Optical method for remote determination of the geological nature of a homogeneous surface

Claim 2

A non-contact method for remote sensing of the homogeneity of a substantially horizontal unidentified target surface comprising: electro-optically detecting a train of optical waves reflected from said target surface with a photopolarimeter; calculating the polarization intensities (PI's) of said detected optical wavelengths in four preselected spectral wave bands, λ n , through λ n+3 , wherein 0.5<λ n ≦0.6 micrometers, 0.6<λ n+1 ≦0.7 micrometers, 0.7<λ n+2 ≦0.8 micrometers and 0.8<λ n+3 ≦1.1 micrometers; calculating a polarization intensity index (PII) for said target surface by ratioing the difference between (PIλn+PIλn+1) and (PIλn+2+PIλn+3) with the sum of (PIλn+PIλn+1)+(PIλn+2+PIλn+3), provided that the PI of the four wave bands define two conjugate pairs PIλn with PIλn+1 and PIλn+2 with PIλn+3 each conjugate pair having the same PI, and the conjugate pairs PIλn with PIλn+1 and PIλn+2 with PIλn+3 being different from one another; and comparing the calculated PII for said target surface with PII values for predetermined target surfaces to identify said unidentified target surface.

Claim 3

A non-contact method for remote sensing of the homogeneity of a substantially vertical unidentified target surface comprising: electro-optically detecting a train of optical waves reflected from said target surface with a photopolarimeter; calculating the polarization intensities (PI's) of said detected optical wavelengths in four preselected spectral wave bands, λ n through λ n+ 3, wherein 0.5<λ n ≦0.6 micrometers, 0.6<λ n+1 ≦0.7 micrometers, 0.7<λ n+2 ≦0.8 micrometers and 0.8<λ n+3 ≦1.1 micrometers; calculating a polarization intensity index (PII) for said target surface by ratioing the difference between (PIλn+PIλn+3) and (PIλn+1+PIλn+2) with the sum of (PIλn+PIλn+3)+(PIλn+1+PIλn+2) provided that the PI of the four wave bands define two conjugate pairs PIλn with PIλn+3 and PIλn+1 with PIλn+2 each conjugate pair having the same PI, and the conjugate pairs PIλn with PIλn+3 and PIλn+1 with PIλn+2 being different from one another; and comparing the calculated PII for said target surface with PII values for predetermined target surfaces to identify said unidentified target surface.

Claim 4

A non-contact method for remote sensing of the homogeneity of a substantially vertical unidentified target surface comprising: electro-optically detecting a train of optical waves reflected from said target surface with a photopolarimeter; calculating the polarization intensities (PI's) of said detected optical wavelengths in four preselected spectral wave bands, λ n through λ n+ 3, wherein 0.5<λ n ≦0.6 micrometers, 0.6<λ n+1 ≦0.7 micrometers, 0.7<λ n+2 ≦0.8 micrometers and 0.8<λ n+3 ≦1.1 micrometers; calculating a polarization intensity index (PII) for said target surface by ratioing the difference between (PIλn+PIλn+3) and (PIλn+1+PIλn+2) with the sum of (PIλn+PIλn+3)+(PIλn+1+PIλn+2) provided that the PI of the four wave bands define two conjugate pairs PIλn with PIλn+3 and PIλn+1 with PIλn+2 each conjugate pair having the same PI, and the conjugate pairs PIλn with PIλn+3 and PIλn+1 with PIλn+2 being different from one another; and comparing the calculated PII for said target surface with PII values for predetermined target surfaces to identify said unidentified target surface.

Claim 5

A non-contact method for identifying a substantially horizontal unidentified target surface which comprises the steps of: electro-optically receiving the polarized components of a train of electro-magnetic radiation reflected from said target surface; electro-optically generating four first data signals representative of four first values corresponding to the Stokes parameter Q, for four respective, preselected wave bands of said reflected radiation; electro-optically generating four second data signals representative of four second values corresponding to the Stokes parameter U, for said four respective, preselected wave bands of said reflected radiation; electro-optically generating four third data signals representative of four third values corresponding to the Stokes parameter 1/2(I) for said four respective, preselected wave bands of reflected radiation; electro-optically operating on the first, second, and third data signals for each respective wave band to compute a fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh data signal representative of the polarization intensity for said four respective wave bands; electro-optically operating on said fifth and said sixth data signals to compute a difference between them; electro-optically operating on said fifth and sixth signals to compute their sum; electro-optically computing a ratio of said difference to said sum which ratio represents the polarization intensity index of said unidentified target surface; comparing said polarization intensity index of said target surface with the polarization intensity indexes of previously determined surfaces to identify said target surface.

Claim 6

A non-contact method for identifying a substantially horizontal unidentified target surface which comprises the steps of: electro-optically receiving the polarized components of a train of electro-magnetic radiation reflected from said target surface; electro-optically generating four first data signals representative of four first values corresponding to the Stokes parameter Q, for four respective, preselected wave bands of said reflected radiation; electro-optically generating four second data signals representative of four second values corresponding to the Stokes parameter U, for said four respective, preselected wave bands of said reflected radiation; electro-optically generating four third data signals representative of four third values corresponding to the Stokes parameter 1/2(I) for said four respective, preselected wave bands of reflected radiation; electro-optically operating on the first, second, and third data signals for each respective wave band to compute a fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh data signal representative of the polarization intensity for said four respective wave bands; electro-optically operating on said fifth and said sixth data signals to compute a difference between them; electro-optically operating on said fifth and sixth signals to compute their sum; electro-optically computing a ratio of said difference to said sum which ratio represents the polarization intensity index of said unidentified target surface; comparing said polarization intensity index of said target surface with the polarization intensity indexes of previously determined surfaces to identify said target surface.

Claim 7

A non-contact method for identifying a substantially vertical unidentified target surface which comprises the steps of: electro-optically receiving the polarized componenets of a train of electro-magnetic radiation reflected from said target surface; electro-optically generating four first data signals representative of four first values corresponding to the Stokes parameter Q, for four respective preselected wave bands of said reflected radiation; electro-optically generating four second data signals representative of four second values corresponding to the Stokes parameter U, for said four respective preselected wave bands of said reflected radiation; electro-optically generating four third data signals representative of four third values corresponding to the Stokes parameter 1/2(I) for said four respective, preselected wave bands of reflected radiation; electro-optically operating on the first, second and third data signals for each respective wave band to compute a fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh data signal representative of the polarization intensity for said four respective wave bands; electro-optically operating on said sixth and seventh data signals to compute a difference between them and their sum; electro-optically computing a ratio of said difference to said sum which ratio represents the polarization intensity index of said unidentified target surface; comparing said polarization intensity index of said target surface with the polarization intensity indexes of previously determined surfaces to identify said target surface.

Claim 8

A non-contact method for identifying a substantially vertical unidentified target surface which comprises the steps of: electro-optically receiving the polarized componenets of a train of electro-magnetic radiation reflected from said target surface; electro-optically generating four first data signals representative of four first values corresponding to the Stokes parameter Q, for four respective preselected wave bands of said reflected radiation; electro-optically generating four second data signals representative of four second values corresponding to the Stokes parameter U, for said four respective preselected wave bands of said reflected radiation; electro-optically generating four third data signals representative of four third values corresponding to the Stokes parameter 1/2(I) for said four respective, preselected wave bands of reflected radiation; electro-optically operating on the first, second and third data signals for each respective wave band to compute a fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh data signal representative of the polarization intensity for said four respective wave bands; electro-optically operating on said sixth and seventh data signals to compute a difference between them and their sum; electro-optically computing a ratio of said difference to said sum which ratio represents the polarization intensity index of said unidentified target surface; comparing said polarization intensity index of said target surface with the polarization intensity indexes of previously determined surfaces to identify said target surface.