Zhuang Xiaoqiong

Study on shortwave infrared long-distance imaging performance based on multiband imaging experiments

Abstract. Balloon-borne or ground-based high resolution long range observation has extensive applications in border monitoring and area surveillance. Performance of long-distance oblique or horizontal imaging systems is closely related to the atmospheric transmittance of the observing spectral band. Compared with visible and near infrared, the shortwave infrared (SWIR) band benefits from less scattering effects, which enables it to provide better quality images under harsh atmospheric conditions. We present a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) model including atmospheric influences. Based on the model, image SNR was calculated in the spectral range of 0.4 μm to 2.5 μm. In order to validate the imaging performance model of SWIR, a multi-band camera was designed and spectral imaging experiments were conducted. The results clearly demonstrated the advantage of SWIR imaging. The experiments show that the contrast and SNR of SWIR images reduced insignificantly for long distances and under low visibility conditions. This advantage makes SWIR multiband cameras suitable for long-distance remote sensing and for observing through haze.