MTI ground data processing and science retrieval pipeline architecture

The major science goal for the Multispectral Thermal Imager (MTI) project is to measure surface properties such as vegetation health, temperatures, material composition and others for characterization of industrial facilities and environmental applications. To support this goal, this program has several coordinated components, including modeling, comprehensive ground-truth measurements, image acquisition planning, data processing and data interpretation. Algorithms have been developed to retrieve a multitude of physical quantities and these algorithms are integrated in a processing pipeline architecture that emphasizes automation, flexibility and robust operation. In addition, the MTI science team has produced detailed site, system and atmospheric models to aid in system design and data analysis. This paper will provide an introduction to the data processing and science algorithms for the MTI project. Detailed discussions of the retrieval techniques will follow in papers from the balance of this session.