Thermal Imaging and Object Detection at Sea

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SUMMARY

Thermal imaging cannot effectively detect objects underwater due to water's high absorption of infrared radiation. While the idea of combining thermal imaging with active/passive sonar for detecting submarines and underwater mines is intriguing, the physics of water makes it impractical. Most underwater organisms are cold-blooded and do not emit significant heat, further complicating detection efforts. The consensus is that the opacity of water to infrared light is the primary barrier to using thermal imaging in underwater applications.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of thermal imaging technology and its limitations
  • Knowledge of active and passive sonar systems
  • Familiarity with the properties of water and infrared radiation
  • Basic principles of underwater acoustics
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the physics of infrared absorption in water
  • Explore advancements in sonar technology for underwater detection
  • Investigate alternative imaging techniques for underwater applications
  • Learn about the thermal signatures of marine life and their detection
USEFUL FOR

Marine engineers, defense technology researchers, and professionals involved in underwater surveillance and detection systems.

fizzziks
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So my mind tends to wander, but I was thinking... since active/passive sonar is used to detect objects underwater, couldn't thermal imaging be used as well (in conjunction)? Isn't there any reason why we couldn't combine the two sensors into cooperatively working together to detect submarines, enemy swimmers, underwater mines, etc assuming the radiating heat is sufficient enough and to the required intensity of the thermal imager?

Does this make sense at all? I was hoping to spur some discussion on the topic.
 
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What is there under water that radiates heat? Most of the animals are cold blooded and those that aren't are heavily insulated due to the water's ability to remove heat quickly.
 
I don't know for sure, but my guess why it hasn't been done is because water is opaque to infrared, meaning you can't "image" underwater in the infrared spectrum.

Edit:

My suspicions are correct. The following picture shows that water absorbs infrared much more readily than visible. This means if you can't see it with visible light, you certinly won't see it in infrared.

[PLAIN]http://www1.lsbu.ac.uk/water/images/watopt.gif
 
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