Thermal imagers and space blankets

[donn]

Myself, my G.F and a couple of mates go coast scrambling now and again. Basically, we swim, climb and scramble our ways along the sea cliffs from one beach to another. Anyway, one of my mates carries a space blanket in her emergency kit; which we were dicussing the other day. All the combined wisdom says these things dont work but we got a little curious about something.
Say a person had an accident (on their own) resulting in pretty bad injury and they managed to crawl under an overhang and wrapped themselves in a space blanket to await rescue. If the S&R teams were using thermal imaging equipment to locate them, like they do in the UK, would a space blanket mask the rescuees thermal signature enough that the effectiveness of the thermal imager would be diminished to any degree?
I do know thermal imagers cannot always locate people under heavy tree cover as well. Anybody here know whether a space blanket could do this?
Just curious, cheers
D.

 

[alco141]

my understanding of the technology and the reflective blankets is that they would show very well in a FLIR (forward looking infra red)scanner, what is supposedly not going to show is something like aluminum foiled bubble wrap, as the insulation of the airspace in the bubbles masks the heat signature of the person. to my understanding this is correct. anyone that knows more about this feel free to chime in.
alex

 

[MelancholyMutt]

Thermal imaging technology has advanced so much that the difference of a few degrees will cause a bright spot to show up on the screen. If it is cold enough for one to use a space blanket, the 10 or more percent heat that is lost to the atmosphere will register as something very bright indeed. If you don't wrap your head,that part will show up very well also.

However, if you're still in doubt, start a small fire. When you're cold, even lighting a small candle and huddling in front of it with your space blanket around you is very effective. It will also show up as a very bright beacon to any heat imaging device.

 

[Citori]

They don't defeat thermal imaging systems at all. From what I've seen you'll just look like a guy under a space blanket through one. These guys found that to be true as well.

There are some fabrics that will hinder IR transmission. The fabric that goes into the tents the US military is using in Iraq makes for one of the better passive systems, and there are some active ones in development.

 

[2Blades]

Here is another good read on IR and Thermal imaging.

 

[Geraldo]

I use thermal imagers at work. You would show up easily even while in the space blanket. They won't reflect 100% of your body heat, and thus the outside of the blanket (or any opening) will stand out quite well.

When everything is very near the same temperature, they don't work as well, but you can still make out an incredible amount of detail.

 

[donn]

Thanks for the info and the links folks. Really interesting stuff there and I guess it goes to prove space blankets really are as crap as people say.
cheers
D.

 

[spyken]

Originally posted by donn
Thanks for the info and the links folks. Really interesting stuff there and I guess it goes to prove space blankets really are as crap as people say.
cheers
D.

are they really crap? actually, I believe in always carrying one - the purpose is really first aid/emergency use in cold weather, hypothermia etc, so they do have their place. the beauty of it is that it is so small n packable and should ideally be part of the first aid kit. my $0.02 anyways

 

[ajrand]

I'm thinking that if you want to hide from IR sensors, you're gonna have to spend a tad more than two or three bucks. But if you get caught in a blizzard out on some lonely interstate, and you have a space blanket, you'll be happy for that fact.

 

[unicorn]

An insulating blanket works good against thermal imagers for short term use.

Eventually, the blanket warms up. Also the air leaking around it (you do need to breathe) makes it visible.

It can be made better with portible air conditioning systems that dump the heat into, say, a salt solution, but it is energy intensive. When the batteries die, you die.

 

[MelancholyMutt]

Originally posted by ajrand
But if you get caught in a blizzard out on some lonely interstate, and you have a space blanket, you'll be happy for that fact.

I find it funny that people equate survival with inadequate preparations. If you live in Blizzard country, I sure as hell will have more than a space blanket with me. Hell, I live in NYC and I have a whole kit complete with gasoline stove, tent and lifeboat rations in my SUV.

 

[ajrand]

A full set of polar expedition capable camping gear would be nice to have, but barring that, I still maintain that;

Originally posted by ajrand
if you get caught in a blizzard out on some lonely interstate, and you have a space blanket, you'll be happy for that fact.

 

[MelancholyMutt]

hey, AJ, I'm not knocking you, and I agree that if I were stuck out in the middle of a blizzard with nothing but a space blanket, I would be grateful, but dammit, I would still rather have a tent, chemical heaters, and an arctic sleeping bag...

My thing is this...

If I were in any way, or had any remote possibility to be out in the wilderness, I'd be fully prepared for as many emergencies as possible. If I can't be, I just don't go...

 

[ajrand]

Originally posted by MelancholyMutt
My thing is this...

If I were in any way, or had any remote possibility to be out in the wilderness, I'd be fully prepared for as many emergencies as possible. If I can't be, I just don't go...

I'm with you on that MM. Sadly the vast majority of us are more or less brain dead about the dangers inherent in travel and life in general. I think a lot of lives would have been saved over the years if all vehicles were outfitted with a basic survival kit, and I think space blankets would be a cost effective thing to include in it.

I'd also include some flares, canned water, a signaling device like one of those orange triangles, and a throw away cheap, emergency channel only cell phone. A kit like this could probably be put in cars for less than 30 bucks a shot. Ought to be mandated OEM safety gear IMNSHO!