This is an 8 Volume collection of information about IR & EO Systems,
co-published by ERIM and SPIE Press. Anyone who works in EO/IR systems
should have a set on their shelf, but if you want a hardcopy set, it will
set you back a pretty penny. However, through the magic of the internet,
you can get a PDF copy of any of the volumes that you are interested in.
These are available through the Defense Technical Information Center,
aka DTIC. To get your very own copy, go to the DTIC web page
"Scientific and Technical Information
Network" located at "http://stinet.dtic.mil/". Click on the link titled "Search
Scientific & Technical Documents". Use the search term "Accetta and
Shumaker" (the executive editors of this technical opus) and there
you are. Download to your heart's content. The titles of the volumes
available (with their DTIC reference numbers) are as follows:
Volume 1: Sources of Radiation (ADA364020)
Volume 2: Atmospheric Propagation of Radiation (ADA364019)
Volume 3: Electro-Optical Components (ADA364017)
Volume 4: Electro-Optical Systems Design, Analysis, and Testing (ADA364024)
Volume 5: Passive Electro-Optical Systems (ADA364023)
Volume 6: Active Electro-Optical Systems (ADA364022)
Volume 7: Countermeasure Systems (ADA364021)
Volume 8: Emerging Systems and Technologies (ADA364018)
For this course, Volumes 1-4 are especially useful for background information, while volumes 5 and 6 have much useful information for those working on EO and IR design projects.
Unlike radar systems, the atmosphere, as well as being a target of interest,
usually acts as a very interactive propagation medium with the IR/Visible/UV
radiation that we study in this class. Because of this, we need a way to
characterize and model its effects on the EM radiation passing through it.
A great amount of effort has gone into doing this, and we do not have time
to reinvent the wheel in this class. Thus, you should familiarize yourself
with the many tools that are available for atmospheric modeling. Most of
these models are based on a document called the "U.S. Standard
Atmosphere, 1976". This document is also available from the web site
referenced above (isn't it nice to see that the taxes you've paid result
in something very useful?). In this case, use the search term "ADA035728",
which is the DTIC reference number assigned to this document. As a warning,
many of the documents in the DTIC database were scanned from the best
available copy, which in some cases results in a document that is sometimes
difficult to read. Also, the quality of the scan depends on whether the
individual carrying out the task recognizes the value of lining up the page
squarely, or scanning the entire page. However, they are usually of very
readable quality, and bottom line, you get what you pay for, or as my dad
says, beggars can't be choosers.
The most common set of code for atmospheric modeling are the codes of the LOWTRAN/MODTRAN family. The latest versions of these are LOWTRAN 7.x and MODTRAN 4.x. A large amount of information is available on these codes through the DTIC link above. If you relish the challenge of compiling the code and setting up your own modeling capability (or are into self-abuse), you can download LOWTRAN 7 from NOAA's National Climatic Data Center at the address http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/software/lowtran/ This is a set of FORTRAN modules you will need to compile, and is a command line based program. You will be using "control cards" to get it to do your bidding, so be forewarned.
If you just want to run this family of codes and have a lot of loose change in
your pockets, you can also get commercial version of these codes through
the Ontar Corporation.
One of the things you are buying here is a more user-friendly front end
for interacting with the code, as well as better documentation.
One of the major databases used in conjunction with these codes is the
HITRAN database. HITRAN is an acronym for HIgh-resolution TRANsmission
molecular absorption database. From the
HITRAN Database web site: "HITRAN is a compilation of spectroscopic parameters which
a variety of computer codes use to predict and simulate the transmission and
emission of light in the atmosphere. The database is a long-running project
started by the Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories (AFCRL) in the late
1960's in response to the need for detailed knowledge of the infrared properties
of the atmosphere."
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Last Updated 1/12/2005