Job: Consultant - Development and Configuration of an Infrasound-only Processing Pipeline

Location: Vienna
Deadline: Thursday, 07 November 2013

Assignment:

Background: The Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) was established in 1996 to promote signatures and ratifications of the Treaty and to build up its verification regime to detect nuclear explosions. The verification regime includes a global network of over 300 facilities that send data in near real-time data transmission to the CTBTO’s International Data Centre for processing and analysis. In the current waveform processing pipeline, the Global Association (GA) software builds events using available arrivals from seismic, hydroacoustic and infrasound stations. Work is on-going to reduce the number of both missed infrasound events and false events with infrasound phases. One approach being investigated is to use near-real-time global meteorological (wind and temperature) data to develop a more accurate infrasound propagation model, which will enable more effective search for real events while eliminating the false events. An initial approach is to use the improved propagation models to identify and filter out the false events following the association process. Ultimately, the propagation model will be incorporated directly into the association algorithm to improve the event-detection performance. While the primary objective is to improve the performance of the infrasound monitoring, the commission is, furthermore, developing a new association algorithm, NETVISA. The initial NETVISA delivery in early 2014 will be capable of processing only seismic and hydro-acoustic data. To take immediate advantage of NETVISA, the existing association processes must be configured so that infrasound data are processed separately using the existing GA software and fused afterward into the standard event lists. As a result an infrasound-only pipeline will be developed to both facilitate the integration of NETVISA and provide an environment for further improvements to infrasound processing. The Commission seeks a consultant with extensive experience in signal association to implement the infrasound-only pipeline and develop a framework for additional improvements to the infrasound processing. Duties: The consultant will report to the Head of the Software Integration Unit, Software Applications Section of the IDC. Duties and responsibilities include:

• Interview CTBTO staff to specify the requirements for improved infrasound processing;
• Submit a design of a new pipeline with separate infrasound and seismic-hydroacoustic components, the design shall outline the changes to the pipeline configuration and to the source code;
• After review and approval of the design by CTBTO staff, make the necessary changes to configuration and source code and write the change request to implement these changes for testing. It is expected that changes to the GAConflict application will be required for implementation;
• Run a set of tests, agreed upon with the CTBTO, to demonstrate that the results produced by the new pipeline are consistent with those from the current pipeline;
• Design a framework for integrating near-real time infrasound propagation models into the association algorithm.

Deliverables:

• Design specifying changes to the existing system;
• Changes to configuration and source code submitted to the IDC software repositories DCR describing how any changes should be implemented;
• Proposal for a test set to be used for testing and a report on any test results obtained during testing;
• Updated documentation as applicable. Independence of Action: The consultant may be expected to work independently at a remote site on specific objectives agreed upon with the Commission. The consultant will then have the latitude to determine the necessary actions to accomplish the specified work in consultation with Commission.

Qualifications:

1. Advanced university degree;
2. Experience with developing and testing robust operational software for global seismic and infrasound monitoring;
3. Experience with Relational database management systems;
4. Experience with IDC software, including development and maintenance of the relevant software components (GAassoc, GAconflict);
5. Advanced software development using C/C++ and Structured Query Language;
6. Fluency in written and spoken English.

Competencies:

Conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results and be able to work independently with minimum supervision. Very good skills in communicating with people from different backgrounds and demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment.

More Info and Application