Simulating a sensing system

1. A simulator for simulating a sensing system, comprising:

a plurality of modules operable to simulate one or more sensors sensing a scene, the plurality of modules comprising:

a path modeling module operable to model a path for each sensor of the one or more sensors;

a radiative transfer module operable to model a transfer of radiance from the scene to each sensor of the one or more sensors; and

one or more instrument response modules operable to model the response of the one or more sensors to the transferred radiance; and

a control module operable to manage the operation of the plurality of modules.

2. The simulator of claim 1 , further comprising a product evaluation module operable to:

receive one or more geophysical products determined in accordance with the response of the one or more sensors;

compare the geophysical products with the scene; and

evaluate the one or more sensors in accordance with the comparison.

3. The simulator of claim 1 , further comprising a resampling module operable to:

receive one or more radiance products generated in accordance with the response of the one or more sensors, the radiance products organized in a first coordinate system; and

map the radiance products from the first coordinate system to a second coordinate system.

4. The simulator of claim 1 , further comprising a product generation module operable to:

receive one or more radiance products generated in accordance with the response of the one or more sensors; and

generate one or more geophysical products in accordance with the radiance products.

5. The simulator of claim 1 , wherein the control module is operable to:

receive data describing the scene;

identify a data type associated with the data; and

control the one or more instrument response modules in accordance with the identification.

6. The simulator of claim 1 , wherein the one or more instrument response modules further comprises a spectral response module operable to:

receive hyper-spectral data; and

combine the hyper-spectral data to yield an integrated measurement.

7. The simulator of claim 1 , wherein the one or more instrument response modules further comprises a spatial response module operable to:

identify data having a spatial resolution greater than that a spatial resolution associated with the one or more sensors; and

combine the identified data to yield an integrated measurement.

8. A method for simulating a sensing system, comprising:

simulating one or more sensors sensing a scene, the simulation performed by a plurality of modules, the simulation comprising:

modeling a path for each sensor of the one or more sensors, the path modeled by a path modeling module;

modeling a transfer of radiance from the scene to each sensor of the one or more sensors, the transfer of radiance modeled by a radiative transfer module; and

modeling the response of the one or more sensors to the transferred radiance, the response modeled by one or more instrument response modules; and

managing the operation of the plurality of modules using a control module.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising evaluating the one or more sensors using a product evaluation module, the evaluation comprising:

receiving one or more geophysical products determined in accordance with the response of the one or more sensors;

comparing the geophysical products with the scene; and

evaluating the one or more sensors in accordance with the comparison.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising mapping using a resampling module, the mapping comprising:

receiving one or more radiance products generated in accordance with the response of the one or more sensors, the radiance products organized in a first coordinate system; and

mapping the radiance products from the first coordinate system to a second coordinate system.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising generate one or more geophysical products using a product generation module, the generation comprising:

receiving one or more radiance products generated in accordance with the response of the one or more sensors; and

generating one or more geophysical products in accordance with the radiance products.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein managing the operation of the plurality of modules further comprises:

receiving data describing the scene;

identifying a data type associated with the data; and

controlling the one or more instrument response modules in accordance with the identification.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising combining data using a spectral response module, the combining comprising:

receiving hyper-spectral data; and

combining the hyper-spectral data to yield an integrated measurement.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising combining data using a spatial response module, the combining comprising:

identifying data having a spatial resolution greater than that a spatial resolution associated with the one or more sensors; and

combining the identified data to yield an integrated measurement.

15. Software for simulating a sensing system, the software embodied in a medium and comprising:

a plurality of modules operable to simulate one or more sensors sensing a scene, the plurality of modules comprising:

a path modeling module operable to model a path for each sensor of the one or more sensors;

a radiative transfer module operable to model a transfer of radiance from the scene to each sensor of the one or more sensors; and

one or more instrument response modules operable to model the response of the one or more sensors to the transferred radiance; and

a control module operable to manage the operation of the plurality of modules.

16. The software of claim 15 , further comprising a product evaluation module operable to:

receive one or more geophysical products determined in accordance with the response of the one or more sensors;

compare the geophysical products with the scene; and

evaluate the one or more sensors in accordance with the comparison.

17. The software of claim 15 , further comprising a resampling module operable to:

receive one or more radiance products generated in accordance with the response of the one or more sensors, the radiance products organized in a first coordinate system; and

map the radiance products from the first coordinate system to a second coordinate system.

18. The software of claim 15 , further comprising a product generation module operable to:

receive one or more radiance products generated in accordance with the response of the one or more sensors; and

generate one or more geophysical products in accordance with the radiance products.

19. The software of claim 15 , wherein the control module is operable to:

receive data describing the scene;

identify a data type associated with the data; and

control the one or more instrument response modules in accordance with the identification.

20. The software of claim 15 , wherein the one or more instrument response modules further comprises a spectral response module operable to:

receive hyper-spectral data; and

combine the hyper-spectral data to yield an integrated measurement.

21. The software of claim 15 , wherein the one or more instrument response modules further comprises a spatial response module operable to:

identify data having a spatial resolution greater than that a spatial resolution associated with the one or more sensors; and

combine the identified data to yield an integrated measurement.

22. A system for simulating a sensing system, comprising:

means for simulating one or more sensors sensing a scene, the simulation performed by a plurality of modules, the simulation comprising:

modeling a path for each sensor of the one or more sensors, the path modeled by a path modeling module;

modeling a transfer of radiance from the scene to each sensor of the one or more sensors, the transfer of radiance modeled by a radiative transfer module; and

modeling the response of the one or more sensors to the transferred radiance, the response modeled by one or more instrument response modules; and

means for managing the operation of the plurality of modules using a control module.

23. A simulator for simulating a sensing system, comprising:

a plurality of modules operable to simulate one or more sensors sensing a scene, the plurality of modules comprising:

a path modeling module operable to model a path for each sensor of the one or more sensors;

a radiative transfer module operable to model a transfer of radiance from the scene to each sensor of the one or more sensors;

one or more instrument response modules operable to model the response of the one or more sensors to the transferred radiance, the one or more instrument response modules further comprising:

a spectral response module operable to:

receive hyper-spectral data; and

combine the hyper-spectral data to yield an integrated measurement; and

a spatial response module operable to:

identify data having a spatial resolution greater than that a spatial resolution associated with the one or more sensors; and

combine the identified data to yield an integrated measurement; a resampling module operable to:

receive one or more radiance products generated in accordance with the response of the one or more sensors, the radiance products organized in a first coordinate system; and

map the radiance products from the first coordinate system to a second coordinate system;

a product generation module operable to:

receive the one or more radiance products generated in accordance with the response of the one or more sensors; and

generate one or more geophysical products in accordance with the radiance products;

a product evaluation module operable to:

receive the one or more geophysical products determined in accordance with the response of the one or more sensors;

compare the geophysical products with the scene; and

evaluate the one or more sensors in accordance with the comparison;

a control module operable to manage the operation of the plurality of modules, the control module operable to:

receive data describing the scene;

identify a data type associated with the data; and

control the one or more instrument response modules in accordance with the identification.