Atmospheric Contrast Transmission: Application to the Visual Detection and Electro-Optical Lock-On Problem

摘要

Models for the prediction of detection range are evaluated in this report. The contrast available at the eye or the electro-optical sensor is assumed to be the limiting factor. The atmosphere provides a transmission factor for the target-background contrast. A model for the prediction of contrast transmission proposed by Duntley in 1948 is examined. Duntley's work provides an analytic solution based on an equation which relates visibility to air-transmittance along an inclined path, and a table of sky-ground ratios. An improved relation for visibility is developed by the author. More realistic sky-ground ratios are obtained from calculated data and from flight tests. (Author)