The advancement of computer simulation tools for high fidelity signature modeling has led to a requirement for a better understanding of effects of light scattering from surfaces. Measurements of the Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) fully describe the angular scattering properties of materials, and these may be used in signature simulations to quantitatively characterize the optical effects of surface treatments on targets. This paper reviews the theoretical and experimental techniques for characterizing the BRDF of surfaces and examines some of the popular parameterized BRDF representations that are used in signature calculations.
Citation
James C. Jafolla and William R. Reynolds “Bidirectional reflectance measurements for high-resolution signature modeling”, Proc. SPIE 5431, Targets and Backgrounds X: Characterization and Representation, (5 August 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.548085