Imaging polarimetry has emerged over the past three decades as a powerful tool to enhance the information available in a variety of remote sensing applications. We discuss the foundations of passive imaging polarimetry, the phenomenological reasons for designing a polarimetric sensor, and the primary architectures that have been exploited for developing imaging polarimeters. Considerations on imaging polarimeters such as calibration, optimization, and error performance are also discussed. We review many important sources and examples from the scientific literature.

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Review of passive imaging polarimetry for remote sensing applications

This paper reviews the state of the art of optical coherence tomography (OCT), an interferometric imaging technique that provides cross-sectional views of the subsurface microstructure of biological tissue. Following a discussion of the basic theory of OCT, an overview of the issues involved in the design of the main components of OCT systems is presented. The review concludes by introducing new imaging modes being developed to extract additional diagnostic information.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT): a review

We describe a simple and highly efficient and accurate radiative transfer technique for computing bidirectional reflectance of a macroscopically flat scattering layer composed of nonabsorbing or weakly absorbing, arbitrarily shaped, randomly oriented and randomly distributed particles. The layer is assumed to be homogeneous and optically semi-infinite, and the bidirectional reflection function (BRF) is found by a simple iterative solution of the Ambartsumian's nonlinear integral equation. As an exact Solution of the radiative transfer equation, the reflection function thus obtained fully obeys the fundamental physical laws of energy conservation and reciprocity. Since this technique bypasses the computation of the internal radiation field, it is by far the fastest numerical approach available and can be used as an ideal input for Monte Carlo procedures calculating BRFs of scattering layers with macroscopically rough surfaces. Although the effects of packing density and coherent backscattering are currently neglected, they can also be incorporated. The FORTRAN implementation of the technique is available on the World Wide Web at http://ww,,v.giss.nasa.gov/-crmim/brf.html and can be applied to a wide range of remote sensing, engineering, and biophysical problems. We also examine the potential effect of ice crystal shape on the bidirectional reflectance of flat snow surfaces and the applicability of the Henyey-Greenstein phase function and the 6-Eddington approximation in calculations for soil surfaces.

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Bidirectional Reflectance of Flat, Optically Thick Particulate Layers: An Efficient Radiative Transfer Solution and Applications to Snow and Soil Surfaces

The authors present two figures of merit based on singular value decomposition which can be used to assess the noise immunity of a complete Stokes polarimeter. These are used to optimize a polarimeter consisting of a rotatable retarder and fixed polarizer. A retardance of 132{degree} (approximately three eights wave) and retarder orientation angles of {+-}51.7{degree} and {+-}15.1{degree} are found to be optimal when four measurements are used. Use of this retardance affords a factor of 1.5 improvement in signal-to-noise ratio over systems employing a quarter wave plate. A geometric means of visualizing the optimization process is discussed, and the advantages of the use of additional measurements are investigated. No advantage of using retarder orientation angles spaced uniformly through 360{degree} is found over repeated measurements made at the four angles given previously.

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Optimization of retardance for a complete Stokes polarimeter.

The use of the Monte Carlo method in radiative heat transfer is reviewed. The review covers surface-surface, enclosure, and participating media problems. Discussio. is included of research on the fundamentals of the method and on applications to surface-surface interchange in enclosures, exchange between surfaces with roughness characteristics, determination of configuration factors, inverse design, transfer through packed beds and fiber layers, participating media, scattering, hybrid methods, spectrally dependent problems including media with line structure, effects of using parallel algorithms, practical applications, and extensions of the method. Conclusions are presented on needed future work and the place of Monte Carlo techniques in radiative heat transfer computations

The Monte Carlo Method in Radiative Heat Transfer

The four optimum rotation angles for a polarimeter consisting of a quarter-wave plate in conjunction with a linear polarizer are found. This is done by using the determinant and condition numbers of the system measurement matrix as objective functions in a minimization procedure. The four angles so found result in the polarimeter's estimate of the incident Stokes vector to have a minimum sensitivity with respect to fluctuations in the detected flux and errors in the angular position of the optical components constituting the polarimeter. Four optimal angles are presented. These four angles also retain a simplicity of form for the measurement matrix.

Optimum Angles for a Polarimeter: Part II

A backward Monte Carlo estimator is developed to describe the multiple scattering of a polarized, narrow light beam by a plane-parallel medium. The case of a right circularly polarized beam is analyzed in this paper. Results indicate that the diffuse light field is partially polarized even at significant optical radii from the incident light beam. The degree of polarization of the diffuse light field is dependent on the optical thickness of the medium and the size parameter of the scatterers.

A backward Monte Carlo study of the multiple scattering of a polarized laser beam

Two-dimensional fin with non-constant root temperature

In this study, convective and radiating annular fins of rectangular profile under thermally asymmetric conditions are examined using an analytical method. For the fin base condition, it is assumed that heat transfer from the fluid to the inside surface of the pipe is equal to the heat transfer through the fin base. The temperature distribution along the fin height at the fin tip is presented to demonstrate the effects of the thermally asymmetric condition. The heat loss and fin tip radius for fixed fin height are optimized as a function of the fin top convection characteristic number. Also, for fixed fin volume, the heat loss and fin dimensions are optimized based on the top, bottom, and tip convection characteristic numbers, radiation characteristic numbers, fin base radius, and fin volume. The fin effectiveness as a function of the top convection characteristic number and annular fin length are also presented.

Optimization of a thermally asymmetric convective and radiating annular fin

This note presents the results of an investigation of unequal convection coefficient effects on the heat lost from a fin. Heat balance integral approaches have been applied to this two-dimensional problem with useful results for the heat transfer but only approximate results for the temperature distribution. Thus the purpose of this note is to provide additional insight into the effects of unequal top, bottom, and tip surface convection coefficients. This difference will be denoted by the Biot numbers Bi rather than the convection coefficients.

Dwight C. Look

Papers

Optimum Angles for a Polarimeter: Part II

A backward Monte Carlo study of the multiple scattering of a polarized laser beam

Two-dimensional fin with non-constant root temperature

Optimization of a thermally asymmetric convective and radiating annular fin

Two-Dimensional Fin Performance: Bi (top surface) ≥ Bi (bottom surface)