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====== ESA Summer of Code in Space 2013 ======

===== Ideas =====

- Extend open-source toolkit which can be used as an substitute for closed source programs.
   - Design and implement reliable algorithms for distinguishing different types of meteors.

==== Open-source meteor detection toolkit ====
=== Brief explanation ===

[[en:rmds|RMDS01A]] is a SDR receiver system designed for radio detection of meteor trails. It's advantage over other designs is a high performance software defined receiver and completely open-source design, which allows for advanced signal processing of radio images. The primary setup we used included non open-source software like Spectrumlab and HDSDR. We therefore developed completely open-source alternative.

== Software for RMDS01A ==

[[en:RMDS]]

Most important pieces of software are done. What is needed is to glue them together to cooperate flawlessly. 
For data acquisition we created program [[https://github.com/nnen/waterfall|waterfall]] which reads input from SDR receiver and generates both FITS raw files and jpeg previews of these files for interactive visual inspection. 
For data synchronization with other nodes a set of [[http://www.mlab.cz/WebSVN/listing.php?repname=MLAB&path=%2FDesigns%2FMeasuring_instruments%2FRMDS01A%2FSW%2FTools%2F#_Designs_Measuring_instruments_RMDS01A_SW_Tools_|bash scripts]] is used. Basic HTML5 interface was developed for live inspection of the received stream by many concurrent users over the internet.

Some screenshots from [[https://github.com/nnen/waterfall|waterfall]] development:
{{:cs:sdr:snapshot_vlak_1368122931.fits.jpeg?600|}}
{{:en:varhany.fits.jpeg?600|}}

==Proposed projects:==
  - **Difficulty**: //medium// **Importance**: //high//. GUI to glue all above mentioned software together to provide solid user experience and ease of use. 
  - **Difficulty**: //easy// **Importance**: //medium//. Finish the HTML5 GUI for watching live streams, implement interactive elements (like LO frequency changing). Optimize for use with mobile devices (tablets, smartphones).
  - **Difficulty**: //hard// **Importance**: //medium//. Implement algorithms for trajectory calculation of meteors. We will provide all algorithms to be implemented. Some very basic example: http://meteor.uwo.ca/research/radar/cmor_intro.html
  - **Difficulty**: //medium// **Importance**: //medium. Design and implement robust algorithms for processing the signal. The recommendations are to use one of: [[http://root.cern.ch/drupal/|ROOT]], [[http://www.gnu.org/software/octave/|GNU Octave]], [[http://www.r-project.org/|R]].

//

=== Expected results ===

Single package which will be able to install software needed for viewing, detection, collection and processing of meteor signals.

=== Knowledge prerequisites ===

* Knowledge of programming languages necessary to implement the solution (C/C++ preferred for performance reasons).
  * Ability to use/learn to use basic development tools (IDE, version control software, issue tracking systems).
  * Ability to learn and use third-party libraries necessary to implement the solution (CFITSIO, libfft, libusb, ...).
  * Some math skills, at least has to know what Fourier transform does.
  * Knowledge of most used data structures and algorithms, network and thread programming.

===== Test =====

We have several [[en:rmds|Radio Meteor Detection Stations]] spread around the central Europe (within the range of French GRAVES radar). These stations are time synchonised by GPS with a precision of 65 ns. The relevant signals get reflected from meteor trails created by meteoroids which have a speed in the range of 20 to 70 km/s. These signals will be loaded by various levels of noise at each of the stations. The sampled signal will be used for on-line determination of the meteor trail vector in terrestrial coordinates - so the data bandwidth required by this task must be minimal. (This will processed in order to extrapolate impact ellipse on the ground.)

What are the optimal parameters of a signal sampling ADC chained after [[en:sdrx|SDRX01B]] receiver for obtaining the best precision of the trail geometry? (eg. bit depth of conversion and sampling rate)

Expected result is at least one of the following:

* Model of the signal chain. (with noise injection)
  * Mathematical explanation of the optimal values.
  * ADC parameters with an explanation of how they have been determined.

===== Contact =====

For further information we strongly recommend to contact the project coordinator Jakub Kakona (kaklik@mlab.cz)

Pokud navíc umíte český jazyk, tak je vhodné si též prohlédnout [[cs:programming_tasks|českou verzi stránky]].

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