Static Performance Model for Thermal Imaging Systems

Performance models can be used to design systems to meet specific applications, evaluate competitive designs, or direct research into areas of potentially large payoffs in system performance. This paper presents a validated performance model for thermal imaging devices, where performance is defined as static (non-time varying) detection, recognition and identification as a function of target range. The target, atmosphere, device, and subjective observer behavior are described by mathematical equations which result in predictions of system noise equivalent temperature, minimum resolvable temperature and minimum detectable temperature. Detection, recognition, and identification are then based on these quantities through experimentally determined algorithms using required signal-to-noise ratio and subjective resolution.