Polish README and JOSS manuscript visuals

MANIFEST.in

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ include START_RingSentry.bat
 include START_RingSentry.cmd
 include 双击启动_RingSentry.cmd
 
-recursive-include assets/readme *.svg
+recursive-include assets/readme *.svg *.png *.json
 include docs/CORE_API.md
 include docs/USER_GUIDE.md
 include docs/ZENODO_DOI_PLAN.md

README.md

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <p align="center">
-  <img src="assets/readme/hero.svg" width="100%" alt="RingSentry 衍环前哨：二维衍射图预处理与质控工具。">
+  <img src="assets/readme/hero.png" width="100%" alt="RingSentry: Reproducible diffraction-image preprocessing. AI-generated conceptual illustration.">
 </p>
 
 <div align="center">
@@ -116,6 +116,8 @@ binning → intensity transform → gamma → normalization.
 
 ## Reproducible headless example
 
+<p align="center"><img src="paper/figures/synthetic_processing.png" width="100%" alt="Seeded synthetic detector input and processing output, reproduced by RingSentry."></p>
+
 This example generates its own deterministic synthetic ring image. It is not
 an experimental result or a performance benchmark.
 

assets/readme/hero-generation.json

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{
+  "name": "RingSentry",
+  "subtitle": "Reproducible diffraction-image preprocessing",
+  "palette": "Deep midnight navy, luminous cyan, restrained warm amber",
+  "motif": "A precise flat detector plane with concentric powder-diffraction rings, a delicately visible pixel matrix, and a second refined detector plane linked by a simple short processing path. Keep rings circular on the plane; this is a conceptual motif, no measurements.",
+  "tool": "image_gen built-in; model identifier not exposed",
+  "revision": null,
+  "prompt": "Create one exceptionally polished scientific software README cover banner, wide landscape approximately 2.4:1 aspect ratio, premium editorial art direction, high resolution. Project: RingSentry. Palette: Deep midnight navy, luminous cyan, restrained warm amber. Concept: A precise flat detector plane with concentric powder-diffraction rings, a delicately visible pixel matrix, and a second refined detector plane linked by a simple short processing path. Keep rings circular on the plane; this is a conceptual motif, no measurements. Compose generous negative space and sharply legible refined sans-serif typography integrated with the scientific motif. Exact text, no other copy: \"RingSentry\" large, \"Reproducible diffraction-image preprocessing\" smaller, and a discreet \"Conceptual illustration\". Make name/subtitle read immediately at GitHub width. Restrained three-dimensional material, carefully controlled highlights, precise linework, sophisticated hierarchy and balanced composition. No generic AI neon clouds, no random particles, no badges, no claims, no photoreal experimental data, no fake application screenshot, no watermarks or publisher branding. This is an editorial cover, not a quantitative paper figure.",
+  "created_on": "2026-09-27",
+  "purpose": "README conceptual cover only, not experimental data or software output",
+  "sha256": "e44ca17190194571e85abe4dfa48d096ad2ca2dbed02abed8e5d22b67c7defa9"
+}

docs/joss/submission-record.json

@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@
   },
   "ai_assistance": {
     "current_round": "OpenAI Codex, GPT-6, 2026-09-27: repository audit, packaging, tests, documentation, manuscript and bibliography preparation, validation and Git integration.",
-    "historical_disclosure": "Retain project-specific disclosures; AbsSAXS AI history is not copied to these projects."
+    "historical_disclosure": "Retain project-specific disclosures; AbsSAXS AI history is not copied to these projects.",
+    "visual_revision": "2026-09-27: Codex revised reproducible manuscript figure scripts, captured real application widgets and prepared conceptual README covers using the built-in image-generation tool (model identifier not exposed). Prompt and image provenance are retained in the repository. Final author review remains pending."
   },
   "submission_date": null,
   "related_publications": [

docs/joss/visual-provenance.md

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# Visual sources and reproduction
+
+The September 2026 visual revision separates editorial illustrations from research-software evidence.
+
+- `assets/readme/hero.png` is an AI-generated **conceptual illustration** for the README. It is not detector data, a calculated result, or an application screenshot. The prompt, tool description and file hash are in `hero-generation.json` beside it. The built-in image tool did not expose a model identifier; no specific model-version claim is made.
+- The editable section headers use repository-owned SVG. The previous SVG cover remains as an alternative source asset.
+- Manuscript diagrams and numerical plots are generated by the repository scripts below, with SVG and PDF vector exports and 450 dpi PNGs. Scientific arrays, reflection positions, and solver observations are not modified by an image-generation model.
+- Numerical demonstrations use only the bundled synthetic fixtures and actual software calculations. AnisoScope's interface figure, where applicable, is captured from real Qt widgets; the capture JSON records its inputs and hash.
+
+From the repository root, with the project's dependencies and Matplotlib installed:
+
+```bash
+python paper/figures/make_figures.py
+```
+
+Inspect the generated images and recompile `paper/paper.md` using the official draft-PDF workflow after any figure change. The README cover is not included as a scientific manuscript figure. Synthetic verification is not independent reproduction of the Acta Materialia experimental study.