Thermal

In the firearms industry, the term “thermal” generally refers to the technology an optical device uses to detect targets by imaging heat signatures. There have typically been two technologies used in so-called “night vision” devices: image intensification and thermal. Image intensification essentially amplifies ambient light reflected off objects from the stars, the moon, and other light sources. Thermal technology detects the heat signature emitted from an object. Thermal optics use sophisticated detectors and digital displays to render the image in as much detail as possible by detecting thermal gradients darker, cooler background. Thermal technology is useful in situations where there is little to no ambient light—such as on a moonless night or inside an enclosed space—and thermal optics are typically more complex and expensive than optics using IR image intensification technology.