Abstract: A system for detecting an object of interest through a medium such as the atmosphere or ocean employs a reference object from which a reference signal emanates. A detector detects and transforms the reference signal into a transformed reference signal and further detects and transforms an object signal emanating from an object of interest into a transformed object signal. The object signal may be radiated, re-radiated, or scattered from the object of interest. An image processor generates a corrected image signal by applying an image transfer function to convolve the transformed object signal. Then a display presents a corrected image of the object of interest in response to receiving the corrected image signal.