Fast Thermal Imaging: Muzzle Flash Analysis

Significant technical challenges need to be overcome when it comes to detection, location, and identification of small caliber hostile gunfire. The key characteristic for the detection of a small caliber gunfire, which also leads to the most obvious technical challenge, is its short, few milliseconds long, muzzle flash. Other technical challenges include the detection of the fast moving target and the detection of a high energy event, in real-time while covering a large area (Field of View or FOV).

This application note presents results of measurements performed on small caliber muzzle flash using the Telops FAST-IR 1000 high-speed and high-performance infrared camera.

Muzzle flash infrared signature description
It is interesting to analyze muzzle flash in the Mid-Wave (MW) infrared spectral band since the in-band infrared signature is significantly larger and more pronounced than the visible signature. Moreover, the four main muzzle flash characteristics are easily detectable in the MW infrared band.