Distance model of infrared polarization imaging system used in sea-surface environment

The fact that infrared radiation of sea surface is polarized has been proved by many experiments. Searching and detecting ability of infrared polarization imaging systems in sea-surface environment was a major concern for polarization imaging research. Sea surface was realized by using a statistical model of oceanographic literature which originated from the spectrum for long and short wind-driven waves proposed by Eifouhaily. A Monte Carlo reverse ray-tracing method was used to investigate the behavior of mid/long-wave infrared Stokes radiance which included the information of radiance intensity, degree of polarization and angle of polarization, at the realized wind roughed sea surface. The minimum resolvable temperature difference (MRTD) parameters for Stokes-vector components were proposed based on standard error propagation method. Finally, detectable range of infrared polarization imaging used in sea surface environment was analyzed by comparing apparent-temperature differences (ATD) between target and sea background with the MRTD of Stokes-vector components.