title: Atmospheric refraction effects on optical-infrared sensor performance in a littoral-maritime environment.
abstract: During a number of transmission experiments over littoral waters, quantitative measurements of atmospheric refraction phenomena were carried out to determine the range performance of optical-IR sensors. Examples of distortion and intensity gain generated by spatial variations of the atmospheric refractive index are shown. A high-precision ray-tracing model has been developed for better understanding of the phenomena and to satisfy the requirements for accuracy of the meteorological data used in refraction models. The output of the model includes the propagation function, the intensity gain, and details of the ray curvature and of the optical phase behavior along the path between the target and the observer. Examples of measured transmission data and their interpretation are presented.
authors.affiliation: Physics and Electronics Laboratory, Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research, P.O. Box 96864, The Hague, The Netherlands. dejong@fel.tno.nl
authors.forename: Arie N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.forename: Gerrit
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: de Leeuw
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Winkel
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Fritz
authors.forename: Marcel M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Moerman