Hyper-Cam automated calibration method for continuous hyperspectral imaging measurements

The midwave and longwave infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum contain rich information which can be captured by hyperspectral sensors thus enabling enhanced detection of targets of interest. A continuous hyperspectral imaging measurement capability operated 24/7 over varying seasons and weather conditions permits the evaluation of hyperspectral imaging for detection of different types of targets in real world environments. Such a measurement site was built at Picatinny Arsenal under the Spectral and Polarimetric Imagery Collection Experiment (SPICE), where two Hyper-Cam hyperspectral imagers are installed at the Precision Armament Laboratory (PAL) and are operated autonomously since Fall of 2009. The Hyper-Cam are currently collecting a complete hyperspectral database that contains the MWIR and LWIR hyperspectral measurements of several targets under day, night, sunny, cloudy, foggy, rainy and snowy conditions. The Telops Hyper-Cam sensor is an imaging spectrometer that enables the spatial and spectral analysis capabilities using a single sensor. It is based on the Fourier-transform technology yielding high spectral resolution and enabling high accuracy radiometric calibration. It provides datacubes of up to 320x256 pixels at spectral resolutions of up to 0.25 cm-1. The MWIR version covers the 3 to 5 μm spectral range and the LWIR version covers the 8 to 12 μm spectral range. This paper describes the automated operation of the two Hyper-Cam sensors being used in the SPICE data collection. The Reveal Automation Control Software (RACS) developed collaboratively between Telops, ARDEC, and ARL enables flexible operating parameters and autonomous calibration. Under the RACS software, the Hyper-Cam sensors can autonomously calibrate itself using their internal blackbody targets, and the calibration events are initiated by user defined time intervals and on internal beamsplitter temperature monitoring. The RACS software is the first software developed for COTS hyperspectal sensors that allows for full autonomous data collection capability for the user. The accuracy of the automatic calibration was characterized and is presented in this paper.