Active Electro-optic Sensors
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| Flash Ladar Image of T1 and T72 |
Active EO sensor systems play an important and emerging role in military, scientific and commercial applications. Active EO sensors transmit energy which is elastically or inelastically returned from the probed region of interest and analyzed for target signatures. For nearly twenty five years, Areté has been active in a wide variety of active sensor development efforts.
Areté’s scientists have designed, developed and deployed laser radar and LIDAR systems for a wide variety of applications. These include both imaging and non-imaging systems where a variety of sensing modalities have been exploited. Examples include coherent and incoherent detection schemes, laser induced fluorescence, polarimetric and agile waveform ladars.
As an example, researchers at Areté have demonstrated the first reported incoherent synthetic aperture ladar; achieving six inch imaging resolution over ranges exceeding 22km. Additionally, in an effort for the US Navy, Areté is developing a high dynamic range "see through" LIDAR system to aid helicopter pilots landing in degraded visual environments. In its 25 years of experience with laser radar and LIDAR, Areté has achieved an in-depth understanding of ladar/LIDAR phenomenology and developed robust mathematical and computer models that are routinely used to support studies. Areté develops and maintains a wide number of signal processing toolsets to maximize the utility of the complex data sets that arise from laser remote sensing applications.
Areté has been a key developer of LIDAR systems for marine applications. Early experiences with ocean based LIDAR include participation in foundational airborne submarine detection phenomenology studies funded both by the Navy and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Thorough mathematical and computer simulation of optical propagation have been used to study ocean based LIDAR signatures.[1]. Areté scientists and managers played a key role in development of the ATD-111 airborne LIDAR system contributing to developing and validating the performance model and optimizing the detection algorithms. Further experience includes developing and validating the LIDAR performance model for the Navy’s submarine security program as well as developing, integrating and testing the advanced LIDAR receiver for the NAVAIR P-3 LIDAR system.
Polarimetric Ladar image of anti-assault objects
Point cloud data from Near Infrared Streak Tube Ladar
Areté has successfully transitioned two Acquisition Category 1 (ACAT I) airborne mine counter measure imaging LIDAR systems (AN-AQS20A EOID, and ALMDS) from concept to production. Both systems are based on Areté’s patented Streak Tube Imaging LIDAR.
Bathymetric data from Airborne Streak Tube Imaging LIDAR
[1] J. W. McLean, J. D. Freeman, and R. E. Walker, "Beam spread function with time dispersion," Applied Optics37, pp. 4701–4711, 20 July 1998., R. E. Walker and J. W. McLean, "Lidar equations for turbid media with pulse stretching," Applied Optics 38,pp. 2384–2397, 20 April 1999, J. W. McLean and J. D. Freeman, "Effects of ocean waves on airborne lidar imaging," Applied Optics 35, pp. 3261–3269, June 1996.