Appendix A. Infrared Fundamentals - FLIR SeaFLIR II Series Operator's Manual

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Issued to: AgustaWestland

What does the SeaFLIR II Infrared camera see?

The SeaFLIR II is a passive camera that collects Infrared light. The CEU

(Control Electronics Unit) converts the light into one of 256 gray levels

and displays the information on the user's display as an intuitive and

easy to understand image.

Infrared light is part of the Electromagnetic Spectrum. Infrared is defined

as the wavelengths between 0.75μm-1000μm (millionths of a meter).

Visible light is defined as the wavelengths between 0.4μm-0.75μm.

Infrared light can be reflected, refracted, and focused like visible light,

and travel at the speed of light in a vacuum.

The SeaFLIR II Infrared camera sees the 3.4 – 5.0μm waveband.

Every object above absolute zero (-273.16°C, -459.72°F) emits Infrared

light. Consider every object that is viewed by the SeaFLIR II Infrared

camera to be a light source.

SeaFLIR II system in order to produce a usable image.

especially useful in a situation where there is very little or no visible light

available.

What determines the intensity of the Infrared light from a target?

Since every object with a temperature above absolute zero emits

Infrared light, the object's temperature has a lot to do with the amount of

Infrared light being emitted from its surface.

All surfaces do not emit light with equal efficiency. Clean, unpainted

metals tend to reflect their surroundings instead of emitting Infrared.

Most painted surfaces, human skin, rubber, concrete, plants, rocks, and

water emit Infrared light with ease.

Can the SeaFLIR II "see through walls"?

The Infrared light that the SeaFLIR II detects cannot pass through

materials typically used in wall construction.

In some situations, the SeaFLIR II Infrared camera will be able to find

different internal materials used in the wall construction (Figure A-1).

This effect is due to the differences between each material to conduct

heat (thermal conductivity). Metals generally conduct heat better than

wood, and both of them conduct heat better than insulated areas.

CM Ref:4049

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