Detection of gaseous plumes in airborne hyperspectral imagery

The thermal hyperspectral sensor Hyper-Cam was mounted on a light aircraft and measured continuous releases of several atmospheric tracers from a height of 2 km. A unique detection algorithm that eliminates the need for clear background estimation was operated over the acquired data with excellent detection results. The data-cubes were acquired in a target mode, which is a unique method of operation of the Hyper-Cam sensor. This method provides multiple views of the plume which can be exploited to enhance the detection performance. These encouraging results demonstrate the utility of airborne LWIR hyperspectral imaging for efficient detection and mapping of effluent gases for environmental monitoring.