New experiments in the use of infrared polarization in the detection of small targets

Abstract

In this paper, we will discuss a novel technology, which we have recently developed for automatic target detection and recognition by polarimetric imaging system. This technology consists of an approach to non-cooperative small target detection that uses statistical techniques to exploit a target's Stokes vector IR signature. This is applicable to sensors whose signature measurements are sensitive to the polarization of the targets and their backgrounds. Fusion is achieved by constructing the joint statistical measures for the target's polarization states. Target polarization states are in terms of the intensity, percent of linear polarization, and the angel of polarization plane. Applications of the proposed approach, for military targets under variations in target geometry are made in terms of receiver operating characteristic condition curves. The new results, which have been obtained on data from the Air Force's IRMA polarimetric IR simulation tool, indicate the usefulness of polarimetric RI signatures for the automatic detection of small targets.