Date of Award

6-15-2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Engineering Physics

First Advisor

Steven Fiorino, PhD.

Abstract

Airborne hyperspectral imaging (HSI) in the LWIR has shown utility in material detection and identification. This research seeks to determine the most effective methods to perform model-based atmospheric compensation of LWIR HSI data by comparing results obtained from different atmospheric profiles. The standard model for mid-latitude summer (MLS) and radiosonde data are compared to the National Operational Model Archive and Distribution System (NOMADS) numerical weather predictions and the Extreme and Percentile Environmental Reference Tables (ExPERT). The two latter atmospheric profiles are generated using the Laser Environmental Effects Definition and Reference (LEEDR) software. MLS has been a standard starting point for model-based atmospheric compensation codes, but this study tests the effectiveness of starting with a more accurate model of the atmosphere. The results suggest improvements can be obtained using NOMADS and ExPERT when compared to MLS and radiosonde approaches.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-ENP-MS-17-J-014

DTIC Accession Number

AD1055417

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