Mid-infrared imaging system based on polarizers for detecting marine targets covered in sun glint

When a marine target is detected by a mid-infrared detector on a sunny day, the target's information could be lost if it is located in sun glint. Therefore, we developed a new mid-infrared imaging system capable of effectively detecting marine targets in regions of strong sun glint, which is presented in this report. Firstly, the theory of the analysis methods employed in different detection scenarios is briefly described to establish whether one or two polarizers should be utilized to suppress further the p-polarized component of sun glint. Secondly, for the case in which a second polarizer is employed, the formula for the optimum angle between the two polarizers is given. Then, the results of our field experiment are presented, demonstrating that the developed system can significantly reduce sun glint and can enhance the contrast of target images. A commonly used image processing algorithm proved capable of identifying a target in sun glint, confirming the effectiveness of our proposed mid-infrared polarization imaging system. (C) 2016 Optical Society of America