Thermal infrared imaging simulation for complex terrain

Infrared thermal imaging systems are widely applied with the ability of all time observation. In order to test and evaluate the performance of high-resolution infrared thermal imaging systems, a large number of thermal infrared images in different imaging conditions are needed as input data sources. To obtain credible thermal infrared simulated images of ground, a TIR imaging simulation method for complex terrain was proposed. Combined with factors of terrain, light, shadow and radiation from neighborhood on relief surfaces, the generation and transmission mechanism of thermal radiation on 3D terrain surface was studied systematically. Thermal infrared images of terrain surface on different time in a day were simulated by using optical remote sensing images and DEM data. The results indicate that, the TIR image sequences made by this method accord with the daily changing law of thermal radiation on ground, therefore, an effective way of producing IR reference images by visible images is provided.