Article: NIR Trends: Penetrating The Haze Of Scattered Light

By Douglas Malchow, Business Development Manager for Industrial Products, Sensors Unlimited, Inc., part of Goodrich Corporation

In the July column of NIR Trends, we discussed the interaction of electromagnetic waves with materials they encounter, and how the interaction can tell us a great deal about the chemistry and physical makeup of those materials. This is the basis of most forms of spectroscopy. We went on to describe the impact NIR spectroscopy is having on our lives, particularly in biomedical imaging. In that context, light scattering was mentioned as a complication. This column will expand on the topic of light scattering and its impact on imaging with cameras at various wavelengths. Illustrations will compare images taken between visible and the shortwave infrared SWIR in haze, dust, and smoky conditions.