Environmental bugs invade EO imaging systems

Wendell R. Watkins

doi:10.1117/12.154737

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31 August 1993 Environmental bugs invade EO imaging systems

Wendell R. Watkins

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Proceedings Volume 1969, Infrared Imaging Systems: Design, Analysis, Modeling, and Testing IV; (1993) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.154737
Event: Optical Engineering and Photonics in Aerospace Sensing, 1993, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

Often electro-optical (EO) imaging systems in the thermal infrared (IR) are used for applications for which they were not originally designed. On the flip side, EO imaging systems are touted as applicable for scenarios when the magnitude of the effects of the environment (that can and do occur) have not been adequately characterized. As a result when an imaging system does not perform as expected, there is much pointing of fingers to place blame and discussion of environmental bugs (counterpart to computer bugs) getting into the equipment and fouling up the works. Some examples of these subtle problems that impact the design and use of EO imaging systems in the thermal IR are discussed in this paper, particularly the effects of optical turbulence, path radiance, and field calibration.

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Wendell R. Watkins "Environmental bugs invade EO imaging systems", Proc. SPIE 1969, Infrared Imaging Systems: Design, Analysis, Modeling, and Testing IV, (31 August 1993); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.154737

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