Abstract: A method for measuring pollution that includes providing a plurality of analyte sensors arranged in a grid over a sensing area, wherein the analyte sensors measure a pollutant, and positioning at least one current sensor in the sensing area. A pollution source is localized using a pollution source locator including a dispersion model and at least one hardware processor to interpolate a location of a pollution source from variations in current measured from the current sensors and measurements of pollutants from the analyte sensors.

Abstract: Techniques for hybrid solar thermal and photovoltaic energy collection are provided. In one aspect, a photovoltaic concentrating thermal collector (PVCTC) includes: a thermal absorber collector; and bent solar panels forming a parabolic shaped trough reflector partially surrounding the thermal absorber collector so as to reflect incident light onto the thermal absorber collector. A PVCTC system including an array of PVCTC units and a method for hybrid electrical and thermal energy production are also provided.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining farm boundary delineations within a target geographic area, comprising extracting data from pixels of a satellite image of the target geographic area, evaluating the data using a classification algorithm to generate one or more line segments between adjacent pixels, the one or more line segments being representative of a portion of a boundary delineation, connecting the one or more line segments to an adjacent line segment to form a boundary delineation defining at least one parcel of land within the target geographic area, and generating a boundary delineation map including the boundary delineation.

Abstract: Heuristic-based techniques for gas leak source identification are provided. In one aspect, a method for identifying a location of a gas leak source includes: obtaining gas sensor data and wind data synchronously from a gas leak detection system having a network of interconnected motes comprising gas sensors and wind sensors, with the gas sensors arranged around possible gas leak sources in a given area of interest; identifying the location of the gas leak source using the gas sensor data and wind data; and determining a magnitude of gas leak from the gas leak source using the location of the gas leak source and a distance d between the location of the gas leak source and a select one of the gas sensors from which the gas sensor data was obtained. A gas leak detection system is also provided.

Abstract: Embodiments for controlling precipitation collection vessels to accurately and efficiently collect, measure, and aggregate precipitation accumulation data are disclosed. In one embodiment according to aspects of the present invention, a computer-implemented method includes measuring a frozen precipitation level of the frozen precipitation in a collection vessel. The method further includes heating the collection vessel to convert the frozen precipitation into melted precipitation. The method further includes measuring a melted precipitation level to determine an equivalent water accumulation of the frozen precipitation.

Abstract: Embodiments for controlling precipitation collection vessels to accurately and efficiently collect, measure, and aggregate precipitation accumulation data are disclosed. In one embodiment according to aspects of the present invention, a computer-implemented method includes collecting snow in a plurality of collection vessels by orienting an open end of each of the plurality of collection vessels perpendicularly to a direction of the wind based at least in part on a wind model. The computer-implemented method further includes measuring a snow level of the snow in each of the plurality of collection vessels to generate snow level data for each of the plurality of collection vessels. The computer-implemented method further includes aggregating the snow level data for each of the plurality of snow collection by assembling the snow accumulation data from each of the plurality of collection vessels.

Abstract: Techniques for analysis and prediction of cloud particle distribution and solar radiation are provided. In one aspect, a method for analyzing cloud particle characteristics includes the steps of: (a) collecting meteorological data; (b) calculating solar radiation values using a radiative transfer model based on the meteorological data and blended guess functions of a cloud particle distribution (c) optimizing the cloud particle distribution by optimizing the weight coefficients used for the blended guess functions of the cloud particle distribution based on the solar radiation values calculated in step (b) and measured solar radiation values; (d) training a machine-learning process using the meteorological data collected in step (a) and the cloud particle distribution optimized in step (c) as training samples; and (e) predicting future solar radiation values using forecasted meteorological data and the machine-learning process trained in step (d).

Abstract: Techniques for hybrid solar thermal and photovoltaic energy collection are provided. In one aspect, a photovoltaic concentrating thermal collector (PVCTC) includes: a thermal absorber collector; and bent solar panels forming a parabolic shaped trough reflector partially surrounding the thermal absorber collector so as to reflect incident light onto the thermal absorber collector. A PVCTC system including an array of PVCTC units and a method for hybrid electrical and thermal energy production are also provided.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method executed by one or more satellites for assessing crop development by using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is presented. The method includes generating SAR images from scanning fields including crops, monitoring grown of the crops within the fields during a predetermined time period, and estimating a height of the crops during the predetermined time period by using interferometric information from one or more of the SAR images and tracking change in height and growth rates. The method further includes differentiating between crops in different fields by monitoring changes in the height of the crops during an entire growing season.

Abstract: The present invention involves a multimodal sensor network for analyte detection. A first mode may involve low-power detection and a second mode may involve determining an analyte concentration and transmitting data associated with the analyte concentration. Specifically, the first mode may include establishing an analyte sensor network in a detection region, detecting an analyte in the detection region, and generating an electrical signal in response to the detecting the analyte. In response to the electrical signal exceeding a first threshold, the analyte detection system may operate in the second mode. The second mode may include requesting data associated with the one or more environmental conditions, determining an analyte concentration based on one or more environmental conditions transmitting data associated with the analyte concentration.

Abstract: The present invention involves a multimodal sensor network for analyte detection. A first mode may involve low-power detection and a second mode may involve determining an analyte concentration and transmitting data associated with the analyte concentration. Specifically, the first mode may include establishing an analyte sensor network in a detection region, detecting an analyte in the detection region, and generating an electrical signal in response to the detecting the analyte. In response to the electrical signal exceeding a first threshold, the analyte detection system may operate in the second mode. The second mode may include requesting data associated with the one or more environmental conditions, determining an analyte concentration based on one or more environmental conditions transmitting data associated with the analyte concentration.

Abstract: A system and method to enhance observation resolution using continuous learning include obtaining a first image of a surface area from a first satellite, and obtaining a second image of the surface area from a second satellite. The first image has a lower spatial resolution than the second image, and temporal resolution of the first images obtained by the first satellite is higher than temporal resolution of the second images obtained by the second satellite. The method also includes determining a convolution matrix A or training a neural network, obtaining additional one or more of the first images prior to obtaining an additional one of the second images, and generating a new image from each of the one or more of the first images using the convolution matrix A or the neural network. The new image has a higher spatial resolution than the one or more of the first images.

Abstract: A method for clustering time stamps in time series data includes receiving a one-dimensional array of ordered timestamps and an expected frequency; determining a set of time intervals; determining a first binary array that indicates whether each time interval in the set of time intervals is greater than or less than the expected frequency; determining a second binary array of differences between a corresponding pair of adjacent elements of the first binary array; appending an ith timestamp to one of a set of opening interval bounds, a set of closing interval bounds, or a set of isolated points; merging the set of set of opening interval bounds and the set of closing interval bounds into a set of cluster intervals ?; and outputting the set of cluster intervals and the set of isolated points.

Abstract: The present invention involves a multimodal sensor network for analyte detection. A first mode may involve low-power detection and a second mode may involve determining an analyte concentration and transmitting data associated with the analyte concentration. Specifically, the first mode may include establishing an analyte sensor network in a detection region, detecting an analyte in the detection region, and generating an electrical signal in response to the detecting the analyte. In response to the electrical signal exceeding a first threshold, the analyte detection system may operate in the second mode. The second mode may include requesting data associated with the one or more environmental conditions, determining an analyte concentration based on one or more environmental conditions transmitting data associated with the analyte concentration.

Abstract: Techniques for analysis and prediction of cloud particle distribution and solar radiation are provided. In one aspect, a method for analyzing cloud particle characteristics includes the steps of: (a) collecting meteorological data; (b) calculating solar radiation values using a radiative transfer model based on the meteorological data and blended guess functions of a cloud particle distribution (c) optimizing the cloud particle distribution by optimizing the weight coefficients used for the blended guess functions of the cloud particle distribution based on the solar radiation values calculated in step (b) and measured solar radiation values; (d) training a machine-learning process using the meteorological data collected in step (a) and the cloud particle distribution optimized in step (c) as training samples; and (e) predicting future solar radiation values using forecasted meteorological data and the machine-learning process trained in step (d).

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining farm boundary delineations within a target geographic area, comprising extracting data from pixels of a satellite image of the target geographic area, evaluating the data using a classification algorithm to generate one or more line segments between adjacent pixels, the one or more line segments being representative of a portion of a boundary delineation, connecting the one or more line segments to an adjacent line segment to form a boundary delineation defining at least one parcel of land within the target geographic area, and generating a boundary delineation map including the boundary delineation.

Abstract: High-efficiency, ultra-low power gas sensors are provided. In one aspect, a gas detector device is provided which includes: at least one gas sensor having a plurality of fins; a conformal resistive heating element on the fins; a conformal barrier layer on the resistive heating element; and a conformal sensing layer on the barrier layer. A method of forming a gas sensor as well as a method for use thereof in gas detection are also provided.

Abstract: A multifunctional sky camera system and techniques for the use thereof for total sky imaging and spectral irradiance/radiance measurement are provided. In one aspect, a sky camera system is provided. The sky camera system includes an objective lens having a field of view of greater than about 170 degrees; a spatial light modulator at an image plane of the objective lens, wherein the spatial light modulator is configured to attenuate light from objects in images captured by the objective lens; a semiconductor image sensor; and one or more relay lens configured to project the images from the spatial light modulator to the semiconductor image sensor. Techniques for use of the one or more of the sky camera systems for optical flow based cloud tracking and three-dimensional cloud analysis are also provided.

Abstract: Embodiments for controlling precipitation collection vessels to accurately and efficiently collect, measure, and aggregate precipitation accumulation data are disclosed. In one embodiment according to aspects of the present invention, a computer-implemented method includes collecting snow in a plurality of collection vessels by orienting an open end of each of the plurality of collection vessels perpendicularly to a direction of the wind based at least in part on a wind model. The computer-implemented method further includes measuring a snow level of the snow in each of the plurality of collection vessels to generate snow level data for each of the plurality of collection vessels. The computer-implemented method further includes aggregating the snow level data for each of the plurality of snow collection by assembling the snow accumulation data from each of the plurality of collection vessels.

Abstract: High-efficiency, ultra-low power gas sensors are provided. In one aspect, a gas detector device is provided which includes: at least one gas sensor having a plurality of fins; a conformal resistive heating element on the fins; a conformal barrier layer on the resistive heating element; and a conformal sensing layer on the barrier layer. A method of forming a gas sensor as well as a method for use thereof in gas detection are also provided.