IEEE Oakland East Bay Section

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) offers significant advantages to customers within the commercial market due to its broad spectrum of applications and all-weather imaging ability, yet it faces hurdles that have slowed its adoption. Higher costs and smaller footprints of very high-resolution SAR may restrict its usage. Additionally, competition from optical systems, which are often seen as more straightforward and easier to interpret than a greyscale SAR image, can challenge SAR’s market positioning. This talk will examine some of SAR’s most effective applications and approaches to introducing very high-resolution SAR to a wider commercial market. Speaker(s): Hayley Pippin Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/440965

Meeting Description: Utility Scale Photovoltaic (PV) and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are often co-located, but have differing arc flash hazards. This presentation summarizes arc flash calculation inputs and methods for both types of systems and discusses various results both expected and unexpected. Maintaining compliance with arc flash safety standards in the context of the rapidly growing utility scale BESS market will also be discussed. Agenda: No-host social at 5:30pm Presentation at 6:00pm Dinner at 7:00pm Presentation continues at 7:45pm Adjourn by 8:30pm Zio Fraedo’s, 611 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill, California, United States, 94523

Abstract- High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors are renowned for their exceptional energy resolution and high efficiency in detecting gamma rays, making them indispensable in applications where precise energy spectrum measurements are critical. These detectors can also detect neutrons indirectly through secondary gamma emissions. HPGe detectors are currently employed across a diverse range of fields, including homeland security systems, environmental monitoring, nuclear safeguards, and advanced nuclear physics experiments. One notable application is in cargo inspection for radioactive materials. For instance, the Port Authority of New York has estimated that if a single terminal were closed for just one hour to investigate a false positive radiation signature, it could cost up to half million dollars. The Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) has tested HPGe detectors in portal monitoring configurations, demonstrating excellent standoff detection capabilities and radionuclide identification accuracy. Commercially available portable, electromechanically cooled HPGe detectors have been utilized by various federal and state agencies, including the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Energy (DOE), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Homeland Security/Customs and Border Protection (DHS/CBP), and Radiological Assistance Program (RAP) teams. In this presentation, we will explore the design of electronic systems necessary for conditioning and processing signals from HPGe detectors. A key focus will be on how these electronics are optimized to maintain signal integrity, ensuring that the superior resolution of HPGe detectors is fully utilized. We will discuss challenges related to signal amplification, noise reduction, and signal processing, as well as highlight the latest technological advancements that enhance accuracy and reliability in gamma-ray detection. Speaker(s): Marcos Turqueti Agenda: Event Agenda 1. Intro & Announcements- SPS & ComSoc East Bay Chapters 6.00-6.15 PM 2. Presentation - Signal Processing for HPGe Detectors 6.15-7.00 PM 3. Networking with Cocktail Food & Refreshments 7.00-8.00 PM UC Berkeley, Wozniak Lounge (Soda Hall, Room#430), 1860 Le Roy Ave, Berkeley, California, United States, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/439900