Atmospheric correction of thermal infrared data using multi-height data acquisition

Abstract

Information acquired using a Daedalus AADS 1230 thermal infrared scanner flown at three different altitudes has been analysed with a view to determining whether these data could be used to determine path transmittance and radiance with subsequent correction of the remotely-sensed radiant temperatures for atmospheric effects. The results are given and it is demonstrated that under conditions of the type described the variation of surface temperature with time for a variety of surface types proved to be greater than the correction necessitated by path effects. It is concluded that this method of atmospheric correction is unsuitable whenever changes of surface temperature of the order of 1 deg K or more take place within the time span of the data acquisition. The examples given illustrate four such cases but in practice no surface was observed during this survey which did not show such variation.