Electro-optical propagation assessment in coastal environments (EOPACE): Summary and accomplishments

EOPACE (electro-optical propagation assessment in coastal environments) was a 5-yr multinational and interdisciplinary effort to improve the performan ce assessment for electro-optical (EO) systems operating in coastal environ ments. The initial results of the EOPACE program include: (1) the parameter ization of the surf-zone generated aerosol-size distribution as a function of swell height; (2) the characterization of aerosol plume structures and t he transport of surf generated aerosols; (3) the development of a quantitat ive surf aerosol source function; (4) the description of the contribution a nd impact of surf-zone generated aerosols on coastal infrared (IR) transmis sion; (5) the measurement and modeling of the near surface transmission eff ects (aerosol and molecular extinction, refraction, scintillation, and wave shadowing); (6) an analysis of the contribution of anthropogenic and land derived aerosols to the air mass characteristics in the coastal zone; (7) t he application of direct and remote sensing techniques to develop the scali ng parameters for aerosols in the prevailing air mass; (8) an analysis of n ear ocean surface bulk meteorological scaling which works well for unstable conditions but is less reliable for neutral and stable conditions; and (9) the incorporation of the improved sea radiance models into TAWS (target ac quisition weather software) which improved the error analysis by a factor o f 3. These initial accomplishments are described in this overview of the EO PACE effort. (C) 2001 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.