Visible Signature Prediction Improvements

This project improves the capabilities of hardbody optical signature programs to accurately support predictions in visible wavelengths. These improvements are primarily associated with 1) advancing Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) measurement techniques and associated databases, 2) providing accurate representations of the Earth radiance for any geographic location, time-of-day, time-of-year, and cloud cover, and 3) developing a rigorous and physically accurate approach for modeling Earth albedo reflections off endo- and exo- atmospheric hardbody objects. Advanced, massively parallel, programming techniques are employed to compute reflections at real-time (and faster) rates to support Hardware-In-The-Loop (HWIL) and Monte Carlo testing infrastructures. Our approach develops contemporary numerical algorithms, experimental techniques, and database structures to improve BRDF databases and algorithms within signature modeling programs. Approved for Public Release 15-MDA-8169 (20 March 15)