Polarimetric Sensor for Air-to-Surface Missile Systems

Polarization imaging holds promise for providing significant improvements in contrast in a number of target detection and discrimination applications. In several recent development efforts, it has been demonstrated that manmade objects have a significantly stronger polarization signal than natural backgrounds resulting in good contrast that complements the conventionally imaged infrared signature. However, these experimental polarimetric systems frequently require long data acquisition times which result in artifacts in the polarization imagery due to platform or target motion, or involve very large hardware packages not appropriate for an EO seeker system. Polaris Sensor Technologies, Inc proposes in a phase II effort to build a LWIR division of focal plane imaging polarimeter. The system will comprise a micro-polarizer array developed by University of Central Florida bonded to a micro-bolometer FPA. Two copies of the imaging polarimeter will be developed and tested. Field testing will be conducted at by measuring military targets against variable earth backgrounds at the Precision Armaments Laboratory 300 foot tower facility, Picatinny Arsenal.