Scene contrast temperature in two different climates.

Abstract

Scene contrast temperature (SCT) is a measurement of temperature and photon flux variation in an emissive scene used to calculate targeting task performance, a metric used to determine the ability of an observer to perform visual tasks. While previous research has compared the SCT of midwave infrared (MWIR) and longwave infrared (LWIR) systems in a hot, dry climate, little work has been done to compare the performance of these systems in different climates. This paper compares the SCT of a hot, dry climate and a cold, dry climate in MWIR and LWIR. The results indicate that SCT is higher in the LWIR in most conditions, except for cold, daylight environments.