Simulating far-infrared scenarios with the radiance synthetic imaging system
Abstract
Infrared cameras with passive, uncooled sensor chips utilize the far infrared domain of the electromagnetic spectrum for image generation. This spectral range reaches from 8 to 14?m wavelength. Reason for this is, that every object is self luminous at room temperature at that wavelength. So every surface acts as a source of radiation in a far infrared scenario. To gain an impression and to model the effects and circumstances in an infrared scenario, a simulation method is required. In the visual domain this task is accomplished by ray-tracing software, which allows the generation of synthetic images as well as the analysis of irradiance distribution in a given scene. In this article we demonstrate a way to apply one of such ray-tracers to a FIR scenario and show the physical correctness by comparing the results with analytical calculations for a very basic scenario. We will also demonstrate a possible application of the proposed simulation method.
