Modeling of IR sensor performance in cold weather

Noise in an imaging infrared (IR) sensor is one of the major limitations on its performance. As such, noise estimation is one of the major components of imaging IR sensor performance models and modeling programs. When computing noise, current models assume that the target and background are either at or near a temperature of 300 K. This paper examines how the temperature of the scene impacts the noise in IR sensors and their performance. It exhibits a strategy that can be used to make a 300 K assumption-based model to compute the correct noise. It displays the results of some measurements of signatures of a cold target against a cold background. Range performance of a notional 3(rd) Gen sensor (midwave IR and long wave IR) is then modeled as a function of scene background temperature.