Open AccessRadiometric cloud imaging with an uncooled microbolometer thermal infrared camera
Author(s) -
Joseph A. Shaw,
Paul W. Nugent,
Nathan J. Pust,
B. Thurairajah,
K. Mizutani
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/opex.13.005807
Subject(s) - microbolometer , radiance , remote sensing , radiometric calibration , infrared , sky , radiometry , optics , calibration , cirrus , radiometric dating , interferometry , environmental science , materials science , bolometer , physics , detector , geology , meteorology , quantum mechanics
An uncooled microbolometer-array thermal infrared camera has been incorporated into a remote sensing system for radiometric sky imaging. The radiometric calibration is validated and improved through direct comparison with spectrally integrated data from the Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI). With the improved calibration, the Infrared Cloud Imager (ICI) system routinely obtains sky images with radiometric uncertainty less than 0.5 W/(m(2 )sr) for extended deployments in challenging field environments. We demonstrate the infrared cloud imaging technique with still and time-lapse imagery of clear and cloudy skies, including stratus, cirrus, and wave clouds.