Impact of atmospheric aerosols on long range image quality

Daniel A. LeMaster; Michael T. Eismann

doi:10.1117/12.918286

18 May 2012 Impact of atmospheric aerosols on long range image quality

Proceedings Volume 8355, Infrared Imaging Systems: Design, Analysis, Modeling, and Testing XXIII; 83550F (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.918286
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2012, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Abstract

Image quality in high altitude long range imaging systems can be severely limited by atmospheric absorption, scattering, and turbulence. Atmospheric aerosols contribute to this problem by scattering target signal out of the optical path and by scattering in unwanted light from the surroundings. Target signal scattering may also lead to image blurring though, in conventional modeling, this effect is ignored. The validity of this choice is tested in this paper by developing an aerosol modulation transfer function (MTF) model for an inhomogeneous atmosphere and then applying it to real-world scenarios using MODTRAN derived scattering parameters. The resulting calculations show that aerosol blurring can be effectively ignored.

Citation Download Citation

Daniel A. LeMaster and Michael T. Eismann "Impact of atmospheric aerosols on long range image quality", Proc. SPIE 8355, Infrared Imaging Systems: Design, Analysis, Modeling, and Testing XXIII, 83550F (18 May 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.918286

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