The OCEANS global UV-VIS-IR Ocean Background Model

Atmospheric effects, including the significant impact of ocean radiance, play a major role in remote sensing applications and the design of defense and surveillance systems. Tracking dim targets against a cluttered ocean background which is highly spatially and temporally varying is a particularly stressing scenario. The potential utility of any proposed sensor concept for missile launch detection or remote sensing is typically evaluated through a system-level study which involves consideration of a threat scenario against 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 scene generation algorithm to fulfill MDA needs for accurate ocean background models for ultraviolet, visible and infrared wavelengths. To develop this model, we will build on SSI’s previously gained knowledge and on the use of existing background models, expanding their utility to develop an efficient, high spatial resolution ocean capability. The model will be consistent with the current MDA scene generation models, such as FLITES and SSGM.