Performance model for unresolved target detection using multispectral infrared data

The detection of dim targets in heavy clutter requires large gains in the SCR. Gains of the required magnitude have been obtained with space-temporal processing. However, in many cases these gains are either difficult or expensive to realize. If the range to the clutter is small relative to the clutter velocity, the temporal processing will need to include scene registration and optical flow correction. Scene registration is computationally expensive especially for large search volumes. The correction of optical flow is both expensive and typically less than satisfactory. The spectral dimension provides an alternative to the temporal dimension. Since the data in each of the spectral bands is collected simultaneously or nearly so, the problems of registration and optical flow are eliminated. This paper considers the performance of the multi-spectral IR bands. Dual band performance results comparing space spectral processing with space temporal will be shown. An analytic model of the probability of false alarm as a function of the number of spectral bands is presented. A comparison of this model to experimental result using multi-spectral IRST data is given.