Merging Real Images with Physics Simulations via Data Assimilation

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Euro-Par 2021: Parallel Processing Workshops (Euro-Par 2021)

Abstract

This work has started from the necessity of improving the accuracy of numerical simulations of COVID-19 transmission. Coughing is one of the most effective ways to transmit SARS-CoV-2, the strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Cough is a spontaneous reflex that helps to protect the lungs and airways from unwanted irritants and pathogens and it involves droplet expulsion at speeds close to 50 miles/h. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most efficient ways to spread diseases, especially respiratory viruses that need host cells in which to reproduce. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) are a powerful way to simulate droplets expelled by mouth and nose when people are coughing and/or sneezing. As with all numerical models, the models for coughing and sneezing introduce uncertainty through the selection of scales and parameters. Considering these uncertainties is essential for the acceptance of any numerical simulation. Numerical forecasting models often use Data Assimilation (DA) methods for uncertainty quantification in the medium to long-term analysis. DA is the approximation of the true state of some physical system at a given time by combining time-distributed observations with a dynamic model in an optimal way. DA incorporates observational data into a prediction model to improve numerically forecast results. In this paper, we develop a Variational Data Assimilation model to assimilate direct observation of the physical mechanisms of droplet formation at the exit of the mouth during coughing. Specifically, we use high-speed imaging, from prior research work, which directly examines the fluid fragmentation at the exit of the mouths of healthy subjects in a sneezing condition. We show the impact of the proposed approach in terms of accuracy with respect to CFD simulations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
GBP 19.95
Price includes VAT (United Kingdom)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
GBP 63.99
Price includes VAT (United Kingdom)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
GBP 79.99
Price includes VAT (United Kingdom)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free ship** worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Arcucci, R., Mottet, L., Pain, C., Guo, Y.K.: Optimal reduced space for variational data assimilation. J. Comput. Phys. 379, 51–69 (2019)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  2. Asch, M., Bocquet, M., Nodet, M.: Data Assimilation: Methods, Algorithms, and Applications, vol. 11. SIAM, Philadelphia (2016)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  3. Bourouiba, L., Dehandschoewercker, E., Bush, J.W.: Violent expiratory events: on coughing and sneezing. J. Fluid Mech. 745, 537–563 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Bradski, G.: The openCV library. Dr. Dobb’s J. Softw. Tools 25(1), 120–123 (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Guha, A., Barron, R.M., Balachandar, R.: Numerical simulation of high-speed turbulent water jets in air. J. Hydraul. Res. 48(1), 119–124 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Gupta, J.K., Lin, C.H., Chen, Q.: Flow dynamics and characterization of a cough. Indoor Air 19(6), 517–525 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Jain, M., Prakash, R.S., Tomar, G., Ravikrishna, R.: Secondary breakup of a drop at moderate weber numbers. Proc. Roy. Soc. Math. Phys. Eng. Sci. 471(2177), 20140930 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Jayaweera, M., Perera, H., Gunawardana, B., Manatunge, J.: Transmission of covid-19 virus by droplets and aerosols: a critical review on the unresolved dichotomy. Environ. Res. 188, 109819 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Kalman, R.: A new approach to linear filtering and prediction problems. Trans. ASME J. Basic Eng. 82(1), 35–45 (1960)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  10. Kalnay, E.: Atmospheric Modeling, Data Assimilation and Predictability. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Liu, D.C., Nocedal, J.: On the limited memory BFGS method for large scale optimization. Math. Program. 45(1–3), 503–528 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01589116

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  12. Lorenc, A.: Development of an operational variational assimilation scheme. J. Meteorol. Soc. Japan 75, 339–346 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Pain, C., Umpleby, A., De Oliveira, C., Goddard, A.: Tetrahedral mesh optimisation and adaptivity for steady-state and transient finite element calculations. Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Eng.Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Eng. 190(29), 3771–3796 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Pavlidis, D., Gomes, J.L.M.A., **e, Z., Percival, J.R., Pain, C.C., Matar, O.K.: Compressive advection and multi-component methods for interface-capturing. Int. J. Numer. Meth. Fluids 80(4), 256–282 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1002/fld

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  15. Scharfman, B.E., Techet, A.H., Bush, J.W.M., Bourouiba, L.: Visualization of sneeze ejecta: steps of fluid fragmentation leading to respiratory droplets. Exp. Fluids 57(2), 1–9 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-015-2078-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Sun, W., Ji, J.: Transport of droplets expelled by coughing in ventilated rooms. Indoor Built Environ. 16(6), 493–504 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Wei, J., Li, Y.: Enhanced spread of expiratory droplets by turbulence in a cough jet. Build. Environ. 93, 86–96 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Wikle, C.K., Berliner, L.M.: A bayesian tutorial for data assimilation. Physica D 230(1–2), 1–16 (2007)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  19. Zhu, C., Byrd, R.H., Lu, P., Nocedal, J.: Algorithm 778: L-BFGS-B: fortran subroutines for large-scale bound-constrained optimization. ACM Trans. Math. Softw. (TOMS) 23(4), 550–560 (1997)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  20. Zhu, S., Kato, S., Yang, J.H.: Study on transport characteristics of saliva droplets produced by coughing in a calm indoor environment. Build. Environ. 41(12), 1691–1702 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the EP/V036777/1 Risk EvaLuatIon fAst iNtelligent Tool (RELIANT) for COVID19 and the EP/T000414/1 PREdictive Modelling with QuantIfication of UncERtainty for MultiphasE Systems (PREMIERE).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rossella Arcucci .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Arcucci, R. et al. (2022). Merging Real Images with Physics Simulations via Data Assimilation. In: Chaves, R., et al. Euro-Par 2021: Parallel Processing Workshops. Euro-Par 2021. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13098. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-06156-1_21

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-06156-1_21

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-06155-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-06156-1

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Navigation