The Infrared Cloud Imager (ICI)
Recent References
- J. A. Shaw and P. W. Nugent, "Physics principles in thermal infrared imaging of clouds in the atmosphere," European J. Physics (in press, July 2013).
- P. W. Nugent, J. A. Shaw, and S. Piazzolla, “Infrared cloud imager development for atmospheric optical communication characterization, and measurements at the JPL Table Mountain Facility,” Interplanetary Network Progress Report 42-192, 1-30 (2013).
- P. W. Nugent, J. A. Shaw, and N. J. Pust, “Correcting for focal plane array temperature dependence in microbolometer infrared cameras lacking thermal stabilization,” Opt. Eng. 52(6), 061304, doi:10.1117/1.OE.52.6.061304 (2013).
- P. W. Nugent, J. A. Shaw, N. J. Pust, and S. Piazzolla, “Correcting calibrated infrared sky imagery for the effect of an infrared window,” J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol. 26(11), 2403-2412, doi:10.1175/2009JTECHA1288.1, Nov. 2009.
- P. W. Nugent, J. A. Shaw, and S. Piazzolla, “Infrared cloud imaging in support of Earth-space optical communication,” Opt. Express 17(10), 7862-7872, http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.17.007862, 11 May 2009. J. A. Shaw, P. W. Nugent, N. J. Pust, B. Thurairajah, K. Mizutani, "Radiometric cloud imaging with an uncooled microbolometer thermal infrared camera,"Optics Express 13(15), 5807-5817, July 2005. B. Thurairajah and J. A. Shaw, "Cloud statistics measured with the Infrared Cloud Imager (ICI)," IEEE Trans. Geoscience & Remote Sensing 43(9), 2000-2007 (2005).
The Infrared Cloud Imager (ICI) is a ground-based, passive infrared imaging system that provides radiometrically calibrated sky images for determining cloud statistics. The systems use a microbolometer detector array and germanium lens, and some versions include an on-board blackbody calibration source.
In collaboration with Dr. Sabino Piazzolla at NASA's JPL, we have developed the ICI-2, a compact thermal infrared imaging system that provides a 62° diagonal field of view. This version was designed specifically for measuring clouds at potential ground station sites for Earth-space optical communications.
The ICI-3 has a 110° diagonal field of view and is available for field deployment. The pictures below show the ICI-3 exterior (left) and interior (right).
All ICI systems now can produce maps of cloud optical depth and cloud type in addition
to cloud presence. This prvovides greatly enhanced information content for any cloud
studies, which might be for climate research or for Earth-space optical communications,
etc. See the ICI data page for more ... 
Dr. Joe Shaw with the original ICI at Barrow, Alaska (April 2004)