository location monitoring and reporting efforts, as well as be utilized in other DOE programmatic areas having technical and/or environmental interest in the Columbia Plateau region. The results obtained indicate that multidate digital Landsat data provide an inexpensive, up-to-date, and accurate data base and reference map of natural and cultural features existing in any region. These data can be (1) computer enhanced to highlight selected surface features of interest; (2) processed/analyzed to provide regional land-cover/use information and trend data; and (3) combined with other line and point data files to accomodate interactive, correlative analyses and integrated color-graphic displays to aid interpretation and modeling efforts

Monitoring of laser material processing using machine integrated low-coherence interferometry

Science.gov (United States)

Kunze, Rouwen; König, Niels; Schmitt, Robert

2017-06-01

Laser material processing has become an indispensable tool in modern production. With the availability of high power pico- and femtosecond laser sources, laser material processing is advancing into applications, which demand for highest accuracies such as laser micro milling or laser drilling. In order to enable narrow tolerance windows, a closedloop monitoring of the geometrical properties of the processed work piece is essential for achieving a robust manufacturing process. Low coherence interferometry (LCI) is a high-precision measuring principle well-known from surface metrology. In recent years, we demonstrated successful integrations of LCI into several different laser material processing methods. Within this paper, we give an overview about the different machine integration strategies, that always aim at a complete and ideally telecentric integration of the measurement device into the existing beam path of the processing laser. Thus, highly accurate depth measurements within machine coordinates and a subsequent process control and quality assurance are possible. First products using this principle have already found its way to the market, which underlines the potential of this technology for the monitoring of laser material processing.

In-flight calibration system for the INTEGRAL x-ray monitor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Costa, E.; Feroci, M.; Barbanera, L.

1996-01-01

of Amptek Cool-X15 X-ray generators. The latter is a novel product, based on a pyroelectric crystal used to generate energetic electrons that produce fluorescence lines by hitting a metallic target. We plan to use the four low intensity radioactive sources for monitoring the four independent anode chains......JEM-X is the x-ray monitor serving the two gamma-ray experiments imager and spectrometer onboard the ESA's INTEGRAL satellite. Due to the intrinsic weakness of the celestial sources in the gamma energy range they will need very long integration times. During these long pointings JEM-X will be able...... to detect very small variations on most x-ray sources, but only if accurately calibrated. The in- flight calibration system of the JEM-X experiment is devoted to measure the response of the detection chain (detector plus electronics) in a small set of positions and energies. The data from this system...

Feasibility analysis of marine ecological on-line integrated monitoring system

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, D. Z.; Cao, X.; Zhang, S. W.; Wu, N.; Ma, R.; Zhang, L.; Cao, L.

2017-08-01

The in-situ water quality sensors were susceptible to biological attachment. Moreover, sea water corrosion and wave impact damage, and many sensors scattered distribution would cause maintenance inconvenience. The paper proposed a highly integrated marine ecological on-line integrated monitoring system, which can be used inside monitoring station. All sensors were reasonably classified, the similar in series, the overall in parallel. The system composition and workflow were described. In addition, the paper proposed attention issues of the system design and corresponding solutions. Water quality multi-parameters and 5 nutrient salts as the verification index, in-situ and systematic data comparison experiment were carried out. The results showed that the data consistency of nutrient salt, PH and salinity was better. Temperature and dissolved oxygen data trend was consistent, but the data had deviation. Turbidity fluctuated greatly; the chlorophyll trend was similar with it. Aiming at the above phenomena, three points system optimization direction were proposed.

Integrity monitoring of vehicle positioning in urban environment using RTK-GNSS, IMU and speedometer

Science.gov (United States)

El-Mowafy, Ahmed; Kubo, Nobuaki

2017-05-01

Continuous and trustworthy positioning is a critical capability for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). To achieve continuous positioning, methods such as global navigation satellite systems real-time kinematic (RTK), Doppler-based positioning, and positioning using low-cost inertial measurement unit (IMU) with car speedometer data are combined in this study. To ensure reliable positioning, the system should have integrity monitoring above a certain level, such as 99%. Achieving this level when combining different types of measurements that have different characteristics and different types of errors is a challenge. In this study, a novel integrity monitoring approach is presented for the proposed integrated system. A threat model of the measurements of the system components is discussed, which includes both the nominal performance and possible fault modes. A new protection level is presented to bound the maximum directional position error. The proposed approach was evaluated through a kinematic test in an urban area in Japan with a focus on horizontal positioning. Test results show that by integrating RTK, Doppler with IMU/speedometer, 100% positioning availability was achieved. The integrity monitoring availability was assessed and found to meet the target value where the position errors were bounded by the protection level, which was also less than an alert level, indicating the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Integrity monitoring of vehicle positioning in urban environment using RTK-GNSS, IMU and speedometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Mowafy, Ahmed; Kubo, Nobuaki

2017-01-01

Continuous and trustworthy positioning is a critical capability for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). To achieve continuous positioning, methods such as global navigation satellite systems real-time kinematic (RTK), Doppler-based positioning, and positioning using low-cost inertial measurement unit (IMU) with car speedometer data are combined in this study. To ensure reliable positioning, the system should have integrity monitoring above a certain level, such as 99%. Achieving this level when combining different types of measurements that have different characteristics and different types of errors is a challenge. In this study, a novel integrity monitoring approach is presented for the proposed integrated system. A threat model of the measurements of the system components is discussed, which includes both the nominal performance and possible fault modes. A new protection level is presented to bound the maximum directional position error. The proposed approach was evaluated through a kinematic test in an urban area in Japan with a focus on horizontal positioning. Test results show that by integrating RTK, Doppler with IMU/speedometer, 100% positioning availability was achieved. The integrity monitoring availability was assessed and found to meet the target value where the position errors were bounded by the protection level, which was also less than an alert level, indicating the effectiveness of the proposed approach. (paper)

Integrated system of structural health monitoring and intelligent management for a cable-stayed bridge.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Bin; Wang, Xu; Sun, Dezhang; Xie, Xu

2014-01-01

It is essential to construct structural health monitoring systems for large important bridges. Zhijiang Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge that was built recently over the Hangzhou Qiantang River (the largest river in Zhejiang Province). The length of Zhijiang Bridge is 478 m, which comprises an arched twin-tower space and a twin-cable plane structure. As an example, the present study describes the integrated system of structural health monitoring and intelligent management for Zhijiang Bridge, which comprises an information acquisition system, data management system, evaluation and decision-making system, and application service system. The monitoring components include the working environment of the bridge and various factors that affect bridge safety, such as the stress and strain of the main bridge structure, vibration, cable force, temperature, and wind speed. In addition, the integrated system includes a forecasting and decision-making module for real-time online evaluation, which provides warnings and makes decisions based on the monitoring information. From this, the monitoring information, evaluation results, maintenance decisions, and warning information can be input simultaneously into the bridge monitoring center and traffic emergency center to share the monitoring data, thereby facilitating evaluations and decision making using the system.

HEIS: An integrated information system for environmental restoration and monitoring at Hanford

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tzemos, S.; Kissinger, B.

1991-11-01

The US Department of Energy's Hanford Site has about 1500 waste sites that contain a complex mixture of chemical and radioactive contaminants. After many years of environmental monitoring to assess the impact of Hanford operations to the environment, the Site's mission is shifting to environmental restoration. The Hanford Environmental Information System (HEIS) is being developed to provide advanced tools to (1) support environmental restoration and routine site-wide monitoring, and (2) aid the scientists in understanding and conducting the restoration efforts. This paper describes some of the highlights and distinctive features of HEIS.

Integrating Multi-Sensor Remote Sensing and In-situ Measurements for Africa Drought Monitoring and Food Security Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, X.; Qu, J. J.; Motha, R. P.; Stefanski, R.; Malherbe, J.

2015-12-01

Drought is one of the most complicated natural hazards, and causes serious environmental, economic and social consequences. Agricultural production systems, which are highly susceptible to weather and climate extremes, are often the first and most vulnerable sector to be affected by drought events. In Africa, crop yield potential and grazing quality are already nearing their limit of temperature sensitivity, and, rapid population growth and frequent drought episodes pose serious complications for food security. It is critical to promote sustainable agriculture development in Africa under conditions of climate extremes. Soil moisture is one of the most important indicators for agriculture drought, and is a fundamentally critical parameter for decision support in crop management, including planting, water use efficiency and irrigation. While very significant technological advances have been introduced for remote sensing of surface soil moisture from space, in-situ measurements are still critical for calibration and validation of soil moisture estimation algorithms. For operational applications, synergistic collaboration is needed to integrate measurements from different sensors at different spatial and temporal scales. In this presentation, a collaborative effort is demonstrated for drought monitoring in Africa, supported and coordinated by WMO, including surface soil moisture and crop status monitoring. In-situ measurements of soil moisture, precipitation and temperature at selected sites are provided by local partners in Africa. Measurements from the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) are integrated with in-situ observations to derive surface soil moisture at high spatial resolution. Crop status is estimated through temporal analysis of current and historical MODIS measurements. Integrated analysis of soil moisture data and crop status provides both in-depth understanding of drought conditions and

Condition monitoring and diagnostic systems integration - guiding principles and practical examples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roverso, D.; Farbrot, J.E.; Gran, F.S.; Hoffmann, M.

2005-08-15

Recent years have seen a steady stream of new condition monitoring and diagnostic (CMD) systems and techniques being designed for applications in the nuclear industry. The HRP has been particularly active in this respect with the development of systems such as PEANO for on-line sensor calibration monitoring and aladdin for early fault detection and diagnosis. The availability at the HRP of a wide range of other Computerized Operations Support Systems as well as the availability of the HAMMLAB experimental control room has also allowed for the investigation of the range of issues related to the integration of such systems into control room settings. After a brief description of the development and application of these CMD systems, the report identifies three different levels of integration that should be taken into consideration. These are the data level, the operational level, and the functional level. The data level includes all aspects of data communication between the CMD system, the plant instrumentation, and the other computerized support systems present at the plant. The operational level includes all those aspects of integration that influence the way in which the operator interacts with the CMD system, with a clear emphasis on Human System Interface (HSI) integration. The functional level includes those aspects of integration that deal with the functionality of the CMD system and how this can support or be combined with the functionality offered by other support systems with the aim of exploiting synergistic effects and achieving new functions. Additionally, the report identifies a set of guiding principles of integration that can be applied at all three levels of integration. Case studies taken from experiences gathered at the HRP are used throughout the report to exemplify the identified integration principles. (Author)

Integrated network for structural integrity monitoring of critical components in nuclear facilities, RIMIS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roth, Maria; Constantinescu, Dan Mihai; Brad, Sebastian; Ducu, Catalin; Malinovschi, Viorel

2008-01-01

The round table aims to join specialists working in the research area of the Romanian R and D Institutes and Universities involved in structural integrity assessment of materials, especially those working in the nuclear field, together with the representatives of the end user, the Cernavoda NPP. This scientific event will offer the opportunity to disseminate the theoretical, experimental and modelling activities, carried out to date, in the framework of the National Program 'Research of Excellence', Module I 2006-2008, managed by the National Authority for Scientific Research. Entitled 'Integrated Network for Structural Integrity Monitoring of Critical Components in Nuclear Facilities, RIMIS, the project has two main objectives: 1. - to elaborate a procedure applicable to the structural integrity assessment of critical components used in Romanian nuclear facilities (CANDU type Reactor, Hydrogen Isotopes Separation installations); 2. - to integrate the national networking into a similar one of European level, and to enhance the scientific significance of Romanian R and D organisations as well as to increase the contribution in solving major issues of the nuclear field. The topics of the round table will be focused on: 1. Development of a Structural Integrity Assessment Methodology applicable to the nuclear facilities components; 2. Experimental investigation methods and procedures; 3. Numeric simulation of nuclear components behaviour; 4. Further activities to finalize the assessment procedure. Also participations and contributions to sustain the activity in the European Network NULIFE, FP6 will be discussed. (authors)

Integrating statistical machine learning in a semantic sensor web for proactive monitoring and control

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Adeleke, Jude Adekunle

2017-04-01

Full Text Available in an indoor air quality monitoring case study. A sliding window approach that employs the Multilayer Perceptron model to predict short term PM 2 . 5 pollution situations is integrated into the proactive monitoring and control framework. Results show...

Navigation integrity monitoring and obstacle detection for enhanced-vision systems

Science.gov (United States)

Korn, Bernd; Doehler, Hans-Ullrich; Hecker, Peter

2001-08-01

Typically, Enhanced Vision (EV) systems consist of two main parts, sensor vision and synthetic vision. Synthetic vision usually generates a virtual out-the-window view using databases and accurate navigation data, e. g. provided by differential GPS (DGPS). The reliability of the synthetic vision highly depends on both, the accuracy of the used database and the integrity of the navigation data. But especially in GPS based systems, the integrity of the navigation can't be guaranteed. Furthermore, only objects that are stored in the database can be displayed to the pilot. Consequently, unexpected obstacles are invisible and this might cause severe problems. Therefore, additional information has to be extracted from sensor data to overcome these problems. In particular, the sensor data analysis has to identify obstacles and has to monitor the integrity of databases and navigation. Furthermore, if a lack of integrity arises, navigation data, e.g. the relative position of runway and aircraft, has to be extracted directly from the sensor data. The main contribution of this paper is about the realization of these three sensor data analysis tasks within our EV system, which uses the HiVision 35 GHz MMW radar of EADS, Ulm as the primary EV sensor. For the integrity monitoring, objects extracted from radar images are registered with both database objects and objects (e. g. other aircrafts) transmitted via data link. This results in a classification into known and unknown radar image objects and consequently, in a validation of the integrity of database and navigation. Furthermore, special runway structures are searched for in the radar image where they should appear. The outcome of this runway check contributes to the integrity analysis, too. Concurrent to this investigation a radar image based navigation is performed without using neither precision navigation nor detailed database information to determine the aircraft's position relative to the runway. The performance of our

Submerged Medium Voltage Cable Systems at Nuclear Power Plants. A Review of Research Efforts Relevant to Aging Mechanisms and Condition Monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, Jason [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Bernstein, Robert [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); White, II, Gregory Von [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Glover, Steven F. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Neely, Jason C. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Pena, Gary [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Williamson, Kenneth Martin [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Zutavern, Fred J. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Gelbard, Fred [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2015-03-01

and industrial literature was performed to identify : 1) findings regarding the degradation mechanisms of submerged cabling and 2) condition monitoring methods that may prove useful in predict ing the remaining lifetime of submerged medium voltage p ower cables . The re search was conducted by a multi - disciplinary team , and s ources includ ed official NRC reports, n ational l aboratory reports , IEEE standards, conference and journal proceedings , magazine articles , PhD dissertations , and discussions with experts . The purpose of this work was to establish the current state - of - the - art in material degradation modeling and cable condition monitoring techniques and to identify research gaps . Subsequently, future areas of focus are recommended to address these research gaps and thus strengthen the efficacy of the NRC's developing cable condition monitoring program . Results of this literature review and details of the test ing recommendations are presented in this report . FOREWORD To ensure the safe, re liable, and cost - effective long - term operation of nuclear power plants, many systems, structures, and components must be continuously evaluated. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has identified that cables in submerged environments are of concern, particularly as plants are seeking license renewal. To date, there is a lack of consensus on aging and degradation mechanisms even though the area of submerged cables has been extensively studied. Consequently, the ability to make lifetime predictions for submerged cable does not yet exist. The NRC has engaged Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) to lead a coordinated effort to help elucidate the aging and degradation of cables in submerged environments by collaborating with cable manufacturers, utilities, universities, and other government agencies. A team of SNL experts was assembled from the laboratories including electrical condition monitoring, mat erial science, polymer degradation, plasma physics

Establishment of a hydrological monitoring network in a tropical African catchment: An integrated participatory approach

Science.gov (United States)

Gomani, M. C.; Dietrich, O.; Lischeid, G.; Mahoo, H.; Mahay, F.; Mbilinyi, B.; Sarmett, J.

Sound decision making for water resources management has to be based on good knowledge of the dominant hydrological processes of a catchment. This information can only be obtained through establishing suitable hydrological monitoring networks. Research catchments are typically established without involving the key stakeholders, which results in instruments being installed at inappropriate places as well as at high risk of theft and vandalism. This paper presents an integrated participatory approach for establishing a hydrological monitoring network. We propose a framework with six steps beginning with (i) inception of idea; (ii) stakeholder identification; (iii) defining the scope of the network; (iv) installation; (v) monitoring; and (vi) feedback mechanism integrated within the participatory framework. The approach is illustrated using an example of the Ngerengere catchment in Tanzania. In applying the approach, the concept of establishing the Ngerengere catchment monitoring network was initiated in 2008 within the Resilient Agro-landscapes to Climate Change in Tanzania (ReACCT) research program. The main stakeholders included: local communities; Sokoine University of Agriculture; Wami Ruvu Basin Water Office and the ReACCT Research team. The scope of the network was based on expert experience in similar projects and lessons learnt from literature review of similar projects from elsewhere integrated with local expert knowledge. The installations involved reconnaissance surveys, detailed surveys, and expert consultations to identify best sites. First, a Digital Elevation Model, land use, and soil maps were used to identify potential monitoring sites. Local and expert knowledge was collected on flow regimes, indicators of shallow groundwater plant species, precipitation pattern, vegetation, and soil types. This information was integrated and used to select sites for installation of an automatic weather station, automatic rain gauges, river flow gauging stations

Visual cues and listening effort: individual variability.

Science.gov (United States)

Picou, Erin M; Ricketts, Todd A; Hornsby, Benjamin W Y

2011-10-01

To investigate the effect of visual cues on listening effort as well as whether predictive variables such as working memory capacity (WMC) and lipreading ability affect the magnitude of listening effort. Twenty participants with normal hearing were tested using a paired-associates recall task in 2 conditions (quiet and noise) and 2 presentation modalities (audio only [AO] and auditory-visual [AV]). Signal-to-noise ratios were adjusted to provide matched speech recognition across audio-only and AV noise conditions. Also measured were subjective perceptions of listening effort and 2 predictive variables: (a) lipreading ability and (b) WMC. Objective and subjective results indicated that listening effort increased in the presence of noise, but on average the addition of visual cues did not significantly affect the magnitude of listening effort. Although there was substantial individual variability, on average participants who were better lipreaders or had larger WMCs demonstrated reduced listening effort in noise in AV conditions. Overall, the results support the hypothesis that integrating auditory and visual cues requires cognitive resources in some participants. The data indicate that low lipreading ability or low WMC is associated with relatively effortful integration of auditory and visual information in noise.

Proceeding of 26th domestic symposium on present and future of integrity monitoring technology in nuclear power generation facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-06-01

As the 26th domestic symposium of Atomic Energy Research Committee, the Japan Welding Engineering Society, the symposium was held titled as 'Current status and future of integrity monitoring techniques in nuclear power facilities'. Six speakers gave lectures titled as 'Maintenance and integrity monitoring in nuclear power plants', 'Present status of fatigue and creep-fatigue monitoring techniques in the US', 'Fatigue monitoring system in Tsuruga-1 nuclear power station', 'Vibration monitoring technique of rotational machine', 'SCC monitoring with electrochemical noise analysis' and Monitoring technique for corrosive environments and crack shape'. (T. Tanaka)

Integrated monitoring and reviewing systems for the Rokkasho Spent Fuel Receipt and Storage Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yokota, Yasuhiro; Ishikawa, Masayuki; Matsuda, Yuji

1998-01-01

The Rokkasho Spent Fuel Receipt and Storage (RSFS) Facility at the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant (RRP) in Japan is expected to begin operations in 1998. Effective safeguarding by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Japan Atomic Energy Bureau (JAEB) inspectors requires monitoring the time of transfer, direction of movement, and number of spent fuel assemblies transferred. At peak throughput, up to 1,000 spent fuel assemblies will be accepted by the facility in a 90-day period. In order for the safeguards inspector to efficiently review the resulting large amounts of inspection information, an unattended monitoring system was developed that integrates containment and surveillance (C/S) video with radiation monitors. This allows for an integrated review of the facility's radiation data, C/S video, and operator declaration data. This paper presents an outline of the integrated unattended monitoring hardware and associated data reviewing software. The hardware consists of a multicamera optical surveillance (MOS) system radiation monitoring gamma-ray and neutron detector (GRAND) electronics, and an intelligent local operating network (ILON). The ILON was used for time synchronization and MOS video triggers. The new software consists of a suite of tools, each one specific to a single data type: radiation data, surveillance video, and operator declarations. Each tool can be used in a stand-alone mode as a separate ion application or configured to communicate and match time-synchronized data with any of the other tools. A data summary and comparison application (Integrated Review System [IRS]) coordinates the use of all of the data-specific review tools under a single-user interface. It therefore automates and simplifies the importation of data and the data-specific analyses

Large Scale Environmental Monitoring through Integration of Sensor and Mesh Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raja Jurdak

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Monitoring outdoor environments through networks of wireless sensors has received interest for collecting physical and chemical samples at high spatial and temporal scales. A central challenge to environmental monitoring applications of sensor networks is the short communication range of the sensor nodes, which increases the complexity and cost of monitoring commodities that are located in geographically spread areas. To address this issue, we propose a new communication architecture that integrates sensor networks with medium range wireless mesh networks, and provides users with an advanced web portal for managing sensed information in an integrated manner. Our architecture adopts a holistic approach targeted at improving the user experience by optimizing the system performance for handling data that originates at the sensors, traverses the mesh network, and resides at the server for user consumption. This holistic approach enables users to set high level policies that can adapt the resolution of information collected at the sensors, set the preferred performance targets for their application, and run a wide range of queries and analysis on both real-time and historical data. All system components and processes will be described in this paper.

Large Scale Environmental Monitoring through Integration of Sensor and Mesh Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Jurdak, Raja; Nafaa, Abdelhamid; Barbirato, Alessio

2008-11-24

Monitoring outdoor environments through networks of wireless sensors has received interest for collecting physical and chemical samples at high spatial and temporal scales. A central challenge to environmental monitoring applications of sensor networks is the short communication range of the sensor nodes, which increases the complexity and cost of monitoring commodities that are located in geographically spread areas. To address this issue, we propose a new communication architecture that integrates sensor networks with medium range wireless mesh networks, and provides users with an advanced web portal for managing sensed information in an integrated manner. Our architecture adopts a holistic approach targeted at improving the user experience by optimizing the system performance for handling data that originates at the sensors, traverses the mesh network, and resides at the server for user consumption. This holistic approach enables users to set high level policies that can adapt the resolution of information collected at the sensors, set the preferred performance targets for their application, and run a wide range of queries and analysis on both real-time and historical data. All system components and processes will be described in this paper.

Site-specific landslide assessment in Alpine area using a reliable integrated monitoring system

Science.gov (United States)

Romeo, Saverio; Di Matteo, Lucio; Kieffer, Daniel Scott

2016-04-01

Rockfalls are one of major cause of landslide fatalities around the world. The present work discusses the reliability of integrated monitoring of displacements in a rockfall within the Alpine region (Salzburg Land - Austria), taking into account also the effect of the ongoing climate change. Due to the unpredictability of the frequency and magnitude, that threatens human lives and infrastructure, frequently it is necessary to implement an efficient monitoring system. For this reason, during the last decades, integrated monitoring systems of unstable slopes were widely developed and used (e.g., extensometers, cameras, remote sensing, etc.). In this framework, Remote Sensing techniques, such as GBInSAR technique (Groung-Based Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar), have emerged as efficient and powerful tools for deformation monitoring. GBInSAR measurements can be useful to achieve an early warning system using surface deformation parameters as ground displacement or inverse velocity (for semi-empirical forecasting methods). In order to check the reliability of GBInSAR and to monitor the evolution of landslide, it is very important to integrate different techniques. Indeed, a multi-instrumental approach is essential to investigate movements both in surface and in depth and the use of different monitoring techniques allows to perform a cross analysis of the data and to minimize errors, to check the data quality and to improve the monitoring system. During 2013, an intense and complete monitoring campaign has been conducted on the Ingelsberg landslide. By analyzing both historical temperature series (HISTALP) recorded during the last century and those from local weather stations, temperature values (Autumn-Winter, Winter and Spring) are clearly increased in Bad Hofgastein area as well as in Alpine region. As consequence, in the last decades the rockfall events have been shifted from spring to summer due to warmer winters. It is interesting to point out that

Connection of automatic integral multichannel monitor of aerosol concentration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krejci, M.; Stulik, P.

1985-01-01

The instrument consists of the actual aerosol concentration monitor with two equivalent inputs, of an electropneumatic sampling selector, an aerosol pump, an electropneumatic valve, and of an exhaust device. For integral operating mode the instrument allows rapid checking and indication of exceedance of the permissible aerosol concentration limit at any sampling point. Upon exceedance of the permissible concentration limit, the device automatically switches into the multichannel cyclic measurement mode while the sampling point is identified where the aerosol concentration was increased. An emergency is displayed if the permissible limit has been exceeded. Following removal of the source of dangerous aerosol concentration, the control unit automatically switches the device into the integral measurement mode. (J.B.)

Towards the integration of research and monitoring at forest ecosystems in Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Danielewska

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Aim of study: The main aim of the work was to summarize availability, quality and comparability of on-going European Research and Monitoring Networks (ERMN, based on the results of a COST FP0903 Action questionnaire carried out in September 2010 and May 2012.Area of study: The COST Action FP0903 involves 29 European countries and 4 non-COST institutions from USA, Morocco and Tunisia. In this study, the total of 22 replies to the questionnaire from 18 countries were included.Materials and methods: Based on the feedback from the Action FP0903 countries, the most popular European Networks were identified. Thereafter, the access to the network database, available quality assurance/quality control procedures and publication were described. Finally, the so-called “Supersites” concept, defined as a “highly instrumented research infrastructure, for both research and monitoring of soil-plant-atmosphere interactions” was discussed.Main results: The result of the survey indicate that the vast majority of the Action FP0903 countries participate in the International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forest (ICP Forest. The multi-disciplinary International Cooperative Programme on Integrated Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Ecosystems (ICPIM is the second most widespread forest programme. Research highlights: To fully understand biochemical cycles in forest ecosystems, long-term monitoring is needed. Hence, a network of “Supersites”, is proposed. The application of the above infrastructure can be an effective way to attain a better integration of research and monitoring networks at forest sites in Europe.Keywords: Supersites; European Research Monitoring Networks; Harmonization; Forest.

Integrated System of Structural Health Monitoring and Intelligent Management for a Cable-Stayed Bridge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bin Chen

2014-01-01

Full Text Available It is essential to construct structural health monitoring systems for large important bridges. Zhijiang Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge that was built recently over the Hangzhou Qiantang River (the largest river in Zhejiang Province. The length of Zhijiang Bridge is 478 m, which comprises an arched twin-tower space and a twin-cable plane structure. As an example, the present study describes the integrated system of structural health monitoring and intelligent management for Zhijiang Bridge, which comprises an information acquisition system, data management system, evaluation and decision-making system, and application service system. The monitoring components include the working environment of the bridge and various factors that affect bridge safety, such as the stress and strain of the main bridge structure, vibration, cable force, temperature, and wind speed. In addition, the integrated system includes a forecasting and decision-making module for real-time online evaluation, which provides warnings and makes decisions based on the monitoring information. From this, the monitoring information, evaluation results, maintenance decisions, and warning information can be input simultaneously into the bridge monitoring center and traffic emergency center to share the monitoring data, thereby facilitating evaluations and decision making using the system.

USGS Integration of New Science and Technology, Appendix A

Science.gov (United States)

Brey, Marybeth; Knights, Brent C.; Cupp, Aaron R.; Amberg, Jon J.; Chapman, Duane C.; Calfee, Robin D.; Duncker, James J.

2017-01-01

This product summarizes the USGS plans for integration of new science and technology into Asian Carp control efforts for 2017. This includes the 1) implementation and evaluation of new tactics and behavioral information for monitoring, surveillance, control and containment; 2) understanding behavior and reproduction of Asian carp in established and emerging populations to inform deterrent deployment, rapid response, and removal efforts; and 3) development and evaluation of databases, decision support tools and performance measures.

MONITOR: A computer model for estimating the costs of an integral monitored retrievable storage facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reimus, P.W.; Sevigny, N.L.; Schutz, M.E.; Heller, R.A.

1986-12-01

The MONITOR model is a FORTRAN 77 based computer code that provides parametric life-cycle cost estimates for a monitored retrievable storage (MRS) facility. MONITOR is very flexible in that it can estimate the costs of an MRS facility operating under almost any conceivable nuclear waste logistics scenario. The model can also accommodate input data of varying degrees of complexity and detail (ranging from very simple to more complex) which makes it ideal for use in the MRS program, where new designs and new cost data are frequently offered for consideration. MONITOR can be run as an independent program, or it can be interfaced with the Waste System Transportation and Economic Simulation (WASTES) model, a program that simulates the movement of waste through a complete nuclear waste disposal system. The WASTES model drives the MONITOR model by providing it with the annual quantities of waste that are received, stored, and shipped at the MRS facility. Three runs of MONITOR are documented in this report. Two of the runs are for Version 1 of the MONITOR code. A simulation which uses the costs developed by the Ralph M. Parsons Company in the 2A (backup) version of the MRS cost estimate. In one of these runs MONITOR was run as an independent model, and in the other run MONITOR was run using an input file generated by the WASTES model. The two runs correspond to identical cases, and the fact that they gave identical results verified that the code performed the same calculations in both modes of operation. The third run was made for Version 2 of the MONITOR code. A simulation which uses the costs developed by the Ralph M. Parsons Company in the 2B (integral) version of the MRS cost estimate. This run was made with MONITOR being run as an independent model. The results of several cases have been verified by hand calculations

Structural Health Monitoring of Tall Buildings with Numerical Integrator and Convex-Concave Hull Classification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suresh Thenozhi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available An important objective of health monitoring systems for tall buildings is to diagnose the state of the building and to evaluate its possible damage. In this paper, we use our prototype to evaluate our data-mining approach for the fault monitoring. The offset cancellation and high-pass filtering techniques are combined effectively to solve common problems in numerical integration of acceleration signals in real-time applications. The integration accuracy is improved compared with other numerical integrators. Then we introduce a novel method for support vector machine (SVM classification, called convex-concave hull. We use the Jarvis march method to decide the concave (nonconvex hull for the inseparable points. Finally the vertices of the convex-concave hull are applied for SVM training.

Remote Monitoring and Instrumentation Strategies for Integral Reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Upadhyaya, Belle R.; Lish, Matthew R.; Tarver, Rayan A.; Hines, J. Wesley

2014-01-01

The University of Tennessee is engaged in research and development projects related to instrumentation and controls for small modular reactors (SMR) and integral pressurized water reactors (iPWR). The approach incorporates the deployment of physics-based models for control design and parameter estimation, development of noncontact sensors for flow monitoring, and placement of sensors to maximize fault detection and isolation. The results of research and development illustrate the feasibility of sensor location in space-constrained environment. Major issues and challenges in I and C design are addressed

Remote Monitoring and Instrumentation Strategies for Integral Reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Upadhyaya, Belle R.; Lish, Matthew R.; Tarver, Rayan A.; Hines, J. Wesley [University of Tennessee, Knoxville (United States)

2014-08-15

The University of Tennessee is engaged in research and development projects related to instrumentation and controls for small modular reactors (SMR) and integral pressurized water reactors (iPWR). The approach incorporates the deployment of physics-based models for control design and parameter estimation, development of noncontact sensors for flow monitoring, and placement of sensors to maximize fault detection and isolation. The results of research and development illustrate the feasibility of sensor location in space-constrained environment. Major issues and challenges in I and C design are addressed.

International remote monitoring project Argentina Nuclear Power Station Spent Fuel Transfer Remote Monitoring System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, S.; Lucero, R.; Glidewell, D.

1997-01-01

The Autoridad Regulataria Nuclear (ARN) and the United States Department of Energy (DOE) are cooperating on the development of a Remote Monitoring System for nuclear nonproliferation efforts. A Remote Monitoring System for spent fuel transfer will be installed at the Argentina Nuclear Power Station in Embalse, Argentina. The system has been designed by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) providing gamma and neutron sensors. This project will test and evaluate the fundamental design and implementation of the Remote Monitoring System in its application to regional and international safeguards efficiency. This paper provides a description of the monitoring system and its functions. The Remote Monitoring System consists of gamma and neutron radiation sensors, RF systems, and video systems integrated into a coherent functioning whole. All sensor data communicate over an Echelon LonWorks Network to a single data logger. The Neumann DCM 14 video module is integrated into the Remote Monitoring System. All sensor and image data are stored on a Data Acquisition System (DAS) and archived and reviewed on a Data and Image Review Station (DIRS). Conventional phone lines are used as the telecommunications link to transmit on-site collected data and images to remote locations. The data and images are authenticated before transmission. Data review stations will be installed at ARN in Buenos Aires, Argentina, ABACC in Rio De Janeiro, IAEA Headquarters in Vienna, and Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 2 refs., 2 figs

NASA LCLUC Program: An Integrated Forest Monitoring System for Central Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Laporte, Nadine; LeMoigne, Jacqueline; Elkan, Paul; Desmet, Olivier; Paget, Dominique; Pumptre, Andrew; Gouala, Patrice; Honzack, Miro; Maisels, Fiona

2004-01-01

Central Africa has the second largest unfragmented block of tropical rain forest in the world; it is also one of the largest carbon and biodiversity reservoirs. With nearly one-third of the forest currently allocated for logging, the region is poised to undergo extensive land-use change. Through the mapping of the forests, our Integrated Forest Monitoring System for Central Africa (INFORMS) project aims to monitor habitat alteration, support biodiversity conservation, and promote better land-use planning and forest management. Designed as an interdisciplinary project, its goal is to integrate data acquired from satellites with field observations from forest inventories, wildlife surveys, and socio-economic studies to map and monitor forest resources. This project also emphasizes on collaboration and coordination with international, regional, national, and local partners-including non-profit, governmental, and commercial sectors. This project has been focused on developing remote sensing products for the needs of forest conservation and management, insuring that research findings are incorporated in forest management plans at the national level. The societal impact of INFORMS can be also appreciated through the development of a regional remote sensing network in central Africa. With a regional office in Kinshasa, (www.OSFAC.org), the contribution to the development of forest management plans for 1.5 million hectares of forests in northern Republic of Congo (www.tt-timber.com), and the monitoring of park encroachments in the Albertine region (Uganda and DRC) (www.albertinerift.org).

Storage monitoring system - 1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mickelsen, B.; Nilsen, C.; Kinzel, R.; Davidson, B.; Pollock, R.

1997-01-01

Sandia National Laboratories has several ongoing projects in the area of nuclear materials management. These projects establish a core capability in monitoring stored nuclear materials. The overarching goal of these projects is to get the right sensor information to the right user to enhance the safety, security and to verify the legitimacy of use of stored nuclear materials. An effort has been initiated to merge these projects into a common system. This paper provides an overview of several of these projects and the integration activities between them

Site-Wide Integrated Water Monitoring - Defining and Implementing Sampling Objectives to Support Site Closure - 13060

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilborn, Bill; Knapp, Kathryn; Farnham, Irene; Marutzky, Sam

2013-01-01

The Underground Test Area (UGTA) activity is responsible for assessing and evaluating the effects of the underground nuclear weapons tests on groundwater at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), formerly the Nevada Test Site (NTS), and implementing a corrective action closure strategy. The UGTA strategy is based on a combination of characterization, modeling studies, monitoring, and institutional controls (i.e., monitored natural attenuation). The closure strategy verifies through appropriate monitoring activities that contaminants of concern do not exceed the SDWA at the regulatory boundary and that adequate institutional controls are established and administered to ensure protection of the public. Other programs conducted at the NNSS supporting the environmental mission include the Routine Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program (RREMP), Waste Management, and the Infrastructure Program. Given the current programmatic and operational demands for various water-monitoring activities at the same locations, and the ever-increasing resource challenges, cooperative and collaborative approaches to conducting the work are necessary. For this reason, an integrated sampling plan is being developed by the UGTA activity to define sampling and analysis objectives, reduce duplication, eliminate unnecessary activities, and minimize costs. The sampling plan will ensure the right data sets are developed to support closure and efficient transition to long-term monitoring. The plan will include an integrated reporting mechanism for communicating results and integrating process improvements within the UGTA activity as well as between other U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Programs. (authors)

The Real-Time Monitoring Service Platform for Land Supervision Based on Cloud Integration

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, J.; Mao, M.; Xiang, H.; Wang, G.; Liang, Y.

2018-04-01

Remote sensing monitoring has become the important means for land and resources departments to strengthen supervision. Aiming at the problems of low monitoring frequency and poor data currency in current remote sensing monitoring, this paper researched and developed the cloud-integrated real-time monitoring service platform for land supervision which enhanced the monitoring frequency by acquiring the domestic satellite image data overall and accelerated the remote sensing image data processing efficiency by exploiting the intelligent dynamic processing technology of multi-source images. Through the pilot application in Jinan Bureau of State Land Supervision, it has been proved that the real-time monitoring technical method for land supervision is feasible. In addition, the functions of real-time monitoring and early warning are carried out on illegal land use, permanent basic farmland protection and boundary breakthrough in urban development. The application has achieved remarkable results.

Integrating Social Media Monitoring Into Public Health Emergency Response Operations.

Science.gov (United States)

Hadi, Tamer A; Fleshler, Keren

2016-10-01

Social media monitoring for public health emergency response and recovery is an essential response capability for any health department. The value of social media for emergency response lies not only in the capacity to rapidly communicate official and critical incident information, but as a rich source of incoming data that can be gathered to inform leadership decision-making. Social media monitoring is a function that can be formally integrated into the Incident Command System of any response agency. The approach to planning and required resources, such as staffing, logistics, and technology, is flexible and adaptable based on the needs of the agency and size and scope of the emergency. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has successfully used its Social Media Monitoring Team during public health emergency responses and planned events including major Ebola and Legionnaires' disease responses. The concepts and implementations described can be applied by any agency, large or small, interested in building a social media monitoring capacity. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;page 1 of 6).

Monitoring land and water uses in the Columbia Plateau using remote-sensing computer analysis and integration techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leonhart, L.S.; Wukelic, G.E.; Foote, H.P.; Blair, S.C.

1983-09-01

This study successfully utilized advanced, remote-sensing computer-analysis techniques to quantify and map land- and water-use trends potentially relevant to siting, developing, and operating a high-level national, nuclear waste repository on the US Department of Energy's Hanford Site in eastern Washington State. Specifically, using a variety of digital data bases (primarily multidate LANDSAT data) and digital analysis programs, the study produced unique numerical data and integrated data reference maps relevant to regional (Columbia Plateau) and localized (Pasco Basin) hydrologic considerations associated with developing such a facility. Because all study data developed are in digital form, they can be called upon to contribute to future reference repository location monitoring and reporting efforts, as well as to be utilized in other US Department of Energy programmatic areas having technical and/or environmental interest in the Columbia Plateau region. The results obtained indicate that multidate digital LANDSAT data provide an inexpensive, up-to-date, and accurate data base and reference map of natural and cultural features existing in any region. These data can be (1) computer enhanced to highlight selected surface features of interest; (2) processed/analyzed to provide regional land cover/use information and trend data; and (3) combined with other line and point data files to accommodate interactive, correlative analyses and integrated colorgraphic displays to aid interpretation and modeling efforts. Once the digital base is established, selected site information can be assessed immediately, various forms of data can be accessed concurrently or separately, and data sets may be displayed or mapped at any scale. Available editing software provides the opportunity to generate credible scenarios for a site while preserving the actual data base. 6 references

Integrated monitoring: Setting new standards for the next decade of clinical trial practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kamala Rai

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The new age clinical research professional is now geared toward an "integrated monitoring" approach. A number of critical activities at the site level and at the sponsor′s organization need convergence to harness rich dividends in early study start and quick close of the study. The field monitor needs full integration to ensure standard of care, train the site in protocol, select the right site, ensure regulatory support, ensure excellent project management skills, coach, support the logistics team, manage the vendor, ensure good documentation practices, develop patient recruitment and retention, lean the applicable process, as well as ensure effective site management amongst the myriad activities assigned toward developing the drug in the clinic.

Development of a synchrotron radiation beam monitor for the Integrable Optics Test Accelerator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scarpelli, Andrea [Univ. of Ferrara (Italy)

2016-01-01

Nonlinear integrable optics applied to beam dynamics may mitigate multi-particle instabilities, but proof of principle experiments have never been carried out. The Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) is an electron and proton storage ring currently being built at Fermilab, which addresses tests of nonlinear lattice elements in a real machine in addition to experiments on optical stochastic cooling and on the single-electron wave function. These experiments require an outstanding control over the lattice parameters, achievable with fast and precise beam monitoring systems. This work describes the steps for designing and building a beam monitor for IOTA based on synchrotron radiation, able to measure intensity, position and transverse cross-section beam.

Integrated circuits and electrode interfaces for noninvasive physiological monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Ha, Sohmyung; Kim, Chul; Chi, Yu M; Akinin, Abraham; Maier, Christoph; Ueno, Akinori; Cauwenberghs, Gert

2014-05-01

This paper presents an overview of the fundamentals and state of the-art in noninvasive physiological monitoring instrumentation with a focus on electrode and optrode interfaces to the body, and micropower-integrated circuit design for unobtrusive wearable applications. Since the electrode/optrode-body interface is a performance limiting factor in noninvasive monitoring systems, practical interface configurations are offered for biopotential acquisition, electrode-tissue impedance measurement, and optical biosignal sensing. A systematic approach to instrumentation amplifier (IA) design using CMOS transistors operating in weak inversion is shown to offer high energy and noise efficiency. Practical methodologies to obviate 1/f noise, counteract electrode offset drift, improve common-mode rejection ratio, and obtain subhertz high-pass cutoff are illustrated with a survey of the state-of-the-art IAs. Furthermore, fundamental principles and state-of-the-art technologies for electrode-tissue impedance measurement, photoplethysmography, functional near-infrared spectroscopy, and signal coding and quantization are reviewed, with additional guidelines for overall power management including wireless transmission. Examples are presented of practical dry-contact and noncontact cardiac, respiratory, muscle and brain monitoring systems, and their clinical applications.

Development of a Personal Integrated Environmental Monitoring System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Man Sing Wong

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Environmental pollution in the urban areas of Hong Kong has become a serious public issue but most urban inhabitants have no means of judging their own living environment in terms of dangerous threshold and overall livability. Currently there exist many low-cost sensors such as ultra-violet, temperature and air quality sensors that provide reasonably accurate data quality. In this paper, the development and evaluation of Integrated Environmental Monitoring System (IEMS are illustrated. This system consists of three components: (i position determination and sensor data collection for real-time geospatial-based environmental monitoring; (ii on-site data communication and visualization with the aid of an Android-based application; and (iii data analysis on a web server. This system has shown to be working well during field tests in a bus journey and a construction site. It provides an effective service platform for collecting environmental data in near real-time, and raises the public awareness of environmental quality in micro-environments.

Integrated approach to monitor water dynamics with drones

Science.gov (United States)

Raymaekers, Dries; De Keukelaere, Liesbeth; Knaeps, Els; Strackx, Gert; Decrop, Boudewijn; Bollen, Mark

2017-04-01

Remote sensing has been used for more than 20 years to estimate water quality in the open ocean and study the evolution of vegetation on land. More recently big improvements have been made to extend these practices to coastal and inland waters, opening new monitoring opportunities, eg. monitoring the impact of dredging activities on the aquatic environment. While satellite sensors can provide complete coverage and historical information of the study area, they are limited in their temporal revisit time and spatial resolution. Therefore, deployment of drones can create an added value and in combination with satellite information increase insights in the dynamics and actors of coastal and aquatic systems. Drones have the advantages of monitoring at high spatial detail (cm scale), with high frequency and are flexible. One of the important water quality parameters is the suspended sediment concentration. However, retrieving sediment concentrations from unmanned systems is a challenging task. The sediment dynamics in the port of Breskens, the Netherlands, were investigated by combining information retrieved from different data sources: satellite, drone and in-situ data were collected, analysed and inserted in sediment models. As such, historical (satellite), near-real time (drone) and predictive (sediment models) information, integrated in a spatial data infrastructure, allow to perform data analysis and can support decision makers.

A new watershed assessment framework for Nova Scotia: A high-level, integrated approach for regions without a dense network of monitoring stations

Science.gov (United States)

Sterling, Shannon M.; Garroway, Kevin; Guan, Yue; Ambrose, Sarah M.; Horne, Peter; Kennedy, Gavin W.

2014-11-01

High-level, integrated watershed assessments are a basic requirement for freshwater planning, as they create regional summaries of multiple environmental stressors for the prioritization of watershed conservation, restoration, monitoring, and mitigation. There is a heightened need for a high-level, integrated watershed assessment in Nova Scotia as it faces pressing watershed issues relating to acidification, soil erosion, acid rock drainage, eutrophication, and water withdrawals related to potential shale gas development. But because of the relative sparseness of the on-the-ground effects-based data, for example on water quality or fish assemblages, previously created approaches for integrated watershed assessment cannot be used. In a government/university collaboration, we developed a new approach that relies solely on easier-to-collect and more available exposure-based variables to perform the first high-level watershed assessment in Nova Scotia. In this assessment, a total of 295 watershed units were studied. We used Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to map and analyze 13 stressor variables that represent risks to aquatic environment (e.g., road/stream crossing density, acid rock drainage risk, surface water withdrawals, human land use, and dam density). We developed a model to link stressors with impacts to aquatic systems to serve as a basis for a watershed threat ranking system. Resource management activities performed by government and other stakeholders were also included in this analysis. Our assessment identifies the most threatened watersheds, enables informed comparisons among watersheds, and indicates where to focus resource management and monitoring efforts. Stakeholder communication tools produced by the NSWAP include a watershed atlas to communicate the assessment results to a broader audience, including policy makers and public stakeholders. This new framework for high-level watershed assessments provides a resource for other regions that also

Fundamentals for remote condition monitoring of offshore wind turbines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McGugan, Malcolm; Larsen, Gunner Chr.; Sørensen, Bent F.

In the future, large wind turbines will be placed offshore in considerable numbers. Since access will be difficult and costly, it is preferable to use monitoring systems to reduce the reliance on manual inspection. The motivation for the effort reported here is to create the fundamental basis...... of the wind turbine blades that can integrate with existing SCADA tools to improve management of large offshore wind farms, and optimise the manual inspection/maintenance effort. Various sensor types, which have previously been identified as technically (and economically) capable of detecting the early...

NordicWalking Performance Analysis with an Integrated Monitoring System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesco Mocera

2018-05-01

Full Text Available There is a growing interest in Nordic walking both from the fitness and medical point of views due to its possible therapeutic applications. The proper execution of the technique is an essential requirement to maximize the benefits of this practice. This is the reason why a monitoring system for outdoor Nordic walking activity was developed. Using data obtained from synchronized sensors, it is possible to have a complete overview of the users’ movements. The system described in this paper is able to measure: the pole angle during the pushing phase, the arms cycle frequency and synchronization and the pushing force applied to the ground. Furthermore, data from a GPS module give an image of the environment where the activity session takes place, in terms of the distance, slope, as well as the ground typology. A heart rate sensor is used to monitor the effort of the user through his/her Beats Per Minute (BPM. In this work, the developed monitoring system is presented, explaining how to use the gathered data to obtain the main feedback parameters for Nordic walking performance analysis. The comparison between left and right arm measurements allowed validating the system as a tool for technique evaluation. Finally, a procedure to estimate the peak pushing force from acceleration measurements is proposed.

Integrated environmental control and monitoring in the intelligent workplace. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-12-31

This project involved the design and engineering of the control and monitoring of environmental quality - visual, thermal, air - in the Intelligent Workplace. The research objectives were to study the performance of the individual systems, to study the integration issues related to each system, to develop a control plan, and to implement and test the integrated systems in a real setting. In this project, a control strategy with related algorithms for distributed sensors, actuators, and controllers for negotiating central and individual control of HVAC, lighting, and enclosure was developed in order to maximize user comfort, and energy and environmental effectiveness. The goal of the control system design in the Intelligent Workplace is the integration of building systems for optimization of occupant satisfaction, organizational flexibility, energy efficiency and environmental effectiveness. The task of designing this control system involves not only the research, development and demonstration of state-of-the-art mechanical and electrical systems, but also their integration. The ABSIC research team developed functional requirements for the environmental systems considering the needs of both facility manager and the user. There are three levels of control for the environmental systems: scheduled control, sensor control, and user control. The challenges are to achieve the highest possible levels of energy effectiveness simultaneously with the highest levels of user satisfaction. The report describes the components of each system, their implementation in the Intelligent Workplace and related control and monitoring issues.

Analysis of decision fusion algorithms in handling uncertainties for integrated health monitoring systems

Science.gov (United States)

Zein-Sabatto, Saleh; Mikhail, Maged; Bodruzzaman, Mohammad; DeSimio, Martin; Derriso, Mark; Behbahani, Alireza

2012-06-01

It has been widely accepted that data fusion and information fusion methods can improve the accuracy and robustness of decision-making in structural health monitoring systems. It is arguably true nonetheless, that decision-level is equally beneficial when applied to integrated health monitoring systems. Several decisions at low-levels of abstraction may be produced by different decision-makers; however, decision-level fusion is required at the final stage of the process to provide accurate assessment about the health of the monitored system as a whole. An example of such integrated systems with complex decision-making scenarios is the integrated health monitoring of aircraft. Thorough understanding of the characteristics of the decision-fusion methodologies is a crucial step for successful implementation of such decision-fusion systems. In this paper, we have presented the major information fusion methodologies reported in the literature, i.e., probabilistic, evidential, and artificial intelligent based methods. The theoretical basis and characteristics of these methodologies are explained and their performances are analyzed. Second, candidate methods from the above fusion methodologies, i.e., Bayesian, Dempster-Shafer, and fuzzy logic algorithms are selected and their applications are extended to decisions fusion. Finally, fusion algorithms are developed based on the selected fusion methods and their performance are tested on decisions generated from synthetic data and from experimental data. Also in this paper, a modeling methodology, i.e. cloud model, for generating synthetic decisions is presented and used. Using the cloud model, both types of uncertainties; randomness and fuzziness, involved in real decision-making are modeled. Synthetic decisions are generated with an unbiased process and varying interaction complexities among decisions to provide for fair performance comparison of the selected decision-fusion algorithms. For verification purposes

Integrating forest inventory and analysis data into a LIDAR-based carbon monitoring system

Science.gov (United States)

Kristofer D. Johnson; Richard Birdsey; Andrew O Finley; Anu Swantaran; Ralph Dubayah; Craig Wayson; Rachel. Riemann

2014-01-01

Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data may be a valuable component of a LIDAR-based carbon monitoring system, but integration of the two observation systems is not without challenges. To explore integration methods, two wall-to-wall LIDAR-derived biomass maps were compared to FIA data at both the plot and county levels in Anne Arundel and Howard Counties in Maryland...

Storage monitoring system - 1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mickelsen, B.; Nilsen, C.; Kinzel, R.; Davidson, B.; Pollock, R.

1999-01-01

Sandia National Laboratories has several ongoing projects in the area of nuclear materials management. These projects establish a core capability in monitoring stored nuclear materials. The overarching goal of these projects is to get the right sensor information to the right user to enhance the safety, security and to verify the legitimacy of use 1 of stored nuclear materials. An effort has been initiated to merge these projects into a common system. This paper provides an overview of several of these projects and the integration activities between them. (author)

7th annual report 1998. UN ECE convention on long-range transboundary air pollution. International cooperative programme on integrated monitoring of air pollution effects on ecosystems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kleemola, S.; Forsius, M. [eds.

1998-11-01

The Integrated Monitoring Programme (ICP IM) is part of the Effects Monitoring Strategy under the UN ECE Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Convention. The main aim of ICP IM is to provide a framework to observe and understand the complex changes occurring in the external environment. The monitoring and prediction of complex ecosystem effects on undisturbed reference areas require a continuous effort to improve the collection and assessment of data on the international scale. At the 1997 Task Force meeting it was decided that future annual reports from ICP IM would have a more technical character. The report could include some scientific material but also short technical descriptions of recent national activities and publications. Scientific articles should preferably be published in recognised scientific journals. The responsibility for producing annual reports would still lie on the Programme Centre, but more contributions from National Focal Points were welcomed. The content of the present Annual Report reflects the decisions of the Task Force meeting. The report gives a general overview of the ICP IM activities, the present content of the ICP IM database, and presents results from assessment activities carried out by several collaborating institutes and the ICP IM Programme Centre during the programme year 1997/98. The resources of the Programme Centre have been targeted to the revision of the Programme Manual and the EU/LIFE-project `Development of Assessment and Monitoring Techniques at Integrated Monitoring Sites in Europe`, which has limited the possibilities to carry out additional evaluations of ICP IM data. Section 1 is a short status report of the ICP IM activities, content of the IM database, including the contents of the GIS database, and the present geographical coverage of the monitoring network. Section 2 contains a report on multivariate gradient analysis applied to relate chemical and biological observations (prepared by D. de Zwart, RIVM

Integrated monitoring technologies for the management of a Soil-Aquifer-Treatment (SAT) system.

Science.gov (United States)

Papadopoulos, Alexandros; Kallioras, Andreas; Kofakis, Petros; Bumberger, Jan; Schmidt, Felix; Athanasiou, Georgios; Uzunoglou, Nikolaos; Amditis, Angelos; Dietrich, Peter

2016-04-01

Artificial recharge of groundwater has an important role to play in water reuse as treated wastewater effluent can be infiltrated into the ground for aquifer recharge. As the effluent moves through the soil and the aquifer, it undergoes significant quality improvements through physical, chemical, and biological processes in the underground environment. Collectively, these processes and the water quality improvement obtained are called soil-aquifer-treatment (SAT) or geopurification. The pilot site of Lavrion Technological & Cultural Park (LTCP) of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), involves the employment of plot infiltration basins at experimental scale, which will be using waters of impaired quality as a recharge source, and hence acting as a Soil-Aquifer-Treatment, SAT, system. Τhe LTCP site will be employed as a pilot SAT system complemented by new technological developments, which will be providing continuous monitoring of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of infiltrating groundwater through all hydrologic zones (i.e. surface, unsaturated and saturated zone). This will be achieved by the development and installation of an integrated system of prototype sensing technologies, installed on-site, and offering a continuous evaluation of the performance of the SAT system. An integrated approach of the performance evaluation of any operating SAT system should aim at parallel monitoring of all hydrologic zones, proving the sustainability of all involved water quality treatment processes within unsaturated and saturated zone. Hence a prototype system of Time and Frequency Domain Reflectometry (TDR & FDR) sensors is developed and will be installed, in order to achieve continuous quantitative monitoring of the unsaturated zone through the entire soil column down to significant depths below the SAT basin. Additionally, the system contains two different radar-based sensing systems that will be offering (i) identification of preferential

The INTEGRAL Galactic bulge monitoring program: the first 1.5 years

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuulkers, E.; Shaw, S.E.; Paizis, A.; Chenevez, J.; Brandt, S.; Courvoisier, T.J.L.; Domingo, A.; Ebisawa, K.; Kretschmar, P.; Markwardt, C.B.; Mowlavi, N.; Oosterbroek, T.; Orr, A.; Rísquez, D.; Sanchez-Fernandez, C.; Wijnands, R.

2007-01-01

Aims.The Galactic bulge region is a rich host of variable high-energy point sources. Since 2005, February 17 we are monitoring the source activity in the Galactic bulge region regularly and frequently, i.e., about every three days, with the instruments onboard INTEGRAL. Thanks to the large field of

INTEGRATION OF FRACTAL AND NEURAL NETWORK TECHNOLOGIES IN PEDAGOGICAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE OF TRAINEES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Svetlana N Dvoryatkina

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The possibility of statement and solution of the problem of searching of theoretical justification and development of efficient didactic mechanisms of the organization of process of pedagogical monitoring and assessment of level of knowledge of trainees can be based on convergence of the leading psychological and pedagogical, mathematical, and informational technologies with accounting of the modern achievements in science. In the article, the pedagogical expediency of realization of opportunities of means of informational technologies in monitoring and assessment of the composite mathematical knowledge, in the management of cognitive activity of students is proved. The ability to integrate fractal methods and neural network technologies in perfecting of a system of pedagogical monitoring of mathematical knowledge of trainees as a part of the automated training systems (ATS is investigated and realized in practice. It is proved that fractal methods increase the accuracy and depth of estimation of the level of proficiency of students and also complexes of intellectual operations of the integrative qualities allowing to master and apply cross-disciplinary knowledge and abilities in professional activity. Neural network technologies solve a problem of realization of the personal focused tutoring from positions of optimum individualization of mathematical education and self-realization of the person. The technology of projection of integrative system of pedagogical monitoring of knowledge of students includes the following stages: establishment of the required tutoring parameters; definition and preparation of input data for realization of integration of fractal and neural network technologies; development of the diagnostic module as a part of the block of an artificial intelligence of ATS, filling of the databases structured by system; start of system for obtaining the forecast. In development of the integrative automated system of pedagogical

A Wireless Physiological Signal Monitoring System with Integrated Bluetooth and WiFi Technologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Sung-Nien; Cheng, Jen-Chieh

2005-01-01

This paper proposes a wireless patient monitoring system which integrates Bluetooth and WiFi wireless technologies. A wireless portable multi-parameter device was designated to acquire physiological signals and transmit them to a local server via Bluetooth wireless technology. Four kinds of monitor units were designed to communicate via the WiFi wireless technology, including a local monitor unit, a control center, mobile devices (personal digital assistant; PDA), and a web page. The use of various monitor units is intending to meet different medical requirements for different medical personnel. This system was demonstrated to promote the mobility and flexibility for both the patients and the medical personnel, which further improves the quality of health care.

Monitoring challenges and innovative ideas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O' Neill, R.V.; Hunsaker, C.T.; Levine, D.A.

1990-01-01

Monitoring programs are difficult to design even when they focus on specific problems. Ecosystems are complex, and it is often impossible to predetermine what aspects of system structure or dynamics will respond to a specific insult. It is equally difficult to interpret whether a response is a stabilizing compensatory mechanism or a real loss of capacity to maintain the ecosystem. The problems are compounded in a broad monitoring program designed to assess ecosystem health'' at regional and continental scales. It is challenging in the extreme to monitor ecosystem response, at any scale, to past insults as well as an unknown future array of impacts. The present paper will examine some of the fundamental issues and challenges raised by large-scale monitoring efforts. The challenges will serve as a framework and as an excuse to discuss several important topics in more detail. Following the discussion of challenges, we suggest some basic innovations that could be important across a range of monitoring programs. The innovations include integrative measures, innovative methodology, and creative interpretation. 59 refs., 1 tab.

Effort Estimation in BPMS Migration

OpenAIRE

Drews, Christopher; Lantow, Birger

2018-01-01

Usually Business Process Management Systems (BPMS) are highly integrated in the IT of organizations and are at the core of their business. Thus, migrating from one BPMS solution to another is not a common task. However, there are forces that are pushing organizations to perform this step, e.g. maintenance costs of legacy BPMS or the need for additional functionality. Before the actual migration, the risk and the effort must be evaluated. This work provides a framework for effort estimation re...

Conceptual ecological models to guide integrated landscape monitoring of the Great Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, D.M.; Finn, S.P.; Woodward, Andrea; Torregrosa, Alicia; Miller, M.E.; Bedford, D.R.; Brasher, A.M.

2010-01-01

The Great Basin Integrated Landscape Monitoring Pilot Project was developed in response to the need for a monitoring and predictive capability that addresses changes in broad landscapes and waterscapes. Human communities and needs are nested within landscapes formed by interactions among the hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere. Understanding the complex processes that shape landscapes and deriving ways to manage them sustainably while meeting human needs require sophisticated modeling and monitoring. This document summarizes current understanding of ecosystem structure and function for many of the ecosystems within the Great Basin using conceptual models. The conceptual ecosystem models identify key ecological components and processes, identify external drivers, develop a hierarchical set of models that address both site and landscape attributes, inform regional monitoring strategy, and identify critical gaps in our knowledge of ecosystem function. The report also illustrates an approach for temporal and spatial scaling from site-specific models to landscape models and for understanding cumulative effects. Eventually, conceptual models can provide a structure for designing monitoring programs, interpreting monitoring and other data, and assessing the accuracy of our understanding of ecosystem functions and processes.

Pressure cycling monitoring helps ensure the integrity of energy pipelines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, Peter; Lawrence, Doug; Keane, Sean; Ironside, Scott; Sutton, Aaron [Enbridge Pipelines Inc., Edmonton, AB (Canada)

2010-07-01

Enbridge Pipelines Inc. undertook a pressure cycling monitoring (PCM) program to see how pressure cycling severity (PCS) changes during line operations. The main purpose of this program is to make sure the integrity assessment interval is valid and to identify changes in operations that cause fatigue damage. The estimated fatigue life is obtained through fatigue analysis, which is based on Paris Law and uses certain data such as the operating pressure data from Enbridge's SCADA system. It serves as a measure of the PCS. When applied in an integrity management program, PCM helps maintain the integrity of pipelines by pinpointing segments whose operations have changed significantly. Among useful conclusions, it was found that a comparison between crack threat susceptibility indicators and PCS fluctuations help identify a change to crack threat susceptibility; also, the program helps identify notable changes to PCS that are caused by certain operational practices.

Effort Estimation in BPMS Migration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher Drews

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Usually Business Process Management Systems (BPMS are highly integrated in the IT of organizations and are at the core of their business. Thus, migrating from one BPMS solution to another is not a common task. However, there are forces that are pushing organizations to perform this step, e.g. maintenance costs of legacy BPMS or the need for additional functionality. Before the actual migration, the risk and the effort must be evaluated. This work provides a framework for effort estimation regarding the technical aspects of BPMS migration. The framework provides questions for BPMS comparison and an effort evaluation schema. The applicability of the framework is evaluated based on a simplified BPMS migration scenario.

Monolithically integrated biophotonic lab-on-a-chip for cell culture and simultaneous pH monitoring

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Munoz-Berbel, Xavier; Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Rosalia; Vigues, Nuria; Demming, Stefanie; Mas, Jordi; Buettgenbach, Stephanus; Verpoorte, Elisabeth; Ortiz, Pedro; Llobera, Andreu

2013-01-01

A poly(dimethylsiloxane) biophotonic lab-on-a-chip (bioPhLoC) containing two chambers, an incubation chamber and a monitoring chamber for cell retention/proliferation and pH monitoring, respectively, is presented. The bioPhLoC monolithically integrates a filter with 3 mu m high size-exclusion

Early amplitude‐integrated electroencephalography for monitoring neonates at high risk for brain injury

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel Fernando Todeschi Variane

2017-09-01

Conclusion: This study supports previous results and demonstrates the utility of amplitude‐integrated electroencephalography for monitoring brain function and predicting early outcome in the studied groups of infants at high risk for brain injury.

Integrated Eye Tracking and Neural Monitoring for Enhanced Assessment of Mild TBI

Science.gov (United States)

2017-06-01

working memory load effects after mild traumatic brain injury. Neuroimage, 2001. 14(5): p. 1004-12. 2. Chen, J.K., et al., Functional abnormalities in...report. 10 Supporting Data None. Integrated Eye Tracking and Neural Monitoring for Enhanced Assessment of Mild TBI Psychological Health

Dopamine and Effort-Based Decision Making

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irma Triasih Kurniawan

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Motivational theories of choice focus on the influence of goal values and strength of reinforcement to explain behavior. By contrast relatively little is known concerning how the cost of an action, such as effort expended, contributes to a decision to act. Effort-based decision making addresses how we make an action choice based on an integration of action and goal values. Here we review behavioral and neurobiological data regarding the representation of effort as action cost, and how this impacts on decision making. Although organisms expend effort to obtain a desired reward there is a striking sensitivity to the amount of effort required, such that the net preference for an action decreases as effort cost increases. We discuss the contribution of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA towards overcoming response costs and in enhancing an animal’s motivation towards effortful actions. We also consider the contribution of brain structures, including the basal ganglia (BG and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC, in the internal generation of action involving a translation of reward expectation into effortful action.

Integrated System for Performance Monitoring of ATLAS TDAQ Network

CERN Document Server

Savu, D; The ATLAS collaboration; Martin, B; Sjoen, R; Batraneanu, S; Stancu, S

2010-01-01

The ATLAS TDAQ Network consists of three separate networks spanning four levels of the experimental building. Over 200 edge switches and 5 multi-blade chassis routers are used to interconnect 2000 processors, adding up to more than 7000 high speed interfaces. In order to substantially speed-up ad-hoc and post mortem analysis, a scalable, yet flexible, integrated system for monitoring both network statistics and environmental conditions, processor parameters and data taking characteristics was required. For successful up-to-the-minute monitoring, information from many SNMP compliant devices, independent databases and custom APIs was gathered, stored and displayed in an optimal way. Easy navigation and compact aggregation of multiple data sources were the main requirements; characteristics not found in any of the tested products, either open-source or commercial. This paper describes how performance, scalability and display issues were addressed and what challenges the project faced during development and deplo...

Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant biological monitoring and abatement program (BMAP) plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adams, S.M.; Brandt, C.C.; Cicerone, D.S. [and others

1998-02-01

The proposed Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP) for East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, as described, will be conducted for the duration of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit issued for the Y-12 Plant on April 28, 1995, and which became effective July 1, 1995. The basic approach to biological monitoring used in this program was developed by the staff in the Environmental Sciences Division at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory at the request of Y-12 Plant personnel. The proposed BMAP plan is based on results of biological monitoring conducted since 1985. Details of the specific procedures used in the current routine monitoring program are provided, but experimental designs for future studies are described in less detail. The overall strategy used in developing this plan was, and continues to be, to use the results obtained from each task to define the scope of future monitoring efforts. Such efforts may require more intensive sampling than initially proposed in some areas or a reduction in sampling intensity in others. By using the results of previous monitoring efforts to define the current program and to guide them in the development of future studies, an effective integrated monitoring program has been developed to assess the impacts of the Y-12 Plant operation on the biota of EFPC and to document the ecological effects of remedial actions.

Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant biological monitoring and abatement program (BMAP) plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adams, S.M.; Brandt, C.C.; Cicerone, D.S.

1998-02-01

The proposed Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP) for East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, as described, will be conducted for the duration of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit issued for the Y-12 Plant on April 28, 1995, and which became effective July 1, 1995. The basic approach to biological monitoring used in this program was developed by the staff in the Environmental Sciences Division at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory at the request of Y-12 Plant personnel. The proposed BMAP plan is based on results of biological monitoring conducted since 1985. Details of the specific procedures used in the current routine monitoring program are provided, but experimental designs for future studies are described in less detail. The overall strategy used in developing this plan was, and continues to be, to use the results obtained from each task to define the scope of future monitoring efforts. Such efforts may require more intensive sampling than initially proposed in some areas or a reduction in sampling intensity in others. By using the results of previous monitoring efforts to define the current program and to guide them in the development of future studies, an effective integrated monitoring program has been developed to assess the impacts of the Y-12 Plant operation on the biota of EFPC and to document the ecological effects of remedial actions

Structural integrity monitoring of critical components in nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roth, Maria; Constantinescu, Dan Mihai; Brad, Sebastian; Ducu, Catalin; Malinovschi, Viorel

2007-01-01

Full text: The paper presents the results obtained as part of the Project 'Integrated Network for Structural Integrity Monitoring of Critical Components in Nuclear Facilities', RIMIS, a research work underway within the framework of the Ministry of Education and Research Programme 'Research of Excellence'. The main objective of the Project is to constitute a network integrating the national R and D institutes with preoccupations in the structural integrity assessment of critical components in the nuclear facilities operating in Romania, in order to elaborate a specific procedure for this field. The degradation mechanisms of the structural materials used in the CANDU type reactors, operated by Unit 1 and Unit 2 at Cernavoda (pressure tubes, fuel elements sheaths, steam generator tubing) and in the nuclear facilities relating to reactors of this type as, for instance, the Hydrogen Isotopes Separation facility, will be investigated. The development of a flexible procedure will offer the opportunity to extend the applications to other structural materials used in the nuclear field and in the non-nuclear fields as well, in cooperation with other institutes involved in the developed network. The expected results of the project will allow the integration of the network developed at national level in the structures of similar networks operating within the EU, the enhancement of the scientific importance of Romanian R and D organizations as well as the increase of our country's contribution in solving the major issues of the nuclear field. (authors)

Integrating SAR with Optical and Thermal Remote Sensing for Operational Near Real-Time Volcano Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, F. J.; Webley, P.; Dehn, J.; Arko, S. A.; McAlpin, D. B.

2013-12-01

Volcanic eruptions are among the most significant hazards to human society, capable of triggering natural disasters on regional to global scales. In the last decade, remote sensing techniques have become established in operational forecasting, monitoring, and managing of volcanic hazards. Monitoring organizations, like the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), are nowadays heavily relying on remote sensing data from a variety of optical and thermal sensors to provide time-critical hazard information. Despite the high utilization of these remote sensing data to detect and monitor volcanic eruptions, the presence of clouds and a dependence on solar illumination often limit their impact on decision making processes. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems are widely believed to be superior to optical sensors in operational monitoring situations, due to the weather and illumination independence of their observations and the sensitivity of SAR to surface changes and deformation. Despite these benefits, the contributions of SAR to operational volcano monitoring have been limited in the past due to (1) high SAR data costs, (2) traditionally long data processing times, and (3) the low temporal sampling frequencies inherent to most SAR systems. In this study, we present improved data access, data processing, and data integration techniques that mitigate some of the above mentioned limitations and allow, for the first time, a meaningful integration of SAR into operational volcano monitoring systems. We will introduce a new database interface that was developed in cooperation with the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) and allows for rapid and seamless data access to all of ASF's SAR data holdings. We will also present processing techniques that improve the temporal frequency with which hazard-related products can be produced. These techniques take advantage of modern signal processing technology as well as new radiometric normalization schemes, both enabling the combination of

Development of an integrated condition monitoring system for meeting license renewal criteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jarrell, D.B.; Stratton, R.C.

1991-01-01

A project for developing a methodology that facilitates an artificial intelligence (AI) approach to the integration of component condition monitoring, fault diagnostics, and component failure root cause analysis is in progress at PNL. Using model-based reasoning with an object oriented schematic representation, these combined elements provide a real-time interactive means to systematically investigate, understand and auto-document the mitigation of age-related component degradation. A common Data Acquisition System contains component parameter and machinery history data as well as a knowledge of the plant system configuration. The unique aspect of this system is that it integrates this component parametric, diagnostic, and failure history knowledge to determine a more complete computerized specification of the component condition than was previously possible. This condition specification is then compared to degradation process models for behavioral similitude, thereby identifying the active degradation mechanism. Based on the monitored trends and the degradation model, an accurate estimate of projected equipment service life can then be projected. (author)

[The Development of Information Centralization and Management Integration System for Monitors Based on Wireless Sensor Network].

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Xiu; Zhang, Honglei; Li, Yiming; Li, Bin

2015-07-01

Developed the information centralization and management integration system for monitors of different brands and models with wireless sensor network technologies such as wireless location and wireless communication, based on the existing wireless network. With adaptive implementation and low cost, the system which possesses the advantages of real-time, efficiency and elaboration is able to collect status and data of the monitors, locate the monitors, and provide services with web server, video server and locating server via local network. Using an intranet computer, the clinical and device management staffs can access the status and parameters of monitors. Applications of this system provide convenience and save human resource for clinical departments, as well as promote the efficiency, accuracy and elaboration for the device management. The successful achievement of this system provides solution for integrated and elaborated management of the mobile devices including ventilator and infusion pump.

Review of broad-scale drought monitoring of forests: Toward an integrated data mining approach

Science.gov (United States)

Steve Norman; Frank H. Koch; William W. Hargrove

2016-01-01

Efforts to monitor the broad-scale impacts of drought on forests often come up short. Drought is a direct stressor of forests as well as a driver of secondary disturbance agents, making a full accounting of drought impacts challenging. General impacts  can be inferred from moisture deficits quantified using precipitation and temperature measurements. However,...

Technical Report on Preliminary Methodology for Enhancing Risk Monitors with Integrated Equipment Condition Assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramuhalli, Pradeep; Coles, Garill A.; Coble, Jamie B.; Hirt, Evelyn H.

2013-09-17

Small modular reactors (SMRs) generally include reactors with electric output of ~350 MWe or less (this cutoff varies somewhat but is substantially less than full-size plant output of 700 MWe or more). Advanced SMRs (AdvSMRs) refer to a specific class of SMRs and are based on modularization of advanced reactor concepts. AdvSMRs may provide a longer-term alternative to traditional light-water reactors (LWRs) and SMRs based on integral pressurized water reactor concepts currently being considered. Enhancing affordability of AdvSMRs will be critical to ensuring wider deployment. AdvSMRs suffer from loss of economies of scale inherent in small reactors when compared to large (~greater than 600 MWe output) reactors. Some of this loss can be recovered through reduced capital costs through smaller size, fewer components, modular fabrication processes, and the opportunity for modular construction. However, the controllable day-to-day costs of AdvSMRs will be dominated by operation and maintenance (O&M) costs. Technologies that help characterize real-time risk are important for controlling O&M costs. Risk monitors are used in current nuclear power plants to provide a point-in-time estimate of the system risk given the current plant configuration (e.g., equipment availability, operational regime, and environmental conditions). However, current risk monitors are unable to support the capability requirements listed above as they do not take into account plant-specific normal, abnormal, and deteriorating states of active components and systems. This report documents technology developments that are a step towards enhancing risk monitors that, if integrated with supervisory plant control systems, can provide the capability requirements listed and meet the goals of controlling O&M costs. The report describes research results from an initial methodology for enhanced risk monitors by integrating real-time information about equipment condition and POF into risk monitors.

Use of Germanium as comparator and integral monitor of neutron flux in activation analysis; Utilizacion del germanio como comparador y monitor integral de flujo neutronico en analisis por activacion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Furnari, Juan C.; Cohen, Isaac M. [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Buenos Aires (Argentina). Centro Atomico Ezeiza; Arribere, Maria A.; Kestelman, Abraham J. [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, San Carlos de Bariloche (Argentina). Centro Atomico Bariloche

1997-10-01

The possibility of using germanium as monitor of the thermal and epithermal components of the neutron flux, and comparator in parametric activation analysis, is discussed. The advantages and drawbacks associated to the use of this element are commented on, and the comparison with zirconium, in terms of the determination relative error, is performed. The utilisation of germanium as integral flux monitor, including the fast component of the neutron spectrum, is also discussed. Data corresponding to measurements of k{sub 0} factor for the most relevant gamma transitions from Ge-75 and Be-77 are presented, as well as the results of the reference material analysis, employing germanium as flux monitor and comparator in a simultaneous way. (author). 8 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.

User interface design and system integration aspects of core monitoring systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berg, O.; Bodal, T.; Hornaes, A.; Porsmyr, J.

2000-01-01

The present paper describes our experience with the SCORPIO core monitoring system using generic building blocks for the MMI and system integration. In this context the different layers of the software system are discussed starting with the communication system, interfacing of various modules (e.g. physics codes), administration of several modules and generation of graphical user interfaces for different categories of end-users. A method by which re-use of software components can make the system development and maintenance more efficient is described. Examples are given from different system installation projects. The methodology adopted is considered particularly important in the future, as it is anticipated that core monitoring systems will be expanded with new functions (e.g. information from technical specifications, procedures, noise analysis, etc). Further, efficient coupling of off-line tools for core physics calculations and on-line modules in core monitoring can pave the way for cost savings. (authors)

Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership 2017 Annual Report

Science.gov (United States)

Puls, Amy L.; Scully, Rebecca A.; Dethloff, Megan M.; Bayer, Jennifer M.; Olson, Sheryn J.; Cimino, Samuel A.

2018-01-01

The Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership (PNAMP) continued to promote the integration of monitoring resources and development of tools to support monitoring in 2017. Improved coordination and integration of goals, objectives, and activities among Pacific Northwest monitoring programs is essential to improving the quality and consistency of monitoring in the region.PNAMP operates through inter-organizational teams to make progress on a variety of projects identified to support partner needs and PNAMP goals. These teams are largely ad hoc and formed for the specific purpose of achieving the objectives of the identified projects. For each project, the PNAMP Coordination Team identified interested Steering Committee (SC) members and subject matter experts to form the working teams that provide guidance and leadership. In addition, the teams acted as an intermediate between the larger group of interested participants and the SC, thus maintaining the concept of better SC/participant exchange. The PNAMP Coordination Team continued to facilitate dialog among experts to move forward with ongoing and new projects. In addition, the Coordination Team continued their efforts to track in-kind contributions of time from participants at meetings, workshops, and other PNAMP hosted events; in 2017 this estimate amounted to 2,039 hours by 67 organizations.

Integral Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS) Facility conceptual design report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-09-01

The Basis for Design established the functional requirements and design criteria for an Integral Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS) facility. The MRS Facility design, described in this report, is based on those requirements and includes all infrastructure, facilities, and equipment required to routinely receive, unload, prepare for storage, and store spent fuel (SF), high-level waste (HLW), and transuranic waste (TRU), and to decontaminate and return shipping casks received by both rail and truck. The facility is complete with all supporting facilities to make the MRS Facility a self-sufficient installation

Integration of computer imaging and sensor data for structural health monitoring of bridges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaurin, R; Catbas, F N

2010-01-01

The condition of civil infrastructure systems (CIS) changes over their life cycle for different reasons such as damage, overloading, severe environmental inputs, and ageing due normal continued use. The structural performance often decreases as a result of the change in condition. Objective condition assessment and performance evaluation are challenging activities since they require some type of monitoring to track the response over a period of time. In this paper, integrated use of video images and sensor data in the context of structural health monitoring is demonstrated as promising technologies for the safety of civil structures in general and bridges in particular. First, the challenges and possible solutions to using video images and computer vision techniques for structural health monitoring are presented. Then, the synchronized image and sensing data are analyzed to obtain unit influence line (UIL) as an index for monitoring bridge behavior under identified loading conditions. Subsequently, the UCF 4-span bridge model is used to demonstrate the integration and implementation of imaging devices and traditional sensing technology with UIL for evaluating and tracking the bridge behavior. It is shown that video images and computer vision techniques can be used to detect, classify and track different vehicles with synchronized sensor measurements to establish an input–output relationship to determine the normalized response of the bridge

Smart sensor systems for human health breath monitoring applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, G W; Xu, J C; Biaggi-Labiosa, A M; Laskowski, D; Dutta, P K; Mondal, S P; Ward, B J; Makel, D B; Liu, C C; Chang, C W; Dweik, R A

2011-09-01

Breath analysis techniques offer a potential revolution in health care diagnostics, especially if these techniques can be brought into standard use in the clinic and at home. The advent of microsensors combined with smart sensor system technology enables a new generation of sensor systems with significantly enhanced capabilities and minimal size, weight and power consumption. This paper discusses the microsensor/smart sensor system approach and provides a summary of efforts to migrate this technology into human health breath monitoring applications. First, the basic capability of this approach to measure exhaled breath associated with exercise physiology is demonstrated. Building from this foundation, the development of a system for a portable asthma home health care system is described. A solid-state nitric oxide (NO) sensor for asthma monitoring has been identified, and efforts are underway to miniaturize this NO sensor technology and integrate it into a smart sensor system. It is concluded that base platform microsensor technology combined with smart sensor systems can address the needs of a range of breath monitoring applications and enable new capabilities for healthcare.

Principles and strategies for monitoring data collection integrity in a multi-site randomized clinical trial of a behavioral intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips-Salimi, Celeste R; Donovan Stickler, Molly A; Stegenga, Kristin; Lee, Melissa; Haase, Joan E

2011-08-01

Although treatment fidelity strategies for enhancing the integrity of behavioral interventions have been well described, little has been written about monitoring data collection integrity. This article describes the principles and strategies developed to monitor data collection integrity of the "Stories and Music for Adolescent/Young Adult Resilience During Transplant" study (R01NR008583, U10CA098543, and U10CA095861)-a multi-site Children's Oncology Group randomized clinical trial of a music therapy intervention for adolescents and young adults undergoing stem cell transplant. The principles and strategies outlined in this article provide one model for development and evaluation of a data collection integrity monitoring plan for behavioral interventions that may be adapted by investigators and may be useful to funding agencies and grant application reviewers in evaluating proposals. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Nonparametric Integrated Agrometeorological Drought Monitoring: Model Development and Application

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qiang; Li, Qin; Singh, Vijay P.; Shi, Peijun; Huang, Qingzhong; Sun, Peng

2018-01-01

Drought is a major natural hazard that has massive impacts on the society. How to monitor drought is critical for its mitigation and early warning. This study proposed a modified version of the multivariate standardized drought index (MSDI) based on precipitation, evapotranspiration, and soil moisture, i.e., modified multivariate standardized drought index (MMSDI). This study also used nonparametric joint probability distribution analysis. Comparisons were done between standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI), standardized soil moisture index (SSMI), MSDI, and MMSDI, and real-world observed drought regimes. Results indicated that MMSDI detected droughts that SPEI and/or SSMI failed to do. Also, MMSDI detected almost all droughts that were identified by SPEI and SSMI. Further, droughts detected by MMSDI were similar to real-world observed droughts in terms of drought intensity and drought-affected area. When compared to MMSDI, MSDI has the potential to overestimate drought intensity and drought-affected area across China, which should be attributed to exclusion of the evapotranspiration components from estimation of drought intensity. Therefore, MMSDI is proposed for drought monitoring that can detect agrometeorological droughts. Results of this study provide a framework for integrated drought monitoring in other regions of the world and can help to develop drought mitigation.

An Updated Methodology for Enhancing Risk Monitors with Integrated Equipment Condition Assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramuhalli, Pradeep [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Hirt, Evelyn H. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Coles, Garill A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Bonebrake, Christopher A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Ivans, William J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Wootan, David W. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Mitchell, Mark R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2014-07-18

Small modular reactors (SMRs) generally include reactors with electric output of ~350 MWe or less (this cutoff varies somewhat but is substantially less than full-size plant output of 700 MWe or more). Advanced SMRs (AdvSMRs) refer to a specific class of SMRs and are based on modularization of advanced reactor concepts. Enhancing affordability of AdvSMRs will be critical to ensuring wider deployment, as AdvSMRs suffer from loss of economies of scale inherent in small reactors when compared to large (~greater than 600 MWe output) reactors and the controllable day-to-day costs of AdvSMRs will be dominated by operation and maintenance (O&M) costs. Technologies that help characterize real-time risk are important for controlling O&M costs. Risk monitors are used in current nuclear power plants to provide a point-in-time estimate of the system risk given the current plant configuration (e.g., equipment availability, operational regime, and environmental conditions). However, current risk monitors are unable to support the capability requirements listed above as they do not take into account plant-specific normal, abnormal, and deteriorating states of active components and systems. This report documents technology developments towards enhancing risk monitors that, if integrated with supervisory plant control systems, can provide the capability requirements listed and meet the goals of controlling O&M costs. The report describes research results on augmenting an initial methodology for enhanced risk monitors that integrate real-time information about equipment condition and POF into risk monitors. Methods to propagate uncertainty through the enhanced risk monitor are evaluated. Available data to quantify the level of uncertainty and the POF of key components are examined for their relevance, and a status update of this data evaluation is described. Finally, we describe potential targets for developing new risk metrics that may be useful for studying trade-offs for economic

Integrating population and genetic monitoring to understand changes in the abundance of a threatened seabird

Science.gov (United States)

Catalina Vásquez-Carrillo; R. William Henry; Laird Henkel; M. Zachariah. Peery

2013-01-01

Population monitoring programs for threatened species are rarely designed to disentangle the effects of movements from changes in birth and death rates on estimated trends in abundance. Here, we illustrate how population and genetic monitoring can be integrated to understand the cause of large changes in the abundance of a threatened species of seabird, the Marbled...

The environment, international standards, asset health management and condition monitoring: An integrated strategy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roe, S. [CSD, British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT) (United Kingdom); Mba, D. [School of Engineering, Cranfield University, MK43 0AL, Bedfordshire (United Kingdom)], E-mail: d.mba@cranfield.ac.uk

2009-02-15

Asset Health Management (AHM), supported by condition monitoring (CM) and performance measuring technologies, together with trending, modelling and diagnostic frameworks, is not only critical to the reliability of high-value machines, but also to a companies Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE), system safety and profitability. In addition these protocols are also critical to the global concern of the environment. Industries involved with monitoring key performances indicators (KPI) to improve OEE would benefit from a standardised qualification and certification scheme for their personnel, particularly if it is based on internationally accepted procedures for the various CM technologies that also share the same objectives as AH and CM. Furthermore, the development of 'models' for implementation of a Carbon tax is intrinsically dependent on the integrity and accuracy of measurements contributing to these indicators. This paper reviews the global picture of condition monitoring, the environment and related international standards and then considers their relationship and equivalent global objectives. In addition, it presents the methods behind the development of such standards for certification of competence in personnel involved with data collection, modelling and measurements of KPIs. Two case studies are presented that highlight the integrated strategy in practise.

The environment, international standards, asset health management and condition monitoring: An integrated strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roe, S.; Mba, D.

2009-01-01

Asset Health Management (AHM), supported by condition monitoring (CM) and performance measuring technologies, together with trending, modelling and diagnostic frameworks, is not only critical to the reliability of high-value machines, but also to a companies Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE), system safety and profitability. In addition these protocols are also critical to the global concern of the environment. Industries involved with monitoring key performances indicators (KPI) to improve OEE would benefit from a standardised qualification and certification scheme for their personnel, particularly if it is based on internationally accepted procedures for the various CM technologies that also share the same objectives as AH and CM. Furthermore, the development of 'models' for implementation of a Carbon tax is intrinsically dependent on the integrity and accuracy of measurements contributing to these indicators. This paper reviews the global picture of condition monitoring, the environment and related international standards and then considers their relationship and equivalent global objectives. In addition, it presents the methods behind the development of such standards for certification of competence in personnel involved with data collection, modelling and measurements of KPIs. Two case studies are presented that highlight the integrated strategy in practise

Second annual report of the Environmental Restoration Monitoring and Assessment Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clapp, R.B.; Watts, J.A.

1993-09-01

This report summarizes the salient features of the annual efforts of environmental monitoring and field investigations conducted to support the Environmental Restoration (ER) Program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This report focuses on the watershed scale, striving to provide an ORNL site-wide perspective on types, distribution, and transport of contamination. Results are used to enhance the conceptual understanding of the key contaminants and the sources, fluxes, and processes affecting their distribution and movement. This report summarizes the efforts of the Waste Area Grouping (WAG) 2 and Site Investigations (SI) program. WAG 2 is the lower portion of the White Oak Creek (WOC) system which drains the major contaminated sites at ORNL and discharges to the Clinch River where public access is allowed. The remedial investigation for WAG 2 includes a long-term multimedia environmental monitoring effort that takes advantage of WAG 2's role as an integrator and conduit of contaminants from the ORNL site. This report also includes information from other site-specific remedial investigations and feasibility studies (RI/FS) for contaminated sites at ORNL and data from other ongoing monitoring programs conducted by other organizations [e.g., the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) compliance monitoring conducted by the Environmental Surveillance and Protection Section]. This information is included to provide an integrated basis to support ER decision making. This report summarizes information gathered through early 1993. Annual data, such as annual discharges of contaminants, are reported for calendar year 1992

Developing an effective adaptive monitoring network to support integrated coastal management in a multiuser nature reserve

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pim Vugteveen

2015-03-01

Full Text Available We elaborate the necessary conceptual and strategic elements for developing an effective adaptive monitoring network to support Integrated Coastal Management (ICM in a multiuser nature reserve in the Dutch Wadden Sea Region. We discuss quality criteria and enabling actions essential to accomplish and sustain monitoring excellence to support ICM. The Wadden Sea Long-Term Ecosystem Research project (WaLTER was initiated to develop an adaptive monitoring network and online data portal to better understand and support ICM in the Dutch Wadden Sea Region. Our comprehensive approach integrates ecological and socioeconomic data and links research-driven and policy-driven monitoring for system analysis using indicators of pressures, state, benefits, and responses. The approach and concepts we elaborated are transferable to other coastal regions to accomplish ICM in complex social-ecological systems in which scientists, multisectoral stakeholders, resource managers, and governmental representatives seek to balance long-term ecological, economic, and social objectives within natural limits.

Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adams, S.M.; Brandt, C.C.; Christensen, S.W.; Greeley, M.S.JR.; Hill, W.R.; Peterson, M.J.; Ryon, M.G.; Smith, J.G.; Southworth, G.R.; Stewart, A.J.

2000-09-01

The revised Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP) for East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, as described, will be conducted as required by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit issued for the Y-12 Plant on April 28, 1995 and became effective July 1, 1995. The basic approach to biological monitoring used in this program was developed by the staff in the Environmental Science Division (ESD) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) at the request of the Y-12 Plant. The revision to the BMAP plan is based on results of biological monitoring conducted during the period of 1985 to present. Details of the specific procedures used in the current routine monitoring program are provided; experimental designs for future studies are described in less detail. The overall strategy used in developing this plan was, and continues to be, to use the results obtained from each task to define the scope of future monitoring efforts. Such efforts may require more intensive sampling than initially proposed in some areas (e.g., additional bioaccumulation monitoring if results indicate unexpectedly high PCBs or Hg) or a reduction in sampling intensity in others (e.g., reduction in the number of sampling sites when no impact is still observed). The program scope will be re-evaluated annually. By using the results of previous monitoring efforts to define the current program and to guide us in the development of future studies, an effective integrated monitoring program has been developed to assess the impacts of Y-12 Plant operations (past and present) on the biota of EFPC and to document the ecological effects of remedial actions.

Community radiation monitoring program. Annual report, October 1, 1992--September 30, 1993

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cooper, E.N.

1994-08-01

The Community Radiation Monitoring Program (CRMP) is a cooperative effort between the US Department of Energy (DOE), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Desert Research Institute (DRI), a division of the University and Community College System of Nevada, and the Nuclear Engineering Laboratory of the University of Utah (UUNEL). The thirteenth year of this program began in the fall of 1992, and the work continues as an integral part of the DOE--sponsored long-term offsite radiological monitoring effort that has been conducted by EPA and its predecessors since the inception of nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The CRMP began by enhancing and centralizing environmental monitoring and sampling equipment at 15 communities in the then-existing EPA monitoring network around the NTS, and has since expanded to 19 locations in Nevada, Utah, and California. The primary objectives of this program are still to increase the understanding by the people who live in the area surrounding the NTS of the activities for which DOE is responsible, to enhance the performance of radiological sampling and monitoring, and to inform all concerned of the results of these efforts. One of the primary methods used to improve the communication link with the people in the potentially impacted area has been the hiring and training of local citizens as Station Managers and program representatives in those selected communities in the offsite area. These mangers, active science teachers wherever possible, have succeeded through their training, experience, community standing, and effort in becoming a very visible, able, and valuable asset in this link.

Community radiation monitoring program. Annual report, October 1, 1992--September 30, 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooper, E.N.

1994-08-01

The Community Radiation Monitoring Program (CRMP) is a cooperative effort between the US Department of Energy (DOE), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Desert Research Institute (DRI), a division of the University and Community College System of Nevada, and the Nuclear Engineering Laboratory of the University of Utah (UUNEL). The thirteenth year of this program began in the fall of 1992, and the work continues as an integral part of the DOE--sponsored long-term offsite radiological monitoring effort that has been conducted by EPA and its predecessors since the inception of nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The CRMP began by enhancing and centralizing environmental monitoring and sampling equipment at 15 communities in the then-existing EPA monitoring network around the NTS, and has since expanded to 19 locations in Nevada, Utah, and California. The primary objectives of this program are still to increase the understanding by the people who live in the area surrounding the NTS of the activities for which DOE is responsible, to enhance the performance of radiological sampling and monitoring, and to inform all concerned of the results of these efforts. One of the primary methods used to improve the communication link with the people in the potentially impacted area has been the hiring and training of local citizens as Station Managers and program representatives in those selected communities in the offsite area. These mangers, active science teachers wherever possible, have succeeded through their training, experience, community standing, and effort in becoming a very visible, able, and valuable asset in this link

Third annual environmental restoration monitoring and assessment report for FY 1994 of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clapp, R.B.; Watts, J.A.; Guth, M.A.S. [eds.

1994-09-01

This report summarizes the salient features of the annual efforts of environmental monitoring, field investigations, and assessments conducted to support the Environmental Restoration (ER) Program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This report focuses on the watershed scale, providing an ORNL site-wide perspective on types, distribution, and transport of contamination. The results presented are used to enhance the conceptual understanding of the key contaminants and the sources, fluxes, and processes affecting their distribution and movement. This information forms a basis for prioritizing sites and for selecting, implementing, and evaluating remedial actions. This report summarizes the efforts of the Waste Area Grouping (WAG) 2 and Site Investigations (SI) Project. WAG 2 is the lower portion of the White Oak Creek system which drains the major contaminated sites at ORNL and discharges to the Clinch River where public access is allowed. The Remedial Investigation Plan (DOE 1992) for WAG 2 includes a long-term multimedia environmental monitoring effort that takes advantage of WAG 2`s role as an integrator and the major conduit of contaminants from the ORNL site. During FY 1992, the remedial investigation activities were integrated with a series of environmental monitoring and SI activities at ORNL that address pathways and processes important for contaminant movement to gain a more integrated perspective of contamination movement at the watershed scale.

Third annual environmental restoration monitoring and assessment report for FY 1994 of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clapp, R.B.; Watts, J.A.; Guth, M.A.S.

1994-09-01

This report summarizes the salient features of the annual efforts of environmental monitoring, field investigations, and assessments conducted to support the Environmental Restoration (ER) Program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This report focuses on the watershed scale, providing an ORNL site-wide perspective on types, distribution, and transport of contamination. The results presented are used to enhance the conceptual understanding of the key contaminants and the sources, fluxes, and processes affecting their distribution and movement. This information forms a basis for prioritizing sites and for selecting, implementing, and evaluating remedial actions. This report summarizes the efforts of the Waste Area Grouping (WAG) 2 and Site Investigations (SI) Project. WAG 2 is the lower portion of the White Oak Creek system which drains the major contaminated sites at ORNL and discharges to the Clinch River where public access is allowed. The Remedial Investigation Plan (DOE 1992) for WAG 2 includes a long-term multimedia environmental monitoring effort that takes advantage of WAG 2's role as an integrator and the major conduit of contaminants from the ORNL site. During FY 1992, the remedial investigation activities were integrated with a series of environmental monitoring and SI activities at ORNL that address pathways and processes important for contaminant movement to gain a more integrated perspective of contamination movement at the watershed scale

Integral Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS) Facility conceptual basis for design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-10-01

The purpose of the Conceptual Basis for Design is to provide a control document that establishes the basis for executing the conceptual design of the Integral Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS) Facility. This conceptual design shall provide the basis for preparation of a proposal to Congress by the Department of Energy (DOE) for construction of one or more MRS Facilities for storage of spent nuclear fuel, high-level radioactive waste, and transuranic (TRU) waste. 4 figs., 25 tabs

Integrated technologies for solid waste bin monitoring system.

Science.gov (United States)

Arebey, Maher; Hannan, M A; Basri, Hassan; Begum, R A; Abdullah, Huda

2011-06-01

The integration of communication technologies such as radio frequency identification (RFID), global positioning system (GPS), general packet radio system (GPRS), and geographic information system (GIS) with a camera are constructed for solid waste monitoring system. The aim is to improve the way of responding to customer's inquiry and emergency cases and estimate the solid waste amount without any involvement of the truck driver. The proposed system consists of RFID tag mounted on the bin, RFID reader as in truck, GPRS/GSM as web server, and GIS as map server, database server, and control server. The tracking devices mounted in the trucks collect location information in real time via the GPS. This information is transferred continuously through GPRS to a central database. The users are able to view the current location of each truck in the collection stage via a web-based application and thereby manage the fleet. The trucks positions and trash bin information are displayed on a digital map, which is made available by a map server. Thus, the solid waste of the bin and the truck are being monitored using the developed system.

Integrated wireless sensor network for monitoring pregnant women.

Science.gov (United States)

Niţulescu, Adina; Crişan-Vida, Mihaela; Stoicu-Tivadar, Lăcrămioara; Bernad, Elena

2015-01-01

The paper presents an integrated monitoring system for pregnant women in the third trimester using a mobile cardiotocograph and body sensors. The medical staff has a useful tool to detect abnormalities and prevent unfortunate events in time. The mobile cardiotocograph sends data in real time to a Smartphone that communicates the information in a cloud. The physician accesses the data using the hospital ObgGyn application. The advantage of using this system is that the pregnant woman can follow her pregnancy status evolution from home, and the physician receives alarms from the system if the data is not in normal range and has available information about the health status at any time and location.

A WEB-BASED SOLUTION TO VISUALIZE OPERATIONAL MONITORING LINUX CLUSTER FOR THE PROTODUNE DATA QUALITY MONITORING CLUSTER

CERN Document Server

Mosesane, Badisa

2017-01-01

The Neutrino computing cluster made of 300 Dell PowerEdge 1950 U1 nodes serves an integral role to the CERN Neutrino Platform (CENF). It represents an effort to foster fundamental research in the field of Neutrino physics as it provides data processing facility. We cannot begin to over emphasize the need for data quality monitoring coupled with automating system configurations and remote monitoring of the cluster. To achieve these, a software stack has been chosen to implement automatic propagation of configurations across all the nodes in the cluster. The bulk of these discusses and delves more into the automated configuration management system on this cluster to enable the fast online data processing and Data Quality (DQM) process for the Neutrino Platform cluster (npcmp.cern.ch).

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Cetacean and Sound Mapping Effort: Continuing Forward with an Integrated Ocean Noise Strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Jolie; Ferguson, Megan; Gedamke, Jason; Hatch, Leila; Southall, Brandon; Van Parijs, Sofie

2016-01-01

To help manage chronic and cumulative impacts of human activities on marine mammals, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) convened two working groups, the Underwater Sound Field Mapping Working Group (SoundMap) and the Cetacean Density and Distribution Mapping Working Group (CetMap), with overarching effort of both groups referred to as CetSound, which (1) mapped the predicted contribution of human sound sources to ocean noise and (2) provided region/time/species-specific cetacean density and distribution maps. Mapping products were presented at a symposium where future priorities were identified, including institutionalization/integration of the CetSound effort within NOAA-wide goals and programs, creation of forums and mechanisms for external input and funding, and expanded outreach/education. NOAA is subsequently developing an ocean noise strategy to articulate noise conservation goals and further identify science and management actions needed to support them.

OAK RIDGE Y-12 PLANT BIOLOGICAL MONITORING AND ABATEMENT PROGRAM (BMAP) PLAN

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

ADAMS, S.M.; BRANDT, C.C.; CHRISTENSEN, S.W.; CICERONE, D.S.; GREELEY, M.S.JR; HILL, W.R.; HUSTON, M.S.; KSZOS, L.A.; MCCARTHY, J.F.; PETERSON, M.J.; RYON, M.G.; SMITH, J.G.; SOUTHWORTH, G.R.; STEWART, A.J.

1998-10-01

The proposed Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP) for East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, as described, will be conducted for the duration of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit issued for the Y-12 Plant on April 28, 1995, and which became effective July 1, 1995. The basic approach to biological monitoring used in this program was developed by the staff in the Environmental Sciences Division at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory at the request of Y- 12 Plant personnel. The proposed BMAP plan is based on results of biological monitoring conducted since 1985. Details of the specific procedures used in the current routine monitoring program are provided but experimental designs for future studies are described in less detail. The overall strategy used in developing this plan was, and continues to be, to use the results obtained from each task to define the scope of future monitoring efforts. Such efforts may require more intensive sampling than initially proposed in some areas (e.g., additional toxicity testing if initial results indicate low survival or reproduction) or a reduction in sampling intensity in others (e.g., reduction in the number of sampling sites when no impact is observed). By using the results of previous monitoring efforts to define the current program and to guide us in the development of future studies, an effective integrated monitoring program has been developed to assess the impacts of the Y-12 Plant operation on the biota of EFPC and to document the ecological effects of remedial actions.

Modelling and monitoring of integrated urban wastewater systems: review on status and perspectives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Benedetti, L.; Langeveld, J.; Comeau, A.

2013-01-01

been investigated and several new or improved systems analysis methods have become available. New/improved software tools coupled with the current high computational capacity have enabled the application of integrated modelling to several practical cases, and advancements in monitoring water quantity...... and quality have been substantial and now allow the collecting of data in sufficient quality and quantity to permit using integrated models for real-time applications too. Further developments are warranted in the field of data quality assurance and efficient maintenance....

NARAC Dispersion Model Product Integration With RadResponder

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aluzzi, Fernando [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2015-09-30

Work on enhanced cooperation and interoperability of Nuclear Incident Response Teams (NIRT) is a joint effort between DHS/FEMA, DOE/NNSA and EPA. One such effort was the integration between the RadResponder Network, a resource sponsored by FEMA for the management of radiological data during an emergency, and the National Atmospheric Advisory Center (NARAC), a DOE/NNSA modeling resource whose predictions are used to aid radiological emergency preparedness and response. Working together under a FEMA-sponsored project these two radiological response assets developed a capability to read and display plume model prediction results from the NARAC computer system in the RadResponder software tool. As a result of this effort, RadResponder users have been provided with NARAC modeling predictions of contamination areas, radiological dose levels, and protective action areas (e.g., areas warranting worker protection or sheltering/evacuation) to help guide protective action decisions and field monitoring surveys, and gain key situation awareness following a radiological/nuclear accident or incident (e.g., nuclear power plant accident, radiological dispersal device incident, or improvised nuclear detonation incident). This document describes the details of this integration effort.

Methodology for calculating perception of the user experience of the quality of monitored integrated telecommunications operator services

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2011-01-01

The invention relates to a method for calculating perception of the user experience of the quality of monitored integrated telecommunications operator services. For this purpose, data from the monitoring of user services is used, along with questionnaires previously completed by a representative

Reverse osmosis integrity monitoring in water reuse: The challenge to verify virus removal - A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Pype, Marie-Laure; Lawrence, Michael G; Keller, Jurg; Gernjak, Wolfgang

2016-07-01

A reverse osmosis (RO) process is often included in the treatment train to produce high quality reuse water from treated effluent for potable purposes because of its high removal efficiency for salinity and many inorganic and organic contaminants, and importantly, it also provides an excellent barrier for pathogens. In order to ensure the continued protection of public health from pathogen contamination, monitoring RO process integrity is necessary. Due to their small sizes, viruses are the most difficult class of pathogens to be removed in physical separation processes and therefore often considered the most challenging pathogen to monitor. To-date, there is a gap between the current log credit assigned to this process (determined by integrity testing approved by regulators) and its actual log removal capability as proven in a variety of laboratory and pilot studies. Hence, there is a challenge to establish a methodology that more closely links to the theoretical performance. In this review, after introducing the notion of risk management in water reuse, we provide an overview of existing and potentially new RO integrity monitoring techniques, highlight their strengths and drawbacks, and debate their applicability to full-scale treatment plants, which open to future research opportunities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Satellite monitoring of remote volcanoes improves study efforts in Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Dean, K.; Servilla, M.; Roach, A.; Foster, B.; Engle, K.

Satellite monitoring of remote volcanoes is greatly benefitting the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), and last year's eruption of the Okmok Volcano in the Aleutian Islands is a good case in point. The facility was able to issue and refine warnings of the eruption and related activity quickly, something that could not have been done using conventional seismic surveillance techniques, since seismometers have not been installed at these locations.AVO monitors about 100 active volcanoes in the North Pacific (NOPAC) region, but only a handful are observed by costly and logistically complex conventional means. The region is remote and vast, about 5000 × 2500 km, extending from Alaska west to the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia (Figure 1). Warnings are transmitted to local communities and airlines that might be endangered by eruptions. More than 70,000 passenger and cargo flights fly over the region annually, and airborne volcanic ash is a threat to them. Many remote eruptions have been detected shortly after the initial magmatic activity using satellite data, and eruption clouds have been tracked across air traffic routes. Within minutes after eruptions are detected, information is relayed to government agencies, private companies, and the general public using telephone, fax, and e-mail. Monitoring of volcanoes using satellite image data involves direct reception, real-time monitoring, and data analysis. Two satellite data receiving stations, located at the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), are capable of receiving data from the advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) polar orbiting satellites and from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) equipped satellites.

3D-Printed Disposable Wireless Sensors with Integrated Microelectronics for Large Area Environmental Monitoring

KAUST Repository

Farooqui, Muhammad Fahad; Karimi, Muhammad Akram; Salama, Khaled N.; Shamim, Atif

2017-01-01

disposable, compact, dispersible 3D-printed wireless sensor nodes with integrated microelectronics which can be dispersed in the environment and work in conjunction with few fixed nodes for large area monitoring applications. As a proof of concept

Analyses of integrated aircraft cabin contaminant monitoring network based on Kalman consensus filter.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Rui; Li, Yanxiao; Sun, Hui; Chen, Zengqiang

2017-11-01

The modern civil aircrafts use air ventilation pressurized cabins subject to the limited space. In order to monitor multiple contaminants and overcome the hypersensitivity of the single sensor, the paper constructs an output correction integrated sensor configuration using sensors with different measurement theories after comparing to other two different configurations. This proposed configuration works as a node in the contaminant distributed wireless sensor monitoring network. The corresponding measurement error models of integrated sensors are also proposed by using the Kalman consensus filter to estimate states and conduct data fusion in order to regulate the single sensor measurement results. The paper develops the sufficient proof of the Kalman consensus filter stability when considering the system and the observation noises and compares the mean estimation and the mean consensus errors between Kalman consensus filter and local Kalman filter. The numerical example analyses show the effectiveness of the algorithm. Copyright © 2017 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and Application of integrated monitoring platform for the Doppler Weather SA-BAND Radar

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Q.; Sun, J.; Zhao, C. C.; Chen, H. Y.

2017-10-01

The doppler weather SA-band radar is an important part of modern meteorological observation methods, monitoring the running status of radar and the data transmission is important.This paper introduced the composition of radar system and classification of radar data,analysed the characteristics and laws of the radar when is normal or abnormal. Using Macromedia Dreamweaver and PHP, developed the integrated monitoring platform for the doppler weather SA-band radar which could monitor the real-time radar system running status and important performance indicators such as radar power,status parameters and others on Web page,and when the status is abnormal it will trigger the audio alarm.

Influence of neural monitoring during thyroid surgery on nerve integrity and postoperative vocal function.

Science.gov (United States)

Engelsman, A F; Warhurst, S; Fraser, S; Novakovic, D; Sidhu, S B

2018-06-01

Integrity of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) and the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (EBSLN) can be checked by intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) after visualization. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and nature of voice dysfunction following thyroid surgery with routine IONM. Thyroidectomies were performed with routine division of strap muscles and nerve monitoring to confirm integrity of the RLN and EBSLN following dissection. Patients were assessed for vocal function before surgery and at 1 and 3 months after operation. Assessment included use of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) 10, maximum phonation time, fundamental frequency, pitch range, harmonic to noise ratio, cepstral peak prominence and smoothed cepstral peak prominence. A total of 172 nerves at risk were analysed in 102 consecutive patients undergoing elective thyroid surgery. In 23·3 per cent of EBSLNs and 0·6 per cent of RLNs nerve identification required the assistance of IONM in addition to visualization. Nerve integrity was confirmed during surgery for 98·8 per cent of EBSLNs and 98·3 per cent of RLNs. There were no differences between preoperative and postoperative VHI-10 scores. Acoustic voice assessment showed small changes in maximum phonation time at 1 and 3 months after surgery. Where there is routine division of strap muscles, thyroidectomy using nerve monitoring confirmation of RLN and EBSLN function following dissection results in no clinically significant voice change.

Fibre Optic Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring of Aircraft Composite Structures: Recent Advances and Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raffaella Di Sante

2015-07-01

Full Text Available In-service structural health monitoring of composite aircraft structures plays a key role in the assessment of their performance and integrity. In recent years, Fibre Optic Sensors (FOS have proved to be a potentially excellent technique for real-time in-situ monitoring of these structures due to their numerous advantages, such as immunity to electromagnetic interference, small size, light weight, durability, and high bandwidth, which allows a great number of sensors to operate in the same system, and the possibility to be integrated within the material. However, more effort is still needed to bring the technology to a fully mature readiness level. In this paper, recent research and applications in structural health monitoring of composite aircraft structures using FOS have been critically reviewed, considering both the multi-point and distributed sensing techniques.

Fibre Optic Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring of Aircraft Composite Structures: Recent Advances and Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Di Sante, Raffaella

2015-01-01

In-service structural health monitoring of composite aircraft structures plays a key role in the assessment of their performance and integrity. In recent years, Fibre Optic Sensors (FOS) have proved to be a potentially excellent technique for real-time in-situ monitoring of these structures due to their numerous advantages, such as immunity to electromagnetic interference, small size, light weight, durability, and high bandwidth, which allows a great number of sensors to operate in the same system, and the possibility to be integrated within the material. However, more effort is still needed to bring the technology to a fully mature readiness level. In this paper, recent research and applications in structural health monitoring of composite aircraft structures using FOS have been critically reviewed, considering both the multi-point and distributed sensing techniques. PMID:26263987

Calibration of environmental monitors operating on time integrating principles for radon/thoron decay products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bigu, J.; Grenier, M.

1982-03-01

An environmental radiation monitor for radon decay products has been tested under laboratory controlled conditions. The instrument is of a quasi-time-integrating type and was tested in conjunction with a radon 'box' calibration facility. It has been found that the instrument appreciably underestimates the radon daughter Working Level (WL). This is attributed to plate-out of decay products in the monitor sampling head. The difference between monitor reading and the WL by grab-sampling was higher for low aerosol concentrations. Plate-out on the instrument detector and sampling head, and contamination effects have been observed for the thoron case. There is partial agreement between experimental results and theoretical expectation. The monitor is slow to react to sudden changes in radiation level. The instrument should prove quite useful in the routine monitoring of surface and underground environments provided some suggested changes in the instrument are introduced

The Vehicle Integrated Performance Analysis Experience: Reconnecting With Technical Integration

Science.gov (United States)

McGhee, D. S.

2006-01-01

Very early in the Space Launch Initiative program, a small team of engineers at MSFC proposed a process for performing system-level assessments of a launch vehicle. Aimed primarily at providing insight and making NASA a smart buyer, the Vehicle Integrated Performance Analysis (VIPA) team was created. The difference between the VIPA effort and previous integration attempts is that VIPA a process using experienced people from various disciplines, which focuses them on a technically integrated assessment. The foundations of VIPA s process are described. The VIPA team also recognized the need to target early detailed analysis toward identifying significant systems issues. This process is driven by the T-model for technical integration. VIPA s approach to performing system-level technical integration is discussed in detail. The VIPA process significantly enhances the development and monitoring of realizable project requirements. VIPA s assessment validates the concept s stated performance, identifies significant issues either with the concept or the requirements, and then reintegrates these issues to determine impacts. This process is discussed along with a description of how it may be integrated into a program s insight and review process. The VIPA process has gained favor with both engineering and project organizations for being responsive and insightful

Upgrade and integration of the configuration and monitoring tools for the ATLAS Online farm

CERN Document Server

Ballestrero, S; The ATLAS collaboration; Darlea, G L; Dumitru, I; Scannicchio, DA; Twomey, M S; Valsan, M L; Zaytsev, A

2012-01-01

The ATLAS Online farm is a non-homogeneous cluster of nearly 3000 PCs which run the data acquisition, trigger and control of the ATLAS detector. The systems are configured and monitored by a combination of open-source tools, such as Quattor and Nagios, and tools developed in-house, such as ConfDB. We report on the ongoing introduction of new provisioning and configuration tools, Puppet and ConfDB v2 which are more flexible and allow automation for previously uncovered needs, and on the upgrade and integration of the monitoring and alerting tools, including the interfacing of these with the TDAQ Shifter Assistant software and their integration with configuration tools. We discuss the selection of the tools and the assessment of their functionality and performance, and how they enabled the introduction of virtualization for selected services.

Upgrade and integration of the configuration and monitoring tools for the ATLAS Online farm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ballestrero, S; Darlea, G–L; Twomey, M S; Brasolin, F; Dumitru, I; Valsan, M L; Scannicchio, D A; Zaytsev, A

2012-01-01

The ATLAS Online farm is a non-homogeneous cluster of nearly 3000 systems which run the data acquisition, trigger and control of the ATLAS detector. The systems are configured and monitored by a combination of open-source tools, such as Quattor and Nagios, and tools developed in-house, such as ConfDB. We report on the ongoing introduction of new provisioning and configuration tools, Puppet and ConfDB v2, which are more flexible and allow automation for previously uncovered needs, and on the upgrade and integration of the monitoring and alerting tools, including the interfacing of these with the TDAQ Shifter Assistant software and their integration with configuration tools. We discuss the selection of the tools and the assessment of their functionality and performance, and how they enabled the introduction of virtualization for selected services.

New generation of space capabilities resulting from US/RF cooperative efforts

Science.gov (United States)

Humpherys, Thomas; Misnik, Victor; Sinelshchikov, Valery; Stair, A. T., Jr.; Khatulev, Valery; Carpenter, Jack; Watson, John; Chvanov, Dmitry; Privalsky, Victor

2006-09-01

Previous successful international cooperative efforts offer a wealth of experience in dealing with highly sensitive issues, but cooperative remote sensing for monitoring and understanding the global environmental is in the national interest of all countries. Cooperation between international partners is paramount, particularly with the Russian Federation, due to its technological maturity and strategic political and geographical position in the world. Based on experience gained over a decade of collaborative space research efforts, continued cooperation provides an achievable goal as well as understanding the fabric of our coexistence. Past cooperative space research efforts demonstrate the ability of the US and Russian Federation to develop a framework for cooperation, working together on a complex, state-of-the-art joint satellite program. These efforts consisted of teams of scientists and engineers who overcame numerous cultural, linguistic, engineering approaches and different political environments. Among these major achievements are: (1) field measurement activities with US satellites MSTI and MSX and the Russian RESURS-1 satellite, as well as the joint experimental use of the US FISTA aircraft; (2) successful joint Science, Conceptual and Preliminary Design Reviews; (3) joint publications of scientific research technical papers, (4) Russian investment in development, demonstration and operation of the Monitor-E spacecraft (Yacht satellite bus), (5) successful demonstration of the conversion of the SS-19 into a satellite launch system, and (6) negotiation of contractual and technical assistant agreements. This paper discusses a new generation of science and space capabilities available to the Remote Sensing community. Specific topics include: joint requirements definition process and work allocation for hardware and responsibility for software development; the function, description and status of Russian contributions in providing space component prototypes

MIMIC II: a massive temporal ICU patient database to support research in intelligent patient monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Saeed, M.; Lieu, C.; Raber, G.; Mark, R. G.

2002-01-01

Development and evaluation of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) decision-support systems would be greatly facilitated by the availability of a large-scale ICU patient database. Following our previous efforts with the MIMIC (Multi-parameter Intelligent Monitoring for Intensive Care) Database, we have leveraged advances in networking and storage technologies to develop a far more massive temporal database, MIMIC II. MIMIC II is an ongoing effort: data is continuously and prospectively archived from all ICU patients in our hospital. MIMIC II now consists of over 800 ICU patient records including over 120 gigabytes of data and is growing. A customized archiving system was used to store continuously up to four waveforms and 30 different parameters from ICU patient monitors. An integrated user-friendly relational database was developed for browsing of patients' clinical information (lab results, fluid balance, medications, nurses' progress notes). Based upon its unprecedented size and scope, MIMIC II will prove to be an important resource for intelligent patient monitoring research, and will support efforts in medical data mining and knowledge-discovery.

SIG-VISA: Signal-based Vertically Integrated Seismic Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, D.; Mayeda, K. M.; Myers, S. C.; Russell, S.

2013-12-01

Traditional seismic monitoring systems rely on discrete detections produced by station processing software; however, while such detections may constitute a useful summary of station activity, they discard large amounts of information present in the original recorded signal. We present SIG-VISA (Signal-based Vertically Integrated Seismic Analysis), a system for seismic monitoring through Bayesian inference on seismic signals. By directly modeling the recorded signal, our approach incorporates additional information unavailable to detection-based methods, enabling higher sensitivity and more accurate localization using techniques such as waveform matching. SIG-VISA's Bayesian forward model of seismic signal envelopes includes physically-derived models of travel times and source characteristics as well as Gaussian process (kriging) statistical models of signal properties that combine interpolation of historical data with extrapolation of learned physical trends. Applying Bayesian inference, we evaluate the model on earthquakes as well as the 2009 DPRK test event, demonstrating a waveform matching effect as part of the probabilistic inference, along with results on event localization and sensitivity. In particular, we demonstrate increased sensitivity from signal-based modeling, in which the SIGVISA signal model finds statistical evidence for arrivals even at stations for which the IMS station processing failed to register any detection.

Dielectrophoresis microsystem with integrated flow cytometers for on-line monitoring of sorting efficiency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Zhenyu; Hansen, Ole; Petersen, Peter Kalsen

2006-01-01

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) and flow cytometry are powerful technologies and widely applied in microfluidic systems for handling and measuring cells and particles. Here, we present a novel microchip with a DEP selective filter integrated with two microchip flow cytometers (FCs) for on-line monitoring...... of cell sorting processes. On the microchip, the DEP filter is integrated in a microfluidic channel network to sort yeast cells by positive DER The two FCs detection windows are set upstream and downstream of the DEP filter. When a cell passes through the detection windows, the light scattered by the cell...

The integrated monitoring area Lheebroekerzand the Netherlands. Data of 1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mathijssen-Spiekman, E.A.M.

1996-09-01

The results of the title monitoring programme are presented. The main objective of this paper is to compile and present the 1995 monitoring data which are obliged to be forwarded to the international database in Helsinki, Finland, by the end of September 1996. Additional non-obligatory data are also reported. It is explicitly not within the scope of this report to give a detailed analysis of causes and effects as may be concluded from correlation studies comprising longer time-series and spatial gradient. In 1995, the biological part of the integrated monitoring programme consisted of a regular inventory of birds, leafminers and butterflies in the monitoring area, as well as inventories of the aquatic macrofauna present in the moorland pool Kliplo and observations on the performance of pine trees. The chemical-physical part included meteorological variables like temperature, humidity, the amount of precipitation and irradiation, together with chemical analysis of air, precipitation, leaves, needles and pool water. Where possible, the series of data are described and compared with data of previous years. The obligatory monitoring activities described in the ICP/IM-manual which are possible to be performed in the Dutch area, are carried out with exception of the programmes on trunk epiphytes, aerial green algae and soil water chemistry. Also in 1995, the capacity was lacking to develop these programmes. The improvement which has been carried out in 1995 is increasing the number of rainwater-collectors for bulk- and throughfall deposition from 4 to 5. Due to lack of manpower the running programmes were barely continued. 7 figs., 17 tabs., 23 refs., 3 appendices

Brazilian participation in the International Monitoring System for Nuclear Explosions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veloso, Jose Alberto Vivas

1995-01-01

On January 1, 1995, Brazil was integrated to the world-wide seismic system, through the Seismological Observatory of the University of Brasilia, dedicated to detect and identify underground nuclear explosions. This is an unprecedented global effort program to conduct a seismic test of rapid data collection, distribution and processing evolving the most advanced sensors, global communications and data processing technologies. By the end of February, 49 countries were incorporated and the present test represents a first training step towards the final definition of an International Monitoring System to monitoring a Comprehensive test Band Treaty. Besides accomplishing its main goal, the global monitoring program will be able to supply rapidly, through the International Data Center, important information to the seismological community. (author). 2 figs

An integrated framework for SAGD real-time monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohajer, M.; Perez-Damas, C.; Berbin, A.; Al-kinani, A. [Schlumberger, Calgary, AB (Canada)

2009-07-01

This study examined the technologies and workflows for real-time optimization (RTO) of the steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) process. Although SAGD operators have tried to control the reservoir's steam chamber distribution to optimize bitumen recovery and minimize steam oil ratios, a true optimization can only be accomplished by implementing RTO workflows. In order for these workflows to be successful, some elements must be properly designed and introduced into the system. Most notably, well completions must ensure the integrity of downhole sensors; the appropriate measuring instruments must be selected; and surface and downhole measurements must be obtained. Operators have not been early adopters of RTO workflows for SAGD because of the numerous parameters that must be monitored, harsh operating conditions, the lack of integration between the different data acquisition systems, and the complex criteria required to optimize SAGD performance. This paper discussed the first stage in the development of a fully integrated RTO workflow for SAGD. An experimental apparatus with fiber optics distributed temperature sensing (DTS) was connected to a data acquisition system, and intra-minute data was streamed directly into an engineering desktop. The paper showed how subcool calculations can be effectively performed along the length of the horizontal well in real time and the results used to improve SAGD operation. Observations were compared against simulated predictions. In the next stage, a more complex set of criteria will be derived and additional data will be incorporated, such as surface heave, cross-well microseismic, multiphase flowmeter, and observation wells. 9 refs., 9 tabs., 13 figs.

A High-Performance Application Specific Integrated Circuit for Electrical and Neurochemical Traumatic Brain Injury Monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Pagkalos, Ilias; Rogers, Michelle L; Boutelle, Martyn G; Drakakis, Emmanuel M

2018-05-22

This paper presents the first application specific integrated chip (ASIC) for the monitoring of patients who have suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). By monitoring the neurophysiological (ECoG) and neurochemical (glucose, lactate and potassium) signals of the injured human brain tissue, it is possible to detect spreading depolarisations, which have been shown to be associated with poor TBI patient outcome. This paper describes the testing of a new 7.5 mm 2 ASIC fabricated in the commercially available AMS 0.35 μm CMOS technology. The ASIC has been designed to meet the demands of processing the injured brain tissue's ECoG signals, recorded by means of depth or brain surface electrodes, and neurochemical signals, recorded using microdialysis coupled to microfluidics-based electrochemical biosensors. The potentiostats use switchedcapacitor charge integration to record currents with 100 fA resolution, and allow automatic gain changing to track the falling sensitivity of a biosensor. This work supports the idea of a "behind the ear" wireless microplatform modality, which could enable the monitoring of currently non-monitored mobile TBI patients for the onset of secondary brain injury. ©2018 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Portable blood extraction device integrated with biomedical monitoring system

Science.gov (United States)

Khumpuang, S.; Horade, M.; Fujioka, K.; Sugiyama, S.

2006-01-01

Painless and portable blood extraction device has been immersed in the world of miniaturization on bio-medical research particularly in manufacturing point-of-care systems. The fabrication of a blood extraction device integrated with an electrolyte-monitoring system is reported in this paper. The device has advantages in precise controlled dosage of blood extracted including the slightly damaged blood vessels and nervous system. The in-house blood diagnostic will become simple for the patients. Main components of the portable system are; the blood extraction device and electrolyte-monitoring system. The monitoring system consists of ISFET (Ion Selective Field Effect Transistor) for measuring the concentration level of minerals in blood. In this work, we measured the level of 3 ions; Na+, K+ and Cl-. The mentioned ions are frequently required the measurement since their concentration levels in the blood can indicate whether the kidney, pancreas, liver or heart is being malfunction. The fabrication of the whole system and experimentation on each ISM (Ion Sensitive Membrane) will be provided. Taking the advantages of LIGA technology, the 100 hollow microneedles fabricated by Synchrotron Radiation deep X-ray lithography through PCT (Plane-pattern to Cross-section Transfer) technique have been consisted in 5x5 mm2 area. The microneedle is 300 μm in base-diameter, 500 μm-pitch, 800 μm-height and 50 μm hole-diameter. The total size of the blood extraction device is 2x2x2 cm 3. The package is made from a plastic socket including slots for inserting microneedle array and ISFET connecting to an electrical circuit for the monitoring. Through the dimensional design for simply handling and selection of disposable material, the patients can self-evaluate the critical level of the body minerals in anywhere and anytime.

The integration of process monitoring for safeguards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cipiti, Benjamin B.; Zinaman, Owen R.

2010-01-01

The Separations and Safeguards Performance Model is a reprocessing plant model that has been developed for safeguards analyses of future plant designs. The model has been modified to integrate bulk process monitoring data with traditional plutonium inventory balances to evaluate potential advanced safeguards systems. Taking advantage of the wealth of operator data such as flow rates and mass balances of bulk material, the timeliness of detection of material loss was shown to improve considerably. Four diversion cases were tested including both abrupt and protracted diversions at early and late times in the run. The first three cases indicated alarms before half of a significant quantity of material was removed. The buildup of error over time prevented detection in the case of a protracted diversion late in the run. Some issues related to the alarm conditions and bias correction will need to be addressed in future work. This work both demonstrates the use of the model for performing diversion scenario analyses and for testing advanced safeguards system designs.

Integrated environmental monitoring and multivariate data analysis-A case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Eide, Ingvar; Westad, Frank; Nilssen, Ingunn; de Freitas, Felipe Sales; Dos Santos, Natalia Gomes; Dos Santos, Francisco; Cabral, Marcelo Montenegro; Bicego, Marcia Caruso; Figueira, Rubens; Johnsen, Ståle

2017-03-01

The present article describes integration of environmental monitoring and discharge data and interpretation using multivariate statistics, principal component analysis (PCA), and partial least squares (PLS) regression. The monitoring was carried out at the Peregrino oil field off the coast of Brazil. One sensor platform and 3 sediment traps were placed on the seabed. The sensors measured current speed and direction, turbidity, temperature, and conductivity. The sediment trap samples were used to determine suspended particulate matter that was characterized with respect to a number of chemical parameters (26 alkanes, 16 PAHs, N, C, calcium carbonate, and Ba). Data on discharges of drill cuttings and water-based drilling fluid were provided on a daily basis. The monitoring was carried out during 7 campaigns from June 2010 to October 2012, each lasting 2 to 3 months due to the capacity of the sediment traps. The data from the campaigns were preprocessed, combined, and interpreted using multivariate statistics. No systematic difference could be observed between campaigns or traps despite the fact that the first campaign was carried out before drilling, and 1 of 3 sediment traps was located in an area not expected to be influenced by the discharges. There was a strong covariation between suspended particulate matter and total N and organic C suggesting that the majority of the sediment samples had a natural and biogenic origin. Furthermore, the multivariate regression showed no correlation between discharges of drill cuttings and sediment trap or turbidity data taking current speed and direction into consideration. Because of this lack of correlation with discharges from the drilling location, a more detailed evaluation of chemical indicators providing information about origin was carried out in addition to numerical modeling of dispersion and deposition. The chemical indicators and the modeling of dispersion and deposition support the conclusions from the multivariate

A head-mounted display-based personal integrated-image monitoring system for transurethral resection of the prostate.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshida, Soichiro; Kihara, Kazunori; Takeshita, Hideki; Fujii, Yasuhisa

2014-12-01

The head-mounted display (HMD) is a new image monitoring system. We developed the Personal Integrated-image Monitoring System (PIM System) using the HMD (HMZ-T2, Sony Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) in combination with video splitters and multiplexers as a surgical guide system for transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). The imaging information obtained from the cystoscope, the transurethral ultrasonography (TRUS), the video camera attached to the HMD, and the patient's vital signs monitor were split and integrated by the PIM System and a composite image was displayed by the HMD using a four-split screen technique. Wearing the HMD, the lead surgeon and the assistant could simultaneously and continuously monitor the same information displayed by the HMD in an ergonomically efficient posture. Each participant could independently rearrange the images comprising the composite image depending on the engaging step. Two benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients underwent TURP performed by surgeons guided with this system. In both cases, the TURP procedure was successfully performed, and their postoperative clinical courses had no remarkable unfavorable events. During the procedure, none of the participants experienced any HMD-wear related adverse effects or reported any discomfort.

Research plan for integrated ecosystem and pollutant monitoring at remote wilderness study sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruns, D.A.; Wiersma, G.B.

1988-03-01

This research plan outlines an approach to the measurement of pollutants and ecosystem parameters at remote, high-elevation, wilderness study sites. A multimedia, systems approach to environmental monitoring is emphasized. The primary purpose of the research is to apply and field test a technical report entitled ''Guidelines for measuring the physical, chemical, and biological condition of wilderness ecosystems.'' This document intended to provide Federal Land Managers with information to establish environmental monitoring programs in wilderness areas. To date, this monitoring document has yet to be evaluated under rigorous field conditions at a remote, high-elevation Rocky Mountain site. For the purpose of field testing approaches to monitoring of pollutants and ecosystems in remote, wilderness areas, evaluation criteria were developed. These include useability, cost-effectiveness, data variability, alternative approaches, ecosystems conceptual approach, and quality assurance. Both the Forest Service and INEL environmental monitoring techniques will be evaluated with these criteria. Another objective of this research plan is to obtain an integrated data base on pollutants and ecosystem structure and function at a remote study site. The methods tested in this project will be used to acquire these data from a systems approach. This includes multimedia monitoring of air and water quality, soils, and forest, stream, and lake ecosystems. 71 refs., 1 fig., 9 tabs

Identifying professionals' needs in integrating electronic pain monitoring in community palliative care services: An interview study.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Sally; Allsop, Matthew J; Bekker, Hilary L; Bennett, Michael I; Bewick, Bridgette M

2017-07-01

Poor pain assessment is a barrier to effective pain control. There is growing interest internationally in the development and implementation of remote monitoring technologies to enhance assessment in cancer and chronic disease contexts. Findings describe the development and testing of pain monitoring systems, but research identifying the needs of health professionals to implement routine monitoring systems within clinical practice is limited. To inform the development and implementation strategy of an electronic pain monitoring system, PainCheck, by understanding palliative care professionals' needs when integrating PainCheck into routine clinical practice. Qualitative study using face-to-face interviews. Data were analysed using framework analysis Setting/participants: Purposive sample of health professionals managing the palliative care of patients living in the community Results: A total of 15 interviews with health professionals took place. Three meta-themes emerged from the data: (1) uncertainties about integration of PainCheck and changes to current practice, (2) appraisal of current practice and (3) pain management is everybody's responsibility Conclusion: Even the most sceptical of health professionals could see the potential benefits of implementing an electronic patient-reported pain monitoring system. Health professionals have reservations about how PainCheck would work in practice. For optimal use, PainCheck needs embedding within existing electronic health records. Electronic pain monitoring systems have the potential to enable professionals to support patients' pain management more effectively but only when barriers to implementation are appropriately identified and addressed.

The development of ex-core neutron flux monitoring system for integral reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, J. K.; Kwon, H. J.; Park, H. Y.; Koo, I. S

2004-12-01

Due to the arrangement of major components within the reactor vessel, the integral reactor has relatively long distance between the core support barrel and the reactor vessel when compared with the currently operating plants. So, a neutron flux leakage at the ex-vessel represents a relatively low flux level which may generate some difficulties in obtaining a wide range of neutron flux information including the source range one. This fact may have an impact upon the design and fabrication of an ex-core neutron flux detector. Therefore, it is required to study neutron flux detectors that are suitable for the installation location and characteristics of an integral reactor. The physical constraints of an integral reactor should be considered when one designs and develops the ex-core neutron flux monitoring detectors and their systems. As a possible installation location of the integral reactor ex-core neutron flux detector assembly, two candidate locations are considered, that is, one is between the core support barrel and the reactor vessel and the other is within the Internal Shielding Tank(IST). And, for these locations, some factors such as the environmental requirements and geometrical restrictions are investigated In the case of considering the inside of the IST as a ex-core neutron flux detector installation position, an electrical insulation problem and a low neutron flux measurement problem arose and when considering the inside of the reactor vessel, a detector's sensitivity variation problem, an electrical insulation problem, a detector's insertion and withdrawal problem, and a high neutron flux measurement problem were encountered. Through a survey of the detector installation of the currently operating plants and detector manufacturer's products, the proposed structure and specifications of an ex-core neutron flux detector are suggested. And, the joint ownership strategy for a proposed detector model is also depicted. At the end, by studying

The development of ex-core neutron flux monitoring system for integral reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, J. K.; Kwon, H. J.; Park, H. Y.; Koo, I. S.

2004-12-01

Due to the arrangement of major components within the reactor vessel, the integral reactor has relatively long distance between the core support barrel and the reactor vessel when compared with the currently operating plants. So, a neutron flux leakage at the ex-vessel represents a relatively low flux level which may generate some difficulties in obtaining a wide range of neutron flux information including the source range one. This fact may have an impact upon the design and fabrication of an ex-core neutron flux detector. Therefore, it is required to study neutron flux detectors that are suitable for the installation location and characteristics of an integral reactor. The physical constraints of an integral reactor should be considered when one designs and develops the ex-core neutron flux monitoring detectors and their systems. As a possible installation location of the integral reactor ex-core neutron flux detector assembly, two candidate locations are considered, that is, one is between the core support barrel and the reactor vessel and the other is within the Internal Shielding Tank(IST). And, for these locations, some factors such as the environmental requirements and geometrical restrictions are investigated In the case of considering the inside of the IST as a ex-core neutron flux detector installation position, an electrical insulation problem and a low neutron flux measurement problem arose and when considering the inside of the reactor vessel, a detector's sensitivity variation problem, an electrical insulation problem, a detector's insertion and withdrawal problem, and a high neutron flux measurement problem were encountered. Through a survey of the detector installation of the currently operating plants and detector manufacturer's products, the proposed structure and specifications of an ex-core neutron flux detector are suggested. And, the joint ownership strategy for a proposed detector model is also depicted. At the end, by studying the ex

The ISTIMES project: a new integrated system for monitoring critical transport infrastructures interested by natural hazards

Science.gov (United States)

Proto, Monica; Massimo, Bavusi; Francesco, Soldovieri

2010-05-01

measurements. The integration of electromagnetic technologies with new ICT information and telecommunications systems enables remotely controlled monitoring and surveillance and real time data imaging of the critical transport infrastructures. Thus, the proposal will concern also with the development of tools for handling, analysing and processing large data volume (Information Fusion) and then providing information and performing behaviour prediction in a quick, easy and intuitive way (Situation Awareness). The proposal is based on several independent non-invasive imaging technologies based on electromagnetic sensing. Sensor cross validation, synergy and new data fusion and correlation schemes will permit a multi-method, multi-resolution and multi-scale electromagnetic detection and monitoring of surface and subsurface changes of the infrastructure. According to GMES and European Spatial Data Infrastructure (ESDI) initiatives, the system will adopt open architectures and will make efforts to achieve full interoperability. The system will be tested on two very challenging test beds such as: a highway-bridge and a railway tunnel. The system will be based on clear end-user requirements, coming from representative end-users and technological choices will be based on a long term cost-benefit analysis. Then, a dissemination plan was included into the project to encourage a wide range of public institutions and private companies to evaluate and adopt our approach for real-time control and distributed monitoring also in the more general framework of critical and civil infrastructure management and protection. Finally, an exploitation plan will develop for the commercialization of any derived technology, software, or monitoring concepts. ISTIMES project is carried out by an international partnership formed by nine partners coming from seven countries: Tecnologie per le Osservazioni della Terra (TeRN), Elsag Datamat (ED) and Dipartimento della Protezione Civile (DPC) from Italy

Community Radiation Monitoring Program. Annual report, October 1, 1991--September 30, 1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cooper, E.N.

1993-05-01

The Community Radiation Monitoring Program (CRMP) is a cooperative effort between the US Department of Energy (DOE); the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); the Desert Research Institute (DRI), a division of the University and Community College System of Nevada and the Nuclear Engineering Laboratory of the University of Utah (UNEL). The twelfth year of the program began in the fall of 1991, and the work continues as an integral part of the DOE-sponsored long-term offsite radiological monitoring effort that has been conducted by EPA and its predecessors since the inception of nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The program began as an outgrowth of activities that occurred during the Three Mile Island incident in 1979. The local interest and public participation that took place there were thought to be transferrable to the situation at the NTS, so, with adaptations, that methodology was implemented for this program. The CRMP began by enhancing and centralizing environmental monitoring and sampling equipment at 15 communities in the existing EPA monitoring network, and has since expanded to 19 locations in Nevada, Utah and California. The primary objectives of this program are still to increase the understanding by the people who live in the area surrounding the NTS of the activities for which DOE is responsible, to enhance the performance of radiological sampling and monitoring, and to inform all concerned of the results of these efforts. One of the primary methods used to improve the communication link with people in the potentially impacted area has been the hiring and training of local citizens as station managers and program representatives in those selected communities in the offsite area. These managers, active science teachers wherever possible, have succeeded, through their training, experience, community standing, and effort, in becoming a very visible, able and valuable asset in this link.

Knowledge-based and integrated monitoring and diagnosis in autonomous power systems

Science.gov (United States)

Momoh, J. A.; Zhang, Z. Z.

1990-01-01

A new technique of knowledge-based and integrated monitoring and diagnosis (KBIMD) to deal with abnormalities and incipient or potential failures in autonomous power systems is presented. The KBIMD conception is discussed as a new function of autonomous power system automation. Available diagnostic modelling, system structure, principles and strategies are suggested. In order to verify the feasibility of the KBIMD, a preliminary prototype expert system is designed to simulate the KBIMD function in a main electric network of the autonomous power system.

Use of Germanium as comparator and integral monitor of neutron flux in activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furnari, Juan C.; Cohen, Isaac M.; Arribere, Maria A.; Kestelman, Abraham J.

1997-01-01

The possibility of using germanium as monitor of the thermal and epithermal components of the neutron flux, and comparator in parametric activation analysis, is discussed. The advantages and drawbacks associated to the use of this element are commented on, and the comparison with zirconium, in terms of the determination relative error, is performed. The utilisation of germanium as integral flux monitor, including the fast component of the neutron spectrum, is also discussed. Data corresponding to measurements of k 0 factor for the most relevant gamma transitions from Ge-75 and Be-77 are presented, as well as the results of the reference material analysis, employing germanium as flux monitor and comparator in a simultaneous way. (author). 8 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs

Remote communications technology redefines integrity verification and monitoring of low pressure isolation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon.

2010-01-15

In 2007, a ship collided with the southeast face of a satellite platform jacket in the North Sea, damaging the 12-inch export riser. Emergency shutdown valves immediately shut-in production from the platform, leaving the pressure in the pipeline at approximately 4 barg. The riser had to be repaired before production could resume. TDW Offshore Services (TDW) was hired to develop a low pressure solution to isolate the damaged section of the pipeline riser from the export pipeline gas inventory. TDW used its range of specialist pipeline pigging, pig tracking and remote communications technology to solve the problem. The solution consisted of a custom-designed TDW pig trap and pigging spread; a high friction pig train furnished with the SmartTrack remote tracking and pressure-monitoring system; a SmartTrack subsea remote tracking and pressure-monitoring system; a SmartTrack topside tracking and monitoring system with radio link to the dive support vessel; and a pipeline isolation ball valve. TDW was able to monitor the downstream pressure of each isolation pig continuously throughout the operation using its innovative technology that sends isolation integrity data by radio link to a dive support vessel through pipe wall communications. The use of remote tracking and pressure monitoring technology enabled TDW to make repairs to the damaged riser while maintaining a continuous flow throughout the duration of the operation. 4 figs.

3D-Printed Disposable Wireless Sensors with Integrated Microelectronics for Large Area Environmental Monitoring

KAUST Repository

Farooqui, Muhammad Fahad

2017-05-19

Large area environmental monitoring can play a crucial role in dealing with crisis situations. However, it is challenging as implementing a fixed sensor network infrastructure over large remote area is economically unfeasible. This work proposes disposable, compact, dispersible 3D-printed wireless sensor nodes with integrated microelectronics which can be dispersed in the environment and work in conjunction with few fixed nodes for large area monitoring applications. As a proof of concept, the wireless sensing of temperature, humidity, and H2S levels are shown which are important for two critical environmental conditions namely forest fires and industrial leaks. These inkjet-printed sensors and an antenna are realized on the walls of a 3D-printed cubic package which encloses the microelectronics developed on a 3D-printed circuit board. Hence, 3D printing and inkjet printing are uniquely combined in order to realize a low-cost, fully integrated wireless sensor node.

Integrated procedures and monitoring methodologies for thermographic investigations of architectural heritage: two applicative cases in Sicily, Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bianco, A.

2013-01-01

The paper explains some opportunities and limitations of thermographic investigations in terms of their capability to define the conservative conditions of architectural heritage and in terms of the historical recollection for a technical diagnosis. Different approaches are demonstrated in two case studies: the first integrates thermography with other investigative methods; the second combines thermographic monitoring with hygrothermal monitoring. (author)

The Design of Bulk Carrier Cargo Holds State Integrated Monitoring System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gao Ru-jiang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Most ship cargo hold Internal uses artificial watch or is unattended. Therefore, it is impossible to know the appropriate information of the cargo holds Internal timely and accurately. Cargo damage and ship accidents occurred frequently. Automation remote processing and monitoring alarm system for the bulk carrier is an important part of the marine automation. The system plays a significant role to guarantee the navigation safety for bulk carriers. The paper introduced the important parts of the integrated monitoring system, structural design, hardware configuration, various modules communication transmission and various data processing software design were included. Based on embedded development, the real time information including the cargo hold internal humidity temperature, oxygen concentration, smoke gas concentration, cold water well level and other data were collected, as well the hatch closed state was detected and the cargo hold internal real time video information was collected. Then the real-time communication between the control display and acquisition modules were assured. By adjusting the corresponding buttons on the bridge according to the monitoring information, so that the cargo hold always in a safe environment, so as to avoid cargo hold accidents.

Real-Time Monitoring and Control of HgCdTe MBE Using an Integrated Multi-Sensor System

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Olson, G

1998-01-01

We present recent progress on the use of an integrated real-time sensing and control system for monitoring and controlling substrate temperature, layer composition, and effusion cell flux during MBE...

A monitor for the laboratory evaluation of control integrity in digital control systems operating in harsh electromagnetic environments

Science.gov (United States)

Belcastro, Celeste M.; Fischl, Robert; Kam, Moshe

1992-01-01

This paper presents a strategy for dynamically monitoring digital controllers in the laboratory for susceptibility to electromagnetic disturbances that compromise control integrity. The integrity of digital control systems operating in harsh electromagnetic environments can be compromised by upsets caused by induced transient electrical signals. Digital system upset is a functional error mode that involves no component damage, can occur simultaneously in all channels of a redundant control computer, and is software dependent. The motivation for this work is the need to develop tools and techniques that can be used in the laboratory to validate and/or certify critical aircraft controllers operating in electromagnetically adverse environments that result from lightning, high-intensity radiated fields (HIRF), and nuclear electromagnetic pulses (NEMP). The detection strategy presented in this paper provides dynamic monitoring of a given control computer for degraded functional integrity resulting from redundancy management errors, control calculation errors, and control correctness/effectiveness errors. In particular, this paper discusses the use of Kalman filtering, data fusion, and statistical decision theory in monitoring a given digital controller for control calculation errors.

Design and Fabricate the Remote Monitor on the Scenic Spot Based on Integrated Sensor System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaohui Wang

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Based on the embedded Linux system, established the integrated sensing system to monitor the scenic spot and transmit the collected data to the users. The platform based on the ARM11 development board as the hardware of the system. Used the sensors to collect the different data and pictures and then they were transmitted by the wired and wireless mode. Set up the small Web server by the Boa (small Web server and realized the integrated Web technology and CGI (Common Gateway Interface program. According to the difference information of the scenic spot, the mobile platform collected the needed data and transmitted it to the control platform by the ZigBee wireless module and displayed in the embedded platform. The administrator can realize monitoring all the spots of the scenic and control the terminal equipments in the whole day.

Review of the OECD specialist meeting on continuous monitoring techniques for assuring coolant circuit integrity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thie, J.A.

1986-01-01

This article summarizes the OECD Specialist Meeting on Continuous Monitoring Techniques for Assuring Coolant Circuit Integrity held August 12-14, 1985, in London. The conference was organized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD's) Committee on the Safety for Nuclear Installations and hosted by Her Majesty's Nuclear Installation Inspectorate at King's College. Many other conferences have addressed analysis and inspection approaches to ensuring primary-system integrity, but the OECD meeting was structured to pay attention to the continuous monitoring approach - possibly the first conference to be so designed. The specific technologies represented were vibrations, noise (i.e., random fluctuations in signals), leaks, acoustic emission, and cyclic fatigue. Although water reactors dominate the papers, all reactor types were included. A diverse group of about 50 attendees from 11 countries participated, including representatives from utilities, suppliers, regulators, and researchers

An integrated video- and weight-monitoring system for the surveillance of highly enriched uranium blend down operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenarduzzi, R.; Castleberry, K.; Whitaker, M.; Martinez, R.

1998-01-01

An integrated video-surveillance and weight-monitoring system has been designed and constructed for tracking the blending down of weapons-grade uranium by the US Department of Energy. The instrumentation is being used by the International Atomic Energy Agency in its task of tracking and verifying the blended material at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Portsmouth, Ohio. The weight instrumentation developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory monitors and records the weight of cylinders of the highly enriched uranium as their contents are fed into the blending facility while the video equipment provided by Sandia National Laboratory records periodic and event triggered images of the blending area. A secure data network between the scales, cameras, and computers insures data integrity and eliminates the possibility of tampering. The details of the weight monitoring instrumentation, video- and weight-system interaction, and the secure data network is discussed

The Reliability and User-Feasibility of Materials and Procedures for Monitoring the Implementation Integrity of a Reading Intervention

Science.gov (United States)

Begeny, John C.; Easton, Julia E.; Upright, James J.; Tunstall, Kali R.; Ehrenbock, Cassia A.

2014-01-01

Within the realm of school-based interventions, implementation integrity is important for practical, legal, and ethical purposes. Unfortunately, evidence suggests that proper monitoring of implementation integrity is often absent from both research and practice. School psychology practitioners and researchers have reported that a major barrier to…

Monitor resultaten geluid 2000

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jabben J; Potma CJM; Swart WJR; LLO

2001-01-01

As part of an enhanced effort in monitoring the environmental quality in 1999, the RIVM set up a noise monitoring programme. This programme forms part of the project, "Development of a monitoring system for noise and disturbance", which aims at establishing a number of permanent sites for monitoring

Populating a Control Point Database: A cooperative effort between the USGS, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center and the Grand Canyon Youth Organization

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, K. M.; Fritzinger, C.; Wharton, E.

2004-12-01

The Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center measures the effects of Glen Canyon Dam operations on the resources along the Colorado River from Glen Canyon Dam to Lake Mead in support of the Grand Canyon Adaptive Management Program. Control points are integral for geo-referencing the myriad of data collected in the Grand Canyon including aerial photography, topographic and bathymetric data used for classification and change-detection analysis of physical, biologic and cultural resources. The survey department has compiled a list of 870 control points installed by various organizations needing to establish a consistent reference for data collected at field sites along the 240 mile stretch of Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. This list is the foundation for the Control Point Database established primarily for researchers, to locate control points and independently geo-reference collected field data. The database has the potential to be a valuable mapping tool for assisting researchers to easily locate a control point and reduce the occurrance of unknowingly installing new control points within close proximity of an existing control point. The database is missing photographs and accurate site description information. Current site descriptions do not accurately define the location of the point but refer to the project that used the point, or some other interesting fact associated with the point. The Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC) resolved this problem by turning the data collection effort into an educational exercise for the participants of the Grand Canyon Youth organization. Grand Canyon Youth is a non-profit organization providing experiential education for middle and high school aged youth. GCMRC and the Grand Canyon Youth formed a partnership where GCMRC provided the logistical support, equipment, and training to conduct the field work, and the Grand Canyon Youth provided the time and personnel to complete the field work. Two data

Greater effort increases perceived value in an invertebrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Czaczkes, Tomer J; Brandstetter, Birgit; di Stefano, Isabella; Heinze, Jürgen

2018-05-01

Expending effort is generally considered to be undesirable. However, both humans and vertebrates will work for a reward they could also get for free. Moreover, cues associated with high-effort rewards are preferred to low-effort associated cues. Many explanations for these counterintuitive findings have been suggested, including cognitive dissonance (self-justification) or a greater contrast in state (e.g., energy or frustration level) before and after an effort-linked reward. Here, we test whether effort expenditure also increases perceived value in ants, using both classical cue-association methods and pheromone deposition, which correlates with perceived value. In 2 separate experimental setups, we show that pheromone deposition is higher toward the reward that requires more effort: 47% more pheromone deposition was performed for rewards reached via a vertical runway (high effort) compared with ones reached via a horizontal runway (low effort), and deposition rates were 28% higher on rough (high effort) versus smooth (low effort) runways. Using traditional cue-association methods, 63% of ants trained on different surface roughness, and 70% of ants trained on different runway elevations, preferred the high-effort related cues on a Y maze. Finally, pheromone deposition to feeders requiring memorization of one path bifurcation was up to 29% higher than to an identical feeder requiring no learning. Our results suggest that effort affects value perception in ants. This effect may stem from a cognitive process, which monitors the change in a generalized hedonic state before and after reward. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Modular Subsea Monitoring Network (MSM) - Realizing Integrated Environmental Monitoring Solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Mosch, Thomas; Fietzek, Peer

2016-04-01

In a variety of scientific and industrial application areas, ranging i.e. from the supervision of hydrate fields over the detection and localization of fugitive emissions from subsea oil and gas production to fish farming, fixed point observatories are useful and applied means. They monitor the water column and/or are placed at the sea floor over long periods of time. They are essential oceanographic platforms for providing valuable long-term time series data and multi-parameter measurements. Various mooring and observatory endeavors world-wide contribute valuable data needed for understanding our planet's ocean systems and biogeochemical processes. Continuously powered cabled observatories enable real-time data transmission from spots of interest close to the shore or to ocean infrastructures. Independent of the design of the observatories they all rely on sensors which demands for regular maintenance. This work is in most cases associated with cost-intensive maintenance on a regular time basis for the entire sensor carrying fixed platform. It is mandatory to encounter this asset for long-term monitoring by enhancing hardware efficiency. On the basis of two examples of use from the area of hydrate monitoring (off Norway and Japan) we will present the concept of the Modular Subsea Monitoring Network (MSM). The modular, scalable and networking capabilities of the MSM allow for an easy adaptation to different monitoring tasks. Providing intelligent power management, combining chemical and acoustical sensors, adaptation of the payload according to the monitoring tasks, autonomous powering, modular design for easy transportation, storage and mobilization, Vessel of Opportunity-borne launching and recovery capability with a video-guided launcher system and a rope recovery system are key facts addressed during the development of the MSM. Step by step the MSM concept applied to the observatory hardware will also be extended towards the gathered data to maximize the

Miniaturized Integrated Platform for Electrical and Optical Monitoring of Cell Cultures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Costin Brasoveanu

2012-08-01

Full Text Available The following paper describes the design and functions of a miniaturized integrated platform for optical and electrical monitoring of cell cultures and the necessary steps in the fabrication and testing of a silicon microchip Micro ElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS-based technology for cell data recording, monitoring and stimulation. The silicon microchip consists of a MEMS machined device containing a shank of 240 μm width, 3 mm long and 50 μm thick and an enlarged area of 5 mm × 5 mm hosting the pads for electrical connections. Ten platinum electrodes and five sensors are placed on the shank and are connected with the external electronics through the pads. The sensors aim to monitor the pH, the temperature and the impedance of the cell culture. The electrodes are bidirectional and can be used both for electrical potential recording and stimulation of cells. The fabrication steps are presented, along with the electrical and optical characterization of the system. The target of the research is to develop a new and reconfigurable platform according to the particular applications needs, as a tool for the biologist, chemists and medical doctors working is the field of cell culture monitoring in terms of growth, maintenance conditions, reaction to electrical or chemical stimulation (drugs, toxicants, etc.. HaCaT (Immortalised Human Keratinocyte cell culture has been used for demonstration purposes in order to provide information on the platform electrical and optical functions.

Highly Integrated MEMS-ASIC Sensing System for Intracorporeal Physiological Condition Monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Ning; Wang, Chao; Liu, Cunxiu; Sun, Jianhai

2018-01-02

In this paper, a highly monolithic-integrated multi-modality sensor is proposed for intracorporeal monitoring. The single-chip sensor consists of a solid-state based temperature sensor, a capacitive based pressure sensor, and an electrochemical oxygen sensor with their respective interface application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The solid-state-based temperature sensor and the interface ASICs were first designed and fabricated based on a 0.18-μm 1.8-V CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) process. The oxygen sensor and pressure sensor were fabricated by the standard CMOS process and subsequent CMOS-compatible MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) post-processing. The multi-sensor single chip was completely sealed by the nafion, parylene, and PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) layers for biocompatibility study. The size of the compact sensor chip is only 3.65 mm × 1.65 mm × 0.72 mm. The functionality, stability, and sensitivity of the multi-functional sensor was tested ex vivo. Cytotoxicity assessment was performed to verify that the bio-compatibility of the device is conforming to the ISO 10993-5:2009 standards. The measured sensitivities of the sensors for the temperature, pressure, and oxygen concentration are 10.2 mV/°C, 5.58 mV/kPa, and 20 mV·L/mg, respectively. The measurement results show that the proposed multi-sensor single chip is suitable to sense the temperature, pressure, and oxygen concentration of human tissues for intracorporeal physiological condition monitoring.

Re-thinking global health sector efforts for HIV and tuberculosis epidemic control: promoting integration of programme activities within a strengthened health system.

Science.gov (United States)

Maher, Dermot

2010-07-05

The global financial crisis threatens global health, particularly exacerbating diseases of inequality, e.g. HIV/AIDS, and diseases of poverty, e.g. tuberculosis. The aim of this paper is to reconsider established practices and policies for HIV and tuberculosis epidemic control, aiming at delivering better results and value for money. This may be achieved by promoting greater integration of HIV and tuberculosis control programme activities within a strengthened health system. HIV and tuberculosis share many similarities in terms of their disease burden and the recommended stratagems for their control. HIV and tuberculosis programmes implement similar sorts of control activities, e.g. case finding and treatment, which depend for success on generic health system issues, including vital registration, drug procurement and supply, laboratory network, human resources, and financing. However, the current health system approach to HIV and tuberculosis control often involves separate specialised services. Despite some recent progress, collaboration between the programmes remains inadequate, progress in obtaining synergies has been slow, and results remain far below those needed to achieve universal access to key interventions. A fundamental re-think of the current strategic approach involves promoting integrated delivery of HIV and tuberculosis programme activities as part of strengthened general health services: epidemiological surveillance, programme monitoring and evaluation, community awareness of health-seeking behavior, risk behaviour modification, infection control, treatment scale-up (first-line treatment regimens), drug-resistance surveillance, containing and countering drug-resistance (second-line treatment regimens), research and development, global advocacy and global partnership. Health agencies should review policies and progress in HIV and tuberculosis epidemic control, learn mutual lessons for policy development and scaling up interventions, and identify ways

Re-thinking global health sector efforts for HIV and tuberculosis epidemic control: promoting integration of programme activities within a strengthened health system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maher Dermot

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The global financial crisis threatens global health, particularly exacerbating diseases of inequality, e.g. HIV/AIDS, and diseases of poverty, e.g. tuberculosis. The aim of this paper is to reconsider established practices and policies for HIV and tuberculosis epidemic control, aiming at delivering better results and value for money. This may be achieved by promoting greater integration of HIV and tuberculosis control programme activities within a strengthened health system. Discussion HIV and tuberculosis share many similarities in terms of their disease burden and the recommended stratagems for their control. HIV and tuberculosis programmes implement similar sorts of control activities, e.g. case finding and treatment, which depend for success on generic health system issues, including vital registration, drug procurement and supply, laboratory network, human resources, and financing. However, the current health system approach to HIV and tuberculosis control often involves separate specialised services. Despite some recent progress, collaboration between the programmes remains inadequate, progress in obtaining synergies has been slow, and results remain far below those needed to achieve universal access to key interventions. A fundamental re-think of the current strategic approach involves promoting integrated delivery of HIV and tuberculosis programme activities as part of strengthened general health services: epidemiological surveillance, programme monitoring and evaluation, community awareness of health-seeking behavior, risk behaviour modification, infection control, treatment scale-up (first-line treatment regimens, drug-resistance surveillance, containing and countering drug-resistance (second-line treatment regimens, research and development, global advocacy and global partnership. Health agencies should review policies and progress in HIV and tuberculosis epidemic control, learn mutual lessons for policy

The INTEGRAL long monitoring of persistent ultra compact X-ray bursters

Science.gov (United States)

Fiocchi, M.; Bazzano, A.; Ubertini, P.; Bird, A. J.; Natalucci, L.; Sguera, V.

2008-12-01

Context: The combination of compact objects, short period variability and peculiar chemical composition of the ultra compact X-ray binaries make up a very interesting laboratory to study accretion processes and thermonuclear burning on the neutron star surface. Improved large optical telescopes and more sensitive X-ray satellites have increased the number of known ultra compact X-ray binaries allowing their study with unprecedented detail. Aims: We analyze the average properties common to all ultra compact bursters observed by INTEGRAL from 0.2 keV to 150 keV. Methods: We have performed a systematic analysis of the INTEGRAL public data and Key-Program proprietary observations of a sample of the ultra compact X-ray binaries. In order to study their average properties in a very broad energy band, we combined INTEGRAL with BeppoSAX and SWIFT data whenever possible. For sources not showing any significant flux variations along the INTEGRAL monitoring, we build the average spectrum by combining all available data; in the case of variable fluxes, we use simultaneous INTEGRAL and SWIFT observations when available. Otherwise we compared IBIS and PDS data to check the variability and combine BeppoSAX with INTEGRAL /IBIS data. Results: All spectra are well represented by a two component model consisting of a disk-blackbody and Comptonised emission. The majority of these compact sources spend most of the time in a canonical low/hard state, with a dominating Comptonised component and accretion rate dot {M} lower than 10-9 {M⊙}/yr, not depending on the model used to fit the data. INTEGRAL is an ESA project with instruments and Science Data Center funded by ESA member states (especially the PI countries: Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Spain), Czech Republic and Poland, and with the participation of Russia and the USA.

Mobile Surveillance and Monitoring Robots

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimberly, Howard R.; Shipers, Larry R.

1999-01-01

Long-term nuclear material storage will require in-vault data verification, sensor testing, error and alarm response, inventory, and maintenance operations. System concept development efforts for a comprehensive nuclear material management system have identified the use of a small flexible mobile automation platform to perform these surveillance and maintenance operations. In order to have near-term wide-range application in the Complex, a mobile surveillance system must be small, flexible, and adaptable enough to allow retrofit into existing special nuclear material facilities. The objective of the Mobile Surveillance and Monitoring Robot project is to satisfy these needs by development of a human scale mobile robot to monitor the state of health, physical security and safety of items in storage and process; recognize and respond to alarms, threats, and off-normal operating conditions; and perform material handling and maintenance operations. The system will integrate a tool kit of onboard sensors and monitors, maintenance equipment and capability, and SNL developed non-lethal threat response technology with the intelligence to identify threats and develop and implement first response strategies for abnormal signals and alarm conditions. System versatility will be enhanced by incorporating a robot arm, vision and force sensing, robust obstacle avoidance, and appropriate monitoring and sensing equipment

Process monitoring for reprocessing plant safeguards: a summary review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerr, H.T.; Ehinger, M.H.; Wachter, J.W.; Hebble, T.L.

1986-10-01

Process monitoring is a term typically associated with a detailed look at plant operating data to determine plant status. Process monitoring has been generally associated with operational control of plant processes. Recently, process monitoring has been given new attention for a possible role in international safeguards. International Safeguards Project Office (ISPO) Task C.59 has the goal to identify specific roles for process monitoring in international safeguards. As the preliminary effort associated with this task, a review of previous efforts in process monitoring for safeguards was conducted. Previous efforts mentioned concepts and a few specific applications. None were comprehensive in addressing all aspects of a process monitoring application for safeguards. This report summarizes the basic elements that must be developed in a comprehensive process monitoring application for safeguards. It then summarizes the significant efforts that have been documented in the literature with respect to the basic elements that were addressed

Manufacture and evaluation of integrated metal-oxide electrode prototype for corrosion monitoring in high temperature water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hashimoto, Yoshinori; Tani, Jun-ichi

2014-01-01

We have developed an integrated metal-oxide (M/O) electrode based on an yttria-stabilized-zirconia-(YSZ)-membrane M/O electrode, which was used as a reference electrode for corrosion monitoring in high temperature water. The YSZ-membrane M/O electrode can operate at high temperatures because of the conductivity of YSZ membrane tube. We cannot utilize it for long term monitoring at a wide range of temperatures. It also has a braze juncture between the YSZ membrane and metal tubes, which may corrode in high-temperature water. This corrosion should be prevented to improve the performance of the M/O electrode. An integrated M/O electrode was developed (i.e., integrated metal-oxide electrode, IMOE) to eliminate the braze juncture and increase the conductivity of YSZ. These issues should be overcome to improve the performance of M/O electrode. So we have developed two type of IMOE prototype with sputter - deposition or thermal oxidation. In this paper we will present and discuss the performance of our IMOEs in buffer solution at room temperature. (author)

Permanent monitoring of containment integrity: the sexten system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Germain, J.L.; Janneteau, E.

1993-01-01

Reactor containment integrity is of prime importance to the safety of PWR units. It is checked by means of tests performed at high pressure during the containment building pressure tests. These periodical tests are supplemented in France by permanent monitoring using the SEXTEN system. First feasibility tests for this system were carried out in 1980. The encouraging results obtained led to the development of a prototype, followed by an industrial system which has since been installed in all French PWR units. This system measures the containment leak rate, with corrections for the compressed air intakes used by the air-operated valves. Leaktightness is expressed in terms of the leak rate for a 60 mbar overpressure. If the leak rate exceeds a fixed limit value, leak detection operations are initiated, using SEXTEN. A new version of the system, known as SEXTEN 2 is being developed. (authors). 2 figs

An integrated sensing technique for smart monitoring of water pipelines

Science.gov (United States)

Bernini, Romeo; Catapano, Ilaria; Soldovieri, Francesco; Crocco, Lorenzo

2014-05-01

Lowering the rate of water leakage from the network of underground pipes is one of the requirements that "smart" cities have to comply with. In fact, losses in the water supply infrastructure have a remarkable social, environmental and economic impact, which obviously conflicts with the expected efficiency and sustainability of a smart city. As a consequence, there is a huge interest in developing prevention policies based on state-of-art sensing techniques and possibly their integration, as well as in envisaging ad hoc technical solutions designed for the application at hand. As a contribution to this framework, in this communication we present an approach aimed to pursue a thorough non-invasive monitoring of water pipelines, with both high spatial and temporal resolution. This goal is necessary to guarantee that maintenance operations are performed timely, so to reduce the extent of the leakage and its possible side effects, and precisely, so to minimize the cost and the discomfort resulting from operating on the water supply network. The proposed approach integrates two sensing techniques that work at different spatial and temporal scales. The first one is meant to provide a continuous (in both space and time) monitoring of the pipeline and exploits a distributed optic fiber sensor based on the Brillouin scattering phenomenon. This technique provides the "low" spatial resolution information (at meter scale) needed to reveal the presence of a leak and call for interventions [1]. The second technique is based on the use of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and is meant to provide detailed images of area where the damage has been detected. GPR systems equipped with suitable data processing strategies [2,3] are indeed capable of providing images of the shallow underground, where the pipes would be buried, characterized by a spatial resolution in the order of a few centimeters. This capability is crucial to address in the most proper way maintenance operations, by for

The development report of an intelligent neutron fluence integration monitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Zongbing; Wei Ying

1996-10-01

An intelligent neutron fluence integration monitor is introduced. It is used to measure the received neutron fluence of the monocrystalline silicon in reactor radiation channel. The significance of study and specifications of the instrument are briefly described. The emphasis is on the working principle, structure and characteristics of the instrument is intelligent due to use of monolithic microcomputer. It has many advantages proved in the actual practice, such as powerful function, high accuracy, diversity of application, high level automatization, easy to operate, high reliability, etc. After using this instrument the monocrystalline silicon radiation technology is improved and the efficiency of production is raised. (1 fig.)

Using management action plans to integrate program improvement efforts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meador, S.W.; Kidwell, R.J.; Shangraw, W.R.; Cardamone, E.N. [Project Performance Corporation, Sterling, VA (United States)

1994-12-31

The Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) Environmental Management Program is the country`s largest and most sophisticated environmental program to date. The rapid expansion of the DOE`s environmental restoration efforts has led to increased scrutiny of its management processes and systems. As the program continues to grow and mature, maintaining adequate accountability for resources and clearly communicating progress will be essential to sustaining public confidence. The Office of Environmental Management must ensure that adequate processes and systems are in place at Headquarters, Operation Offices, and contractor organizations. These systems must provide the basis for sound management, cost control, and reporting. To meet this challenge, the Office of Environmental Restoration introduced the Management Action Plan process. This process was designed to serve three primary functions: (1) define the program`s management capabilities at Headquarters and Operations Offices; (2) describe how management initiatives address identified program deficiencies; and (3) identify any duplication of efforts or program deficiencies. The Environmental Restoration Management Action Plan is a tracking, reporting, and statusing tool, used primarily at the Headquarters level, for assessing performance in key areas of project management and control. BY DOE to communicate to oversight agencies and stakeholders a clearer picture of the current status of the environmental restoration project management system. This paper will discuss how Management Action Plans are used to provide a program-wide assessment of management capabilities.

Using management action plans to integrate program improvement efforts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meador, S.W.; Kidwell, R.J.; Shangraw, W.R.; Cardamone, E.N.

1994-01-01

The Department of Energy's (DOE's) Environmental Management Program is the country's largest and most sophisticated environmental program to date. The rapid expansion of the DOE's environmental restoration efforts has led to increased scrutiny of its management processes and systems. As the program continues to grow and mature, maintaining adequate accountability for resources and clearly communicating progress will be essential to sustaining public confidence. The Office of Environmental Management must ensure that adequate processes and systems are in place at Headquarters, Operation Offices, and contractor organizations. These systems must provide the basis for sound management, cost control, and reporting. To meet this challenge, the Office of Environmental Restoration introduced the Management Action Plan process. This process was designed to serve three primary functions: (1) define the program's management capabilities at Headquarters and Operations Offices; (2) describe how management initiatives address identified program deficiencies; and (3) identify any duplication of efforts or program deficiencies. The Environmental Restoration Management Action Plan is a tracking, reporting, and statusing tool, used primarily at the Headquarters level, for assessing performance in key areas of project management and control. BY DOE to communicate to oversight agencies and stakeholders a clearer picture of the current status of the environmental restoration project management system. This paper will discuss how Management Action Plans are used to provide a program-wide assessment of management capabilities

Integrated Geophysical Measurements for Bioremediation Monitoring: Combining Spectral Induced Polarization, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Magnetic Methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keating, Kristina [Rutgers Univ., Newark, NJ (United States). Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Slater, Lee [Rutgers Univ., Newark, NJ (United States). Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Ntarlagiannis, Dimitris [Rutgers Univ., Newark, NJ (United States). Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Williams, Kenneth H. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Sciences Division

2015-02-24

This documents contains the final report for the project "Integrated Geophysical Measurements for Bioremediation Monitoring: Combining Spectral Induced Polarization, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Magnetic Methods" (DE-SC0007049) Executive Summary: Our research aimed to develop borehole measurement techniques capable of monitoring subsurface processes, such as changes in pore geometry and iron/sulfur geochemistry, associated with remediation of heavy metals and radionuclides. Previous work has demonstrated that geophysical method spectral induced polarization (SIP) can be used to assess subsurface contaminant remediation; however, SIP signals can be generated from multiple sources limiting their interpretation value. Integrating multiple geophysical methods, such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic susceptibility (MS), with SIP, could reduce the ambiguity of interpretation that might result from a single method. Our research efforts entails combining measurements from these methods, each sensitive to different mineral forms and/or mineral-fluid interfaces, providing better constraints on changes in subsurface biogeochemical processes and pore geometries significantly improving our understanding of processes impacting contaminant remediation. The Rifle Integrated Field Research Challenge (IFRC) site was used as a test location for our measurements. The Rifle IFRC site is located at a former uranium ore-processing facility in Rifle, Colorado. Leachate from spent mill tailings has resulted in residual uranium contamination of both groundwater and sediments within the local aquifer. Studies at the site include an ongoing acetate amendment strategy, native microbial populations are stimulated by introduction of carbon intended to alter redox conditions and immobilize uranium. To test the geophysical methods in the field, NMR and MS logging measurements were collected before, during, and after acetate amendment. Next, laboratory NMR, MS, and SIP measurements

LANDMON a new integrated system for the management of landslide monitoring networks

Science.gov (United States)

Wrzesniak, Aleksandra; Giordan, Daniele; Allasia, Paolo

2017-04-01

Over the last decades, technological development has strongly increased the number of instruments that can be used to monitor landslide phenomena. Robotized Total Stations, GB-InSAR and GPS are only few examples of the devices that can be adapted to monitor the topographic changes due to mass movements. They are often organized in a complex network, aimed at controlling physical parameters related to the evolution of landslide activity. The level of complexity of these monitoring networks increases with the number of new available monitoring devices and this could generate a paradox: the source of data is so numerous and difficult to interpret that a full understanding of the phenomenon could be hampered. The Geohazard Monitoring Group (GMG) of Italian National Research Council (CNR) has a long experience in landslide monitoring. Over the years, GMG has developed a multidisciplinary approach for landslide management strategy called LANDMON (LANDslide MOnitoring Network). It is an automatic hybrid system focused not only on capturing and elaborating data from monitored site but also on web applications and on publishing bulletins aimed to disseminate monitoring results and to support decision makers. LANDMON is currently active in many landslide sites distributed in several areas in Italy and in Europe. LANDMON is derived from the previously developed systems like ADVICE (ADVanced dIsplaCement monitoring system for Early warning) and 3DA (three-dimensional Displacement Analysis). These systems are aimed to collect and to process monitoring dataset, to manage early warning application based on pre-defined thresholds, and to publish three-dimensional displacement maps in near real time. In addition, LANDMON integrates several new features, such as WebGIS application, modelling using inverse velocity method, and management of webcam monitoring system, meteorological parameters and borehole inclinometric data. Moreover, LANDMON is a communication strategy that focuses

A Novel Pseudo-PMOS Integrated ISFET Device for Water Quality Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pawan Whig

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents a performance analysis of novel CMOS Integrated pseudo-PMOS ISFET (PP-ISFET having zero static power dissipation. The main focus is on simulation of power and performance analysis along with the comparison with existing devices, which is used for water quality monitoring. The conventional devices, generally used, consume high power and are not stable for long term monitoring. The conventional device has the drawbacks of low value of slew rate, high power consumption, and nonlinear characteristics, but in this novel design, due to zero static power, less load capacitance on input signals, faster switching, fewer transistors, and higher circuit density, the device exhibits a better slew rate and piecewise linear characteristics and is seen consuming low power of the order of 30 mW. The proposed circuit reduces total power consumption per cycle, increases the speed of operation, is fairly linear, and is simple to implement.

An integrated condition-monitoring method for a milling process using reduced decomposition features

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Jie; Wu, Bo; Hu, Youmin; Wang, Yan

2017-01-01

Complex and non-stationary cutting chatter affects productivity and quality in the milling process. Developing an effective condition-monitoring approach is critical to accurately identify cutting chatter. In this paper, an integrated condition-monitoring method is proposed, where reduced features are used to efficiently recognize and classify machine states in the milling process. In the proposed method, vibration signals are decomposed into multiple modes with variational mode decomposition, and Shannon power spectral entropy is calculated to extract features from the decomposed signals. Principal component analysis is adopted to reduce feature size and computational cost. With the extracted feature information, the probabilistic neural network model is used to recognize and classify the machine states, including stable, transition, and chatter states. Experimental studies are conducted, and results show that the proposed method can effectively detect cutting chatter during different milling operation conditions. This monitoring method is also efficient enough to satisfy fast machine state recognition and classification. (paper)

Implementation of an Integrated, Portable Transformer Condition Monitoring Instrument in the Classroom and On-Site

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterjee, B.; Dey, D.; Chakravorti, S.

2010-01-01

The development of integrated, portable, transformer condition monitoring (TCM) equipment for classroom demonstrations as well as for student exercises conducted in the field is discussed. Demonstrations include experimentation with real-world transformers to illustrate concepts such as polarization and depolarization current through oil-paper…

Integrated Closure and Monitoring Plan for the Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Sites at the Nevada Test Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bechtel Nevada

2005-01-01

This document is an integrated plan for closing and monitoring two low-level radioactive waste disposal sites at the Nevada Test Site. This document is an integrated plan for closing and monitoring two low-level radioactive waste disposal sites at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Sites (RWMSs) are managed and operated by Bechtel Nevada (BN) for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO). The Integrated Closure and Monitoring Plan (ICMP) for these sites is based on guidance for developing closure plans issued by the DOE (DOE, 1999a). The plan does not closely follow the format suggested by the DOE guidance to better accommodate differences between the two RWMSs, especially in terms of operations and site characteristics. The modification reduces redundancy and provides a smoother progression of the discussion. Further, much of the information that would be included in the individual plans is the same, and integration provides efficient presentation. A cross-walk between the contents of the ICMP and the DOE guidance is given in Appendix A. Closure and monitoring were integrated because monitoring measures the degree to which the operational and closed disposal facilities are meeting performance objectives specified in the manual to DOE Order O 435.1. Department of Energy Order 435.1 governs management of radioactive waste, and associated with it are Manual DOE M 435.1-1 and Guidance DOE G 435.1-1. The performance objectives are intended to ensure protection of workers, the public, and the environment from radiological exposure associated with the RWMSs now and in the future

Integration of 128 channels for monitoring, acquisition and control with existing LHCD DAC system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joshi, Ramesh; Virani, Chetan; Wadhwani, Archana; Sharma, P.K.

2015-01-01

Lower Hybrid Current Drive (LHCD) data acquisition system needs to be upgraded for additional channel requirement. The existing VME based DAC has been used since long with 32 analog input channels for data monitoring and control. Additional 128 channels require integrating with existing DAC. There are four layers of waveguides which deliver final output power into tokamak. Each layer requires 32 channels for power measurement. For the same requirement 128 analog input channels have been integrated with the help of carrier board and IP modules. Acromag IP330 modules have been procured and finally integrated with additional carrier board with existing VME hardware. Each module provides 32 analog input channels. Device driver has been developed for each module and integrated with existing program. LHCD DAC system has been upgraded with additional 128 channels requirement. It has been successfully testing with recent SST-1 campaign. (author)

An interation of lifetime monitoring of steam generators in power control systems; Integration der Lebensdauerueberwachung von Dampferzeugern in die Kraftwerksleittechnik

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kunze, Ulrich; Pels Leusden, Christoph; Spinner, Ralf [Siemens AG, Erlangen (Germany). Energy Sector; Hackstein, Holger [Siemens AG, Offenbach am Main (Germany). Energy Sector; Walz, Horst [Siemens AG, Karlsruhe (Germany). Energy Sector

2008-07-01

The substantial cost-relevant requirements of the operation of power stations are a highly flexible operation, efficient maintenance, a high efficiency and a high availability. Computer-assisted procedures are indispensable for the continuous monitoring of lifetime consumption and for the condition-dependent maintenance of the boiler. The fatigue monitoring system (FMS) offers all possibilities of the control system. The authors of the contribution under consideration report on an integration of life time monitoring of steam generators into the power station control technology. The technical fundamentals for the computation of the boiler lifetime as well as the fundamentals of integration philosophy and their conversion are presented. Subsequently, a configuration exemplarily is presented, and its results are described.

Reliability database development and plant performance improvement effort at Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, S. J.; Hwang, S. W.; Na, J. H.; Lim, H. S.

2008-01-01

Nuclear utilities in recent years have focused on improved plant performance and equipment reliability. In U.S., there is a movement toward process integration. Examples are INPO AP-913 equipment reliability program and the standard nuclear performance model developed by NEI. Synergistic effect from an integrated approach can be far greater than as compared to individual effects from each program. In Korea, PSA for all Korean NPPs (Nuclear Power Plants) has been completed. Plant performance monitoring and improvement is an important goal for KHNP (Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Company) and a risk monitoring system called RIMS has been developed for all nuclear plants. KHNP is in the process of voluntarily implementing maintenance rule program similar to that in U.S. In the future, KHNP would like to expand the effort to equipment reliability program and to achieve highest equipment reliability and improved plant performance. For improving equipment reliability, the current trend is moving toward preventive/predictive maintenance from corrective maintenance. With the emphasis on preventive maintenance, the failure cause and operation history and environment are important. Hence, the development of accurate reliability database is necessary. Furthermore, the database should be updated regularly and maintained as a living program to reflect the current status of equipment reliability. This paper examines the development of reliability database system and its application of maintenance optimization or Risk Informed Application (RIA). (authors)

Place integration through efforts to support healthy aging in resource frontier communities: the role of voluntary sector leadership.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanlon, Neil; Skinner, Mark W; Joseph, Alun E; Ryser, Laura; Halseth, Greg

2014-09-01

Resource-dependent communities in hinterland regions of Australia, Canada and elsewhere are rapidly aging, yet many features that distinguish them (e.g., geographic remoteness, small populations, infrastructure built with younger persons in mind) also pose significant challenges for healthy aging. These challenges can lead to substantial gaps in access to formal health and social services, with negative implications for older residents aging-in-place and the development aspirations of resource frontier communities. In this paper, we explore the efforts of voluntary sector leaders to transform resource communities into more livable and supportive places for older adults. We offer a case study of two small towns in Canada׳s aging resource frontier; one forestry-dependent and the other dependent on coal mining. Our findings suggest that place integration develops through volunteer work and explains how voluntarism works as both a process and outcome of 'placemaking'. We argue that greater attention to place integration is needed to bring into focus the transformative potential of the voluntary sector in creating supportive and sustainable environments for healthy aging. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PROFILE: Integrating Stressor and Response Monitoring into a Resource-Based Water-Quality Assessment Framework.

Science.gov (United States)

ROUX; KEMPSTER; KLEYNHANS; VAN; DU

1999-01-01

/ South African water law as well as the country's water resource management policies are currently under review. The Water Law Principles, which were established as part of this review process, indicate a commitment to sustainable development of water resources and the protection of an ecological "reserve." Such policy goals highlight the limitations of traditional and current water-quality management strategies, which rely on stressor monitoring and associated regulation of pollution. The concept of an assimilative capacity is central to the implementation of the current water-quality management approach. Weaknesses inherent in basing water management on the concept of assimilative capacity are discussed. Response monitoring is proposed as a way of addressing some of the weaknesses. Following a global trend, the new policy goals emphasize the need to protect rather than to use the ability of ecosystems to recover from disturbances. This necessitates the adoption of response measurements to quantify ecological condition and monitor ecological change. Response monitoring focuses on properties that are essential to the sustainability of the ecosystem. These monitoring tools can be used to establish natural ranges of ecological change within ecosystems, as well as to quantify conceptually acceptable and unacceptable ranges of change. Through a framework of biological criteria and biological impairment standards, the results of response monitoring can become an integral part of future water resource management strategies in South Africa. KEY WORDS: Stressor monitoring; Response monitoring; Assimilative capacity; Ecosystem stability; Resilience; Biocriteria

Detecting Specific Health-Related Events Using an Integrated Sensor System for Vital Sign Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mourad Adnane

2009-09-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a new method for the detection of apnea/hypopnea periods in physiological data is presented. The method is based on the intelligent combination of an integrated sensor system for long-time cardiorespiratory signal monitoring and dedicated signal-processing packages. Integrated sensors are a PVDF film and conductive fabric sheets. The signal processing package includes dedicated respiratory cycle (RC and QRS complex detection algorithms and a new method using the respiratory cycle variability (RCV for detecting apnea/hypopnea periods in physiological data. Results show that our method is suitable for online analysis of long time series data.

Manipulating and Monitoring On-Surface Biological Reactions by Light-Triggered Local pH Alterations.

Science.gov (United States)

Peretz-Soroka, Hagit; Pevzner, Alexander; Davidi, Guy; Naddaka, Vladimir; Kwiat, Moria; Huppert, Dan; Patolsky, Fernando

2015-07-08

Significant research efforts have been dedicated to the integration of biological species with electronic elements to yield smart bioelectronic devices. The integration of DNA, proteins, and whole living cells and tissues with electronic devices has been developed into numerous intriguing applications. In particular, the quantitative detection of biological species and monitoring of biological processes are both critical to numerous areas of medical and life sciences. Nevertheless, most current approaches merely focus on the "monitoring" of chemical processes taking place on the sensing surfaces, and little efforts have been invested in the conception of sensitive devices that can simultaneously "control" and "monitor" chemical and biological reactions by the application of on-surface reversible stimuli. Here, we demonstrate the light-controlled fine modulation of surface pH by the use of photoactive molecularly modified nanomaterials. Through the use of nanowire-based FET devices, we showed the capability of modulating the on-surface pH, by intensity-controlled light stimulus. This allowed us simultaneously and locally to control and monitor pH-sensitive biological reactions on the nanodevices surfaces, such as the local activation and inhibition of proteolytic enzymatic processes, as well as dissociation of antigen-antibody binding interactions. The demonstrated capability of locally modulating the on-surface effective pH, by a light stimuli, may be further applied in the local control of on-surface DNA hybridization/dehybridization processes, activation or inhibition of living cells processes, local switching of cellular function, local photoactivation of neuronal networks with single cell resolution and so forth.

Flexible Conductive Composite Integrated with Personal Earphone for Wireless, Real-Time Monitoring of Electrophysiological Signs.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Joong Hoon; Hwang, Ji-Young; Zhu, Jia; Hwang, Ha Ryeon; Lee, Seung Min; Cheng, Huanyu; Lee, Sang-Hoon; Hwang, Suk-Won

2018-06-14

We introduce optimized elastomeric conductive electrodes using a mixture of silver nanowires (AgNWs) with carbon nanotubes/polydimethylsiloxane (CNTs/PDMS), to build a portable earphone type of wearable system that is designed to enable recording electrophysiological activities as well as listening to music at the same time. A custom-built, plastic frame integrated with soft, deformable fabric-based memory foam of earmuffs facilitates essential electronic components, such as conductive elastomers, metal strips, signal transducers and a speaker. Such platform incorporates with accessory cables to attain wireless, real-time monitoring of electrical potentials whose information can be displayed on a cell phone during outdoor activities and music appreciation. Careful evaluations on experimental results reveal that the performance of fabricated dry electrodes are comparable to that of commercial wet electrodes, and position-dependent signal behaviors provide a route toward accomplishing maximized signal quality. This research offers a facile approach for a wearable healthcare monitor via integration of soft electronic constituents with personal belongings.

Using reefcheck monitoring database to develop the coral reef index of biological integrity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nguyen, Hai Yen T.; Pedersen, Ole; Ikejima, Kou

2009-01-01

The coral reef indices of biological integrity was constituted based on the reef check monitoring data. Seventy six minimally disturbed sites and 72 maximallv disturbed sites in shallow water and 39 minimally disturbed sites and 37 maximally disturbed sites in deep water were classified based...... on the high-end and low-end percentages and ratios of hard coral, dead coral and fieshy algae. A total of 52 candidate metrics was identified and compiled, Eight and four metrics were finally selected to constitute the shallow and deep water coral reef indices respectively. The rating curve was applied.......05) and coral damaged by other factors -0.283 (pcoral reef indices were sensitive responses to stressors and can be capable to use as the coral reef biological monitoring tool....

An Integrated Monitoring System of Pre-earthquake Processes in Peloponnese, Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Karastathis, V. K.; Tsinganos, K.; Kafatos, M.; Eleftheriou, G.; Ouzounov, D.; Mouzakiotis, E.; Papadopoulos, G. A.; Voulgaris, N.; Bocchini, G. M.; Liakopoulos, S.; Aspiotis, T.; Gika, F.; Tselentis, A.; Moshou, A.; Psiloglou, B.

2017-12-01

One of the controversial issues in the contemporary seismology is the ability of radon accumulation monitoring to provide reliable earthquake forecasting. Although there are many examples in the literature showing radon increase before earthquakes, skepticism arises from instability of the measurements, false alarms, difficulties in interpretation caused by the weather influence (eg. rainfall) and difficulties on the consideration an irrefutable theoretical background of the phenomenon.We have developed and extensively tested a multi parameter network aimed for studying of the pre-earthquake processes and operating as a part of integrated monitoring system in the high seismicity area of the Western Hellenic Arc (SW Peloponnese, Greece). The prototype consists of four components: A real-time monitoring system of Radon accumulation. It consists of three gamma radiation detectors [NaI(Tl) scintillators] A nine-station seismic array to monitor the microseismicity in the offshore area of the Hellenic arc. The processing of the data is based on F-K and beam-forming techniques. Real-time weather monitoring systems for air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation and pressure. Thermal radiation emission from AVHRR/NOAA-18 polar orbit satellite observation. The project revolved around the idea of jointly studying the emission of Radon that has been proven in many cases as a reliable indicator of the possible time of an event, with the accurate location of the foreshock activity detected by the seismic array that can be a more reliable indicator of the possible position of an event. In parallel a satellite thermal anomaly detection technique has been used for monitoring of larger magnitude events (possible indicator for strong events M ≥5.0.). The first year of operations revealed a number of pre-seismic radon variation anomalies before several local earthquakes (M>3.6). The Radon increases systematically before the larger events.Details about the overall performance

AMRDEC's HWIL Synthetic Environment Development Efforts for LADAR Sensors

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kim, Hajin J; Cornell, Michael C; Naumann, Charles B

2004-01-01

.... With the emerging sensor/electronics technology LADAR sensors are becoming more viable option as an integral part of weapon systems, and AMCOM has been expending efforts to develop the capabilities...

Combining Modeling and Monitoring to Produce a New Paradigm of an Integrated Approach to Providing Long-Term Control of Contaminants

Science.gov (United States)

Fogwell, T. W.

2009-12-01

Sir David King, Chief Science Advisor to the British government and Cambridge University Professor, stated in October 2005, "The scientific community is considerably more capable than it has been in the past to assist governments to avoid and reduce risk to their own populations. Prime ministers and presidents ignore the advice from the science community at the peril of their own populations." Some of these greater capabilities can be found in better monitoring techniques applied to better modeling methods. These modeling methods can be combined with the information derived from monitoring data in order to decrease the risk of population exposure to dangerous substances and to promote efficient control or cleanup of the contaminants. An introduction is presented of the types of problems that exist for long-term control of radionuclides at DOE sites. A breakdown of the distributions at specific sites is given, together with the associated difficulties. A paradigm for remediation showing the integration of monitoring with modeling is presented. It is based on a feedback system that allows for the monitoring to act as principal sensors in a control system. The resulting system can be optimized to improve performance. Optimizing monitoring automatically entails linking the monitoring with modeling. If monitoring designs were required to be more efficient, thus requiring optimization, then the monitoring automatically becomes linked to modeling. Records of decision could be written to accommodate revisions in monitoring as better modeling evolves. Currently the establishment of a very prescriptive monitoring program fails to have a mechanism for improving models and improving control of the contaminants. The technical pieces of the required paradigm are already available; they just need to be implemented and applied to solve the long-term control of the contaminants. An integration of the various parts of the system is presented. Each part is described, and examples are

Parental monitoring, parental warmth, and minority youths' academic outcomes: exploring the integrative model of parenting.

Science.gov (United States)

Lowe, Katie; Dotterer, Aryn M

2013-09-01

Guided by the integrative model of parenting, the present study investigated the relationship between parental monitoring and racial/ethnic minority adolescents' school engagement and academic motivation as a function of parental warmth, and explored whether these associations varied for boys and girls. Participants (60 % female) were 208 sixth through eighth grade students (63 % African American, 19 % Latino, 18 % Multiracial) from an urban middle school in the Midwestern United States. Youth completed an in-school survey with items on parenting (parental monitoring, mothers'/fathers' warmth), cognitive engagement (school self-esteem), behavioral engagement (school trouble), and academic motivation (intrinsic motivation). As hypothesized, mothers' warmth enhanced the association between parental monitoring and youths' engagement and motivation. No gender differences in these associations emerged. Fathers' warmth strengthened the negative association between parental monitoring and school trouble, and this association was stronger for boys. Implications regarding the importance of sustaining a high level of monitoring within the context of warm parent-adolescent relationships to best support academic outcomes among minority youth are discussed.

Monitoring the Lavina di Roncovetro (RE, Italy) landslide by integrating traditional monitoring systems and multiple high-resolution topographic datasets

Science.gov (United States)

Fornaciai, Alessandro; Favalli, Massimiliano; Gigli, Giovanni; Nannipieri, Luca; Mucchi, Lorenzo; Intieri, Emanuele; Agostini, Andrea; Pizziolo, Marco; Bertolini, Giovanni; Trippi, Federico; Casagli, Nicola; Schina, Rosa; Carnevale, Ennio

2016-04-01

Tha Lavina di Roncovetro landslide is located in the Enza Valley (Reggio Emilia, Italy). It extends from the top of Mount Staffola down to the Tassobbio River. Since the clay fraction is dominant, it follows that the landslide can be considered as a fluid-viscous mudflow, which can reach a down flow maximum rate of 10 m/day. The landslide started between the middle and the end of the XIX century and since then it has had a rapid evolution mainly characterized by the rapid retrogression of the crown to the extent that now reaches the top of Mount Staffola. In the last 20 years, about 100,000 m3 of bedrock descended from the main scarp into the landslide body. The total volume of the landslide is inferred to be of ~ 3×106 m3. In the frame of EU Wireless Sensor Network for Ground Instability Monitoring - Wi-GIM project (LIFE12 ENV/IT/001033), the Roncovetro landslide is periodically monitored by traditional monitoring systems and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) survey. In addition, an airborne LIDAR survey and a photographic acquisition from a small aircraft were carried out on April 2014 and October 2014, respectively. The traditional monitoring system consists of a terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) survey and a robotized total station (RTS). TLS acquisitions have focused on the upper and more active sector of the earthflow and were carried out since May 2014. By comparing TLS data taken at different times, the general deformational field of the landslide can be reconstructed and the displacements affecting the retaining structures built on the landslide crown quantified. The time resolution of both TLS and RTS acquisition is about 6 per year. . Three high-resolution photogrammetric surveys performed using an UAV were carried out on November 2014, July 2015 and January 2016. Starting from the acquired photos and applying photogrammetry and Structure From Motion (SFM) algorithms integrated in the Photoscan Agisoft software, the high-resolution 3D models of the

FRAM (FRontiers in Arctic marine Monitoring: The FRAM Ocean Observing System) planned efforts for integrated water column biogeochemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsdóttir, Maria; Salter, Ian; Kanzow, Torsten; Boetius, Antje

2015-04-01

The Arctic is a region undergoing rapid environmental change and will be subject to multiple stressors in the coming decades. Reductions in sea ice concentration; warming, increased terrigenous inputs and Atlantification are all expected to exert a significant impact on the structure and function of Arctic ecosystems. The Fram Strait is a particularly important region because it acts as a gateway in the exchange of Atlantic and Arctic water masses. The logistical constraints in conducting year round biogeochemical measurements in such areas impose a significant limitation to our understanding of these complicated ecosystems. To address these important challenges the German ministry of research has funded a multi-million Euro infrastructure project (FRAM). Over the next five years FRAM will develop a remote access and autonomous sampling infrastructure to improve the temporal and spatial resolution of biogeochemical measurements in the Fram Strait and central Arctic. Here we present a summary of sampling strategies, technological innovations and biogeochemical parameters that will be addressed over the duration of the project. Specific emphasis will be placed on platforms for monitoring nutrient dynamics, carbonate chemistry, organic carbon flux and the development of a sustained microbial observatory.

An advanced NSSS integrity monitoring system for Shin-Kori nuclear units 3 and 4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Y. G.; Kim, H. B.; Galin, S. R.; Kim, S. H.; Lee, S. J.

2009-01-01

The advanced design features of NSSS (Nuclear Steam Supply System) Integrity Monitoring System for Shin-Kori Nuclear Units 3 and 4 are summarized herein. During the overall system design and detailed component design processes, many design improvements have been made for the system. The major design changes are: 1) the application of a common software platform for all subsystems, 2) the implementation of remote access, control and monitoring capabilities, and 3) the equipment redesign and rearrangement that has simplified the system architecture. Changes give an effect on cabinet size, number of cables, cyber-security, graphic user interfaces, and interfaces with other monitoring systems. The system installation and operation for Shin-Kori Nuclear Units 3 and 4 will be more convenient than those for previous Korean nuclear units in view of its remote control capability, automated test functions, improved user interface functions, and much less cabling. (authors)

An Advanced NSSS Integrity Monitoring System for Shin-Kori Nuclear Units 3 and 4

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Yang Gyun; Galin, Scott R.; Lee, Sang Jeong

2010-12-01

The advanced design features of NSSS (Nuclear Steam Supply System) Integrity Monitoring System for Shin-Kori Nuclear Units 3 and 4 are summarized herein. During the overall system design and detailed component design processes, many design improvements have been made for the system. The major design changes are: 1) the application of a common software platform for all subsystems, 2) the implementation of remote access, control and monitoring capabilities, and 3) the equipment redesign and rearrangement that has simplified the system architecture. Changes give an effect on cabinet size, number of cables, cyber-security, graphic user interfaces, and interfaces with other monitoring systems. The system installation and operation for Shin-Kori Nuclear Units 3 and 4 will be more convenient than those for previous Korean nuclear units in view of its remote control capability, automated test functions, improved user interface functions, and much less cabling.

Systems approach to monitoring and evaluation guides scale up of the Standard Days Method of family planning in Rwanda

Science.gov (United States)

Igras, Susan; Sinai, Irit; Mukabatsinda, Marie; Ngabo, Fidele; Jennings, Victoria; Lundgren, Rebecka

2014-01-01

There is no guarantee that a successful pilot program introducing a reproductive health innovation can also be expanded successfully to the national or regional level, because the scaling-up process is complex and multilayered. This article describes how a successful pilot program to integrate the Standard Days Method (SDM) of family planning into existing Ministry of Health services was scaled up nationally in Rwanda. Much of the success of the scale-up effort was due to systematic use of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) data from several sources to make midcourse corrections. Four lessons learned illustrate this crucially important approach. First, ongoing M&E data showed that provider training protocols and client materials that worked in the pilot phase did not work at scale; therefore, we simplified these materials to support integration into the national program. Second, triangulation of ongoing monitoring data with national health facility and population-based surveys revealed serious problems in supply chain mechanisms that affected SDM (and the accompanying CycleBeads client tool) availability and use; new procedures for ordering supplies and monitoring stockouts were instituted at the facility level. Third, supervision reports and special studies revealed that providers were imposing unnecessary medical barriers to SDM use; refresher training and revised supervision protocols improved provider practices. Finally, informal environmental scans, stakeholder interviews, and key events timelines identified shifting political and health policy environments that influenced scale-up outcomes; ongoing advocacy efforts are addressing these issues. The SDM scale-up experience in Rwanda confirms the importance of monitoring and evaluating programmatic efforts continuously, using a variety of data sources, to improve program outcomes. PMID:25276581

Efforts to Develop a 300°C Solder

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Norann, Randy A [Perma Works LLC

2015-01-25

This paper covers the efforts made to find a 300°C electrical solder solution for geothermal well monitoring and logging tools by Perma Works LLC. This paper covers: why a high temperature solder is needed, what makes for a good solder, testing flux, testing conductive epoxy and testing intermetallic bonds. Future areas of research are suggested.

Integrated Closure and Monitoring Plan for the Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Sites at the Nevada Test Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

S. E. Rawlinson

2001-09-01

Bechtel Nevada (BN) manages two low-level Radioactive Waste Management Sites (RWMSs) (one site is in Area 3 and the other is in Area 5) at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Operations Office (NNSA/NV). The current DOE Order governing management of radioactive waste is 435.1. Associated with DOE Order 435.1 is a Manual (DOE M 435.1-1) and Guidance (DOE G 435.1-1). The Manual and Guidance specify that preliminary closure and monitoring plans for a low-level waste (LLW) management facility be developed and initially submitted with the Performance Assessment (PA) and Composite Analysis (CA) for that facility. The Manual and Guidance, and the Disposal Authorization Statement (DAS) issued for the Area 3 RWMS further specify that the preliminary closure and monitoring plans be updated within one year following issuance of a DAS. This Integrated Closure and Monitoring Plan (ICMP) fulfills both requirements. Additional updates will be conducted every third year hereafter. This document is an integrated plan for closing and monitoring both RWMSs, and is based on guidance issued in 1999 by the DOE for developing closure plans. The plan does not follow the format suggested by the DOE guidance in order to better accommodate differences between the two RWMSs, especially in terms of operations and site characteristics. The modification reduces redundancy and provides a smoother progression of the discussion. The closure and monitoring plans were integrated because much of the information that would be included in individual plans is the same, and integration provides efficient presentation and program management. The ICMP identifies the regulatory requirements, describes the disposal sites and the physical environment where they are located, and defines the approach and schedule for both closing and monitoring the sites.

Medical application and clinical validation for reliable and trustworthy physiological monitoring using functional textile: experience from the HeartCycle and MyHeart project

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reiter, H.; Muehlsteff, J.; Sipila. A

2012-01-01

Functional textiles are seen as promising technology to enable healthcare services and medical care outside hospitals due to their ability to integrate textile-based sensing and monitoring technologies into the daily life. In the past much effort has been spent onto basicfunctional textile research

Integrated Monitoring and Modeling of Carbon Dioxide Leakage Risk Using Remote Sensing, Ground-Based Monitoring, Atmospheric Models and Risk-Indexing Tools

Science.gov (United States)

Burton, E. A.; Pickles, W. L.; Gouveia, F. J.; Bogen, K. T.; Rau, G. H.; Friedmann, J.

2006-12-01

Correct assessment of the potential for CO2 leakage to the atmosphere or near surface is key to managing the risk associated with CO2 storage. Catastrophic, point-source leaks, diffuse seepage, and low leakage rates all merit assessment. Smaller leaks may be early warnings of catastrophic failures, and may be sufficient to damage natural vegetation or crops. Small leaks also may lead to cumulative build-up of lethal levels of CO2 in enclosed spaces, such as basements, groundwater-well head spaces, and caverns. Working with our ZERT partners, we are integrating a variety of monitoring and modeling approaches to understand how to assess potential health, property and environmental risks across this spectrum of leakage types. Remote sensing offers a rapid technique to monitor large areas for adverse environmental effects. If it can be deployed prior to the onset of storage operations, remote sensing also can document baseline conditions against which future claims of environmental damage can be compared. LLNL has been using hyperspectral imaging to detect plant stress associated with CO2 gas leakage, and has begun investigating use of NASA's new satellite or airborne instrumentation that directly measures gas compositions in the atmosphere. While remote sensing techniques have been criticized as lacking the necessary resolution to address environmental problems, new instruments and data processing techniques are demonstrated to resolve environmental changes at the scale associated with gas-leakage scenarios. During the shallow low-flow- CO2 release field experiments planned by ZERT, for the first time, we will have the opportunity to ground- truth hyperspectral data by simultaneous measurement of changes in hyperspectral readings, soil and root zone microbiology, ambient air, soil and aquifer CO2 concentrations. When monitoring data appear to indicate a CO2 leakage event, risk assessment and mitigation of that event requires a robust and nearly real-time method for

Integrated Optimization of Long-Range Underwater Signal Detection, Feature Extraction, and Classification for Nuclear Treaty Monitoring

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tuma, M.; Rorbech, V.; Prior, M.; Igel, C.

2016-01-01

We designed and jointly optimized an integrated signal processing chain for detection and classification of long-range passive-acoustic underwater signals recorded by the global geophysical monitoring network of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization. Starting at the level of raw

Continuous-Integration Laser Energy Lidar Monitor

Science.gov (United States)

Karsh, Jeremy

2011-01-01

This circuit design implements an integrator intended to allow digitization of the energy output of a pulsed laser, or the energy of a received pulse of laser light. It integrates the output of a detector upon which the laser light is incident. The integration is performed constantly, either by means of an active integrator, or by passive components.

A calculation technique to improve continuous monitoring of containment integrity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dick, J.E.

1990-01-01

The containment envelope of nuclear plants is a passive and extremely effective safety feature. World experience indicates, however, that inadvertent breaches of envelope integrity can go undetected for substantial time periods. Consequently, continuous monitoring of integrity is being closely examined by many containment designers and operators. The most promising approach is to use sensors and systems that automatically measure changes in the mass of air in containment, time integrate any known air mass flow rates across containment boundaries, and perform a mass balance to obtain the air mass leaked. As fluctuations in such measurements are typically too large to enable leakage to be calculated to the desired precision, filtering and statistical techniques must be used to filter out random and time-dependent fluctuations. Current approaches cannot easily deal with nonrandom or systematic fluctuations in the measurements, including pressure changes within the containment. As a result, sampling periods must be kept short, or data measured during periods of varying containment pressure must be discarded. The technique described allows for much longer sampling periods under conditions of fluctuating containment pressure and eliminates the invalidation of data when the containment pressure fluctuation is nonrandom. It should therefore yield a much more precise value for the containment leakage characteristic. It also promises to be able to distinguish the presence of systematic errors unrelated to systematic pressure changes and to establish whether the containment leakage characteristic is laminar or turbulent

Shark fishing effort and catch of the ragged-tooth shark Carcharias ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An integrated telephone and on-site questionnaire survey was used to estimate total shark fishing effort and specific catch of the ragged-tooth shark Carcharias taurus by coastal club-affiliated shore-anglers, primarily along the east coast of South Africa. Mean total shark fishing effort was estimated to be 37 820 fisherdays ...

Assessment of the monitoring and evaluation system for integrated community case management (ICCM) in Ethiopia: a comparison against global benchmark indicators.

Science.gov (United States)

Mamo, Dereje; Hazel, Elizabeth; Lemma, Israel; Guenther, Tanya; Bekele, Abeba; Demeke, Berhanu

2014-10-01

Program managers require feasible, timely, reliable, and valid measures of iCCM implementation to identify problems and assess progress. The global iCCM Task Force developed benchmark indicators to guide implementers to develop or improve monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems. To assesses Ethiopia's iCCM M&E system by determining the availability and feasibility of the iCCM benchmark indicators. We conducted a desk review of iCCM policy documents, monitoring tools, survey reports, and other rele- vant documents; and key informant interviews with government and implementing partners involved in iCCM scale-up and M&E. Currently, Ethiopia collects data to inform most (70% [33/47]) iCCM benchmark indicators, and modest extra effort could boost this to 83% (39/47). Eight (17%) are not available given the current system. Most benchmark indicators that track coordination and policy, human resources, service delivery and referral, supervision, and quality assurance are available through the routine monitoring systems or periodic surveys. Indicators for supply chain management are less available due to limited consumption data and a weak link with treatment data. Little information is available on iCCM costs. Benchmark indicators can detail the status of iCCM implementation; however, some indicators may not fit country priorities, and others may be difficult to collect. The government of Ethiopia and partners should review and prioritize the benchmark indicators to determine which should be included in the routine M&E system, especially since iCCMdata are being reviewed for addition to the HMIS. Moreover, the Health Extension Worker's reporting burden can be minimized by an integrated reporting approach.

An ecosystem-based approach and management framework for the integrated evaluation of bivalve aquaculture impacts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cranford, Peter J.; Kamermans, Pauline; Krause, Gesche

2012-01-01

for bivalve aquaculture be based on a tiered indicator monitoring system that is structured on the principle that increased environmental risk requires increased monitoring effort. More than 1 threshold for each indicator would permit implementation of predetermined impact prevention and mitigation measures......An ecosystem-based approach to bivalve aquaculture management is a strategy for the integration of aquaculture within the wider ecosystem, including human aspects, in such a way that it promotes sustainable development, equity, and resilience of ecosystems. Given the linkage between social...... and ecological systems, marine regulators require an ecosystem-based decision framework that structures and integrates the relationships between these systems and facilitates communication of aquaculture–environment interactions and policy-related developments and decisions. The Drivers-Pressures-State Change-Impact-Response...

Using adaptive processes and adverse outcome pathways to develop meaningful, robust, and actionable environmental monitoring programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Arciszewski, Tim J; Munkittrick, Kelly R; Scrimgeour, Garry J; Dubé, Monique G; Wrona, Fred J; Hazewinkel, Rod R

2017-09-01

The primary goals of environmental monitoring are to indicate whether unexpected changes related to development are occurring in the physical, chemical, and biological attributes of ecosystems and to inform meaningful management intervention. Although achieving these objectives is conceptually simple, varying scientific and social challenges often result in their breakdown. Conceptualizing, designing, and operating programs that better delineate monitoring, management, and risk assessment processes supported by hypothesis-driven approaches, strong inference, and adverse outcome pathways can overcome many of the challenges. Generally, a robust monitoring program is characterized by hypothesis-driven questions associated with potential adverse outcomes and feedback loops informed by data. Specifically, key and basic features are predictions of future observations (triggers) and mechanisms to respond to success or failure of those predictions (tiers). The adaptive processes accelerate or decelerate the effort to highlight and overcome ignorance while preventing the potentially unnecessary escalation of unguided monitoring and management. The deployment of the mutually reinforcing components can allow for more meaningful and actionable monitoring programs that better associate activities with consequences. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:877-891. © 2017 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). © 2017 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Conventional monitoring is not sufficient to assess respiratory effort during assisted ventilation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz Ferrón, F; Serrano Simón, J M

2018-03-31

Study the relationship and concordance between calculated respiratory effort using the signals of the ventilator (Pmus) and that measured in esophageal pressure (Pes) on mechanical ventilation with different levels of respiratory assistance. Prospective cohort study. Intensive Care Unit of 2 universitary hospitals. Patients Patients on weaning time. Airway, esophageal and respiratory flow were recorded on CPAP, assist volume control (ACV) and pressure support (PS), with complete (ACV1,PS1) and partial assistance (ACV5,PS5). respiratory variations of Pes and Pmus (Δ: cmH 2 O) and pressure time product (PTPm: cmH 2 O·s/m). Fourty one records were studied, the assistance was in CPAP of 5cmH2O, PS1 of 15±5 reduced to 9±4cmH 2 O. In ACV1 the inspiratory flow was 1±0.2l/s, reduced to 0.49±0.1l/s for ACV5. The increase in respiratory assistance decreases respiratory effort, measured in Delta Pes (CPAP, ACV5, ACV1, PS5, PS1): 11±3, 6±3, 5±3, 9±6, 7±7 and in Pmus 16±5, 10±6, 5±3, 10±6, 5±4cmH 2 O (Prespiratory effort showed unacceptable differences in clinical practice. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGISTS AND AMERICAN COLLEGE OF ENDOCRINOLOGY 2018 POSITION STATEMENT ON INTEGRATION OF INSULIN PUMPS AND CONTINUOUS GLUCOSE MONITORING IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETES MELLITUS.

Science.gov (United States)

Grunberger, George; Handelsman, Yehuda; Bloomgarden, Zachary T; Fonseca, Vivian A; Garber, Alan J; Haas, Richard A; Roberts, Victor L; Umpierrez, Guillermo E

2018-03-01

This document represents the official position of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology. Where there are no randomized controlled trials or specific U.S. FDA labeling for issues in clinical practice, the participating clinical experts utilized their judgment and experience. Every effort was made to achieve consensus among the committee members. Position statements are meant to provide guidance, but they are not to be considered prescriptive for any individual patient and cannot replace the judgment of a clinician. AACE/ACE Task Force on Integration of Insulin Pumps and Continuous Glucose Monitoring in the Management of Patients With Diabetes Mellitus Chair George Grunberger, MD, FACP, FACE Task Force Members Yehuda Handelsman, MD, FACP, FNLA, MACE Zachary T. Bloomgarden, MD, MACE Vivian A. Fonseca, MD, FACE Alan J. Garber, MD, PhD, FACE Richard A. Haas, MD, FACE Victor L. Roberts, MD, MBA, FACP, FACE Guillermo E. Umpierrez, MD, CDE, FACP, FACE Abbreviations: AACE = American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists ACE = American College of Endocrinology A1C = glycated hemoglobin BGM = blood glucose monitoring CGM = continuous glucose monitoring CSII = continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion DM = diabetes mellitus FDA = Food & Drug Administration MDI = multiple daily injections T1DM = type 1 diabetes mellitus T2DM = type 2 diabetes mellitus SAP = sensor-augmented pump SMBG = self-monitoring of blood glucose STAR 3 = Sensor-Augmented Pump Therapy for A1C Reduction phase 3 trial.

DISPLACE: a dynamic, individual-based model for spatial fishing planning and effort displacement: Integrating underlying fish population models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bastardie, Francois; Nielsen, J. Rasmus; Miethe, Tanja

or to the alteration of individual fishing patterns. We demonstrate that integrating the spatial activity of vessels and local fish stock abundance dynamics allow for interactions and more realistic predictions of fishermen behaviour, revenues and stock abundance......We previously developed a spatially explicit, individual-based model (IBM) evaluating the bio-economic efficiency of fishing vessel movements between regions according to the catching and targeting of different species based on the most recent high resolution spatial fishery data. The main purpose...... was to test the effects of alternative fishing effort allocation scenarios related to fuel consumption, energy efficiency (value per litre of fuel), sustainable fish stock harvesting, and profitability of the fisheries. The assumption here was constant underlying resource availability. Now, an advanced...

The integration of novel diagnostics techniques for multi-scale monitoring of large civil infrastructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Soldovieri

2008-11-01

Full Text Available In the recent years, structural monitoring of large infrastructures (buildings, dams, bridges or more generally man-made structures has raised an increased attention due to the growing interest about safety and security issues and risk assessment through early detection. In this framework, aim of the paper is to introduce a new integrated approach which combines two sensing techniques acting on different spatial and temporal scales. The first one is a distributed optic fiber sensor based on the Brillouin scattering phenomenon, which allows a spatially and temporally continuous monitoring of the structure with a "low" spatial resolution (meter. The second technique is based on the use of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR, which can provide detailed images of the inner status of the structure (with a spatial resolution less then tens centimetres, but does not allow a temporal continuous monitoring. The paper describes the features of these two techniques and provides experimental results concerning preliminary test cases.

Towards a Global Monitoring System for CMS Computing Operations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bauerdick, L. A.T. [Fermilab; Sciaba, Andrea [CERN

2012-01-01

The operation of the CMS computing system requires a complex monitoring system to cover all its aspects: central services, databases, the distributed computing infrastructure, production and analysis workflows, the global overview of the CMS computing activities and the related historical information. Several tools are available to provide this information, developed both inside and outside of the collaboration and often used in common with other experiments. Despite the fact that the current monitoring allowed CMS to successfully perform its computing operations, an evolution of the system is clearly required, to adapt to the recent changes in the data and workload management tools and models and to address some shortcomings that make its usage less than optimal. Therefore, a recent and ongoing coordinated effort was started in CMS, aiming at improving the entire monitoring system by identifying its weaknesses and the new requirements from the stakeholders, rationalise and streamline existing components and drive future software development. This contribution gives a complete overview of the CMS monitoring system and a description of all the recent activities that have been started with the goal of providing a more integrated, modern and functional global monitoring system for computing operations.

Integrity Monitoring of Mercury Discharge Lamps

Science.gov (United States)

Tjoelker, Robert L.

2010-01-01

Mercury discharge lamps are critical in many trapped ion frequency standard applications. An integrity monitoring system can be implemented using end-of-life signatures observed in operational mercury discharge lamps, making it possible to forecast imminent failure and to take action to mitigate the consequences (such as switching to a redundant system). Mercury lamps are used as a source of 194-nm ultraviolet radiation for optical pumping and state selection of mercury trapped ion frequency standards. Lamps are typically fabricated using 202Hg distilled into high-purity quartz, or other 194-nm transmitting material (e.g., sapphire). A buffer gas is also placed into the bulb, typically a noble gas such as argon, neon, or krypton. The bulbs are driven by strong RF fields oscillating at .200 MHz. The lamp output may age over time by two internal mechanisms: (1) the darkening of the bulb that attenuates light transmission and (2) the loss of mercury due to migration or chemical interactions with the bulb surface. During fabrication, excess mercury is placed into a bulb, so that the loss rate is compensated with new mercury emanating from a cool tip or adjacent reservoir. The light output is nearly constant or varies slightly at a constant rate for many months/years until the mercury source is depleted. At this point, the vapor pressure abruptly falls and the total light output and atomic clock SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) decrease. After several days to weeks, the light levels decrease to a point where the atomic clock SNR is no longer sufficient to stay in lock, or the lamp self-extinguishes. This signature has been observed in four separate end-of-life lamp failures while operating in the Deep Space Network (DSN). A simple integrator circuit can observe and document steady-state lamp behavior. When the light levels drop over a predetermined time interval by a specified amount (e.g., 20 percent), an alarm is set. For critical operational applications, such as the DSN

Integrating qualitative research methods into care improvement efforts within a learning health system: addressing antibiotic overuse.

Science.gov (United States)

Munoz-Plaza, Corrine E; Parry, Carla; Hahn, Erin E; Tang, Tania; Nguyen, Huong Q; Gould, Michael K; Kanter, Michael H; Sharp, Adam L

2016-08-15

Despite reports advocating for integration of research into healthcare delivery, scant literature exists describing how this can be accomplished. Examples highlighting application of qualitative research methods embedded into a healthcare system are particularly needed. This article describes the process and value of embedding qualitative research as the second phase of an explanatory, sequential, mixed methods study to improve antibiotic stewardship for acute sinusitis. Purposive sampling of providers for in-depth interviews improved understanding of unwarranted antibiotic prescribing and elicited stakeholder recommendations for improvement. Qualitative data collection, transcription and constant comparative analyses occurred iteratively. Emerging themes and sub-themes identified primary drivers of unwarranted antibiotic prescribing patterns and recommendations for improving practice. These findings informed the design of a health system intervention to improve antibiotic stewardship for acute sinusitis. Core components of the intervention are also described. Qualitative research can be effectively applied in learning healthcare systems to elucidate quantitative results and inform improvement efforts.

The process monitoring computer system an integrated operations and safeguards surveillance system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liester, N.A.

1995-01-01

The use of the Process Monitoring Computer System (PMCS) at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) relating to Operations and Safeguards concerns is discussed. Measures taken to assure the reliability of the system data are outlined along with the measures taken to assure the continuous availability of that data for use within the ICPP. The integration of process and safeguards information for use by the differing organizations is discussed. The PMCS successfully demonstrates the idea of remote Safeguards surveillance and the need for sharing of common information between different support organizations in an operating plant

Integration of High-Resolution Laser Displacement Sensors and 3D Printing for Structural Health Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shu-Wei Chang

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a novel experimental design for complex structural health monitoring (SHM studies achieved by integrating 3D printing technologies, high-resolution laser displacement sensors, and multiscale entropy SHM theory. A seven-story structure with a variety of composite bracing systems was constructed using a dual-material 3D printer. A wireless Bluetooth vibration speaker was used to excite the ground floor of the structure, and high-resolution laser displacement sensors (1-μm resolution were used to monitor the displacement history on different floors. Our results showed that the multiscale entropy SHM method could detect damage on the 3D-printed structures. The results of this study demonstrate that integrating 3D printing technologies and high-resolution laser displacement sensors enables the design of cheap, fast processing, complex, small-scale civil structures for future SHM studies. The novel experimental design proposed in this study provides a suitable platform for investigating the validity and sensitivity of SHM in different composite structures and damage conditions for real life applications in the future.

Integration of High-Resolution Laser Displacement Sensors and 3D Printing for Structural Health Monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Shu-Wei; Lin, Tzu-Kang; Kuo, Shih-Yu; Huang, Ting-Hsuan

2017-12-22

This paper presents a novel experimental design for complex structural health monitoring (SHM) studies achieved by integrating 3D printing technologies, high-resolution laser displacement sensors, and multiscale entropy SHM theory. A seven-story structure with a variety of composite bracing systems was constructed using a dual-material 3D printer. A wireless Bluetooth vibration speaker was used to excite the ground floor of the structure, and high-resolution laser displacement sensors (1-μm resolution) were used to monitor the displacement history on different floors. Our results showed that the multiscale entropy SHM method could detect damage on the 3D-printed structures. The results of this study demonstrate that integrating 3D printing technologies and high-resolution laser displacement sensors enables the design of cheap, fast processing, complex, small-scale civil structures for future SHM studies. The novel experimental design proposed in this study provides a suitable platform for investigating the validity and sensitivity of SHM in different composite structures and damage conditions for real life applications in the future.

New insights from direct monitoring of turbidity currents; and a proposal for co-ordinating international efforts at a series of global "turbidity current test sites"

Science.gov (United States)

Talling, Peter

2015-04-01

Turbidity currents, and other types of submarine sediment density flow, arguably redistribute more sediment across the surface of the Earth than any other flow process. It is now over 60 years since the seminal publication of Kuenen and Migliorini (1950) in which they made the link between sequences of graded bedding and turbidity currents. The deposits of submarine sediment density flows have been described in numerous locations worldwide, and this might lead to the view that these flows are well understood. However, it is sobering to note quite how few direct measurements we have from these submarine flows in action. Sediment concentration is the critical parameter controlling such flows, yet it has never been measured directly for flows that reach and build submarine fans. How then do we know what type of flow to model in flume tanks, or which assumptions to use to formulate numerical simulations or analytical models? It is proposed here that international efforts are needed for an initiative to monitor active turbidity currents at a series of 'test sites' where flows occur frequently. The flows evolve significantly, such that source to sink data are needed. We also need to directly monitor flows in different settings with variable triggering factors and flow path morphologies because their character can vary significantly. Such work should integrate numerical and physical modelling with the collection of field observations in order to understand the significance of field observations. Such an international initiative also needs to include coring of deposits to link flow processes to deposit character, because in most global locations flow behaviour must be inferred from deposits alone. Collection of seismic datasets is also crucial for understanding the larger-scale evolution and resulting architecture of these systems, and to link with studies of subsurface reservoirs. Test site datasets should thus include a wide range of data types, not just from direct flow

Experimental evidence from active placement efforts among unemployed in Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Hägglund, Pathric

2014-06-01

This article uses data from a field experiment in Sweden to analyze the effects of active placement efforts. In particular, the relative efficiency between combining job-search monitoring and job-search assistance, and monitoring alone, is analyzed. Although the impact estimates are generally imprecisely estimated, a general conclusion is that placement programs are effective policies in increasing the job exit rate for various groups of unemployed. I find that monitoring of job search is an efficient method to increase off-unemployment exit rate both alone and combined with job-search assistance services. The results, however, indicate that the combined services generate more permanent job exits. © The Author(s) 2014.

The development of NSSS digital integrity monitoring system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ham, Chang Shik; Kim, Jung Soo; Jung, Chul Hwan; Hwang, In Koo; Kim, Tak Hwane; Kim, Tae Hwane; Park, Jin Ho; Kyung, Sung Yoon; Hyeon, Ryu Kye; Seong, Joo Hyun; Kim, Georn Myung; Eun, Sung Hun; Kwack, Jin Gu; Park, Joon Hee

1999-11-01

The primary function of loose part monitoring system (LPMS) is to detect the occurrence of any loose part in the primary coolant system caused by being parted or loosened from the mechanical structure during normal operation and refueling times. The existing LPMSs generates an alarm when the detected signal from the accelerometer sensors attached to the surface of the primary pressure boundary was bigger than the alarm threshold value. The internal vibration monitoring system (IVMS) senses a change of vibration of the reactor vessel internal structure using the ex-core neutron signals. The vibrations of internal mechanical structure are caused by the high velocity flow of the pressurized primary coolant. If the flow-induced vibration forces to loosen the internal components supporting the fuel assembly, the safety of nuclear reactor will be affected. The IVMS provides the information of abnormality in the vibration pattern and amplitude for plant operators to take proper actions against the abnormal condition for nuclear power plants (NPPs). An advanced LPMS should be capable to identify the physical characteristics of the potential loose part from the detected signal. Those improved diagnostic function will be the capabilities to analyze the detected signal and to estimate the expected impact position and mass automatically. The technologies and methods of estimation for impact mass and position as well as a new modeling method of reactor internal vibration modes were developed and provided to Woojin Co. from Korea Energy Research Institute (KAERI). Based on the transferred technologies, Woojin Co. has designed the hardware system of LPMS and IVMS. Some of the hardware components were integrated and the hardware-oriented software modules were also developed and designed. (author)

Integrated satellite data fusion and mining for monitoring lake water quality status of the Albufera de Valencia in Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Doña, Carolina; Chang, Ni-Bin; Caselles, Vicente; Sánchez, Juan M; Camacho, Antonio; Delegido, Jesús; Vannah, Benjamin W

2015-03-15

Lake eutrophication is a critical issue in the interplay of water supply, environmental management, and ecosystem conservation. Integrated sensing, monitoring, and modeling for a holistic lake water quality assessment with respect to multiple constituents is in acute need. The aim of this paper is to develop an integrated algorithm for data fusion and mining of satellite remote sensing images to generate daily estimates of some water quality parameters of interest, such as chlorophyll a concentrations and water transparency, to be applied for the assessment of the hypertrophic Albufera de Valencia. The Albufera de Valencia is the largest freshwater lake in Spain, which can often present values of chlorophyll a concentration over 200 mg m(-3) and values of transparency (Secchi Disk, SD) as low as 20 cm. Remote sensing data from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and Enhance Thematic Mapper (ETM+) images were fused to carry out an integrative near-real time water quality assessment on a daily basis. Landsat images are useful to study the spatial variability of the water quality parameters, due to its spatial resolution of 30 m, in comparison to the low spatial resolution (250/500 m) of MODIS. While Landsat offers a high spatial resolution, the low temporal resolution of 16 days is a significant drawback to achieve a near real-time monitoring system. This gap may be bridged by using MODIS images that have a high temporal resolution of 1 day, in spite of its low spatial resolution. Synthetic Landsat images were fused for dates with no Landsat overpass over the study area. Finally, with a suite of ground truth data, a few genetic programming (GP) models were derived to estimate the water quality using the fused surface reflectance data as inputs. The GP model for chlorophyll a estimation yielded a R(2) of 0.94, with a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) = 8 mg m(-3), and the GP model for water transparency estimation using

Development of tools for integrated monitoring and assessment of hazardous substances and their biological effects in the Baltic Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehtonen, Kari K; Sundelin, Brita; Lang, Thomas; Strand, Jakob

2014-02-01

The need to develop biological effects monitoring to facilitate a reliable assessment of hazardous substances has been emphasized in the Baltic Sea Action Plan of the Helsinki Commission. An integrated chemical-biological approach is vitally important for the understanding and proper assessment of anthropogenic pressures and their effects on the Baltic Sea. Such an approach is also necessary for prudent management aiming at safeguarding the sustainable use of ecosystem goods and Services. The BEAST project (Biological Effects of Anthropogenic Chemical Stress: Tools for the Assessment of Ecosystem Health) set out to address this topic within the BONUS Programme. BEAST generated a large amount of quality-assured data on several biological effects parameters (biomarkers) in various marine species in different sub-regions of the Baltic Sea. New indicators (biological response measurement methods) and management tools (integrated indices) with regard to the integrated monitoring approach were suggested.

National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System: Two Decades of Advancing Public Health Through Integrated Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Karp, Beth E; Tate, Heather; Plumblee, Jodie R; Dessai, Uday; Whichard, Jean M; Thacker, Eileen L; Hale, Kis Robertson; Wilson, Wanda; Friedman, Cindy R; Griffin, Patricia M; McDermott, Patrick F

2017-10-01

Drug-resistant bacterial infections pose a serious and growing public health threat globally. In this review, we describe the role of the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) in providing data that help address the resistance problem and show how such a program can have broad positive impacts on public health. NARMS was formed two decades ago to help assess the consequences to human health arising from the use of antimicrobial drugs in food animal production in the United States. A collaboration among the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the United States Department of Agriculture, and state and local health departments, NARMS uses an integrated "One Health" approach to monitor antimicrobial resistance in enteric bacteria from humans, retail meat, and food animals. NARMS has adapted to changing needs and threats by expanding surveillance catchment areas, examining new isolate sources, adding bacteria, adjusting sampling schemes, and modifying antimicrobial agents tested. NARMS data are not only essential for ensuring that antimicrobial drugs approved for food animals are used in ways that are safe for human health but they also help address broader food safety priorities. NARMS surveillance, applied research studies, and outbreak isolate testing provide data on the emergence of drug-resistant enteric bacteria; genetic mechanisms underlying resistance; movement of bacterial populations among humans, food, and food animals; and sources and outcomes of resistant and susceptible infections. These data can be used to guide and evaluate the impact of science-based policies, regulatory actions, antimicrobial stewardship initiatives, and other public health efforts aimed at preserving drug effectiveness, improving patient outcomes, and preventing infections. Many improvements have been made to NARMS over time and the program will continue to adapt to address emerging resistance threats, changes in

Monitoring in beeld: een studie naar de doorwerking van monitors in interbestuurlijke relaties

NARCIS (Netherlands)

D. de Kool (Dennis)

2007-01-01

textabstractMonitoring in the Dutch public sector An increasing stream of monitoring activities has entered the public sector. A lot of different monitors have been implemented in the Netherlands, like the police monitor, drugs monitor, integration monitor and the emancipation monitor. Although

Burrowing Owl Monitoring Report for Calendar Year 2012

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilde, Justin W.; Lindsey, Cole T.; Nugent, John J.

2013-03-14

The monitoring during 2012 focused on documenting the status of known burrows. Newly identified burrows were documented while examining historical locations, during ecological resource reviews, or discovered during other monitoring efforts. The timing of the monitoring effort allowed staff to perform the surveys without disrupting any breeding or hatching, while also allowing for easy discernment of adults from juveniles, which helped in determining burrow-use type.

Integrated System for Monitoring and Prevention in Obstetrics-Gynaecology.

Science.gov (United States)

Robu, Andreea; Gauca, Bianca; Crisan-Vida, Mihaela; Stoicu-Tivadar, Lăcrămioara

2016-01-01

A better monitoring of pregnant women, mainly during the third trimester of pregnancy and an easy communication between physician and patients are very important for the prevention and good health of baby and mother. The paper presents an integrated system as support for the Obstetrics - Gynaecology domain consisting in two modules: a mobile application, ObGynCare, dedicated to the pregnant women and a new component of the Obstetrics-Gynaecology Department Information System dedicated to the physicians for a better monitoring of the pregnant women. The mobile application informs the pregnant women about their status, permits them to introduce glycaemia and weight values and has as option pulse and blood pressure acquisition from a smart sensor and provides results in a graphic format. It also provides support for easy patient-doctor communication related to any health problems. ObGyn Care offers nutrition recommendations and gives the pregnant women the possibility to enter a social space of common interests using social networks (Facebook) to exchange useful and practical information. Data collected from patients and from sensor are stored on the cloud and the physician may access the information and analyse it. The extended module of the Obstetrics-Gynaecology Department Information System already developed supports the physicians to visualize weekly, monthly, or on a trimester, the patient data and to discuss with her through the chat module. The mobile application is in test by pregnant women and medical personnel.

An emerging network storage management standard: Media error monitoring and reporting information (MEMRI) - to determine optical tape data integrity

Science.gov (United States)

Podio, Fernando; Vollrath, William; Williams, Joel; Kobler, Ben; Crouse, Don

1998-01-01

Sophisticated network storage management applications are rapidly evolving to satisfy a market demand for highly reliable data storage systems with large data storage capacities and performance requirements. To preserve a high degree of data integrity, these applications must rely on intelligent data storage devices that can provide reliable indicators of data degradation. Error correction activity generally occurs within storage devices without notification to the host. Early indicators of degradation and media error monitoring 333 and reporting (MEMR) techniques implemented in data storage devices allow network storage management applications to notify system administrators of these events and to take appropriate corrective actions before catastrophic errors occur. Although MEMR techniques have been implemented in data storage devices for many years, until 1996 no MEMR standards existed. In 1996 the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved the only known (world-wide) industry standard specifying MEMR techniques to verify stored data on optical disks. This industry standard was developed under the auspices of the Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM). A recently formed AIIM Optical Tape Subcommittee initiated the development of another data integrity standard specifying a set of media error monitoring tools and media error monitoring information (MEMRI) to verify stored data on optical tape media. This paper discusses the need for intelligent storage devices that can provide data integrity metadata, the content of the existing data integrity standard for optical disks, and the content of the MEMRI standard being developed by the AIIM Optical Tape Subcommittee.

Soft bio-integrated systems for continuous health monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Raj, M.; Wei, P. H.; Morey, B.; Wang, X.; Keen, B.; DePetrillo, P.; Hsu, Y. Y.; Ghaffari, R.

2014-06-01

Electronically-enabled wearable systems that monitor physiological activity and electrophysiological activity hold the key to truly personalized medical care outside of the hospital setting. However, fundamental technical challenges exist in achieving medical systems that are comfortable, unobtrusive and fully integrated without external connections to bench top instruments. In particular, there is a fundamental mismatch in mechanical coupling between existing classes of rigid electronics and soft biological substrates, like the skin. Here we describe new mechanical and electrical design strategies for wearable devices with mechanical properties that approach that of biological tissue. These systems exploit stretchable networks of conformal sensors (i.e. electrodes, temperature sensors, and accelerometers) and associated circuitry (i.e. microcontroller, memory, voltage regulators, rechargeable battery, wireless communication modules) embedded in ultrathin, elastomeric substrates. Quantitative analyses of sensor performance and mechanics under tensile and torsional stresses illustrate the ability to mechanically couple with soft tissues in a way that is mechanically invisible to the user. Representative examples of these soft biointegrated systems can be applied for continuous sensing of muscle and movement activity in the home and ambulatory settings.

Modular Integrated Monitoring System (MIMS) - architecture and implementation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Funkhouser, D.R.; Davidson, G.W.; Deland, S.M.

1997-01-01

The MIMS is being developed as a cost-effective means of performing safeguards in unattended remote monitoring applications. Based on industry standards and an open systems approach, the MIMS architecture supports both data acquisition and data review subsystems. Data includes images as well as discrete and analog sensor outputs. The MIMS uses an Echelon LonWorks network as a standard means and method of data acquisition from the sensor. A common data base not only stores sensor and image data but also provides a structure by which dynamic changes to the sensor system can be reflected in the data acquisition and data review subsystems without affecting the execution software. The architecture includes standards for wide area communications between data acquisition systems and data review systems. Data authentication is provided as an integral part of the design. The MIMS software implements this architecture by combining the use of commercial applications with a set of custom 16 and 32 bit Microsoft Windows applications which are run under Windows NT and Windows 95 operating systems

A Comprehensive Theory of Integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Singer, Sara J; Kerrissey, Michaela; Friedberg, Mark; Phillips, Russell

2018-03-01

Efforts to transform health care delivery to improve care have increasingly focused on care integration. However, variation in how integration is defined has complicated efforts to design, synthesize, and compare studies of integration in health care. Evaluations of integration initiatives would be enhanced by describing them according to clear definitions of integration and specifying which empirical relationships they seek to test-whether among types of integration or between integration and outcomes of care. Drawing on previous work, we present a comprehensive theoretical model of relationships between types of integration and propose how to measure them.

Criticality safety considerations. Integral Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS) Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-09-01

This report summarizes the criticality analysis performed to address criticality safety concerns and to support facility design during the conceptual design phase of the Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS) Facility. The report addresses the criticality safety concerns, the design features of the facility relative to criticality, and the results of the analysis of both normal operating and hypothetical off-normal conditions. Key references are provided (Appendix C) if additional information is desired by the reader. The MRS Facility design was developed and the related analysis was performed in accordance with the MRS Facility Functional Design Criteria and the Basis for Design. The detailed description and calculations are documented in the Integral MRS Facility Conceptual Design Report. In addition to the summary portion of this report, explanatary notes for various terms, calculation methodology, and design parameters are presented in Appendix A. Appendix B provides a brief glossary of technical terms

Micro flow reactor chips with integrated luminescent chemosensors for spatially resolved on-line chemical reaction monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Gitlin, Leonid; Hoera, Christian; Meier, Robert J; Nagl, Stefan; Belder, Detlev

2013-10-21

Real-time chemical reaction monitoring in microfluidic environments is demonstrated using luminescent chemical sensors integrated in PDMS/glass-based microscale reactors. A fabrication procedure is presented that allows for straightforward integration of thin polymer layers with optical sensing functionality in microchannels of glass-PDMS chips of only 150 μm width and of 10 to 35 μm height. Sensor layers consisting of polystyrene and an oxygen-sensitive platinum porphyrin probe with film thicknesses of about 0.5 to 4 μm were generated by combining spin coating and abrasion techniques. Optimal coating procedures were developed and evaluated. The chip-integrated sensor layers were calibrated and investigated with respect to stability, reproducibility and response times. These microchips allowed observation of dissolved oxygen concentration in the range of 0 to over 40 mg L(-1) with a detection limit of 368 μg L(-1). The sensor layers were then used for observation of a model reaction, the oxidation of sulphite to sulphate in a microfluidic chemical reactor and could observe sulphite concentrations of less than 200 μM. Real-time on-line monitoring of this chemical reaction was realized at a fluorescence microscope setup with 405 nm LED excitation and CCD camera detection.

Participative approach to elicit water quality monitoring needs from stakeholder groups - An application of integrated watershed management.

Science.gov (United States)

Behmel, S; Damour, M; Ludwig, R; Rodriguez, M J

2018-07-15

Water quality monitoring programs (WQMPs) must be based on monitoring objectives originating from the real knowledge needs of all stakeholders in a watershed and users of the resource. This paper proposes a participative approach to elicit knowledge needs and preferred modes of communication from citizens and representatives of organized stakeholders (ROS) on water quality and quantity issues. The participative approach includes six steps and is adaptable and transferable to different types of watersheds. These steps are: (1) perform a stakeholder analysis; (2) conduct an adaptable survey accompanied by a user-friendly public participation geographical information system (PPGIS); (3) hold workshops to meet with ROS to inform them of the results of the survey and PPGIS; discuss attainment of past monitoring objectives; exchange views on new knowledge needs and concerns on water quality and quantity; (4) meet with citizens to obtain the same type of input (as from ROS); (5) analyze the data and information collected to identify new knowledge needs and modes of communication and (6) identify, in collaboration with the individuals in charge of the WQMPs, the short-, medium- and long-term monitoring objectives and communication strategies to be pursued. The participative approach was tested on two distinct watersheds in the province of Quebec, Canada. It resulted in a series of optimization objectives of the existing WQMPs, new monitoring objectives and recommendations regarding communication strategies of the WQMPs' results. The results of this study show that the proposed methodology is appreciated by all parties and that the outcomes and monitoring objectives are acceptable. We also conclude that successful integrated watershed management is a question of scale, and that every aspect of integrated watershed management needs to be adapted to the surface watershed, the groundwater watershed (aquifers) and the human catchment area. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All

SoundProof: A Smartphone Platform for Wireless Monitoring of Wildlife and Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Lukac, M.; Monibi, M.; Lane, M. L.; Howell, L.; Ramanathan, N.; Borker, A.; McKown, M.; Croll, D.; Terschy, B.

2011-12-01

We are developing an open-source, low-cost wildlife and environmental monitoring solution based on Android smartphones. Using a smartphone instead of a traditional microcontroller or single board computer has several advantages: smartphones are single integrated devices with multiple radios and a battery; they have a robust software interface which enables customization; and are field-tested by millions of users daily. Consequently, smartphones can improve the cost, configurability, and real-time access to data for environmental monitoring, ultimately replacing existing monitoring solutions which are proprietary, difficult to customize, expensive, and require labor-intensive maintenance. While smartphones can radically change environmental and wildlife monitoring, there are a number of technical challenges to address. We present our smartphone-based platform, SoundProof, discuss the challenges of building an autonomous system based on Android phones, and our ongoing efforts to enable environmental monitoring. Our system is built using robust off-the-shelf hardware and mature open-source software where available, to increase scalability and ease of installation. Key features include: * High-quality acoustic signal collection from external microphones to monitor wildlife populations. * Real-time data access, remote programming, and configuration of the field sensor via wireless cellular or WiFi channels, accessible from a website. * Waterproof packaging and solar charger setup for long-term field deployments. * Rich instrumentation of the end-to-end system to quickly identify and debug problems. * Supplementary mesh networking system with long-range wireless antennae to provide coverage when no cell network is available. We have deployed this system to monitor Rufous Crowned Sparrows on Anacapa Island, Chinese Crested Turns on the Matsu Islands in Taiwan, and Ashy Storm Petrels on South East Farallon Island. We have testbeds at two UC Natural Reserves to field

AUTOMATED LOW-COST PHOTOGRAMMETRY FOR FLEXIBLE STRUCTURE MONITORING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. H. Wang

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Structural monitoring requires instruments which can provide high precision and accuracy, reliable measurements at good temporal resolution and rapid processing speeds. Long-term campaigns and flexible structures are regarded as two of the most challenging subjects in monitoring engineering structures. Long-term monitoring in civil engineering is generally considered to be labourintensive and financially expensive and it can take significant effort to arrange the necessary human resources, transportation and equipment maintenance. When dealing with flexible structure monitoring, it is of paramount importance that any monitoring equipment used is able to carry out rapid sampling. Low cost, automated, photogrammetric techniques therefore have the potential to become routinely viable for monitoring non-rigid structures. This research aims to provide a photogrammetric solution for long-term flexible structural monitoring purposes. The automated approach was achieved using low-cost imaging devices (mobile phones to replace traditional image acquisition stations and substantially reduce the equipment costs. A self-programmed software package was developed to deal with the hardware-software integration and system operation. In order to evaluate the performance of this low-cost monitoring system, a shaking table experiment was undertaken. Different network configurations and target sizes were used to determine the best configuration. A large quantity of image data was captured by four DSLR cameras and four mobile phone cameras respectively. These image data were processed using photogrammetric techniques to calculate the final results for the system evaluation.

Integrated electrochemical-biological process as an alternative mean for ammonia monitoring during anaerobic digestion of organic wastes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhao, Nannan; Li, Xiaohu; Jin, Xiangdan

2017-01-01

Ammonia monitoring is important to control anaerobic digestion (AD) process due to inhibition effect. Here, an electrolysis cell (EC) was integrated with a complete nitrification reactor as an alternative approach for online monitoring of ammonia during AD processes. The AD effluent was pumped...... into nitrification reactor to convert ammonia to nitrate, followed by the introduction of nitrate-rich effluent to EC cathode. It was first evaluated with synthetic ammonia-rich digesters and was observed that the current at 5 min were linearly corresponding to the ammonia levels (from 0 to 7.5 mM NH4+-N, R2....... The simple and reliable biosensor showed great promising for online ammonia monitoring of AD processes....

The Effort Paradox: Effort Is Both Costly and Valued.

Science.gov (United States)

Inzlicht, Michael; Shenhav, Amitai; Olivola, Christopher Y

2018-04-01

According to prominent models in cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and economics, effort (be it physical or mental) is costly: when given a choice, humans and non-human animals alike tend to avoid effort. Here, we suggest that the opposite is also true and review extensive evidence that effort can also add value. Not only can the same outcomes be more rewarding if we apply more (not less) effort, sometimes we select options precisely because they require effort. Given the increasing recognition of effort's role in motivation, cognitive control, and value-based decision-making, considering this neglected side of effort will not only improve formal computational models, but also provide clues about how to promote sustained mental effort across time. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integration of laser trapping for continuous and selective monitoring of photothermal response of a single microparticle.

Science.gov (United States)

Vasudevan, Srivathsan; Chen, George C K; Ahluwalia, Balpreet Singh

2008-12-01

Photothermal response (PTR) is an established pump and probe technique for real-time sensing of biological assays. Continuous and selective PTR monitoring is difficult owing to the Brownian motion changing the relative position of the target with respect to the beams. Integration of laser trapping with PTR is proposed as a solution. The proposed method is verified on red polystyrene microparticles. PTR is continuously monitored for 30 min. Results show that the mean relaxation time variation of the acquired signals is less than 5%. The proposed method is then applied to human red blood cells for continuous and selective PTR.

From integrated control to integrated farming, an experimental approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vereijken, P.H.

1989-01-01

Integrated control or integrated pest management (IPM), as envisaged originally, is not being practised to any large extent in arable farming, notwithstanding considerable research efforts. The reasons for this are discussed. A more basic approach called integrated farming is suggested. Preliminary

Propulsion health monitoring of a turbine engine disk using spin test data

Science.gov (United States)

Abdul-Aziz, Ali; Woike, Mark; Oza, Nikunj; Matthews, Bryan; Baakilini, George

2010-03-01

On line detection techniques to monitor the health of rotating engine components are becoming increasingly attractive options to aircraft engine companies in order to increase safety of operation and lower maintenance costs. Health monitoring remains a challenging feature to easily implement, especially, in the presence of scattered loading conditions, crack size, component geometry and materials properties. The current trend, however, is to utilize noninvasive types of health monitoring or nondestructive techniques to detect hidden flaws and mini cracks before any catastrophic event occurs. These techniques go further to evaluate materials' discontinuities and other anomalies that have grown to the level of critical defects which can lead to failure. Generally, health monitoring is highly dependent on sensor systems that are capable of performing in various engine environmental conditions and able to transmit a signal upon a predetermined crack length, while acting in a neutral form upon the overall performance of the engine system. Efforts are under way at NASA Glenn Research Center through support of the Intelligent Vehicle Health Management Project (IVHM) to develop and implement such sensor technology for a wide variety of applications. These efforts are focused on developing high temperature, wireless, low cost and durable products. Therefore, in an effort to address the technical issues concerning health monitoring of a rotor disk, this paper considers data collected from an experimental study using high frequency capacitive sensor technology to capture blade tip clearance and tip timing measurements in a rotating engine-like-disk-to predict the disk faults and assess its structural integrity. The experimental results collected at a range of rotational speeds from tests conducted at the NASA Glenn Research Center's Rotordynamics Laboratory will be evaluated using multiple data-driven anomaly detection techniques to identify anomalies in the disk. This study

Optimizing and joining future safeguards efforts by 'remote inspections'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zendel, M.; Khlebnikov, N.

2009-01-01

Full-text: Remote inspections have a large potential to save inspection effort in future routine safeguards implementation. Such inspections involve remote activities based on the analysis of data acquired in the field without the physical presence of an inspector, shifting the inspectors' priorities further toward unannounced inspections, complementary access activities and data evaluation. Large, automated and complex facilities require facility resident and specific safeguards equipment systems with features for unattended and remotely controlled operation as well as being integrated in the nuclear process. In many instances the use of such equipment jointly with the SSAC/RSAC and the operator is foreseen to achieve affordable effectiveness with a minimum level of intrusiveness to the facility operation. Where it becomes possible to achieve independent conclusions by this approach, the IAEA would make full use of the SSAC/RSAC, involving State inspectors and/or facility operators to operate inspection systems under remotely controlled IAEA mechanisms. These mechanisms would include documented procedures for routine joint-use, defining arrangements for data sharing, physical security and authentication mechanisms, recalibration and use of standards and software, maintenance, repair, storage and transportation. The level of cooperation and willingness of a State to implement such measures requested and properly justified by the IAEA will demonstrate its commitment to full transparency in its nuclear activities. Examples of existing remote inspection activities, including joint-use activities will be discussed. The future potential of remote inspections will be assessed considering technical developments and increased needs for process monitoring. Enhanced cooperation with SSAC/RSAC within the framework of remote inspections could further optimize the IAEA's inspection efforts while at the same time maintaining effective safeguards implementation. (author)

Integration of Grid and Sensor Web for Flood Monitoring and Risk Assessment from Heterogeneous Data

Science.gov (United States)

Kussul, Nataliia; Skakun, Sergii; Shelestov, Andrii

2013-04-01

Over last decades we have witnessed the upward global trend in natural disaster occurrence. Hydrological and meteorological disasters such as floods are the main contributors to this pattern. In recent years flood management has shifted from protection against floods to managing the risks of floods (the European Flood risk directive). In order to enable operational flood monitoring and assessment of flood risk, it is required to provide an infrastructure with standardized interfaces and services. Grid and Sensor Web can meet these requirements. In this paper we present a general approach to flood monitoring and risk assessment based on heterogeneous geospatial data acquired from multiple sources. To enable operational flood risk assessment integration of Grid and Sensor Web approaches is proposed [1]. Grid represents a distributed environment that integrates heterogeneous computing and storage resources administrated by multiple organizations. SensorWeb is an emerging paradigm for integrating heterogeneous satellite and in situ sensors and data systems into a common informational infrastructure that produces products on demand. The basic Sensor Web functionality includes sensor discovery, triggering events by observed or predicted conditions, remote data access and processing capabilities to generate and deliver data products. Sensor Web is governed by the set of standards, called Sensor Web Enablement (SWE), developed by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). Different practical issues regarding integration of Sensor Web with Grids are discussed in the study. We show how the Sensor Web can benefit from using Grids and vice versa. For example, Sensor Web services such as SOS, SPS and SAS can benefit from the integration with the Grid platform like Globus Toolkit. The proposed approach is implemented within the Sensor Web framework for flood monitoring and risk assessment, and a case-study of exploiting this framework, namely the Namibia SensorWeb Pilot Project, is

Medical Device Integrated Vital Signs Monitoring Application with Real-Time Clinical Decision Support.

Science.gov (United States)

Moqeem, Aasia; Baig, Mirza; Gholamhosseini, Hamid; Mirza, Farhaan; Lindén, Maria

2018-01-01

This research involves the design and development of a novel Android smartphone application for real-time vital signs monitoring and decision support. The proposed application integrates market available, wireless and Bluetooth connected medical devices for collecting vital signs. The medical device data collected by the app includes heart rate, oxygen saturation and electrocardiograph (ECG). The collated data is streamed/displayed on the smartphone in real-time. This application was designed by adopting six screens approach (6S) mobile development framework and focused on user-centered approach and considered clinicians-as-a-user. The clinical engagement, consultations, feedback and usability of the application in the everyday practices were considered critical from the initial phase of the design and development. Furthermore, the proposed application is capable to deliver rich clinical decision support in real-time using the integrated medical device data.

Integrating a project monitoring system into a public health network: experiences from Alive & Thrive Vietnam.

Science.gov (United States)

Tuan, Nguyen Thanh; Alayon, Silvia; Do, Tran Thanh; Ngan, Tran Thi; Hajeebhoy, Nemat

2015-01-01

Little information is available about how to build a monitoring system to measure the output of preventive nutrition interventions, such as counselling on infant and young child feeding. This paper describes the Alive & Thrive Vietnam (A&T) project experience in nesting a large-scale project monitoring system into the existing public health information system (e.g. using the system and resources), and in using monitoring data to strengthen service delivery in 15 provinces with A&T franchises. From January 2012 to April 2014, the 780 A&T franchises provided 1,700,000 counselling contacts (~3/4 by commune franchises). In commune franchises in April 2014, 80% of mothers who were pregnant or with children under two years old had been to the counselling service at least one time, and 87% of clients had been to the service earlier. Monitoring data are used to track the progress of the project, make decisions, provide background for a costing study and advocate for the integration of nutrition counselling indicators into the health information system nationwide. With careful attention to the needs of stakeholders at multiple levels, clear data quality assurance measures and strategic feedback mechanisms, it is feasible to monitor the scale-up of nutrition programmes through the existing routine health information system.

Automated integration of continuous glucose monitor data in the electronic health record using consumer technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Rajiv B; Goren, Nira D; Stark, David E; Wall, Dennis P; Longhurst, Christopher A

2016-05-01

The diabetes healthcare provider plays a key role in interpreting blood glucose trends, but few institutions have successfully integrated patient home glucose data in the electronic health record (EHR). Published implementations to date have required custom interfaces, which limit wide-scale replication. We piloted automated integration of continuous glucose monitor data in the EHR using widely available consumer technology for 10 pediatric patients with insulin-dependent diabetes. Establishment of a passive data communication bridge via a patient's/parent's smartphone enabled automated integration and analytics of patient device data within the EHR between scheduled clinic visits. It is feasible to utilize available consumer technology to assess and triage home diabetes device data within the EHR, and to engage patients/parents and improve healthcare provider workflow. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association.

Integrated Information Systems Across the Weather-Climate Continuum

Science.gov (United States)

Pulwarty, R. S.; Higgins, W.; Nierenberg, C.; Trtanj, J.

2015-12-01

The increasing demand for well-organized (integrated) end-to-end research-based information has been highlighted in several National Academy studies, in IPCC Reports (such as the SREX and Fifth Assessment) and by public and private constituents. Such information constitutes a significant component of the "environmental intelligence" needed to address myriad societal needs for early warning and resilience across the weather-climate continuum. The next generation of climate research in service to the nation requires an even more visible, authoritative and robust commitment to scientific integration in support of adaptive information systems that address emergent risks and inform longer-term resilience strategies. A proven mechanism for resourcing such requirements is to demonstrate vision, purpose, support, connection to constituencies, and prototypes of desired capabilities. In this presentation we will discuss efforts at NOAA, and elsewhere, that: Improve information on how changes in extremes in key phenomena such as drought, floods, and heat stress impact management decisions for resource planning and disaster risk reduction Develop regional integrated information systems to address these emergent challenges, that integrate observations, monitoring and prediction, impacts assessments and scenarios, preparedness and adaptation, and coordination and capacity-building. Such systems, as illustrated through efforts such as NIDIS, have strengthened the integration across the foundational research enterprise (through for instance, RISAs, Modeling Analysis Predictions and Projections) by increasing agility for responding to emergent risks. The recently- initiated Climate Services Information System, in support of the WMO Global Framework for Climate Services draws on the above models and will be introduced during the presentation.

Monitoring linked epidemics: the case of tuberculosis and HIV.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María S Sánchez

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The tight epidemiological coupling between HIV and its associated opportunistic infections leads to challenges and opportunities for disease surveillance. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We review efforts of WHO and collaborating agencies to track and fight the TB/HIV co-epidemic, and discuss modeling--via mathematical, statistical, and computational approaches--as a means to identify disease indicators designed to integrate data from linked diseases in order to characterize how co-epidemics change in time and space. We present R(TB/HIV, an index comparing changes in TB incidence relative to HIV prevalence, and use it to identify those sub-Saharan African countries with outlier TB/HIV dynamics. R(TB/HIV can also be used to predict epidemiological trends, investigate the coherency of reported trends, and cross-check the anticipated impact of public health interventions. Identifying the cause(s responsible for anomalous R(TB/HIV values can reveal information crucial to the management of public health. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We frame our suggestions for integrating and analyzing co-epidemic data within the context of global disease monitoring. Used routinely, joint disease indicators such as R(TB/HIV could greatly enhance the monitoring and evaluation of public health programs.

Integrated ground-water monitoring strategy for NRC-licensed facilities and sites: Case study applications

Science.gov (United States)

Price, V.; Temples, T.; Hodges, R.; Dai, Z.; Watkins, D.; Imrich, J.

2007-01-01

This document discusses results of applying the Integrated Ground-Water Monitoring Strategy (the Strategy) to actual waste sites using existing field characterization and monitoring data. The Strategy is a systematic approach to dealing with complex sites. Application of such a systematic approach will reduce uncertainty associated with site analysis, and therefore uncertainty associated with management decisions about a site. The Strategy can be used to guide the development of a ground-water monitoring program or to review an existing one. The sites selected for study fall within a wide range of geologic and climatic settings, waste compositions, and site design characteristics and represent realistic cases that might be encountered by the NRC. No one case study illustrates a comprehensive application of the Strategy using all available site data. Rather, within each case study we focus on certain aspects of the Strategy, to illustrate concepts that can be applied generically to all sites. The test sites selected include:Charleston, South Carolina, Naval Weapons Station,Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island, New York,The USGS Amargosa Desert Research Site in Nevada,Rocky Flats in Colorado,C-Area at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, andThe Hanford 300 Area.A Data Analysis section provides examples of detailed data analysis of monitoring data.

The ALICE data quality monitoring system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haller, B von; Telesca, A; Chapeland, S; Carena, F; Carena, W; Barroso, V Chibante; Costa, F; Denes, E; Divià, R; Fuchs, U; Simonetti, G; Soós, C; Vyvre, P Vande

2011-01-01

ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is the heavy-ion detector designed to study the physics of strongly interacting matter and the quark-gluon plasma at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The online Data Quality Monitoring (DQM) is a key element of the Data Acquisition's software chain. It provide shifters with precise and complete information to quickly identify and overcome problems, and as a consequence to ensure acquisition of high quality data. DQM typically involves the online gathering, the analysis by user-defined algorithms and the visualization of monitored data. This paper describes the final design of ALICE'S DQM framework called AMORE (Automatic MOnitoRing Environment), as well as its latest and coming features like the integration with the offline analysis and reconstruction framework, a better use of multi-core processors by a parallelization effort, and its interface with the eLogBook. The concurrent collection and analysis of data in an online environment requires the framework to be highly efficient, robust and scalable. We will describe what has been implemented to achieve these goals and the procedures we follow to ensure appropriate robustness and performance. We finally review the wide range of usages people make of this framework, from the basic monitoring of a single sub-detector to the most complex ones within the High Level Trigger farm or using the Prompt Reconstruction and we describe the various ways of accessing the monitoring results. We conclude with our experience, before and after the LHC startup, when monitoring the data quality in a challenging environment.

The ALICE data quality monitoring system

Science.gov (United States)

von Haller, B.; Telesca, A.; Chapeland, S.; Carena, F.; Carena, W.; Chibante Barroso, V.; Costa, F.; Denes, E.; Divià, R.; Fuchs, U.; Simonetti, G.; Soós, C.; Vande Vyvre, P.; ALICE Collaboration

2011-12-01

ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is the heavy-ion detector designed to study the physics of strongly interacting matter and the quark-gluon plasma at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The online Data Quality Monitoring (DQM) is a key element of the Data Acquisition's software chain. It provide shifters with precise and complete information to quickly identify and overcome problems, and as a consequence to ensure acquisition of high quality data. DQM typically involves the online gathering, the analysis by user-defined algorithms and the visualization of monitored data. This paper describes the final design of ALICE'S DQM framework called AMORE (Automatic MOnitoRing Environment), as well as its latest and coming features like the integration with the offline analysis and reconstruction framework, a better use of multi-core processors by a parallelization effort, and its interface with the eLogBook. The concurrent collection and analysis of data in an online environment requires the framework to be highly efficient, robust and scalable. We will describe what has been implemented to achieve these goals and the procedures we follow to ensure appropriate robustness and performance. We finally review the wide range of usages people make of this framework, from the basic monitoring of a single sub-detector to the most complex ones within the High Level Trigger farm or using the Prompt Reconstruction and we describe the various ways of accessing the monitoring results. We conclude with our experience, before and after the LHC startup, when monitoring the data quality in a challenging environment.

A GPS-based Real-time Road Traffic Monitoring System

Science.gov (United States)

Tanti, Kamal Kumar

In recent years, monitoring systems are astonishingly inclined towards ever more automatic; reliably interconnected, distributed and autonomous operation. Specifically, the measurement, logging, data processing and interpretation activities may be carried out by separate units at different locations in near real-time. The recent evolution of mobile communication devices and communication technologies has fostered a growing interest in the GIS & GPS-based location-aware systems and services. This paper describes a real-time road traffic monitoring system based on integrated mobile field devices (GPS/GSM/IOs) working in tandem with advanced GIS-based application software providing on-the-fly authentications for real-time monitoring and security enhancement. The described system is developed as a fully automated, continuous, real-time monitoring system that employs GPS sensors and Ethernet and/or serial port communication techniques are used to transfer data between GPS receivers at target points and a central processing computer. The data can be processed locally or remotely based on the requirements of client’s satisfaction. Due to the modular architecture of the system, other sensor types may be supported with minimal effort. Data on the distributed network & measurements are transmitted via cellular SIM cards to a Control Unit, which provides for post-processing and network management. The Control Unit may be remotely accessed via an Internet connection. The new system will not only provide more consistent data about the road traffic conditions but also will provide methods for integrating with other Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). For communication between the mobile device and central monitoring service GSM technology is used. The resulting system is characterized by autonomy, reliability and a high degree of automation.

Mechanism Design of Fashion Virtual Enterprise under Monitoring Strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min Huang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Designing a revenue sharing contract to prevent the moral hazard is one of the most important issues in virtual enterprise (VE. As the partners’ productive effort level cannot be observed by the owner and other partners, there is usually moral hazard problem in VE. To mitigate the moral hazard, the owner sets the monitoring effort with monitoring cost. Considering a risk-neutral owner and multiple downside risk-averse partners, the owner’s problem of determining the monitoring effort and incentive intensity to maximize his profit while the partners determine their productive effort to maximize their profit is addressed. The principal agent based model of this problem is proposed. By solving the model, the optimal strategy of owner and partner is derived. By comparing with the no monitoring scenario, we find that implementing suitable monitoring strategy can reduce the moral hazard effectively. Finally, by analyzing the partners’ risk attitude, the result reveals that the lower the risk level of the partner is, the more the owner wants. These results suggest that VE should not only focus on the risk attitude but also on monitoring.

Development of hardware system using temperature and vibration maintenance models integration concepts for conventional machines monitoring: A case study

OpenAIRE

Adeyeri, Michael Kanisuru; Mpofu, Khumbulani; Kareem, Buliaminu

2016-01-01

This article describes the integration of temperature and vibration models for maintenance monitoring of conventional machinery parts in which their optimal andbest functionalities are affected by abnormal changes in temperature and vibration values thereby resulting in machine failures, machines breakdown, poor quality of products, inability to meeting customers' demand, poor inventory control and just to mention a few. The work entails the use of temperature and vibration sensors as monitor...

Global Positioning System (GPS) Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM) web service to support Area Navigation (RNAV) flight planning

Science.gov (United States)

2008-01-28

The Volpe Center designed, implemented, and deployed a Global Positioning System (GPS) Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM) prediction system in the mid 1990s to support both Air Force and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) use of TSO C...

Towards integrated monitoring of REDD+

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sassi, de C.; Joseph, S.; Bos, A.B.; Duchelle, A.E.; Ravikumar, A.; Herold, M.

2015-01-01

Monitoring socioecological impacts of policy interventions aimed at changing land-use practices is a major challenge in sustainable development and conservation. Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) intends to compensate local stakeholders for demonstrated carbon

The study of key issues about integration of GNSS and strong-motion records for real-time earthquake monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Tu, Rui; Zhang, Pengfei; Zhang, Rui; Liu, Jinhai

2016-08-01

This paper has studied the key issues about integration of GNSS and strong-motion records for real-time earthquake monitoring. The validations show that the consistence of the coordinate system must be considered firstly to exclude the system bias between GNSS and strong-motion. The GNSS sampling rate is suggested about 1-5 Hz, and we should give the strong-motion's baseline shift with a larger dynamic noise as its variation is very swift. The initialization time of solving the baseline shift is less than one minute, and ambiguity resolution strategy is not greatly improved the solution. The data quality is very important for the solution, we advised to use multi-frequency and multi-system observations. These ideas give an important guide for real-time earthquake monitoring and early warning by the tight integration of GNSS and strong-motion records.

Implementation of integrated services networks in Quebec and nursing practice transformation: convergence or divergence?

Science.gov (United States)

Longpré, Caroline; Dubois, Carl-Ardy

2015-03-03

Even though nurses are expected to play a key role in implementing integrated services networks, up to now their practice in this regard has received very little research attention. The aim of this study is to describe the extent to which the evolution of nursing practice in Quebec in recent years has converged with the requirements and efforts involved in services integration. This descriptive study was carried out with 107 nurses working an integrated network of healthcare services in Quebec in four different care pathways: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, autonomy support for the elderly, palliative oncology care, and mental health. Development model for integrated care (DMIC) was used, first, to examine the prevalence in each pathway of integrative activities, grouped into nine practice dimensions, and then to position each pathway in relation to the four phases of development for any integration process, as defined by the DMIC. Only one pathway had reached Phase 3, which involves expansion and monitoring of integration, whereas the others were still in the preliminary Phases 1 and 2 characterized by initiative and experimentation. Only two dimensions out of nine ('quality of care' and 'interprofessional teamwork') were prevalent in all the pathways; two others ('transparent entrepreneurship' and 'performance management') were in none of the pathways, and the remaining five ('patient-family centered care', 'result-focused learning', 'delivery system', 'commitment', 'roles and tasks') were present to varying degrees. These results suggest that particular efforts should be made to bridge the significant gap between the pace of nursing practice transformation and the objectives of service integration. These efforts should focus, among other things, on the deployment of organizational, clinical, human, and material resources to support practice renewal and continuing education for nurses to prepare them for the requirements of integration.

A web-based three-tier control and monitoring application for integrated facility management of photovoltaic systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Apostolos Meliones

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The architecture of a control system can be designed vertically with the distinction between functional levels. We adopt this layered approach for the design and implementation of a network-based control and monitoring application. In this paper we present the design and implementation of a network-based management application for controlling and monitoring the input and output data of remote equipment aiming at performance macro-observation, alarm detection, handling operation failures, installation security, access control, collection and recording of statistical data and provisioning of reports. The main services provided to the user and operating over the public internet and/or mobile network include control, monitoring, notification, reporting and data export. Our proposed system consists of a front-end for field (site-level control and monitoring as well as a service back-end which undertakes to collect, store and manage data from all remote installations. Hierarchical data acquisition methodology and performance macro-observation are according to the IEC 61724 standard. We have successfully used our control and monitoring application for integrated facility management of photovoltaic plant installations; nevertheless it can be easily migrated to other renewable energy generation installations and remote automation applications in general.

Sidoarjo mudflow phenomenon and its mitigation efforts

Science.gov (United States)

Wibowo, H. T.; Williams, V.

2009-12-01

Hot mud first erupted in Siring village, Porong, Sidoarjo May 29th 2006. The mud first appeared approximately 200 meters from Banjarpanji-1 gas-drilling well. The mud volume increased day by day, from 5000 cubic meters per day on June 2006 to 50,000 cubic meters per day during the last of 2006, and then increased to 100,000-120,000 cubic meters per day during 2007. Flow still continues at a high rate. Moreover, as the water content has gone down, the clast content has gone up. Consequently, there is now the threat of large amounts of solid material being erupted throughout the area. Also, there is the issue of subsurface collapse and ground surface subsidence. The Indonesian government has set up a permanent team to support communities affected by the mudflow that has swamped a number of villages near LUSI. Toll roads, railway tracks and factories also have been submerged and over 35,000 people have been displaced to date. The Sidoarjo Mudflow Mitigation Agency [SMMA, BPLS (Indonesia)] replaces a temporary team called National Team PSLS which was installed for seven months and ended their work on 7 April 2007. BPLS was set up by Presidential Regulation No. 14 / 2007, and it will have to cover the costs related to the social impact of the disaster, especially outside the swamped area. BPLS is the central government institution designated to handle the disaster by coordination with both the drilling company and local (provincial and district) governments. It takes a comprehensive, integrated and holistic approach for its mission and challenges. Those are: 1) How to stop the mudflow, 2) How to mitigate the impacts of the mudflow, and 3) How to minimize the social, economic, environmental impacts, and infrastructure impacts. The mudflow mitigation efforts were constrained by dynamic geology conditions, as well as resistance to certain measures by residents of impacted areas. Giant dykes were built to retain the spreading mud, and the mudflow from the main vent was

Integrated monitoring and information systems for managing aquatic invasive species in a changing climate

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Henry; Reusser, Deborah A.; Olden, Julian D.; Smith, Scott S.; Graham, Jim; Burkett, Virginia; Dukes, Jeffrey S.; Piorkowski, Robert J.; Mcphedran, John

2008-01-01

Changes in temperature, precipitation, and other climatic drivers and sea-level rise will affect populations of existing native and non-native aquatic species and the vulnerability of aquatic environments to new invasions. Monitoring surveys provide the foundation for assessing the combined effects of climate change and invasions by providing baseline biotic and environmental conditions, although the utility of a survey depends on whether the results are quantitative or qualitative, and other design considerations. The results from a variety of monitoring programs in the United States are available in integrated biological information systems, although many include only non-native species, not native species. Besides including natives, we suggest these systems could be improved through the development of standardized methods that capture habitat and physiological requirements and link regional and national biological databases into distributed Web portals that allow drawing information from multiple sources. Combining the outputs from these biological information systems with environmental data would allow the development of ecological-niche models that predict the potential distribution or abundance of native and non-native species on the basis of current environmental conditions. Environmental projections from climate models can be used in these niche models to project changes in species distributions or abundances under altered climatic conditions and to identify potential high-risk invaders. There are, however, a number of challenges, such as uncertainties associated with projections from climate and niche models and difficulty in integrating data with different temporal and spatial granularity. Even with these uncertainties, integration of biological and environmental information systems, niche models, and climate projections would improve management of aquatic ecosystems under the dual threats of biotic invasions and climate change

The role of cognitive effort in subjective reward devaluation and risky decision-making.

Science.gov (United States)

Apps, Matthew A J; Grima, Laura L; Manohar, Sanjay; Husain, Masud

2015-11-20

Motivation is underpinned by cost-benefit valuations where costs-such as physical effort or outcome risk-are subjectively weighed against available rewards. However, in many environments risks pertain not to the variance of outcomes, but to variance in the possible levels of effort required to obtain rewards (effort risks). Moreover, motivation is often guided by the extent to which cognitive-not physical-effort devalues rewards (effort discounting). Yet, very little is known about the mechanisms that underpin the influence of cognitive effort risks or discounting on motivation. We used two cost-benefit decision-making tasks to probe subjective sensitivity to cognitive effort (number of shifts of spatial attention) and to effort risks. Our results show that shifts of spatial attention when monitoring rapidly presented visual stimuli are perceived as effortful and devalue rewards. Additionally, most people are risk-averse, preferring safe, known amounts of effort over risky offers. However, there was no correlation between their effort and risk sensitivity. We show for the first time that people are averse to variance in the possible amount of cognitive effort to be exerted. These results suggest that cognitive effort sensitivity and risk sensitivity are underpinned by distinct psychological and neurobiological mechanisms.

A Four Channel Beam Current Monitor Data Acquisition System Using Embedded Processors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wheat, Jr., Robert Mitchell [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Dalmas, Dale A. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Dale, Gregory E. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2015-08-11

Data acquisition from multiple beam current monitors is required for electron accelerator production of Mo-99. A two channel system capable of recording data from two beam current monitors has been developed, is currently in use, and is discussed below. The development of a cost-effective method of extending this system to more than two channels and integrating of these measurements into an accelerator control system is the main focus of this report. Data from these current monitors is digitized, processed, and stored by a digital data acquisition system. Limitations and drawbacks with the currently deployed digital data acquisition system have been identified as have been potential solutions, or at least improvements, to these problems. This report will discuss and document the efforts we've made in improving the flexibility and lowering the cost of the data acquisition system while maintaining the minimum requirements.

Case studies of capacity building for biodiversity monitoring: Chapter 13

Science.gov (United States)

Schmeller, Dirk S.; Arvanitidis, Christos; Böhm, Monika; Brummitt, Neil; Chatzinikolaou, Eva; Costello, Mark J.; Ding, Hui; Gill, Michael J.; Haase, Peter; Juillard, Romain; García-Moreno, Jaime; Pettorelli, Nathalie; Peng, Cui; Riginos, Corinna; Schmiedel, Ute; Simaika, John P.; Waterman, Carly; Wu, Jun; Xu, Haigen; Belnap, Jayne; Walters, Michele; Scholes, Robert J.

2017-01-01

Monitoring the status and trends of species is critical to their conservation and management. However, the current state of biodiversity monitoring is insufficient to detect such for most species and habitats, other than in a few localised areas. One of the biggest obstacles to adequate monitoring is the lack of local capacity to carry out such programs. Thus, building the capacity to do such monitoring is imperative. We here highlight different biodiversity monitoring efforts to illustrate how capacity building efforts are being conducted at different geographic scales and under a range of resource, literacy, and training constraints. Accordingly, we include examples of monitoring efforts from within countries (Kenya, France, and China), within regions (Central America and the Arctic) and larger capacity building programs including EDGE (Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered) of Existence and the National Red List Alliance.

How to structure and prioritize information needs in support of monitoring design for Integrated Coastal Management

Science.gov (United States)

Vugteveen, Pim; van Katwijk, Marieke M.; Rouwette, Etiënne; Hanssen, Lucien

2014-02-01

Integrated Coastal Management cannot operate effectively without reliable information and knowledge on changes in the environment and on the causes of those changes. Monitoring is essential to provide data needed for a real understanding of socio-economic and ecological functioning in multi-user nature areas. We present a web-based and comprehensive assessment methodology to articulate, structure and prioritize information needs and ensuing monitoring needs. We applied this methodology in the Dutch Wadden Sea Region, which includes a designated UNESCO World Heritage nature reserve. The methodology consists of the following steps: i) exploring social-ecological issues of concern and defining the monitoring scope; ii) articulating information needs expressed as tractable questions; iii) elaborating monitoring needs; iv) grounding in scientific models and current monitoring; v) synthesizing assessment findings into target entities, i.e. analysis variables for monitoring. In this paper we focus on the first three steps. As part of our methodology we performed two online surveys amongst a broad range of stakeholders and amongst monitoring professionals. In the case of the Dutch Wadden Sea Region, main monitoring questions were related to biodiversity and food web relations; effects of fisheries and its pressures on the ecosystem; channel and port dredging; spatial planning and multifunctional use; sustainable energy production; and effects of changing storm regimes due to climate change. Subsequently we elaborated these general issues into analysis variables within five themes. The presented methodology enables large scale and unbiased involvement of stakeholders in articulating information needs in a multi-user nature reserve like the Wadden Sea. In addition the methodology facilitates the input and feedback of monitoring professionals by providing a detailed elaboration of monitoring needs.

Modular Integrated Monitoring System (MIMS). Architecture and implementation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Funkhouser, D.R.; Davidson, G.W.; Deland, S.M.

1999-01-01

The MIMS is being developed as a cost-effective means of performing safeguards in unattended remote monitoring applications. Based on industry standards and an open systems approach, the MIMS architecture supports both data acquisition and data review subsystems. Data includes images as well as discrete and analog sensor outputs. The MIMS uses an Echelon LonWorks network as a standard means and method of data acquisition from the sensor. A common data base not only stores sensor and image data but also provides a structure by which dynamic changes to the sensor system can be reflected in the data acquisition and data review subsystems without affecting the execution software. The architecture includes standards for wide area communications between data acquisition systems and data review systems. Data authentication is provided as an integral part of the design. The MIMS also provides a generic set of tools for analyzing both system behavior and observed events. The MIMS software implements this architecture by combining the use of commercial applications with a set of custom 16 and 32 bit Microsoft Windows applications which are run under Windows NT and Windows 95 operating systems. (author)

Integrated disposal Facility Sagebrush Habitat Mitigation Project: FY2007 Compensation Area Monitoring Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Durham, Robin E.; Sackschewsky, Michael R.

2007-09-01

This report summarizes the first year survival of sagebrush seedlings planted as compensatory mitigation for the Integrated Disposal Facility Project. Approximately 42,600 bare root seedlings and 26,000 pluglings were planted at a mitigation site along Army Loop Road in February 2007. Initial baseline monitoring occurred in March 2007, and first summer survival was assessed in September 2007. Overall survival was 19%, with bare root survival being marginally better than pluglings (21% versus 14%). Likely major factors contributing to low survival were late season planting and insufficient soil moisture during seedling establishment.

Monitoring of well integrity by magnetic imaging defectoscopy (MID) at the Ketzin pilot site, Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Zemke, Kornelia; Liebscher, Axel; Möller, Fabian

2017-04-01

One of the key requirements for safe CO2 storage operation is to ensure wellbore integrity. The CO2 triggered acid in-well environment may lead to pitting and/or surface corrosion and eventually to fatigue of well casings and cementation by this giving raise to wellbore leakage. Corrosion effects are conventionally monitored by measurement of inner casing surface, internal diameter and wall thickness. Caliper logging provides inner surface and internal diameter data while ultrasonic tools measure both the internal diameter and casing thickness as well as the bonding between casing and cement. However, both tools can only monitor and characterize the most inner casing and ultrasonic tools in addition can only be applied in fluid filled wells. At the Ketzin CO2 storage test site, Germany, about 67 kt of CO2 were injected between June 2008 and August 2013 and an interdisciplinary monitoring concept was developed with focus on the storage complex, the overburden, the surface and the wellbores. Four deep wells penetrate the reservoir and their integrity has been monitored by a combination of video inspection, pulsed neutron gamma logging PNG and magnetic imaging defectoscopy MID. MID is an advanced logging method for non-destructive testing and has the great advantages that it can be operated in gas filled boreholes and that it provides information also for outer casings. The MID tool generates electromagnetic pulsed transient eddy currents and records the response of the surrounding media. The distribution and strength of the eddy-currents is then converted into averaged, depth-resolved thicknesses of the individual casings. Run in time-lapse mode, MID provides a measure to detect changes in casing thickness and therefore hints to corrosion. At Ketzin, the four deep wells haven been monitored by repeat MID logging on a roughly annual basis in cooperation with VNG Gasspeicher GmbH (VGS) and GAZPROMENERGODIAGNOSTIKA, applying their in-house MID tool. The MID based depth

Integration and application of optical chemical sensors in microbioreactors.

Science.gov (United States)

Gruber, Pia; Marques, Marco P C; Szita, Nicolas; Mayr, Torsten

2017-08-08

The quantification of key variables such as oxygen, pH, carbon dioxide, glucose, and temperature provides essential information for biological and biotechnological applications and their development. Microfluidic devices offer an opportunity to accelerate research and development in these areas due to their small scale, and the fine control over the microenvironment, provided that these key variables can be measured. Optical sensors are well-suited for this task. They offer non-invasive and non-destructive monitoring of the mentioned variables, and the establishment of time-course profiles without the need for sampling from the microfluidic devices. They can also be implemented in larger systems, facilitating cross-scale comparison of analytical data. This tutorial review presents an overview of the optical sensors and their technology, with a view to support current and potential new users in microfluidics and biotechnology in the implementation of such sensors. It introduces the benefits and challenges of sensor integration, including, their application for microbioreactors. Sensor formats, integration methods, device bonding options, and monitoring options are explained. Luminescent sensors for oxygen, pH, carbon dioxide, glucose and temperature are showcased. Areas where further development is needed are highlighted with the intent to guide future development efforts towards analytes for which reliable, stable, or easily integrated detection methods are not yet available.

Pericellular oxygen monitoring with integrated sensor chips for reproducible cell culture experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Kieninger, J; Aravindalochanan, K; Sandvik, J A; Pettersen, E O; Urban, G A

2014-04-01

Here we present an application, in two tumour cell lines, based on the Sensing Cell Culture Flask system as a cell culture monitoring tool for pericellular oxygen sensing. T-47D (human breast cancer) and T98G (human brain cancer) cells were cultured either in atmospheric air or in a glove-box set at 4% oxygen, in both cases with 5% CO2 in the gas phase. Pericellular oxygen tension was measured with the help of an integrated sensor chip comprising oxygen sensor arrays. Obtained results illustrate variation of pericellular oxygen tension in attached cells covered by stagnant medium. Independent of incubation conditions, low pericellular oxygen concentration levels, usually associated with hypoxia, were found in dense cell cultures. Respiration alone brought pericellular oxygen concentration down to levels which could activate hypoxia-sensing regulatory processes in cultures believed to be aerobic. Cells in culture believed to experience conditions of mild hypoxia may, in reality, experience severe hypoxia. This would lead to incorrect assumptions and suggests that pericellular oxygen concentration readings are of great importance to obtain reproducible results when dealing with hypoxic and normoxic (aerobic) incubation conditions. The Sensing Cell Culture Flask system allows continuous monitoring of pericellular oxygen concentration with outstanding long-term stability and no need for recalibration during cell culture experiments. The sensor is integrated into the flask bottom, thus in direct contact with attached cells. No additional equipment needs to be inserted into the flask during culturing. Transparency of the electrochemical sensor chip allows optical inspection of cells attached on top of the sensor. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An integrated, multisensor system for the continuous monitoring of water dynamics in rice fields under different irrigation regimes.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiaradia, Enrico Antonio; Facchi, Arianna; Masseroni, Daniele; Ferrari, Daniele; Bischetti, Gian Battista; Gharsallah, Olfa; Cesari de Maria, Sandra; Rienzner, Michele; Naldi, Ezio; Romani, Marco; Gandolfi, Claudio

2015-09-01

The cultivation of rice, one of the most important staple crops worldwide, has very high water requirements. A variety of irrigation practices are applied, whose pros and cons, both in terms of water productivity and of their effects on the environment, are not completely understood yet. The continuous monitoring of irrigation and rainfall inputs, as well as of soil water dynamics, is a very important factor in the analysis of these practices. At the same time, however, it represents a challenging and costly task because of the complexity of the processes involved, of the difference in nature and magnitude of the driving variables and of the high variety of field conditions. In this paper, we present the prototype of an integrated, multisensor system for the continuous monitoring of water dynamics in rice fields under different irrigation regimes. The system consists of the following: (1) flow measurement devices for the monitoring of irrigation supply and tailwater drainage; (2) piezometers for groundwater level monitoring; (3) level gauges for monitoring the flooding depth; (4) multilevel tensiometers and moisture sensor clusters to monitor soil water status; (5) eddy covariance station for the estimation of evapotranspiration fluxes and (6) wireless transmission devices and software interface for data transfer, storage and control from remote computer. The system is modular and it is replicable in different field conditions. It was successfully applied over a 2-year period in three experimental plots in Northern Italy, each one with a different water management strategy. In the paper, we present information concerning the different instruments selected, their interconnections and their integration in a common remote control scheme. We also provide considerations and figures on the material and labour costs of the installation and management of the system.

Intelligent mobile sensor system for drum inspection and monitoring: Phase 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-06-01

The objective of this project was to develop an operational system for monitoring and inspection activities for waste storage facility operations at several DOE sites. Specifically, the product of this effort is a robotic device with enhanced intelligence and maneuverability capable of conducting routine inspection of stored waste drums. The device is capable of operating in narrow aisles and interpolating the free aisle space between rows of stacked drums. The system has an integrated sensor suite for leak detection, and is interfaced with a site database both for inspection planning and for data correlation, updating, and report generation. The system is capable of departing on an assigned mission, collecting required data, recording which positions of its mission had to be aborted or modified due to environmental constraints, and reporting back when the mission is complete. Successful identification of more than 90% of all drum defects has been demonstrated in a high fidelity waste storage facility mockup. Identified anomalies included rust spots, rust streaks, areas of corrosion, dents, and tilted drums. All drums were positively identified and correlated with the site database. This development effort is separated into three phases of which phase one is now complete. The first phase has demonstrated an integrated system for monitoring and inspection activities for waste storage facility operations. This demonstration system was quickly fielded and evaluated by leveraging technologies developed from previous NASA and DARPA contracts and internal research. The second phase will demonstrate a prototype system appropriate for operational use in an actual storage facility. The prototype provides an integrated design that considers operational requirements, hardware costs, maintenance, safety, and robustness. The final phase will demonstrate commercial viability using the prototype vehicle in a pilot waste operations and inspection project

Pipeline integrity management: integration of geotechnical and mechanical assessment to control potential risks due to external forces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malpartida Moya, John E.; Sota, Giancarlo Massucco de la; Seri, Walter [Compania Operadora de Gas del Amazonas, Lima (Peru)

2009-07-01

Every pipeline integrity management system evaluates and controls various threats. On pipelines which have particular characteristics as it is the case of the Andean pipelines and pipelines crossing jungles, one of the main threats are the external forces. Even, this threat causes a greater number of failures than other threats like corrosion or the third part damage. Facing this situation, the pipeline integrity management system of TgP has achieved an important development in the use and suitable handling of the information provided by diverse techniques of pipeline mechanical inspection and geotechnical inspection of the right-of-way (ROW). This document presents our methodology, which interrelate information of the in-line inspection, information of geotechnical inspections of the ROW, instrumentation (Strain Gages), topographic monitoring, among others. All this information is supported in a Geographic Information System (GIS) which allows us to integrate the information. By means of the pipeline integrity management system we control potential risks due to external forces, we have been able to act before events become critical, with no occurrence of failures. This system allows us simultaneously to optimize efforts and preserve the mechanical integrity of our pipelines, not producing neither personal nor environmental nor economical affectation. (author)

Field Assessment and Specification Review for Roller-Integrated Compaction Monitoring Technologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David J. White

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Roller-integrated compaction monitoring (RICM technologies provide virtually 100-percent coverage of compacted areas with real-time display of the compaction measurement values. Although a few countries have developed quality control (QC and quality assurance (QA specifications, broader implementation of these technologies into earthwork construction operations still requires a thorough understanding of relationships between RICM values and traditional in situ point test measurements. The purpose of this paper is to provide: (a an overview of two technologies, namely, compaction meter value (CMV and machine drive power (MDP; (b a comprehensive review of field assessment studies, (c an overview of factors influencing statistical correlations, (d modeling for visualization and characterization of spatial nonuniformity; and (e a brief review of the current specifications.

Conformally integrated stent cell resonators for wireless monitoring of peripheral artery disease

KAUST Repository

Viswanath, Anupam

2013-01-01

This paper presents the design and in vitro evaluation of magnetoelastic sensors intended for wireless monitoring of tissue accumulation in peripheral artery stents. The sensors, shaped like stent cells, are fabricated from 28-μm thick foils of magnetoelastic Ni-Fe alloy and are conformally integrated with the stent. The typical sensitivity to viscosity is 427 ppm/cP over a 1.1-8.6 cP range. The sensitivity to mass loading is typically 63,000-65000 ppm/mg with resonant frequency showing an 8.1% reduction for an applied mass that is 15% of the unloaded mass of the sensor. © 2013 IEEE.

Manufacturing technology of integrated textile-based sensor networks for in situ monitoring applications of composite wind turbine blades

Science.gov (United States)

Haentzsche, Eric; Mueller, Ralf; Huebner, Matthias; Ruder, Tristan; Unger, Reimar; Nocke, Andreas; Cherif, Chokri

2016-10-01

Based on in situ strain sensors consisting of piezo-resistive carbon filament yarns (CFYs), which have been successfully integrated into textile reinforcement structures during their textile-technological manufacturing process, a continuous load of fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) components has been realised. These sensors are also suitable for structural health monitoring (SHM) applications. The two-dimensional sensor layout is made feasible by the usage of a modular warp yarn path manipulation unit. Using a functional model of a small wind turbine blade in thermoset composite design, the sensor function for basic SHM applications (e.g. static load monitoring) are demonstrated. Any mechanical loads along the pressure or suction side of the wind turbine blade can be measured and calculated via a correlative change in resistance of the CFYs within the textile reinforcement plies. Performing quasi-static load tests on both tensile specimen and full-scale wind turbine blade, elementary results have been obtained concerning electro-mechanical behaviour and spatial resolution of global and even local static stresses according to the CFY sensor integration length. This paper demonstrates the great potential of textile-based and textile-technological integrated sensors in reinforcement structures for future SHM applications of FRPs.

Summary of process research analysis efforts

Science.gov (United States)

Burger, D. R.

1985-01-01

A summary of solar-cell process research analysis efforts was presented. Process design and cell design are interactive efforts where technology from integrated circuit processes and other processes are blended. The primary factors that control cell efficiency are: (1) the bulk parameters of the available sheet material, (2) the retention and enhancement of these bulk parameters, and (3) the cell design and the cost to produce versus the finished cells performance. The process sequences need to be tailored to be compatible with the sheet form, the cell shape form, and the processing equipment. New process options that require further evaluation and utilization are lasers, robotics, thermal pulse techniques, and new materials. There are numerous process control techniques that can be adapted and used that will improve product uniformity and reduced costs. Two factors that can lead to longer life modules are the use of solar cell diffusion barriers and improved encapsulation.

A Laboratory Experimental Study: An FBG-PVC Tube Integrated Device for Monitoring the Slip Surface of Landslides

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shaojie; Chen, Jiang; Teng, Pengxiao; Wei, Fangqiang; Chen, Qiao

2017-01-01

A new detection device was designed by integrating fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tube in order to monitor the slip surface of a landslide. Using this new FBG-based device, a corresponding slope model with a pre-set slip surface was designed, and seven tests with different soil properties were carried out in laboratory conditions. The FBG sensing fibers were fixed on the PVC tube to measure strain distributions of PVC tube at different elevation. Test results indicated that the PVC tube could keep deformation compatible with soil mass. The new device was able to monitor slip surface location before sliding occurrence, and the location of monitored slip surface was about 1–2 cm above the pre-set slip surface, which basically agreed with presupposition results. The monitoring results are expected to be used to pre-estimate landslide volume and provide a beneficial option for evaluating the potential impact of landslides on shipping safety in the Three Gorges area. PMID:29084157

X-ray facility for the ground calibration of the X-ray monitor JEM-X on board INTEGRAL

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Loffredo, G.; Pelliciari, C.; Frontera, F.

2003-01-01

We describe the X-ray facility developed for the calibration of the X-ray monitor JEM-X on board the INTEGRAL satellite. The apparatus allowed the scanning of the detector geometric area with a pencil beam of desired energy over the major part of the passband of the instrument. The monochromatic...

A new parameterization for integrated population models to document amphibian reintroductions.

Science.gov (United States)

Duarte, Adam; Pearl, Christopher A; Adams, Michael J; Peterson, James T

2017-09-01

Managers are increasingly implementing reintroduction programs as part of a global effort to alleviate amphibian declines. Given uncertainty in factors affecting populations and a need to make recurring decisions to achieve objectives, adaptive management is a useful component of these efforts. A major impediment to the estimation of demographic rates often used to parameterize and refine decision-support models is that life-stage-specific monitoring data are frequently sparse for amphibians. We developed a new parameterization for integrated population models to match the ecology of amphibians and capitalize on relatively inexpensive monitoring data to document amphibian reintroductions. We evaluate the capability of this model by fitting it to Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) monitoring data collected from 2007 to 2014 following their reintroduction within the Klamath Basin, Oregon, USA. The number of egg masses encountered and the estimated adult and metamorph abundances generally increased following reintroduction. We found that survival probability from egg to metamorph ranged from 0.01 in 2008 to 0.09 in 2009 and was not related to minimum spring temperatures, metamorph survival probability ranged from 0.13 in 2010-2011 to 0.86 in 2012-2013 and was positively related to mean monthly temperatures (logit-scale slope = 2.37), adult survival probability was lower for founders (0.40) than individuals recruited after reintroduction (0.56), and the mean number of egg masses per adult female was 0.74. Our study is the first to test hypotheses concerning Oregon spotted frog egg-to-metamorph and metamorph-to-adult transition probabilities in the wild and document their response at multiple life stages following reintroduction. Furthermore, we provide an example to illustrate how the structure of our integrated population model serves as a useful foundation for amphibian decision-support models within adaptive management programs. The integration of multiple, but

Development of integrated containment and surveillance system for fast critical facility FCA. Portal and penetration monitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mukaiyama, Takehiko; Ogawa, Hironobu; Yokota, Yasuhiro.

1998-01-01

Manpower and radiation exposure problems, accompanied by frequent Non Destructive Assay (NDA) based inspections at the Fast Critical Facility FCA of Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI), are a burden for both the inspectorates and the facility operator. In the hope of alleviating these burdens, the development of containment and surveillance measures for the FCA was initiated in 1979. The integrated containment and surveillance system consists of a portal monitor and a penetration monitor. The reactor building provides an ideal containment measure because of its explosion-proof, airtight structure and limited number of penetrations. The function of the portal monitor is to detect undeclared removal of nuclear material from the reactor building through the doorway. The penetration monitor is designed for surveillance of diversion routes through containment boundaries, and of safeguards related activities for bypassing the portal monitor. The combination of monitoring by the penetration monitor of containment boundaries and all their penetrations except for the doorway, and monitoring by the portal monitor, provides complete coverage of realistic diversion routes. The development of the system was completed in 1988 and the field trial test was conducted for the period of twelve running months. The final report on the field trial was concluded on January 1990. The major conclusion of the report was that the system is effective, reliable and efficient. Following this successful conclusion, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) accepted the system for meeting its safeguards goals at the FCA on condition that an independent IAEA authentication equipment is provided. The development of the authentication equipment is accomplished as an separate Japan Support Programme for Agency Safeguards (JASPAS) task. (author)

Strategies for monitoring terrestrial animals and habitats

Science.gov (United States)

Richard Holthausen; Raymond L. Czaplewski; Don DeLorenzo; Greg Hayward; Winifred B. Kessler; Pat Manley; Kevin S. McKelvey; Douglas S. Powell; Leonard F. Ruggiero; Michael K. Schwartz; Bea Van Horne; Christina D. Vojta

2005-01-01

This General Technical Report (GTR) addresses monitoring strategies for terrestrial animals and habitats. It focuses on monitoring associated with National Forest Management Act planning and is intended to apply primarily to monitoring efforts that are broader than individual National Forests. Primary topics covered in the GTR are monitoring requirements; ongoing...

Preliminary evaluation of liquid integrity monitoring methods for gunite and associated tanks at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-02-01

The Gunite and Associated Tanks (GAAT) are inactive, liquid low-level waste (LLLW) tanks located in and around the North and South Tank Farms (NTF and STF) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). These tanks, which contain a supernatant over a layer of radioactive sludge, are the subject of an ongoing treatability study that will determine the best way to remove the sludge and remediate the tanks. As part of this study, a preliminary assessment of liquid integrity (or ''tightness'') monitoring methods for the Gunite tanks has been conducted. Both an external and an internal liquid integrity monitoring method were evaluated, and a preliminary assessment of the liquid integrity of eight Gunite tanks was made with the internal method. The work presented in this report shows that six of the eight GAAT considered here are liquid tight and that, in the case of the other two, data quality was too poor to allow a conclusive decision. The analysis indicates that when the release detection approach described in this report is used during the upcoming treatability study, it will function as a sensitive and robust integrity monitoring system. Integrity assessments based on both the internal and external methods can be used as a means of documenting the integrity of the tanks before the initiation of in-tank operations. Assessments based on the external method can be used during these operations as a means of providing a nearly immediate indication of a release, should one occur. The external method of release detection measures the electrical conductivity of the water found in the dry wells associated with each of the tanks. This method is based on the fact that the conductivity of the liquid in the GAAT is very high, while the conductivity of the groundwater in the dry wells and the underdrain system for the GAAT is very low

SymptomCare@Home: Developing an Integrated Symptom Monitoring and Management System for Outpatients Receiving Chemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, Susan L; Eaton, Linda H; Echeverria, Christina; Mooney, Kathi H

2017-10-01

SymptomCare@Home, an integrated symptom monitoring and management system, was designed as part of randomized clinical trials to help patients with cancer who receive chemotherapy in ambulatory clinics and often experience significant symptoms at home. An iterative design process was informed by chronic disease management theory and features of assessment and clinical decision support systems used in other diseases. Key stakeholders participated in the design process: nurse scientists, clinical experts, bioinformatics experts, and computer programmers. Especially important was input from end users, patients, and nurse practitioners participating in a series of studies testing the system. The system includes both a patient and clinician interface and fully integrates two electronic subsystems: a telephone computer-linked interactive voice response system and a Web-based Decision Support-Symptom Management System. Key features include (1) daily symptom monitoring, (2) self-management coaching, (3) alerting, and (4) nurse practitioner follow-up. The nurse practitioner is distinctively positioned to provide assessment, education, support, and pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions to intensify management of poorly controlled symptoms at home. SymptomCare@Home is a model for providing telehealth. The system facilitates using evidence-based guidelines as part of a comprehensive symptom management approach. The design process and system features can be applied to other diseases and conditions.

The Role of Monitoring in Controlling Water Pollution

Science.gov (United States)

Hirsch, Allan

1971-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of trends in the national water pollution control effort and to describe the role of monitoring in that effort, particularly in relation to the responsibilities of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). I hope the paper will serve as a useful framework for the more specific discussions of monitoring technology to follow.

The use of aquatic macrophytes in monitoring and in assessment of biological integrity

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, P.M.; Scribailo, R.W.; Simon, T.P.; Gerhardt, A.

1999-01-01

Aquatic plant species, populations, and communities should be used as indicators of the aquatic environment, allowing detection of ecosystem response to different stressors. Plant tissues bioaccumulate and concentrate toxin levels higher than what is present in the sediments; and this appears to be related to organic matter content, acidification, and buffering capacity. The majority of toxicity studies, most of these with heavy metals, have been done with several Lemna species and Vallisneria americana. Organic chemicals reviewed include pesticides and herbicides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and other industrial contaminants. The use of aquatic plant communities as bioindicators of environmental quality was evaluated for specific characteristics and indices that may assess biological integrity. Indices such as the floristic quality index (FQI) and coefficient of conservatism (C) are pioneering efforts to describe the quality of natural areas and protect native biodiversity. Our case study in the Grand Calumet Lagoons found that 'least-impacted' sites had the greatest aquatic plant species richness, highest FQI and C values, and highest relative abundance. Lastly, we introduce the concepts necessary for the development of a plant index of biotic integrity. Development of reference conditions is essential to understanding aquatic plant community structure, function, individual health, condition, and abundance. Information on guild development and tolerance definition are also integral to the development of a multi-metric index.

Development and integration of a solar powered unmanned aerial vehicle and a wireless sensor network to monitor greenhouse gases.