Laboratory geometric calibration simulation analysis of push-broom satellite imaging sensor

Linear array imaging sensors are widely used in remote sensing satellites. The final products of an imaging sensor can only be used when they are geometrically, radiometrically, and spectrally calibrated. Therefore, at the first stages of sensor design, a detailed calibration procedure must be carefully planned based on the accuracy requirements. In this paper, focusing on inherent optical distortion, a step-by-step procedure for laboratory geometric calibration of a typical push-broom satellite imaging sensor is simulated. The basis of this work is the simulation of a laboratory procedure in which a linear imager mounted on a rotary table captures images of a pin-hole pattern at different angles. By these images and their corresponding pinhole approximation, the correction function is extracted and applied to the raw images to give the corrected ones. The simulation results illustrate that using this approach, the nonlinear effects of distortion can be minimized and therefore the accuracy of the geometric position of this method on the image screen can be improved to better than the order of sub-pixel. On the other hand, the analyses can be used to proper laboratory facility selection based on the imaging sensor specifications and the accuracy.