Marine Aerosol Properties and Thermal Imager Performance (MAPTIP): Synopsis
conference paper
The MAPTIP (Marine Aerosol Properties and Thermal Imager Performance) experiment was organised as part of a
project to assess atmospheric effects on the performance of electro-optical sensor systems in coastal areas. The
main issue was the detection and identification of targets. The experiment took place at the North Sea from 11
October to 5 November, 1993, and was centred around Meetpost Noordwijk, a research tower 9 km from the
Dutch coast. Platforms included a beach station, ship, research airplane, P3 Orion, helicopter and three buoys. The
aim was to characterise the atmosphere (aerosols, extinction, turbulence, refractivity, and the vertical and
horizontal variations of relevant meteorological parameters) in combination with detailed measurements of optical
and IR effects using thermal imagers, visual cameras, transmissometers and visibility meters, as well as a variety of
point sources and ship, aircraft and helicopter serving as targets. Detection and identification ranges were
determined and, for the interpretation of IR signature measurements, IR properties of extended targets were
continuously monitored with radiometers. Extensive studies were made on polarisation effects, backgrounds and
effects of sun glint. An overview of the experimental efforts and the ansuing analysis and modeling studies is
presented. MAPTIP was the first validation of some recently developed atmospheric propagation models, including
aerosol models, in a coastal environment MAPTIP has yielded a wealth of data for the development of advanced
aerosol models, description of horizontal variability, improvement of point target detection algorithms, validation
of detection range models, and EOTDA validation.
project to assess atmospheric effects on the performance of electro-optical sensor systems in coastal areas. The
main issue was the detection and identification of targets. The experiment took place at the North Sea from 11
October to 5 November, 1993, and was centred around Meetpost Noordwijk, a research tower 9 km from the
Dutch coast. Platforms included a beach station, ship, research airplane, P3 Orion, helicopter and three buoys. The
aim was to characterise the atmosphere (aerosols, extinction, turbulence, refractivity, and the vertical and
horizontal variations of relevant meteorological parameters) in combination with detailed measurements of optical
and IR effects using thermal imagers, visual cameras, transmissometers and visibility meters, as well as a variety of
point sources and ship, aircraft and helicopter serving as targets. Detection and identification ranges were
determined and, for the interpretation of IR signature measurements, IR properties of extended targets were
continuously monitored with radiometers. Extensive studies were made on polarisation effects, backgrounds and
effects of sun glint. An overview of the experimental efforts and the ansuing analysis and modeling studies is
presented. MAPTIP was the first validation of some recently developed atmospheric propagation models, including
aerosol models, in a coastal environment MAPTIP has yielded a wealth of data for the development of advanced
aerosol models, description of horizontal variability, improvement of point target detection algorithms, validation
of detection range models, and EOTDA validation.
TNO Identifier
95041
Publisher
Naval Command, Control and Ocean Surveillance Center
Source title
Proceedings of the 1996 Battlespace Atmospherics Conference 3-5 December 1996, San Diego, CA
Editor(s)
Richter, J.H.
Anderson, K.D.
Anderson, K.D.
Place of publication
San Diego, CA
Pages
193-202
Files
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