Scene Generation

Scene generation has been of interest to CPI since the mid-90s in support of satellite imaging experiments and more generally for understanding emission characteristics on a global scale to support development of remote sensing algorithms (e.g., horizontal gradients). Initial work was reported by Strickland et al. [Applied Optics, 33, 3578, 1994] and included global scenes of selected emission features as seen from high altitude satellites. CPI's scene generation software is basically the same as that used in data simulations but is less specific with regard to given orbits and instrument characteristics. The following images provide examples of scenes generated by this software.

Upper left: distant view of Earth mostly in darkness as seen in the far ultraviolet at 135.6 nm due to emission from atomic oxygen (OI 135.6 nm). Upper right: Limb view of OI 135.6 nm dayglow near terminator. Lower left: OI 135.6 nm nightglow looking east over South America. Lower right: Same scene for OI 630.0 nm nightglow.
Distant view of Earth simulating OI 130.4 nn dayglow, nightglow, and aurora. The subtle structure on the nightside at low latitudes is associated with the Appleton anomaly.