Some key electro-optical measurements required to characterize an aircraft plume for automated recognition are shown, as well as some aspects of the processing and use of these measurements. Plume measurements with Short Wavelength Infrared (1.1 – 2.5 um), Mid-Wavelength Infrared (2.5 – 7 um) and Long Wavelength Infrared (7 – 15 um) cameras are presented, as well as spectroradiometer measurements covering the whole Mid-Wavelength, Long Wavelength and upper part of the Short Wavelength Infrared bands. The two limiting factors for the detection of the plume, i.e. the atmospheric transmission bands and the plume emission bands, are discussed, and it is shown how a micro turbine engine can assist in aircraft plume studies. One such a study, regarding the differentiation between an aircraft plume and a blackbody emitter using subbands in the Mid-Wavelength Infrared, is presented. The factors influencing aircraft plume emission are discussed, and the measurements required to characterize an aircraft plume for the purpose of constructing a mathematical plume model are indicated. Since the required measurements are prescribed by the plume model requirements, a brief overview of the plume model, that can be used to simulate the results of the plume’s emission under different conditions and observation configurations, is given. Such a model can be used to test the robustness of algorithms, like the mentioned subband method, for identifying aircraft plumes. Such a model furthermore enables the simulation of measurements that would be obtained by an electro-optical system, like an infrared seekerhead of a missile, of a plume for the purpose of algorithm training under various simulated environmental conditions.

Date Published: 23 June 2014
PDF: 15 pages
Proc. SPIE 9257, Sensors, MEMS and Electro-Optical Systems, 92570C (23 June 2014); doi: 10.1117/12.2066290

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9257:
Sensors, MEMS and Electro-Optical Systems
Monuko du Plessis, Editor(s)