Active vs. passive tracking: when to illuminate?

Derek Burrell; Joshua Garretson; Jeremy Vorenberg; Ronald Driggers

doi:10.1117/12.2619026

27 May 2022 Active vs. passive tracking: when to illuminate?

Derek Burrell, Joshua Garretson, Jeremy Vorenberg, Ronald Driggers

Proceedings Volume 12106, Infrared Imaging Systems: Design, Analysis, Modeling, and Testing XXXIII; 121060F (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2619026
Event: SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing, 2022, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

This paper seeks to address whether active or passive tracking is preferable in terms of centroid-track error. Active tracking has the advantage of allowing for SWaP-limited source control to scale SNR. With coherent illumination, however, speckle noise gives rise to a fundamental limit in tracking precision. On the other hand, passive tracking relies on incoherent illumination with speckle-free return. The drawback in this case is that SNR itself is inherently limited, thus limiting precision with respect to tracking measurements. In our analysis, we first present the theory that drives limiting factors of both active and passive tracking schemes. From these limitations we then estimate Strehl ratio at various SNRs for direct comparison of active and passive performance. We consider objects of various shapes and sizes, study both well-resolved and unresolved objects, and anchor our findings to first-order simulation results that demonstrate significance in the design of tracking systems.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Derek Burrell, Joshua Garretson, Jeremy Vorenberg, and Ronald Driggers "Active vs. passive tracking: when to illuminate?", Proc. SPIE 12106, Infrared Imaging Systems: Design, Analysis, Modeling, and Testing XXXIII, 121060F (27 May 2022); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2619026

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