Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER 13
u
u
Historical Use of Airborne Thermal
Infrared Imaging for Detecting and
Studying Coal Fires
CHAPTER CONTENTS
13.1 Airborne Thermal Infrared
Imaging
Introduction
Thermal Infrared Imaging
Color Infrared Imaging
Early Use
Later Use
Depth Estimation
Discussion
Acknowledgments
Important Terms
References
WWW Addresses:
Additional Reading
Forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera image of the Elk Creek Coal Mine Fire, Garfield
County, Colorado (September 30, 2002). The camera detects infrared radiation associated
with thermal energy to create a picture such as the one shown here. The aerial view is
toward the northwest (upper left), along strike of the Grand Hogback monocline. The scale
to the right represents relative heat energy flow and is misleading in that ground surface
temperatures greatly exceed the scale values. This anomaly is because of the distance
between the model camera used in flight and the fire on the ground. The image roughly
corresponds to the position of the aircraft that took the gray-scale thermal infrared image
on the next page. The numbers at the bottom of the image from left to right are military
time, emissivity (a measure of the radiation emitted from an object when compared to a
perfectly black body), and the reflected ambient temperature (used to compensate for
radiation emitted from the atmosphere).
Photo courtesy of Steven Renner; Colorado
Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety.
