Atmospheric Effects on Imaging Seekers.
Abstract
The major body of knowledge about the effects of the atmosphere on optical radiation is best described by a small number of primary references. One goal of this effort was to establish a list of these primary references which are in the bibliography. Further, specific atmospheric effects are presented in summary form. An alternative objective was to identify deficiencies in the theoretical development as related specifically to imaging seeker applications. This was accomplished through comparison of assumptions and approximation made in the theoretical development with expected conditions for the seeker. A detailed theoretical development based on Maxwell's equations in a slightly inhomogeneous, weakly absorbing medium is given which describes the optical properties of the atmosphere. From the resultant atmospheric Green's function, the propagation of complex spatial optical amplitude functions from the object to the image plane of a simple lens is given. The atmosphere-lens modulation transfer function (MTF) is then computed from the spatial Fourier transform of the optical intensity function in the image plane. Contrast in the image plane is computed in terms of the definitions for universal and modulation contrast using the image plane intensity and adding a term for ambient irradiance. The theory as developed gives a rigorous treatment of the contrast transfer and MTF of an atmosphere-lens imaging system for the monochromatic case. It remains to extend the model to give contrast and MTF for the broadband case. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1978
- Accession Number
- ADA065404
Entities
People
- L. J. Pinson
Organizations
- Battelle Memorial Institute