SPECTRAL SCIENCES, INC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase II: Atmospheric effects, especially the impact of clouds, play a major role in remote sensing

Description

Atmospheric effects, especially the impact of clouds, play a major role in remote sensing applications, and in particular, the design of defense and surveillance systems. Of special importance, are the effects of clouds and terrain on ballistic missile launch detection and tracking. The detection of ballistic missile launches beneath an optically opaque cloud field in the presence of a solar-reflected background off clouds is a particularly stressing scenario. The potential utility of any proposed sensor concept for missile launch detection is typically evaluated through a system-level study which involves consideration of a threat system launch for a wide range of plausible conditions spanning the full space of possible backgrounds. Spectral Sciences, Inc. (SSI) proposes to develop and demonstrate a fast, robust three-dimensional (3D) scene generation algorithm to fulfill MDA needs for accurate cloud and terrain background models for ultraviolet, visible and infrared wavelengths. To develop this model, we build on SSI"s extensive experience in the use and development of existing background models, expanding their utility to develop an efficient, high spatial resolution 3D cloud and terrain capability. The model will be consistent with current MDA scene generation models, such as FLITES and SSGM.