Active imaging systems to see through adverse conditions: Light-scattering based models and experimental validation

- Models of active imaging systems to understand relevant physical phenomena affecting their performance.
- General description of the code architecture.
- New developments including light-scattering in the atmosphere from hydrometeors.
- Validation of the electromagnetic models under typical bad weather conditions such as rain or fog.
- First experimental validation comparing the results obtained using a commercial laser imaging systems.

Onera, the French aerospace lab, develops and models active imaging systems to understand the relevant physical phenomena affecting these systems performance. As a consequence, efforts have been done on the propagation of a pulse through the atmosphere and on target geometries and surface properties. These imaging systems must operate at night in all ambient illumination and weather conditions in order to perform strategic surveillance for various worldwide operations. We have implemented codes for 2D and 3D laser imaging systems. As we aim to image a scene in the presence of rain, snow, fog or haze, we introduce such light-scattering effects in our numerical models and compare simulated images with measurements provided by commercial laser scanners.