Modeling the polarization characteristics of the surface brightness fields of background-target scenes and estimating how they affect the signals of viewing systems

摘要

This paper presents a generalized model of the radiation pattern of the significant elements of the 4 x 4 polarization matrix of the surface brightness coefficients that constitute background-target scenes when there is directed illumination (sunlight, laser beams, etc.). The operation of the model is demonstrated using as an example a description of the polarization reflective characteristics of typical coatings of infrastructure objects, and their main features are discriminated in comparison with the polarization characteristics of underlying surfaces illuminated by sunlight or a laser. It is shown that, in combination with polarization anisotropy of the optical channels of the viewing systems, the indicated characteristics can have an appreciable influence on the value of the received signal under definite conditions, and an estimate of this influence is made. (C) 2017 Optical Society of America