ERIS: revitalising an adaptive optics instrument for the VLT

ERIS is an instrument that will both extend and enhance the fundamental diffraction limited imaging and spectroscopy capability for the VLT. It will replace two instruments that are now being maintained beyond their operational lifetimes, combine their functionality on a single focus, provide a new wavefront sensing module that makes use of the facility Adaptive Optics System, and considerably improve their performance. The instrument will be competitive with respect to JWST in several regimes, and has outstanding potential for studies of the Galactic Center, exoplanets, and high redshift galaxies. ERIS had its final design review in 2017, and is expected to be on sky in 2020. This contribution describes the instrument concept, outlines its expected performance, and highlights where it will most excel.Comment: 12 pages, Proc SPIE 10702 "Ground-Based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy VII

Vista and View in the Infrared

A series of IR measurements with a FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) system during landing approaches to various airports have been performed. A real time image processing procedure to detect and identify the runway and eventual obstacles is discussed and demonstrated. It is based on IR image segmentation and information derived from synthetic vision data. The extracted infor-mation from IR images will be combined with the appropriate information from a MMW (millimeter wave) radar sensor in the sub-sequent fusion processor. This fused information aims to increase the pilot's situation awareness

Simulation of infrared detection range at fog conditions for Enhanced Vision Systems in civil aviation

The DLR project ADVISE (ADvanced VIs-ual System for Situation Awareness En-hancement) deals with development, simula-tions and testing for an Enhanced Vision Sys-tem (EVS) for visual pilot assistance. Within the frame of the project ADVISE, model cal-culations in the infrared spectral region have been performed to investigate the influence of low visibility conditions, especially fog, for air traffic during landing approaches. The objectives of this paper are to find out whether the use of IR cameras for an EVS can improve the visibility at defined conditions of ICAO standard visual range categories CAT I, II, III a and III c for landing approaches. The calculations are carried out with the atmos-pheric radiative transfer model MODTRAN Version 4.0. The IR detection range is calcu-lated in the atmospheric windows 3-5 ìm and 8-12 ìm and compared to the visual range defined at 0.55 ìm. The sensor properties are simulated with the model TTIM (TACOM Thermal Image Model) for a specific IR cam-era type Thermovision 570 operating in the spectral band 8-12 ìm. The influence of vari-ous climatic and seasonal meteorological conditions, aerosol types and target parame-ters, such as temperature and size, on the IR detection range is taken into account

CO2 Release in West Bohemia: Preparatory Experiments to remotely detect thermal anomalies

In Western Bohemia (Czech Republic) and parts of the Vogtland and of the Oberpfalz (Germany) frequently earthquake swarms occur. Furthermore the region is characterised by large numbers of CO2-rich springs and mofettes (gas vents) spread over an area of a few thousand km2. Survey and mapping of these CO2 emanations in conjunction with ongoing geophysical investigations will contribute to the understanding of the earthquake/fluid dynamics interrelation. It is proposed to apply airborne infrared imaging technology to detect soil and perhaps also water surface thermal anomalies caused by emerging CO2. A low effort experiment was performed to investigate the feasibility of the method. Pressurised air was lead into the ground and released in some depth via a metal lance. The thermal effect at the surface was monitored by an infrared camera over several hours under varying meteorological conditions. Pronounced thermal anomalies were found at the regions of the gas emanation. The observations reveal that thermal contrast will depend on diurnal, seasonal and weather influences and very favourable conditions for airborne detection can be expected to occur. Investigations are going on

Image processing in an enhanced and sythetic vision system

Synthetic Vision (computer generated images using airport databases and the actual aircraft position and attitude data) and Sensor Vision (images generated from IR, MMW, video sensors, ...) complement to an ideal system for the pilot´s situation awareness. To fuse these two data sets the sensor images are first segmented by a k-means algorithm and then features are extracted by blob analysis. These image features are compared with the features of the projected airport data using fuzzy logic in order to identify the runway in the sensor image and to improve the aircraft navigation data. This process is necessary due to inaccurate input data i.e. position and attitude of the aircraft. After identifying the runway, obstacles can be detected using the sensor image. The extracted information is presented to the pilots display system and combined with the appropriate information from the MMW radar sensor in a subsequent fusion processor. A real time image processing procedure is discussed and demonstrated with IR measurements of a FLIR system during landing approaches

Preparatory Investigations on the Detection of Thermal Anomalies Induced by CO2 Emissions on Fluid-Active Faults in West Bohemia

An experiment was presented which demonstrates the significance of ground surface temperature anomalies induced by subsurface injections of pressurized air. It prepares the application of thermal imaging systems for the detection of CO2 fumaroles in the West-Bohemia and Vogtland Swarm Earthquake Region within the frame of a proposed DFG research project

Infrared remote sensing of Earth degassing - Ground study

Geodynamical processes often cause degassing at the Earth surface via mineral springs, water mofettes, or dry mofettes. It is assumed that the emerging gas influences the temperature of the soil at and around the dry gas vents. This causes a thermal anomaly in comparison to the close vicinity. Investigations have commenced to determine whether the effect can be utilised to detect gas emanations through airborne infrared imaging measurements. As a first approach, compressed air was lead into the ground and released in some depth. The thermal effect at the surface was observed by a thermovision camera. Furthermore field measurements have been conducted in the Western Bohemia (Czech Republic) earthquake swarm region where especially CO2 emanates

Infrared and hyperspectral remote sensing of Earth degassing

Geodynamical processes often cause degassing at the Earth surface. There the geogas emanates via mineral springs, water mofettes, or dry mofettes. It is assumed that the emerging gas influences the temperature of the springs¡¦ or mofettes¡¦ water, respectively the surface temperature of the soil at and around the dry gas vents. This causes a thermal anomaly in comparison to the close vicinity. If the anomaly is sufficiently pronounced with respect to the temperature difference ´T to the vicinity and to the area A influenced by the effect it can be extracted from remotely acquired infrared images. Investigations have commenced to investigate whether the effect can be utilised to detect gas emanations through airborne infrared imaging measurements. In such a way gas vents/springs could be mapped and monitored within large areas and short times. As a first approach compressed air was lead into the ground and released in some depth via a metal lance. The thermal effect at the surface was observed by a thermovision camera over several hours under varying meteorological conditions. Temperature in the depth was measured using contact thermometers for comparison. In addition simulations were performed to determine the temperature difference ´T and the area A of the thermal anomaly required for detection by typical remote sensing instrumentation. Results of measurements and simulations will be presented. The investigations are aiming at studies to be performed in the Western Bohemia (Czech Republic) earthquake swarm region where especially CO2 of magmatic origin from European Subcontinental Mantle (ESCM) emanates