A cavity black body radiation source is provided. The cavity black body radiation source comprises a blackbody radiation cavity, a black lacquer, and a carbon nanotube layer. The blackbody radiation cavity comprises an inner surface. The black lacquer is located on the inner surface. The carbon nanotube layer is located on a surface of the black lacquer away from the blackbody radiation cavity. The carbon nanotube layer comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes and a plurality of microporous. A method of making the cavity blackbody radiation source is also provided.

A method of estimating land surface temperature lapse rate using an infrared image is disclosed. In the method of estimating land surface temperature lapse rate using an infrared image, a target area for the estimation of land surface temperature lapse rate is selected. The atmospheric transmittance of the target area is calculated. Reference temperature is estimated at a reference location set in the target area as desired. A temperature difference is calculated from the atmospheric transmittance and the estimated reference temperature, and then a temperature difference image is generated. Land surface temperature lapse rate is estimated from the temperature difference image and a Digital Elevation Map (DEM) in an identical area using an elevation-based temperature difference distribution.

A multispectral or thermal imager comprising a lens assembly, an array of IC chips that is arranged in a field of view of the lens assembly, and a filter assembly comprising one or more wavelength filters. The filter assembly comprises a respective wavelength filter for at least one of the three or more rows of IC chips. At least one wavelength filter is transparent in a portion of a wavelength range that passes through the lens assembly. The filter assembly is configured such that radiation of the same wavelength range passes to the rows of IC chips in the pair of non-adjacent rows, and such that the wavelength range that passes to the rows in the pair of non-adjacent rows is different from a wavelength range that passes to the one or more rows other than the pair of non-adjacent rows.

A mid-wave infrared system provides high spatial and temporal resolution measurements of atmospheric temperatures and moisture fields using a constellation of low earth orbit satellites. The disclosed system is smaller, lighter, less complex, and requires less energy than existing systems, due to implementation of an infrared avalanche photodiode array detector that provides enhanced sensitivity with reduced cooling requirements, and an Offner spectrometer having a novel a refractive element inserted near the grating that reduces the size and power requirements of the spectrometer. Embodiments of the disclosed method include deploying a constellation of devices for cooperative infrared sensing of atmospheric phenomena at similar rates, lower cost, and much higher resolution compared to geosynchronous approaches. Some embodiments further include combined analysis of measurements obtained by the disclosed devices with complementary measurements made by other low-earth and high-earth orbital and/or ground-based devices.

Disclosed systems and methods for the remote detection of atmospheric gas may include (1) receiving, at a collector, thermal infrared energy from at least one atmospheric column, (2) receiving, at optical subsystems, the thermal infrared energy over optical paths, (3) focusing the thermal infrared energy onto diffraction gratings that disperse the thermal infrared energy at a wavelength within a mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) spectral region and a wavelength within a long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) spectral region, (4) receiving, at detectors, the thermal infrared energy dispersed from the diffraction gratings within the MWIR spectral region and the LWIR spectral region, (5) determining spectral component data associated with the thermal infrared energy in the MWIR spectral region and the LWIR spectral region, (6) sending the spectral component data to a computing device, and (7) identifying an atmospheric gas based on the spectral component data.

Techniques for atmospheric absorption determination using embedded sensor data are provided. In one example, a system includes a housing. The system further includes a sensing device within the housing. The sensing device is configured to determine a humidity within the housing and a temperature within the housing. The system further includes a logic device. The logic device is configured to compensate the humidity and the temperature based on a location of the sensing device within the housing relative to heat sources within the housing. The logic device is further configured to determine a moisture value based on compensation of the humidity and the temperature. The logic device is further configured to determine an atmospheric absorption value based on the moisture value. Related devices and methods are also provided.

A surveying instrument comprises a light projecting optical system for projecting a distance measuring light to a predetermined measuring point, a light receiving optical system for receiving a reflected distance measuring light and an infrared light from the measuring point, and an arithmetic control module for controlling a distance measurement and a temperature measurement based on light receiving results of the reflected distance measuring light and the infrared light, and the arithmetic control module measures a distance to the measuring point based on light receiving results of the reflected distance measuring light received by a photodetector of the light receiving optical system, and measures a temperature of the measuring point based on light receiving results of the infrared light received by a temperature sensor of the light receiving optical system.

Satellite onboard imaging systems having a look-down view and a toroidal view of the Earth are disclosed. In one embodiment, a satellite onboard imaging systems include an infrared sensing system and a controller. The infrared sensing system includes a first imager configured to have a first field of view that observes a look-down view of the Earth from a satellite and a second imager configured to have a second field of view that observes a toroidal view of the Earth centered at the satellite. The controller is coupled to the first imager and the second imager and operable to process image data from the first imager and the second imager. The controller is further operable to output indications of thermal energy of an identical, or different objects based on the first thermal image signal, the second thermal image signal, or both.

Flight based infrared imaging systems and related techniques, and in particular UAS based thermal imaging systems, are provided to improve the monitoring capabilities of such systems over conventional infrared monitoring systems. An infrared imaging system is configured to compensate for various environmental effects (e.g., position and/or strength of the sun, atmospheric effects) to provide high resolution and accuracy radiometric measurements of targets imaged by the infrared imaging system. An infrared imaging system is alternatively configured to monitor and determine environmental conditions, modify data received from infrared imaging systems and other systems, modify flight paths and other commands, and/or create a representation of the environment.

Flight based infrared imaging systems and related techniques, and in particular UAS based thermal imaging systems, are provided to improve the monitoring capabilities of such systems over conventional infrared monitoring systems. An infrared imaging system is configured to compensate for various environmental effects (e.g., position and/or strength of the sun, atmospheric effects) to provide high resolution and accuracy radiometric measurements of targets imaged by the infrared imaging system. An infrared imaging system is alternatively configured to monitor regulatory limitations on operation of the infrared imaging system and adjust and/or disable operation of the infrared imaging systems accordingly.