A Novel Method for Fast Rendering of Missile Plume Imagery

Since infrared radiation from missile exhaust plumes is a key observable for many satellite sensors and interceptor seekers, considerable effort has been expended in developing and validating high-fidelity plume signature codes. However, their utility for systems studies of missile fly-outs is limited by extremely long run times for each calculation. Spectral Sciences developed a data-driven algorithm suite for fast, accurate rendering of real-world plume imagery. The FRAMES (Fast Rendering Algorithm for Missile Emission Scenes) model uses a small matrix of calculations along with field data plus innovative spatial morphing and field interpolation algorithms to enable fast frame rate plume imagery to be generated using a single PC over a broad range of missile and sensor operational conditions. FRAMES is built around a database of precalculated high-altitude plumes that, for each missile type, span a range of angles of attack, missile speeds, and atmospheric conditions. The completed Phase I program demonstrated the feasibility of FRAMES for scaling plumes above 110 km altitude to different angles of attack. In Phase II we will extend FRAMES to the full missile trajectory, including automated calculation of the supporting plume database and generation of multiple images along the trajectory.