Nanoscience and Microsystems ETDs

Publication Date

Spring 3-17-2025

Abstract

Atmospheric fogs degrade optical signals via the scattering and absorption of light, making it difficult to recover information from our surroundings. I have developed a low SWaP technique which measures the angular distribution of light scattered by fog to help recover degraded optical signals. I demonstrate improved recovery of high spatial frequency optical information through fog by characterizing the point spread function (PSF) of the aerosol environment. To do so I first pass a collimated beam through an experimentally generated fog-analogue. An f-theta lens then collects the scattered light and transforms its angular scattering profile into the linear domain, mapping the beam onto a focal plane. This angular map can then be used to calculate the anticipated PSF of the beam at an arbitrary stand-off distance. I then use the modelled PSF to deblur images of a resolution target, increasing the resolution of the blurred images by much as 26%.

Keywords

fog, scattering, degraded visual environments, mie scattering

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Nanoscience and Microsystems

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Nanoscience and Microsystems

First Committee Member (Chair)

Nathan Jackson

Second Committee Member

Terefe Habteyes

Third Committee Member

David Hanson

Fourth Committee Member

Jeremy Benjamin Wright

Download

Available for download on Saturday, May 15, 2027

Share

COinS