CIA EVALUATION OF BI-SPECTRAL PHOTOGRAPHY FROM KH 4-B MISSION 1103

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78B04767A000300050023-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 29, 2002
• Sequence Number: 23
• Publication Date: May 9, 1968
• Content Type: MF

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DECLASS REVIEW by NIMA/DOD
TOP SECRET
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GROUP 1
Excluded from autora?tic
decla5sicat:io
I-e0, 000 (APp"cs?.)
TOP SECRET
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9 May 1968
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, National Photographic
Interpretation Center
SUBJECT CIA Evaluation of Bi-Spectral
Photography. from KH 4-B Mission
1103
1. Mission 1103 is the first attempt to
obtain a relatively large amount of Bi-Spectral
.(Bi-Color) photography of intelligence targets
in denied areas. The Bi-Color requirement for
Mission 1103 was generated principally against
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2. A comprehensive evaluation of the utility
of Bi-Color against will be performed 25X2
in following up the initial requirement. I am
concerned, however, that the evaluat;on of Bi-
Color in.relation to other intelligence targets
may not be as systematically handled asis-
desirable for future planning purposes.
3. I propose that a coordinated Agency-Wide
evaluation of the Bi-Color portions of Mission
1103 be made and that a report be prepared for
circulation within the Agency and subsequently'
to the Community-as a whole. The focus of such
an evaluation should'be on the incremental infor-
mation judged to have been gained through Bi-Color
in comparison with normal black and white. I
propose that the scheduling) consolidation, and
coordination of such 'a report be handled by the
Regional Analysis Division, OSR (SR/RA) along the
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lines and procedures used routinely in the prepara-
tion of the Agency-wide substantive assessments
which are produced after each mission.
4. Working closely with the various production
components and with OSP, SR/RA will examine the
general mission Bi-Color coverage and prepare a
listing of targets and categories covered for which
the Bi-Color aspect appears germane. OSP is arrang-
ing for the preparation and delivery to NPIC of
.mission materials processed for viewing in Bi-Color.
OSP will provide a 30 minute briefing for analysts
on the Bi-Color technique, orthoprints, use of the
ARES viewing device, and the Bi-Color materials
delivery plan. The briefing schedule will be
arranged between OSP.and SR/RA. SR/RA will arrange
a schedule of review and use of the viewing equip-
ment, the preparation of joint analyst-PI evaluations
and will integrate the information into a draft
.report. The draft report will be circulated to
the various components for detailed review, co-
ordination, and consolidation before being issued
in final form.
5. I recommend .that the initial Bi-Color
evaluation of Mission 1103 be issued in the form
of a "preliminary assessment" by 15 June 1968.
At that time the need for additional and more
definitive' evaluation can.be determined.
Identical memos sent to
Assistant DDI
Assistant DDS&T
Director OSP
Director OSI
Director OSR
Director FMSAC
Director OER
Director OCI
Director NPIC'
Director IAS
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CIA Member COMIREX
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$ 47A0003
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NPIC/TSSG/PPS-111-68
10 May 1968
SUBJECT: Preview of Bi-Color Briefing for IEG P.I. 's by Mr.
25X1 A I pf TSSG/TAD
1. The subject briefing was held at 1100 hours on 8 May 1968
in the TSSG Conference Room for the purpose of coordination with
related TSSG components. Representatives from PPS, TAS, TAD, DED
and TPD were present.
25X1A 2. proceeded to give his briefing as he intended
to give it to the IEG P.I.'s to assist in their exploitation of
bi-color imagery taken on Mission 1103. He used several examples
.as briefing aids, including previous bi-color satellite mission
matetials, some lab camera color filtered shots and various systems
of viewing this material, including comparison viewing of black-and-
white positive transparencies on the light table, superimposition
viewing by the ARES, polaroid land color copies of the ARES image,
color transparencies of the ARES image,acolor transparency made
from ortho photographs produced at ACIC and rectified transparencies
also produced at ACIC.
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2?5X1A.
3. After describing and illustrating the basic principles
of bi-color (which he'explained is more correctly described by the
term bi-spectral),I posed some of the possible uses and
limitations of imagery taken in this mode. He said that the material
taken by this process, if properly understood and/or filtered in the
viewing or reproduction process, could be relied upon to indicate
whether or not objects were most reflective in the red or green.
regions of the spectrum, but he cautioned emphatically against
interpreting the color presentation of this material as being
directly analogous to the actual color of the object. He then
asked for questions from.the floor.,
4. .asked whether the convergence of the KH-4 cameras
might cause specular reflectance to'be'misidentified as a "color"
signature. replied that this was certainly a potential
source of difficulty if the sun. angle had the corresponding orienta-
tion With respect to the camera attitude.
j25X1A
ca
5. asked whether the bi-color imagery might
use some difficulty.in stereo-viewing. He'said that on the
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samples he was given he was unable to establish satisfactory
stereo images when viewing them on the =High Power Micro- 25X1
stereoscope and that he had gotten a senior P.I. to also look
at these materials who verified that the stereo effect did t
n
as c.e ," tat the stereo images had been properly oriented
and pointed out that there was much opportunity for incorrect
o
appear to be present. questioned whether
w h 25X1A
orientation the cause of the degraded stereo effect. Messrs.
1 25X1 A I Iwere both doubtful that bi-color filtering would
preclude stereo viewing. Several of those present made arrangements
91.9 X1 A
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:d
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Chief, Projects Frogrd4a Staff, TSSG, NPIC
hopes of identifying the cause of this stereo viewing difficulty.
pointed out that they had arranged for extensive stereo
viewing tests by several P.Z.'s with this same mission material
and that none reported any difficulty in stereo perception. All
agreed that this question should be resolved.
was. nothing new and that the Ih?.J
had
performed. extensive evaluations of spectrazonal photography with
their nine lens camera system. He said that he believed that these
materials are now on file at the
tion, and he recommended that we axe advantage of the opportunity
.of using them in furthering our understanding of bi-color photography.
At this point, the briefing was completed. All agreed that the
briefing would be of much benefit to the P.I.'s.
ng o
IEG personnel.
should c m n s nor presenting this briefi t
8. Just prior to this briefing, again discussed
the question of whether or not.the flicker mode of presentation of
bi-color materials would make it possible for a person to discern
the differences between. the records when viewing them in a stereo-
scopic device with or without color filters. The question is at
yet unresolved and it'is still not clear what ontributions should
be made by in seeking to answer
this quest .
l --'NPIC/TSSG/TPD
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1 -- NPIC/TSSG/TAD
Orig. & 1 -- NPIC/TSSG/PPS
1 --?NPIC/TSSG/FO
1 -- NPIC/TSSG/TAS
Distribution:
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ILLEGIB
i 1,
MEMORANDUM FOR l a.nni nn Arnnr~r ri nm
----`----~. I}?ter n?~i -r a-
25X1 25X1
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Copy. of Copies
Pago of Pc,r,es
FROM : C=A
TOP:mE-., ,
CL ASSI FI CA
(AGENCY)
THROUGH TRS R
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c. Coordination:
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RIEFIERENCE. 3_1 CZ -7
25X1A
(REQUESTER'S REQUIREMENT NO.) (REQ
DP .1E
""'`'LCD Photo Analysis of B'-Sctral Mission 1103
3 . lI~> r.c)7 .s
(COUNTRY)
(PLACE NAME) (COORDINATES)
(WAC)
2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: (Include degree of urgency and any facts bearing T;ioreon,
pertinent references, enclosures, etc.)
a. GSI/CIA has been working with TSSG?f TAD/iL'B of I PIC to d ve_op
and feeblyouon fnr ?~.?.7;., :__
o_ G L mad y~-uvv~ tti]1. p.1oUographY on ;
STa? variety, 0
L f additional
Y T`.'iD1L as, ,c,have been covered iiy and
neeG 'G J be analyzed b
oc as (a) the most suitable rg L sv; boon
zaatified from the black and wh Lte photography,, and (b) the _
have b an prepared. CIA 'will provide a list of additional targets as soon as
they _
=ey have been selected. ,
b . Priority 1: Due Date 15 June 1969 .
ILLEGIB I
Please Yorward copy of response to the above.
SPECIp c REqU j~ ti IV-I.:
. 25X2
a As
a follow-on to the regular first and second !,,h--a :rplo.ztat- on of the
:> io.z, o;:p1oit the Bi-Spectral nhoto
and exploit in- accordance w ho am other substan ive care Tories,
ws suppler.ents to this requirement. specific requireL.ents to st~P,plie
b. Obtain enlargements of sclec- d
4. `i , O RESPONSE DESItED: Inter-Office Memo.
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h,. ,I
C L ASSI FICA
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iC M 188 (Revised 6-64) WT. Pri ~~ 77
Prof No
L, %Y Sri] scion 1103, 'working Closely Vith b?4` t /i1T?Yl r,r , ,. ,'-if,Y, _ IIOovared by
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28 March 1968
MBIORANDU;M FOR: Chairman, - COMIREX
SUBJECT Use of Bi-Color (Bi-Spectral) Filters Against
Ell-4B Mission 1103,24 April 1968
1. As you know, 'the ICI-413 system has an in-flight filter and
slit adjustment. capability which permits bi-color .(bi-spectral) photog-
raphy without committing an entire mission. NPIC has concluded there
is no loss in ground resolution through red (usual) filter, and the
loss through the green filter is the equivalent of going from GI-4B to
KH-4A ground resolution. When viewed in stereo, the ground resolu-
tion for the usual black and white photography is somewhere between
KIi-4A and K I-4B 'photography. (See Tab A)
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25X1A3. No further bi-color photography is scheduled after Mission 1103.
Mission 1104 in June will test SO-180 (IR color), 9.5 x 1
2. CIA's Office of Scientific Intelligence has a requirement to
photograph
These two films require alternate filters which are25X1A
not compatible with bi-color. There are no film tests scheduled for
During the winter months we may have a snow
cover problem with the priority I If we are to assess 25X2
bi-color against CIA's requirement in 1968, therefore, it would be
desirable to do so on Mission 1103. Should the readout bi-color passes
on Mission 1103 demonstrate' intelligence value, COMIRRX could then
exorcise its option to take additional bi-color in the operational area
`natural color). I I
4. COMIREX consideration of the requirement in Tab B would be
appreciated.
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UP S
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 we use a green filter on one camera and. a, red filter on the other to provide
filters on'both forward and aft looking cameras. In the case of bi-color,
tion is the use of a green filter on one camera. .Normally, we use red
Approved F+
Bi-color is simply spectrally filtered black and white
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND AND RESULTS TO DATE
photography, The only'difference between bi-ecilor and normal acquisi-
orb spectral' discriminati.on?' The green filter need not be used all the time
but only on those passes, desired, due to the in-flight changeable filter
..mechanism on the KH-4B camera. Conceptually, then, this technique
TAB A
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'works as' follows: '
a. To provide bi-color,' the "red and green filters are used:
T
The normal high resolution black and wnite film,ype 3404,
employed o " . Y.:.. ,4-::. .
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