CORPRAL Data Search Tips

Background

The CORPRAL ranking algorithm scans the RPI database to select plasmagrams containing traces. The central piece of the CORPRAL is a cognitive algorithm that detects smooth sequences of RPI echoes in the plasmagram image (i.e., traces). When found, the traces are written to the RPI database, along with the ratings and other support  information, as derived data. The derived data records are visible to the BinBrowser workstations that can access the database via Internet. Using BinBrowser, it is then possible to look for plasmagram with signatures by quering the database. This document describes how the query mechanism can be used for locating rated plasmagrams and suggests search examples.

BinBrowser Query Form

The Database Query Form of BinBrowser is shown on Fig. 1.
It consists of six major controls:

• Search Interval panel
• L0 Data Location box
• Rated Data Search checkbox
• Expert Selector
• Rating Criteria textbox
• Measurement Criteria textbox
  

Search Interval  Panel

Specify start and stop dates for the search. The "+1d" button can be used to set stop date at +1 day from the start.
The search interval is restricted to 5 days unless the rated data subset is searched (and the Rated Data Search checkbox is checked).

L0 Data Location

It helps to establish a local L0 data file archive and avoid data transfers from the RPI database at Lowell over Internet. If such archive is available, specify local path to it in this textbox.

Rated Data Search checkbox

To restrict data search to only rated measurements, select the Rated Data Search checkbox. If selected, the Expert Selector and the Rating Criteria textbox become enabled.

Expert Selector

There are five possibilities of searching the plasmagrams using the expert knowledge stored in the database:

1. ANY EXPERT:  any human or automated ratings are scanned
2. ANY HUMAN: only human expert ratings are scanned, automated ratings are ignored during the search
3. ANY CORPRAL: only automated ratings are scanned
   
4. CORPRAL EXCLUSIVE: only those RPI plasmagrams are selected that were rated by CORPRAL but do not contain any human ratings. This mechanism is useful to locate automatically detected plasmagrams with traces that none of human experts have looked at yet.
5. INDIVIDUAL EXPERT: just ratings made by a particular expert (human or automated)
   

Rating Criteria

To further restrict the number of qualifying rated plasmagrams, the following rating criteria can be used:

• MP - reflections from the magnetopause
• PP - reflections from the plasmapause
• DUC - ducted propagation
• CUS - reflections from the cusp
• RES - resonance signatures present
• DIR - echo directions available
• OTH - other rating reported, see expert comments for details
• TRA - number of traces found on the plasmagram
  

The following system of rates is used for all criteria expect for the number of traces:

• 0 - no signature found
• 1 - probable signature
• 2 - good signature
• 3 - high confidence signature
  

An example entry in this textbox would be

PP > 2

As of May 13, 2002, the CORPRAL V1 does not provide ratings for the found plasmagrams, but the number of found traces can be used as the rating criterion.

Measurement Criteria

Here restrictions on the general measurement characteristics can be applied. There are three groups of such characteristics:

• Program parameters (e.g., operating frequency range, choice of waveform, etc.)
• Geospace characteristics (e.g., predicted plasma frequency, etc.)
• Orbit parameters (e.g., range to Earth, MLAT, etc.)
  

The list of all available search parameters can be found in the search instructions section of the Query form.

Rated Data Search Examples

Looks for newly found plasmagrams with a large number of found traces:

Expert selector:	CORPRAL Exclusive
Rating criteria:	TRA > 7
Measurement criteria:	(leave blank)

Looks for newly found plasmagrams with potential reflections from the polar cup:
   

Expert selector:	CORPRAL Exclusive
Rating criteria:	(leave blank)
Measurement criteria:	PP.MLAT > 70

Looks for plasmagrams with potential reflections from the magnetopause:
   

Expert selector:	All Experts
Rating criteria:	(leave blank)
Measurement criteria:	PP.DMP < 5 and PP.MLAT < 60 and LOWER_FREQ < 40

Looks for newly found plasmagrams with potential ducted echoes:
   

Expert selector:	CORPRAL Exclusive
Rating criteria:	(leave blank)
Measurement criteria:	PP.DPLA < 1 and PP.DPLA > 0

Other Tips

• Enable Always Use Expert View options in the Expert menu to see the image in the representation used by CORPRAL for processing. This representation includes an optimally selected color legend.