LWIR sensor system with improved clutter rejection

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A principal object of the present invention is to provide a radiant imaging system which is capable of distinguishing point source targets from background, illumination and near-field particle clutter.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a radiant imaging system utilizing focal plane detector arrays wherein each detector is sized so as to produce a high degree of resolution and rejection of near-field clutter and yet wherein the array information output is compatible with present data processing techniques.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a radiant imaging system utilizing focal plane detector arrays wherein the detectors are oriented with respect to one another in a manner which allows maximum utilization of the information received therefrom.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a radiant imaging system which includes a processing technique wherein the time delayed summation of outputs of detectors in the focal plane detector array is made to form an equivalent mathematical single row of pseudodetectors of closer spacing, enabling the enhancement of signal-to-noise ratio.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a radiant imaging system in which data from a series of detector of the focal plane detector array is processed similarly in two orthogonal dimensions, the first dimension being purely geometrical in time stasis such that signals from point sources are extracted unambiguously from rapidly scintillating focused sources and background signals.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a radiant imaging system which has increased sensitivity for distinguishing between signals from two closely spaced objects.
In accordance with these and other objects, the radiant imaging system of the present invention comprises a means for optically scanning a field of view along a scan direction and applying received radiant energy onto a two dimensional focal plane.
Detector means positioned in the focal plane receives the radiant energy