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Influence of altitude on aero-optic imaging deviation
1School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 28 Xianning West Road, Xi'an 710049, China.
Applied Optics
|June 22, 2011
Summary
Altitude significantly impacts aero-optic imaging deviation, a displacement effect in imaging systems. Higher altitudes reduce imaging deviation and its slope, improving image clarity for aerial platforms.
Area of Science:
- Fluid Dynamics
- Optics
- Aerospace Engineering
Background:
- Aero-optic effects, specifically imaging deviation, cause image displacement on sensor planes.
- Understanding these effects is crucial for high-altitude imaging systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of altitude on aero-optic imaging deviation.
- To quantify imaging deviation and its slope across a range of altitudes.
Main Methods:
- Flow computations using a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solver in FLUENT.
- Optical path calculations employing Runge-Kutta method-based ray tracing.
- Experiment design utilizing an orthogonal array for systematic data collection.
Main Results:
- Four distinct sets of imaging deviations and slopes were recorded between 10-60 km altitude.
- Imaging deviation was observed to decrease as altitude increased.
- The imaging deviation slope transitioned from negative values towards zero with rising altitude.
Conclusions:
- Altitude is a critical factor influencing aero-optic imaging deviation.
- Increasing altitude beneficially reduces imaging deviation and its slope, enhancing imaging performance.
- The findings provide valuable data for designing and optimizing high-altitude imaging systems.
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