Alien Vision: Exploring the Electromagnetic Spectrum with Imaging Technology

192 Pages·2011·46.11 MB·English

by  Austin Richards

Alien Vision
Exploring the Electromagnetic
Spectrum with Imaging Technology
SECOND EDITION

Alien Vision
Exploring the Electromagnetic
Spectrum with Imaging Technology
SECOND EDITION
Austin Richards
Bellingham, Washington USA
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Richards,Austin.
Alienvision:exploringtheelectromagneticspectrumwithimagingtechnology/
AustinRichards.–2nded.
p.cm.–(Pressmonograph;205)
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-0-8194-8535-9
1.Imagingsystems.2.Electromagneticwaves.3.Spectrumanalysis.I.Title.
TK8315.R532011
621.36(cid:48)7–dc22
2010046664
Publishedby
SPIE
P.O.Box10
Bellingham,Washington98227-0010USA
Phone:[phone]
Fax:[phone]
Email:[email protected]
Web:http://spie.org
Copyright(cid:13)c 2011SocietyofPhoto-OpticalInstrumentationEngineers(SPIE)
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedordistributedin
anyformorbyanymeanswithoutwrittenpermissionofthepublisher.
Thecontentofthisbookreflectstheworkandthoughtoftheauthor(s).
Every effort has been made to publish reliable and accurate information herein,
but the publisher is not responsible for the validity of the information or for any
outcomesresultingfromreliancethereon.
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica.
Cover background: “Runaway Star in the Tarantula Nebula,” courtesy of NASA,
ESA,C.Evans(RoyalObservatoryEdinburgh),N.Walborn(STScI),andESO.
Contents
ListofFigures.................................................................................................. vii
Preface............................................................................................................... xv
Acknowledgments...........................................................................................xviii
Introduction...................................................................................................... xix
Chapter1 InfraredandUltraviolet:TheEdgesoftheRainbow..................... 1
Near-InfraredImaging.................................................................................... 6
NightVisionandSurveillancewithNear-IRImaging......................... 7
ExploitingtheDeepPenetrationofNIRandSWIRLight................. 12
ArtConservation.............................................................................................. 16
MilitaryUsesofSWIRImaging................................................................. 20
UltravioletImaging......................................................................................... 21
AnimalUltravioletVision............................................................................. 28
OpticalPropertiesofMaterialsintheNear-IRandNear-UV........... 30
AtmosphericEffectsintheIRandUVWavebands............................. 34
InfraredandUltravioletLightSources..................................................... 35
InfraredPhotographyandHeatDetection............................................... 38
Chapter2 ThermalImaging:WeAllGlowintheDark.................................... 41
ReflectivityofMaterials................................................................................ 48
MidwaveandLongwaveIRImagingSystems....................................... 48
SurveillanceandLawEnforcement........................................................... 51
IndustrialThermography............................................................................... 53
ImagingInvisibleGases................................................................................. 56
TestRangeRadiometry.................................................................................. 56
High-SpeedThermography.......................................................................... 57
ThermalImagingandBiology..................................................................... 59
ThermalImaginginAstronomy.................................................................. 63
v
vi Contents
Chapter3 MicrowaveandMillimeter-WaveImaging:PiercingtheVeil.......... 67
Sub-Millimeter-WaveImaging:T-Rays................................................... 69
Millimeter-WaveImaging:SeeingThroughClothingandFog........ 71
RadioAstronomy:TheFoundationsofRadio-WaveImaging......... 74
RadarImaging:AMicrowaveSearchlight.............................................. 79
Small-ScaleImagingRadar.......................................................................... 85
Chapter4 XRaysandGammaRays:CrookesTubesandNuclearLight...... 89
GammaRays...................................................................................................... 91
High-EnergyAstronomy............................................................................... 104
Gamma-rayImaging....................................................................................... 107
PETScans:ObservingLivingTissuewithGammaRays.................. 108
Chapter5 AcousticImaging:SeeingwithSound...........................................115
UnderwaterAcousticImaging..................................................................... 116
UltrasoundMedicalImaging........................................................................ 120
AcousticDaylightImaging........................................................................... 122
AcousticImagingofSoundSources......................................................... 124
Chapter6 SweepingthroughtheSpectrum:ComparativeImagery..............127
MilkyWayImagesfromRadiotoGammaRay.................................... 132
MilkyWayImageDescriptions................................................................... 133
Epilogue............................................................................................................139
Glossary............................................................................................................143
Bibliography.....................................................................................................153
Index...................................................................................................................155
List of Figures
1 Electromagneticspectrum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxii
1.1 Thenear-UV,visible,near-IR,andSWIRwavebands. . . . . . . . 2
1.2 Sunlightsplitintosomeofitscomponentsbyaprism. . . . . . . . 2
1.3 PlatefromW.Herschel’sinfraredpaper(1800). . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.4 Blockdiagramofnear-IRandnear-UVphotographicapparatus. . 6
1.5 RobertWoodintheUVband. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.6 M3sniperscope,KoreanWarera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.7 TheauthorwithaworkingWWII-eraC-3near-IRimager. . . . . 8
1.8 Night-visiongoggleswithheadmount. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.9 Near-IR image showing dark-adapted eyes. (Courtesy of Dannen
Harris) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.10 Three views of a factory: visible, no camouflage (top); visible,
camouflage (middle); near-IR, camouflage (bottom). (Courtesy of
EastmanKodak,Inc.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.11 False color key to LANDSAT image of San Francisco Peninsula
(red: high reflectance at blue wavelengths; green: high reflectance
at near-infrared wavelengths; blue: high reflectance in visible
wavelengths).Built-upareasappearpurpleorgray,whiteareasare
high albedo objects, vegetation appears green because of its high
near-IRreflectance,andclearwaterappearsblack.. . . . . . . . . 12
1.12 Visible (left) and SWIR (right) images of water in a plastic cup.
(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.13 (a) Visible: 400–750 nm: (b) NIR: 830–1100 nm; (c) SWIR:
1400–1700nm;(d)SWIR:2000–2500um.(CourtesyofFLIR). . . 14
1.14 NearUV:365nm(left)andshortwaveUV:254nm(right)images
ofanaltereddocument. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
1.15 Four views of a paper label on a cardboard box: (a) visible:
400–750 nm; (b) NIR: 830–1100 nm; (c) SWIR: 1400–1700 nm;
(d)SWIR:2000–2500um.(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1.16 Two views of a torn paper label with printing underneath: left—
365nm;right—254nm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1.17 VIS and NIR images of a cotton shirt showing a GSR
pattern. (Courtesy of Heidi Nichols, Miami-Dade County Medical
Examiner’sOffice) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
1.18 Early 19th century headstone with staining and lichen growth:
left—VIS;right—780–1100nm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
vii
viii ListofFigures
1.19 Theauthorinaloudandadmittedlytackyshirtmadeofrayon:left
—VIS;right—NIR(780–1100nm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
1.20 Visible image of Natura and two details in visible and near-IR
light.(CourtesyofEditech) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
1.21 Visible (400–750 nm), NIR (830–1100 nm), and SWIR
(1400–1700 nm) images of a test panel with oil paint swatches
and underdrawing media. Paint swatches from left to right: burnt
umber, burnt sienna, raw sienna, and ochre. Underdrawing media
from top to bottom: silver, ivory black, lamp black, vine black,
charcoalingumarabic.(CourtesyofFLIRandLACMA). . . . . . 19
1.22 Ruysdael painting imaged in visible (400–750 nm) [top and
bottom-left] and SWIR (1400–1700 nm) [bottom-right]. (Images
courtesyofYosiPoseilov,LosAngelesCountyMuseumofArt) . . 20
1.23 Mahogany veneer with well-done repair: left—VIS; right—
780–1100nm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
1.24 (a) Airborne Laser Test Bed in flight; (b) SWIR aiming and
focusing optics on the nose of the ALTB; (c) SWIR image of
ALTB firing at a Scud missile—the missile is on the left side
of the image; (d) Scud missile mounted on a mobile launcher.
Figures1.24(a)–(c)courtesyoftheMissileDefenseAgency. . . . 21
1.25 CDjewelcasewithscratches:left–visible;right–near-UV. . . . . 23
1.26 Magazinecover(top)anddetailsimagedwithvisiblelight(bottom
left) and shortwave-UV light (bottom right). (Courtesy of Sirchie
FingerprintLaboratory) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
1.27 Visible (left) and near-UV (right) images of a five-month-old bite
mark on a living person. (Photos courtesy of Stephen Warlen and
theKansasCityPoliceDepartmentCrimeLab) . . . . . . . . . . 25
1.28 Epoxy floor sealant shoe mark on a tile floor: left—VIS; right—
near-UV(396nm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
1.29 Shoemarkonvinyltilewithfloorwax:left—VIS;right—near-UV
(365nm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
1.30 Fresh and old paint on a stucco wall: left—VIS; right—near-UV
(330–400nm).. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
1.31 Near-UVimageofpolarbears.(CourtesyofDr.DavidLavigne) . 27
1.32 Visible (left) and near-UV (right) images of Canadian Arctic
militarycamouflage.(CourtesyofDr.DavidLavigne) . . . . . . . 27
1.33 Visible(left)andnear-UV(right)imagesofskincancer.(Courtesy
ofDr.NormanGoldstein) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
1.34 Visible (left) and near-UV (right) images of Black-Eyed Susans.
(CourtesyofProf.TomEisner) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
1.35 Visible (left) and near-UV (right) images of Goneopteryx
cleopatra.(CourtesyofEdwardAicken) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
1.36 Visible (left) and near-UV (right) images of coral reefs and fish.
(CourtesyofProf.ThomasCroninandtheJournalofFishBiology) 30
ListofFigures ix
1.37 Images of BK7 glass and fused silica discs in three narrow UV
bands.(CourtesyofDavidHayes) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
1.38 From upper left to bottom right: SWIR (2000–2500 nm), SWIR
(950–1700nm),visible(400–750nm),andnear-UV(350–380nm)
imagesofahumaneye.(CourtesyofFLIRandRandMolnar) . . 32
1.39 SWIR, visible, and near-UV images of the author. (Courtesy of
FLIRandRandMolnar) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
1.40 Top–VIS image of oil rig at 47 km range. Bottom–SWIR
(950–1700nm)image.(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
1.41 The setting moon over Nellis Air Force Base in near-UV, VIS,
near-IR,andmidwaveIRwavebands.(MidwaveIRimagecourtesy
ofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
1.42 Visible (left) and SWIR (right) images of a methanol fire.
(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
1.43 CompositevisibleandUV(240–280nm)imageofmethanolfires.
(CourtesyofOfilLtd.,Nes-Ziona,Israel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
1.44 Composite visible and UV (240–280 nm) image of power line
corona.(CourtesyofOfilLtd.,Nes-Ziona,Israel) . . . . . . . . . 38
1.45 Visible (left) and near-UV (right) images of fuel rod assembly
in a storage pond. The missing rods make the marked holes
glow brighter because nothing is blocking the light paths. (Photo
courtesyofChannelSystems) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
1.46 Shortwave IR image of a lit cigarette illuminating a bathroom.
(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
1.47 Visible (left) and SWIR (right) images of hot and cold stove
burners.(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
2.1 Theinfraredspectruminrelationtovisiblelight. . . . . . . . . . 42
2.2 A child watching television: left–VIS; right–3-5 micrometers.
(CourtesyofFLIR). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
2.3 MWIR(3–5mm)imageofpyramidandSphinx.(CourtesyofStan
Laband) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
2.4 Plastic plant pot on wood chips in sunlight: left—VIS; right—
MWIR(3–5mm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
2.5 Thermal scar left by plant pot: left—VIS; right—MWIR
(3–5mm).(CourtesyofFLIR[IR]andPatrickStanbro[visible]) . 45
2.6 VisibleandMWIR(3–5mm)imagesofafloorwithheatfootprints.
(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
2.7 MWIR(3–5mm)imageoftheauthor.(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . 46
2.8 Visible (left) and MWIR (3–5 mm) (right) images of the author’s
eye.(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
2.9 Aboywithhisarminsideablackpolyethylenegarbagebag:left—
VIS;right—MWIR(3–5mm).(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . 47
2.10 Visible(left)andMWIR(3–5mm)(right)imagesofamansitting
inacar.(CourtesyofFLIRandPatrickStanbro) . . . . . . . . . . 49
x ListofFigures
2.11 Visible (left) and MWIR (3–5 mm) (right) images of a man
reflected in a brushed stainless steel refrigerator door. (Courtesy
ofFLIRandPatrickStanbro) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
2.12 CooledMWIR(3–5mm)camera.(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . 50
2.13 BlockdiagramofacooledMWIR(3–5mm)camera. . . . . . . . 50
2.14 Visible and LWIR images of person in smoke-filled building.
(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
2.15 Jesusita fire at 10-km range in Santa Barbara, California: left—
VIS;right—MWIR(3–5mm).(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . 52
2.16 Handgun in bushes at night: left—VIS; right—LWIR (8–13 µm).
(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
2.17 Burglarsneakinginthedark:left—VIS;right—MWIR(3–5mm).
(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
2.18 Visible(left)andMWIR(3–5mm)(right)imagesofalivingroom.
(CourtesyofFLIRandPatrickStanbro) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
2.19 Thermal image of unmarked graves. (Courtesy of Gary J. Weil,
EntechEngineering,Inc.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
2.20 Heated seats in a car: left—VIS; right—MWIR (3–5 mm).
(CourtesyofFLIRandPatrickStanbro) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
2.21 Visible (top) and MWIR (3–5 mm) (bottom) images of energized
transformers.(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
2.22 Visible(left)andMWIR(3–5mm)(right)imagesofahigh-speed
circuitboard.(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
2.23 Propane gas leak imaged with a special 3.3 micrometer midwave-
IRcamera.(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
2.24 Harrier jet hovering in place during an airshow: top—
VIS; middle—MWIR (3–5 mm); bottom—NIR (0.78–1.1 µm).
(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
2.25 Chinook helicopter taking off at night: left—VIS; right—MWIR
(3–5mm).(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
2.26 A 168 grain .30 caliber bullet in flight: top—MWIR (3–5 mm);
bottom—VIS.(CourtesyofFLIRandVisionResearch) . . . . . . 59
2.27 VISandMWIR(3–5mm)imagesofacat.(CourtesyofFLIR) . . 61
2.28 Visible(left)andMWIR(3–5mm)(right)imagesofbloodflowin
aforearm.(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
2.29 MWIR (3–5 mm) image of hand with a missing finger. (Courtesy
ofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
2.30 Visible (left) and MWIR (3–5 mm) (right) images of a fingertip.
(CourtesyofFLIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
2.31 Hummingbirdinflight—MWIR(3–5mm).(CourtesyofFLIR) . . 63
2.32 LWIRimageofabeeball(left)andvisibleimageofadeadhornet
draggedbybees(right).(CourtesyofDr.MasatoOno,Tamagawa
University,Tokyo) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
2.33 Eclipsed Moon imaged in 4.29-µm waveband. (Courtesy of
DCATTTeam,MSX Project,andBMDO) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65