The Airborne Experiments of the BIRD Infrared Sensors

Abstract

The Bispectral Infrared Detection push broom scanner for a small satellite mission is described (BIRD), which is dedicated to the detection and analysis of high temperature events (HTE). Current operating and planned satellite sensors are not designed for high temperature event observation and therefore show some serious drawbacks such as saturation of the IR channels for HTE and low spatial resolution. The BIRD instrumentation is a first attempt to overcome these disadvantages. For this purpose two infrared line scanners (3.4-4.2 µm and 8.5-9.3 µm) will be combined with a Wide Angle Stereo Scanner (WAOSS) in the visible and near infrared range. The particularity of this experiment is the application of high performance on board signal processing for real time signal adaptation in connection with the infrared line array. The results of the airborne tests are described on the base of experimental scenes.