Simulation of the SMILE Soft X-ray Imager response to a southward interplanetary magnetic field turning

The Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer(SMILE)Soft X-ray Imager(SXI)will shine a spotlight on magnetopause dynamics during magnetic reconnection.We simulate an event with a southward interplanetary magnetic field turning and produce SXI count maps with a 5-minute integration time.By making assumptions about the magnetopause shape,we find the magnetopause standoff distance from the count maps and compare it with the one obtained directly from the magnetohydrodynamic(MHD)simulation.The root mean square deviations between the reconstructed and MHD standoff distances do not exceed 0.2 RE(Earth radius)and the maximal difference equals 0.24 RE during the 25-minute interval around the southward turning.

The Soft X-ray Imager(SXI)on the SMILE Mission

The Soft X-ray Imager(SXI)is part of the scientific payload of the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer(SMILE)mission.SMILE is a joint science mission between the European Space Agency(ESA)and the Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS)and is due for launch in 2025.SXI is a compact X-ray telescope with a wide field-of-view(FOV)capable of encompassing large portions of Earth’s magnetosphere from the vantage point of the SMILE orbit.SXI is sensitive to the soft X-rays produced by the Solar Wind Charge eXchange(SWCX)process produced when heavy ions of solar wind origin interact with neutral particles in Earth’s exosphere.SWCX provides a mechanism for boundary detection within the magnetosphere,such as the position of Earth’s magnetopause,because the solar wind heavy ions have a very low density in regions of closed magnetic field lines.The sensitivity of the SXI is such that it can potentially track movements of the magnetopause on timescales of a few minutes and the orbit of SMILE will enable such movements to be tracked for segments lasting many hours.SXI is led by the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom(UK)with collaborating organisations on hardware,software and science support within the UK,Europe,China and the United States.

Using restored two-dimensional X-ray images to reconstruct the three-dimensional magnetopause

Astronomical imaging technologies are basic tools for the exploration of the universe,providing basic data for the research of astronomy and space physics.The Soft X-ray Imager(SXI)carried by the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer(SMILE)aims to capture two-dimensional(2-D)images of the Earth’s magnetosheath by using soft X-ray imaging.However,the observed 2-D images are affected by many noise factors,destroying the contained information,which is not conducive to the subsequent reconstruction of the three-dimensional(3-D)structure of the magnetopause.The analysis of SXI-simulated observation images shows that such damage cannot be evaluated with traditional restoration models.This makes it difficult to establish the mapping relationship between SXIsimulated observation images and target images by using mathematical models.We propose an image restoration algorithm for SXIsimulated observation images that can recover large-scale structure information on the magnetosphere.The idea is to train a patch estimator by selecting noise–clean patch pairs with the same distribution through the Classification–Expectation Maximization algorithm to achieve the restoration estimation of the SXI-simulated observation image,whose mapping relationship with the target image is established by the patch estimator.The Classification–Expectation Maximization algorithm is used to select multiple patch clusters with the same distribution and then train different patch estimators so as to improve the accuracy of the estimator.Experimental results showed that our image restoration algorithm is superior to other classical image restoration algorithms in the SXI-simulated observation image restoration task,according to the peak signal-to-noise ratio and structural similarity.The restoration results of SXI-simulated observation images are used in the tangent fitting approach and the computed tomography approach toward magnetospheric reconstruction techniques,significantly improving the reconstruction results.Hence,the proposed technology may be feasible for processing SXI-simulated observation images.

SMILE soft X-ray Imager flight model CCD370 pre-flight device characterisation

Throughout the SMILE mission the satellite will be bombarded by radiation which gradually damages the focal plane devices and degrades their performance.In order to understand the changes of the CCD370s within the soft X-ray Imager,an initial characterisation of the devices has been carried out to give a baseline performance level.Three CCDs have been characterised,the two flight devices and the flight spa re.This has been carried out at the Open University in a bespo ke cleanroom measure ment facility.The results show that there is a cluster of bright pixels in the flight spa re which increases in size with tempe rature.However at the nominal ope rating tempe rature(-120℃) it is within the procure ment specifications.Overall,the devices meet the specifications when ope rating at -120℃ in 6 × 6 binned frame transfer science mode.The se rial charge transfer inefficiency degrades with temperature in full frame mode.However any charge losses are recovered when binning/frame transfer is implemented.

Automated Algorithms for Detecting and Classifying X-Ray Images of Spine Fractures

This paper emphasizes a faster digital processing time while presenting an accurate method for identifying spinefractures in X-ray pictures. The study focuses on efficiency by utilizing many methods that include picturesegmentation, feature reduction, and image classification. Two important elements are investigated to reducethe classification time: Using feature reduction software and leveraging the capabilities of sophisticated digitalprocessing hardware. The researchers use different algorithms for picture enhancement, including theWiener andKalman filters, and they look into two background correction techniques. The article presents a technique forextracting textural features and evaluates three picture segmentation algorithms and three fractured spine detectionalgorithms using transformdomain, PowerDensity Spectrum(PDS), andHigher-Order Statistics (HOS) for featureextraction.With an emphasis on reducing digital processing time, this all-encompassing method helps to create asimplified system for classifying fractured spine fractures. A feature reduction program code has been built toimprove the processing speed for picture classification. Overall, the proposed approach shows great potential forsignificantly reducing classification time in clinical settings where time is critical. In comparison to other transformdomains, the texture features’ discrete cosine transform (DCT) yielded an exceptional classification rate, and theprocess of extracting features from the transform domain took less time. More capable hardware can also result inquicker execution times for the feature extraction algorithms.

Pulmonary Edema and Pleural Effusion Detection Using Efficient Net-V1-B4 Architecture and AdamW Optimizer from Chest X-Rays Images

This paper presents a novelmulticlass systemdesigned to detect pleural effusion and pulmonary edema on chest Xray images,addressing the critical need for early detection in healthcare.A new comprehensive dataset was formed by combining 28,309 samples from the ChestX-ray14,PadChest,and CheXpert databases,with 10,287,6022,and 12,000 samples representing Pleural Effusion,Pulmonary Edema,and Normal cases,respectively.Consequently,the preprocessing step involves applying the Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization(CLAHE)method to boost the local contrast of the X-ray samples,then resizing the images to 380×380 dimensions,followed by using the data augmentation technique.The classification task employs a deep learning model based on the EfficientNet-V1-B4 architecture and is trained using the AdamW optimizer.The proposed multiclass system achieved an accuracy(ACC)of 98.3%,recall of 98.3%,precision of 98.7%,and F1-score of 98.7%.Moreover,the robustness of the model was revealed by the Receiver Operating Characteristic(ROC)analysis,which demonstrated an Area Under the Curve(AUC)of 1.00 for edema and normal cases and 0.99 for effusion.The experimental results demonstrate the superiority of the proposedmulti-class system,which has the potential to assist clinicians in timely and accurate diagnosis,leading to improved patient outcomes.Notably,ablation-CAM visualization at the last convolutional layer portrayed further enhanced diagnostic capabilities with heat maps on X-ray images,which will aid clinicians in interpreting and localizing abnormalities more effectively.

Retinal vascular morphological characteristics in diabetic retinopathy: an artificial intelligence study using a transfer learning system to analyze ultra-wide field images

AIM:To investigate the morphological characteristics of retinal vessels in patients with different severity of diabetic retinopathy(DR)and in patients with or without diabetic macular edema(DME).METHODS:The 239 eyes of DR patients and 100 eyes of healthy individuals were recruited for the study.The severity of DR patients was graded as mild,moderate and severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy(NPDR)according to the international clinical diabetic retinopathy(ICDR)disease severity scale classification,and retinal vascular morphology was quantitatively analyzed in ultra-wide field images using RU-net and transfer learning methods.The presence of DME was determined by optical coherence tomography(OCT),and differences in vascular morphological characteristics were compared between patients with and without DME.RESULTS:Retinal vessel segmentation using RU-net and transfer learning system had an accuracy of 99%and a Dice metric of 0.76.Compared with the healthy group,the DR group had smaller vessel angles(33.68±3.01 vs 37.78±1.60),smaller fractal dimension(Df)values(1.33±0.05 vs 1.41±0.03),less vessel density(1.12±0.44 vs 2.09±0.36)and fewer vascular branches(206.1±88.8 vs 396.5±91.3),all P<0.001.As the severity of DR increased,Df values decreased,P=0.031.No significant difference between the DME and non-DME groups were observed in vascular morphological characteristics.CONCLUSION:In this study,an artificial intelligence retinal vessel segmentation system is used with 99%accuracy,thus providing with relatively satisfactory performance in the evaluation of quantitative vascular morphology.DR patients have a tendency of vascular occlusion and dropout.The presence of DME does not compromise the integral retinal vascular pattern.

Two-Dimensional Perovskite Single Crystals for High-Performance X-ray Imaging and Exploring MeV X-ray Detection

Scintillation semiconductors play increasingly important medical diagnosis and industrial inspection roles.Recently,two-dimensional(2D)perovskites have been shown to be promising materials for medical X-ray imaging,but they are mostly used in low-energy(≤130 keV)regions.Direct detection of MeV X-rays,which ensure thorough penetration of the thick shell walls of containers,trucks,and aircraft,is also highly desired in practical industrial applications.Unfortunately,scintillation semiconductors for high-energy X-ray detection are currently scarce.Here,This paper reports a 2D(C_(4)H_(9)NH_(3))_(2)PbBr_(4)single crystal with outstanding sensitivity and stability toward X-ray radiation that provides an ultra-wide detectable X-ray range of between 8.20 nGy_(air)s^(-1)(50 keV)and 15.24 mGy_(air)s^(-1)(9 MeV).The(C_(4)H_(9)NH_(3))_(2)PbBr_(4)single-crystal detector with a vertical structure is used for high-performance X-ray imaging,delivering a good spatial resolution of 4.3 Ip mm^(-1)in a plane-scan imaging system.Low ionic migration in the 2D perovskite enables the vertical device to be operated with hundreds of keV to MeV X-ray radiation at high bias voltages,leading to a sensitivity of 46.90μC Gy_(air)-1 cm^(-2)(-1.16 Vμm^(-1))with 9 MeV X-ray radiation,demonstrating that 2D perovskites have enormous potential for high-energy industrial applications.

A large language model-powered literature review for high-angle annular dark field imaging

High-angle annular dark field(HAADF)imaging in scanning transmission electron microscopy(STEM)has become an indispensable tool in materials science due to its ability to offer sub-°A resolution and provide chemical information through Z-contrast.This study leverages large language models(LLMs)to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of a large amount of HAADF-related literature(more than 41000 papers).By using LLMs,specifically ChatGPT,we were able to extract detailed information on applications,sample preparation methods,instruments used,and study conclusions.The findings highlight the capability of LLMs to provide a new perspective into HAADF imaging,underscoring its increasingly important role in materials science.Moreover,the rich information extracted from these publications can be harnessed to develop AI models that enhance the automation and intelligence of electron microscopes.

High-resolution imaging of magnetic fields of banknote anti-counterfeiting strip using fiber diamond probe

Counterfeiting of modern banknotes poses a significant challenge,prompting the use of various preventive measures.One such measure is the magnetic anti-counterfeiting strip.However,due to its inherent weak magnetic properties,visualizing its magnetic distribution has been a longstanding challenge.In this work,we introduce an innovative method by using a fiber optic diamond probe,a highly sensitive quantum sensor designed specifically for detecting extremely weak magnetic fields.We employ this probe to achieve high-resolution imaging of the magnetic fields associated with the RMB 50denomination anti-counterfeiting strip.Additionally,we conduct computer simulations by using COMSOL Multiphysics software to deduce the potential geometric characteristics and material composition of the magnetic region within the anti-counterfeiting strip.The findings and method presented in this study hold broader significance,extending the RMB 50 denomination to various denominations of the Chinese currency and other items that employ magnetic anti-counterfeiting strips.These advances have the potential to significantly improve and promote security measures in order to prevent the banknotes from being counterfeited.

Insights into the hydrogen evolution reaction in vanadium redox flow batteries:A synchrotron radiation based X-ray imaging study

The parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)in the negative half-cell of vanadium redox flow batteries(VRFBs)causes severe efficiency losses.Thus,a deeper understanding of this process and the accompanying bubble formation is crucial.This benchmarking study locally analyzes the bubble distribution in thick,porous electrodes for the first time using deep learning-based image segmentation of synchrotron X-ray micro-tomograms.Each large three-dimensional data set was processed precisely in less than one minute while minimizing human errors and pointing out areas of increased HER activity in VRFBs.The study systematically varies the electrode potential and material,concluding that more negative electrode potentials of-200 m V vs.reversible hydrogen electrode(RHE)and lower cause more substantial bubble formation,resulting in bubble fractions of around 15%–20%in carbon felt electrodes.Contrarily,the bubble fractions stay only around 2%in an electrode combining carbon felt and carbon paper.The detected areas with high HER activity,such as the border subregion with more than 30%bubble fraction in carbon felt electrodes,the cutting edges,and preferential spots in the electrode bulk,are potential-independent and suggest that larger electrodes with a higher bulk-to-border ratio might reduce HER-related performance losses.The described combination of electrochemical measurements,local X-ray microtomography,AI-based segmentation,and 3D morphometric analysis is a powerful and novel approach for local bubble analysis in three-dimensional porous electrodes,providing an essential toolkit for a broad community working on bubble-generating electrochemical systems.

Lossless Compression Method for the Magnetic and Helioseismic Imager(MHI)Payload

The Solar Polar-orbit Observatory(SPO),proposed by Chinese scientists,is designed to observe the solar polar regions in an unprecedented way with a spacecraft traveling in a large solar inclination angle and a small ellipticity.However,one of the most significant challenges lies in ultra-long-distance data transmission,particularly for the Magnetic and Helioseismic Imager(MHI),which is the most important payload and generates the largest volume of data in SPO.In this paper,we propose a tailored lossless data compression method based on the measurement mode and characteristics of MHI data.The background out of the solar disk is removed to decrease the pixel number of an image under compression.Multiple predictive coding methods are combined to eliminate the redundancy utilizing the correlation(space,spectrum,and polarization)in data set,improving the compression ratio.Experimental results demonstrate that our method achieves an average compression ratio of 3.67.The compression time is also less than the general observation period.The method exhibits strong feasibility and can be easily adapted to MHI.

Anisotropy of Trabecular Bone from Ultra-Distal Radius Digital X-Ray Imaging: Effects on Bone Mineral Density and Age

Background: When applied to trabecular bone X-ray images, the anisotropic properties of trabeculae located at ultra-distal radius were investigated by using the trabecular bone scores (TBS) calculated along directions parallel and perpendicular to the forearm. Methodology: Data from more than two hundred subjects were studied retrospectively. A DXA (GE Lunar Prodigy) scan of the forearm was performed on each subject to measure the bone mineral density (BMD) value at the location of ultra-distal radius, and an X-ray digital image of the same forearm was taken on the same day. The values of trabecular bone score along the direction perpendicular to the forearm, TBSx, and along the direction parallel to the forearm, TBSy, were calculated respectively. The statistics of TBSx and TBSy were calculated, and the anisotropy of the trabecular bone, which was defined as the ratio of TBSy to TBSx and changed with subjects’ BMD and age, was reported and analyzed. Results: The results show that the correlation coefficient between TBSx and TBSy was 0.72 (p BMD and age was reported. The results showed that decreased trabecular bone anisotropy was associated with deceased BMD and increased age in the subject group. Conclusions: This study shows that decreased trabecular bone anisotropy was associated with decreased BMD and increased age.

Machine learning algorithm partially reconfigured on FPGA for an image edge detection system

Unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)have been widely used in military,medical,wireless communications,aerial surveillance,etc.One key topic involving UAVs is pose estimation in autonomous navigation.A standard procedure for this process is to combine inertial navigation system sensor information with the global navigation satellite system(GNSS)signal.However,some factors can interfere with the GNSS signal,such as ionospheric scintillation,jamming,or spoofing.One alternative method to avoid using the GNSS signal is to apply an image processing approach by matching UAV images with georeferenced images.But a high effort is required for image edge extraction.Here a support vector regression(SVR)model is proposed to reduce this computational load and processing time.The dynamic partial reconfiguration(DPR)of part of the SVR datapath is implemented to accelerate the process,reduce the area,and analyze its granularity by increasing the grain size of the reconfigurable region.Results show that the implementation in hardware is 68 times faster than that in software.This architecture with DPR also facilitates the low power consumption of 4 mW,leading to a reduction of 57%than that without DPR.This is also the lowest power consumption in current machine learning hardware implementations.Besides,the circuitry area is 41 times smaller.SVR with Gaussian kernel shows a success rate of 99.18%and minimum square error of 0.0146 for testing with the planning trajectory.This system is useful for adaptive applications where the user/designer can modify/reconfigure the hardware layout during its application,thus contributing to lower power consumption,smaller hardware area,and shorter execution time.

Radiography Image Classification Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks

Research has shown that chest radiography images of patients with different diseases, such as pneumonia, COVID-19, SARS, pneumothorax, etc., all exhibit some form of abnormality. Several deep learning techniques can be used to identify each of these anomalies in the chest x-ray images. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have shown great success in the fields of image recognition and image classification since there are numerous large-scale annotated image datasets available. The classification of medical images, particularly radiographic images, remains one of the biggest hurdles in medical diagnosis because of the restricted availability of annotated medical images. However, such difficulty can be solved by utilizing several deep learning strategies, including data augmentation and transfer learning. The aim was to build a model that would detect abnormalities in chest x-ray images with the highest probability. To do that, different models were built with different features. While making a CNN model, one of the main tasks is to tune the model by changing the hyperparameters and layers so that the model gives out good training and testing results. In our case, three different models were built, and finally, the last one gave out the best-predicted results. From that last model, we got 98% training accuracy, 84% validation, and 81% testing accuracy. The reason behind the final model giving out the best evaluation scores is that it was a well-fitted model. There was no overfitting or underfitting issues. Our aim with this project was to make a tool using the CNN model in R language, which will help detect abnormalities in radiography images. The tool will be able to detect diseases such as Pneumonia, Covid-19, Effusions, Infiltration, Pneumothorax, and others. Because of its high accuracy, this research chose to use supervised multi-class classification techniques as well as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to classify different chest x-ray images. CNNs are extremely efficient and successful at reducing the number of parameters while maintaining the quality of the primary model. CNNs are also trained to recognize the edges of various objects in any batch of images. CNNs automatically discover the relevant aspects in labeled data and learn the distinguishing features for each class by themselves.

Analysis of refraction and scattering image artefacts in x-ray analyzer-based imaging

X-ray analyzer-based imaging(ABI) is a powerful phase-sensitive technique that can provide a wide dynamic range of density and extract useful physical properties of the sample. It derives contrast from x-ray absorption, refraction, and scattering properties of the investigated sample. However, x-ray ABI setups can be susceptible to external vibrations, and mechanical imprecisions of system components, e.g., the precision of motor, which are unavoidable in practical experiments. Those factors will provoke deviations of analyzer angular positions and hence errors in the acquired image data.Consequently, those errors will introduce artefacts in the retrieved refraction and scattering images. These artefacts are disadvantageous for further image interpretation and tomographic reconstruction. For this purpose, this work aims to analyze image artefacts resulting from deviations of analyzer angular positions. Analytical expressions of the refraction and scattering image artefacts are derived theoretically and validated by synchrotron radiation experiments. The results show that for the refraction image, the artefact is independent of the sample’s absorption and scattering signals. By contrast, artefact of the scattering image is dependent on both the sample’s refraction and scattering signals, but not on absorption signal.Furthermore, the effect of deviations of analyzer angular positions on the accuracy of the retrieved images is investigated,which can be of use for optimization of data acquisition. This work offers the possibility to develop advanced multi-contrast image retrieval algorithms that suppress artefacts in the retrieved refraction and scattering images in x-ray analyzer-based imaging.

Investigations of moiréartifacts induced by flux fluctuations in x-ray dark-field imaging

X-ray dark-field imaging using a grating interferometer has shown potential benefits for a variety of applications in recent years.X-ray dark-field image is commonly retrieved by using discrete Fourier transform from the acquired phasestepping data.The retrieval process assumes a constant phase step size and a constant flux for each stepped grating position.However,stepping errors and flux fluctuations inevitably occur due to external vibrations and/or thermal drift during data acquisition.Previous studies have shown that those influences introduce errors in the acquired phase-stepping data,which cause obvious moiréartifacts in the retrieved refraction image.This work investigates moiréartifacts in x-ray dark-field imaging as a result of flux fluctuations.For the retrieved mean intensity,amplitude,visibility and dark-field images,the dependence of moiréartifacts on flux fluctuation factors is theoretically derived respectively by using a first-order Taylor series expansion.Results of synchrotron radiation experiments verify the validity of the derived analytical formulas.The spatial frequency characteristics of moiréartifacts are analyzed and compared to those induced by phase-stepping errors.It illustrates that moiréartifacts can be estimated by a weighted mean of flux fluctuation factors,with the weighting factors dependent on the moiréphase and different greatly for each retrieved image.Furthermore,moiréartifacts can even be affected by object’s features not displayed in the particular contrast.These results can be used to interpret images correctly,identify sources of moiréartifacts,and develop dedicated algorithms to remove moiréartifacts in the retrieved multi-contrast images.

COVID-19 Detection from Chest X-Ray Images Using Convolutional Neural Network Approach

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, first identified in 2019. The primary mode of transmission is through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Symptoms can range from mild to severe, and timely diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment. Chest X-Ray imaging is one diagnostic tool used for COVID-19, and a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is a popular technique for image classification. In this study, we proposed a CNN-based approach for detecting COVID-19 in chest X-Ray images. The model was trained on a dataset containing both COVID-19 positive and negative cases and evaluated on a separate test dataset to measure its accuracy. Our results indicated that the CNN approach could accurately detect COVID-19 in chest X-Ray images, with an overall accuracy of 97%. This approach could potentially serve as an early diagnostic tool to reduce the spread of the virus.

Application of Dual-Energy X-Ray Image Detection of Dangerous Goods Based on YOLOv7

X-ray security equipment is currently a more commonly used dangerous goods detection tool, due to the increasing security work tasks, the use of target detection technology to assist security personnel to carry out work has become an inevitable trend. With the development of deep learning, object detection technology is becoming more and more mature, and object detection framework based on convolutional neural networks has been widely used in industrial, medical and military fields. In order to improve the efficiency of security staff, reduce the risk of dangerous goods missed detection. Based on the data collected in X-ray security equipment, this paper uses a method of inserting dangerous goods into an empty package to balance all kinds of dangerous goods data and expand the data set. The high-low energy images are combined using the high-low energy feature fusion method. Finally, the dangerous goods target detection technology based on the YOLOv7 model is used for model training. After the introduction of the above method, the detection accuracy is improved by 6% compared with the direct use of the original data set for detection, and the speed is 93FPS, which can meet the requirements of the online security system, greatly improve the work efficiency of security personnel, and eliminate the security risks caused by missed detection.

Underwater Inhomogeneous Light Field Based on Improved Convolutional Neural Net Fish Image Recognition

In this paper, artificial intelligence image recognition technology is used to improve the recognition rate of individual domestic fish and reduce the recognition time, aiming at the problem that it is difficult to easily observe the species and growth of domestic fish in the underwater non-uniform light field environment. First, starting from the image data collected by polarizing imaging technology, this paper uses subpixel convolution reconstruction to enhance the image, uses image translation and fill technology to build the family fish database, builds the Adam-Dropout-CNN (A-D-CNN) network model, and its convolution kernel size is 3 × 3. The maximum pooling was used for downsampling, and the discarding operation was added after the full connection layer to avoid the phenomenon of network overfitting. The adaptive motion estimation algorithm was used to solve the gradient sparse problem. The experiment shows that the recognition rate of A-D-CNN is 96.97% when the model is trained under the domestic fish image database, which solves the problem of low recognition rate and slow recognition speed of domestic fish in non-uniform light field.