Active Multispectral Bidirectional Distribution Function Measurement System

<p>Today's highly technical battlefield environment dictates the need for a method of standoff target identification which reduces risk to personnel and equipment. It is widely known that a given material will react differently to incident radiation than a dissimilar material. Certain materials may respond specularly while others tend to be diffuse. By measuring these responses materials can be identified by comparison with a known database. One method of building such a database for target recognition is by employing an active multispectral bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) measurement system. In the following text such a system is developed and tested using a 1.5m and 2.0m tunable source. The system does not yet meet the desired 1.0m range; however all major system components with exception to the source are well suited for this entire band. A detailed description of the components used is presented along with recommendations for further research. This particular BRDF measurement system implementation is the direct result of a previous attempt that encountered numerous errors. These errors were primarily attributable to nonlinearities attenuation and misalignments in the equipment utilized. Considerable effort was expended in order to reduce these anomalies mainly through component replacement. A comprehensive error analysis is presented for this system along with recommendations for a new system which should reduce these abnormalities and improve data integrity and collection efficiency.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>