Award Data

Accurate and timely surveillance of objects in the near-Earth space environment is becoming increasingly critical to US national security. One of the main difficulties in this domain is efficiently and accurately modeling trajectories of the vast number of objects in orbit around the Earth. The orbital trajectory of a single object is typically modeled as a second-order system of equations which ...

Space surveillance is the component of space situational awareness focused on the detection of resident space objects (RSOs) and the use of multisource data to track and identify space objects. While the propagation of the states of RSOs has been investigated extensively over the last fifty years, the correct propagation of their covariance or the more general (non-Gaussian) probability distribut ...

A mathematical framework for detection and classification of weak, distributed patterns on computer networks is proposed. The framework will provide rigorous methods for understanding performance bounds and optimality of intrusion detection methods, while also providing concrete and implementable algorithms. The algorithms will find immediate application in cyber-security efforts, as well as mor ...

Military applications for CBRNE/GWTO and C4ISR require R&D for materials to protect personnel and equipment. However, challenges remain in experimental synthesis and characterization of new materials, such as providing insight into observed properties for further advancement. Thus, it is essential to develop a predictive modeling and simulation approach that will not only provide a fundamental u ...

ABSTRACT: It is well known that wind turbine clutter (WTC) presents a significant challenge to detecting targets in civilian and military applications. The large radar cross section (RCS) of wind turbines, combined with their significant range of Doppler spread, make traditional clutter mitigation techniques effectively useless. The objective of this Phase I effort is to develop a physically con ...

ABSTRACT: The objective of this effort is to develop innovative methods for deriving a sparse set of physical target features that can be used for exploitation of air to ground signature data collected from sensor systems including electro-optical, infrared, and laser radar. Current classification methods require near exact replication of the original imaging parameters, or extensive modeling in ...

The ever-decreasing size of the electronic microchips and the ever-increasing density of electronic components required to support future Air Force platforms are creating the problem of substantial localized heat generation that can impair component operation. State of the art thermal interface materials (TIMs), that are used to dissipate heat from the source to the spreader in a microchip, are se ...

Wave-optics simulations are critical tools for analysis of laser directed energy systems. The primary method for conducting these simulations is to evaluate the Fresnel diffraction integral using the angular spectrum method based on the fast Fourier transform (FFT). While FFTs are considered computationally efficient, their use in the Fresnel integral results in difficult grid constraints includin ...

Target tracking and aimpoint maintenance are critical functions within a laser directed energy system. Traditionally, the optical sensor is a conventional camera viewing an actively illuminated target. In the absence of turbulence, it is still difficult to point the laser weapon to a specific hit spot when there are no features in the required direction. Further, atmospheric turbulence scintillate ...

Research is currently identifying new biochemical markers to help monitor cognition and stress in the human body and enhance human performance. Traditional biometric markers like heart rate, temperature, oxygen partial pressure, blood glucose, electrolyte concentration, and others have been correlated with cognition and stress states. However, the correlation is indirect. Molecular biomarkers with ...