Accurate method of generating infrared imaging features by the angular disturbance of an airborne platform

The imaging quality of an airborne infrared (IR) system is limited by the angular disturbance of the airborne platform. Based on the full-chain (IR scene-atmosphere-optical system-detector-airborne platform) signal transmission process, this study focused on the low-frequency sinusoidal angular disturbance features of the airborne platform and accurately calculated the point spread function caused by the angular disturbance and the IR imaging features when the IR system’s different locations were dynamically simulated in a three-dimensional scene. First, the degradation mechanism of the IR imaging features resulting from the angular disturbance was analyzed from the viewpoint of scene radiation signal transmission and detector sampling. Then, the dynamic simulation in the three-dimensional scene resulting from the angular disturbance was realized by considering the geometric transformation of the spatial imaging, scale registration of the spatial sampling, radiation coupling, and angular disturbance caused by the airborne platform. Finally, the distances detected under different disturbance conditions were predicted using the established model. The obtained results provide data supporting the demonstration, verification, and optimization of the IR imaging system’s design scheme.