Field performance evaluation of aged thermal imaging systems

Mohamed H. Ellithey; Hany M. El-sheikh; Alaaeldin Mahmoud; Ayman M. Mokhtar

doi:10.1117/12.2604304

9 October 2021 Field performance evaluation of aged thermal imaging systems

Mohamed H. Ellithey, Hany M. El-sheikh, Alaaeldin Mahmoud, Ayman M. Mokhtar

Proceedings Volume 11906, Infrared, Millimeter-Wave, and Terahertz Technologies VIII; 119060O (2021) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2604304
Event: SPIE/COS Photonics Asia, 2021, Nantong, JS, China

Abstract

Thermal imaging is considered as one of the most powerful and easier method that is used in observation applications. Since it can provide users with images that contain a lot of details about the observed scenarios in day and night also during bad atmospheric conditions. But by the fact of aging during the operation of Thermal Imaging Systems (TIS), the TIS main parameters and characteristics’ nominal values are deviated which has a high impact on the TIS tactical performance. These aged TIS are still working but in a lower efficiency, and consequently the observation capability will be decreased. Field performance evaluation of the TIS is one of the powerful measuring methods that is used to determine the actual discrimination ranges under different atmospheric conditions. This paper is devoted to offer a methodology for evaluating the aged TIS at the field. An experimental determination of TIS’s Minimum Resolvable Temperature Difference (MRTD) is performed by using an Inframet DT-150 test station. The discrimination range process (Detection, Recognition and Identification) is executed with the aid of MODTRAN software to simulate the real conditions for the atmospheric scenarios. Our presented methodology has enabled us to stand on the aged TIS actual performance to detect, recognize and identify different standard NATO (vehicle and human) targets. Moreover, redefining the aged TIS new missions according to their actual abilities. Finally, this paper was concluded with a real evaluation for an aged TIS (Bidentifier 100) as a case study. This method can be applied to any TIS whether it operates in mid or long wave Infrared (IR) spectral band.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Mohamed H. Ellithey, Hany M. El-sheikh, Alaaeldin Mahmoud, and Ayman M. Mokhtar "Field performance evaluation of aged thermal imaging systems", Proc. SPIE 11906, Infrared, Millimeter-Wave, and Terahertz Technologies VIII, 119060O (9 October 2021); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2604304

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