A Semantic-Loss Function Modeling Framework With Task-Oriented Machine Learning Perspectives

The integration of machine learning (ML) has significantly enhanced the capabilities of Earth Observation (EO) systems by enabling the extraction of actionable insights from complex datasets. However, the performance of data-driven EO applications is heavily influenced by the data collection and transmission processes, where limited satellite bandwidth and latency constraints can hinder the full transmission of original data to the receivers. To address this issue, adopting the concepts of Semantic Communication (SC) offers a promising solution by prioritizing the transmission of essential data semantics over raw information. Implementing SC for EO systems requires a thorough understanding of the impact of data processing and communication channel conditions on semantic loss at the processing center. This work proposes a novel data-fitting framework to empirically model the semantic loss using real-world EO datasets and domain-specific insights. The framework quantifies two primary types of semantic loss: (1) source coding loss, assessed via a data quality indicator measuring the impact of processing on raw source data, and (2) transmission loss, evaluated by comparing practical transmission performance against the Shannon limit. Semantic losses are estimated by evaluating the accuracy of EO applications using four task-oriented ML models, EfficientViT, MobileViT, ResNet50-DINO, and ResNet8-KD, on lossy image datasets under varying channel conditions and compression ratios. These results underpin a framework for efficient semantic-loss modeling in bandwidth-constrained EO scenarios, enabling more reliable and effective operations.

Semantic Knowledge Distillation for Onboard Satellite Earth Observation Image Classification

This study presents an innovative dynamic weighting knowledge distillation (KD) framework tailored for efficient Earth observation (EO) image classification (IC) in resource-constrained settings. Utilizing EfficientViT and MobileViT as teacher models, this framework enables lightweight student models, particularly ResNet8 and ResNet16, to surpass 90% in accuracy, precision, and recall, adhering to the stringent confidence thresholds necessary for reliable classification tasks. Unlike conventional KD methods that rely on static weight distribution, our adaptive weighting mechanism responds to each teacher model's confidence, allowing student models to prioritize more credible sources of knowledge dynamically. Remarkably, ResNet8 delivers substantial efficiency gains, achieving a 97.5% reduction in parameters, a 96.7% decrease in FLOPs, an 86.2% cut in power consumption, and a 63.5% increase in inference speed over MobileViT. This significant optimization of complexity and resource demands establishes ResNet8 as an optimal candidate for EO tasks, combining robust performance with feasibility in deployment. The confidence-based, adaptable KD approach underscores the potential of dynamic distillation strategies to yield high-performing, resource-efficient models tailored for satellite-based EO applications. The reproducible code is accessible on our GitHub repository.

A Hybrid Optimization and Deep RL Approach for Resource Allocation in Semi-GF NOMA Networks

Semi-grant-free non-orthogonal multiple access (semi-GF NOMA) has emerged as a promising technology for the fifth-generation new radio (5G-NR) networks supporting the coexistence of a large number of random connections with various quality of service requirements. However, implementing a semi-GF NOMA mechanism in 5G-NR networks with heterogeneous services has raised several resource management problems relating to unpredictable interference caused by the GF access strategy. To cope with this challenge, the paper develops a novel hybrid optimization and multi-agent deep (HOMAD) reinforcement learning-based resource allocation design to maximize the energy efficiency (EE) of semi-GF NOMA 5G-NR systems. In this design, a multi-agent deep Q network (MADQN) approach is employed to conduct the subchannel assignment (SA) among users. While optimization-based methods are utilized to optimize the transmission power for every SA setting. In addition, a full MADQN scheme conducting both SA and power allocation is also considered for comparison purposes. Simulation results show that the HOMAD approach outperforms other benchmarks significantly in terms of the convergence time and average EE.