New experiments in the use of infrared polarization in the detection of small targets

In this paper, we will discuss a novel technology, which we have recently developed for automatic target detection and recognition by polarimetric imaging systems. This technology consists of an approach to non-cooperative small target detection that uses statistical techniques to exploit a target's Stokes vector infrared signature. This is applicable to sensors whose signature measurements are sensitive to the polarization ofthe targets and their backgrounds. Fusion is achieved by constructing the joint statistical measures for the target's polarization states. Target polarization states are in terms ofthe intensity, percent of linear polarization, and the angle ofpolarization plane. Applications ofthe proposed approach, for military targets under variations in target geometry are made in terms of receiver operating characteristic condition curves. The new results, which have been obtained on data from the Air Force's IRMA polarimetric infrared simulation tool, indicate the usefulness of polarimetric infrared signatures for the automatic detection of small targets.