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At least 19 records

Validation of Radiometric Standards for the Laboratory Calibration of Reflected-Solar Earth Observing Satellite Instruments

Historically, the traceability of the laboratory calibration of Earth-observing satellite instruments to a primary radiometric reference scale (SI units) is the responsibility of each instrument builder. For the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS), a program has been developed using laboratory transfer radiometers, each with its own traceability to the primary radiance scale of a national metrology laboratory, to independently validate the radiances assigned to the laboratory sources of the instrument builders. The EOS Project Science Office also developed a validation program for the measurement of onboard diffuse reflecting plaques, which are also used as radiometric standards for Earth-observing satellite instruments. Summarized results of these validation campaigns, with an emphasis on the current state-of-the-art uncertainties in laboratory radiometric standards, will be presented. Future mission uncertainty requirements, and possible enhancements to the EOS validation program to ensure that those uncertainties can be met, will be presented.

Butler, James J.↗

Ellipsoidal geometry in asteroid thermal models - The standard radiometric model

The major consequences of ellipsoidal geometry in an othewise standard radiometric model for asteroids are explored. It is shown that for small deviations from spherical shape a spherical model of the same projected area gives a reasonable aproximation to the thermal flux from an ellipsoidal body. It is suggested that large departures from spherical shape require that some correction be made for geometry. Systematic differences in the radii of asteroids derived radiometrically at 10 and 20 microns may result partly from nonspherical geometry. It is also suggested that extrapolations of the rotational variation of thermal flux from a nonspherical body based solely on the change in cross-sectional area are in error.

Brown, R. H.↗

Exploring a Black Body Source as an Absolute Radiometric Calibration Standard and Comparison with a NIST Traced Lamp Standard

Radiometric calibration of the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) is required for the scientific research and application objectives pursued with the spectroscopic measurements. Specifically calibration is required for: inter-comparison of AVIRIS data measured at different locations and at different times; analysis of AVIRIS data with data measured by other instruments; and analysis of AVIRIS data in conjunction with computer models. The primary effect of radiometric calibration is conversion of AVIRIS instrument response values (digitized numbers, or DN) to units of absolute radiance. For example, a figure shows the instrument response spectrum measured by AVIRIS over a portion of Rogers Dry Lake, California, and another figure shows the same spectrum calibrated to radiance. Only the calibrated spectrum may be quantitatively analyzed for science research and application objectives. Since the initial development of the AVIRIS instrument-radiometric calibration has been based upon a 1000-W irradiance lamp with a calibration traced to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). There are several advantages to this irradiance-lamp calibration approach. First, the considerable effort of NIST backs up the calibration. Second, by changing the distance to the lamp, the output can closely span the radiance levels measured by AVIRIS. Third, this type of standard is widely used. Fourth, these calibrated lamps are comparatively inexpensive. Conversely, there are several disadvantages to this approach as well. First, the lamp is not a primary standard. Second, the lamp output characteristics may change in an unknown manner through time. Third, it is difficult to assess, constrain, or improve the calibration uncertainty delivered with the lamp. In an attempt to explore the effect and potentially address some of these disadvantages a set of analyses and measurements comparing an irradiance lamp with a black-body source have been completed. This research is ongoing, and the current set of measurements, analyses, and results are presented in this paper.

Green, Robert O.↗

The moon as a proposed radiometric standard for microwave and infrared observations of extended sources.

Measured values of the average midnight and morning terminator infrared brightness temperatures of the central portion of the lunar disk can quite accurately determine the mean surface temperature despite likely horizontal and vertical inhomogeneities of the thermal properties of the lunar soil. These data together with laboratory measurements on lunar soil and in situ temperature measurements in and on the lunar surface lead to a mean surface temperature of 220.5 K plus or minus 2.5 per cent and a mean temperature 35 K hotter at a depth of 1 m. The monthly average brightness temperature is then estimated as a function of wavelength between 10 microns and 100 cm taking into account likely temperature dependencies of the thermal conductivity and loss tangent, and the variation of emissivity with wavelength.

Linsky, J. L.↗

XUV radiometric standards at NBS

The far-UV and XUV detector calibration services at NBS, the properties of the detectors, and the spectrometer calibration facilities at the Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility (SURF II) at NBS are described. The method used to calibrate the quantum efficiency of windowless photodiode detectors in the ionization chamber, and the facilities for calibrating photodiodes at various wavelengths are discussed. The cathode and anode of the windowless photodiodes and their operation are examined. Consideration is given to the calculation of spectral irradiance from SURF II; the two stations of the spectrometer facility; the large spectrometer calibration chamber; and sources of error in flux determinations for SURF II.

Ott, W. R.↗

Current status and future plans for NBS radiometric source standards

The accuracy and long-term stability of currently available NBS radiometric source standards are described. Current research efforts and expected results in this area are outlined. There are over ten NBS radiometric source standards currently available or under development that are of interest for solar measurements or for remote sensing of the earth. The standards and sources are classified and described in terms of the radiometric quantities they represent -- spectral radiance, spectral irradiance and irradiance.

Kostkowski, H. J.↗

A New Approach for Spectroradiometric Calibration Consistency on the Ground and in Space

A Space-based Calibration Transfer Spectroradiometer (SCATS) is combined with a ground calibration spectral albedo radiometric standard which consists of an opaque quartz glass Mie scattering diffuser (MSD) which has very good Lambertian scattering properties in both reflectance and transmittance modes. This system provides the capability for determining long term changes in the spectral albedo calibrations which operate in the solar reflective wavelength region. The spectral albedo calibration would be traceable to the SIRCUS and STARR NIST calibration facilities. The on-orbit radiometric standard is the Sun. The NIST traceable ground spectral albedo calibration is invariant between the ground and on-orbit over the instrument lifetime due to the use of a field of view defining mechanical baffle to differentiate between radiance and irradiance.

Heath, Donald F.↗

Spectral radiance calibrations between 165-300 nm - An interlaboratory comparison

The spectral radiance of deuterium lamps calibrated by the Max-Planck-Institut fuer Astronomie (MPI), by the U.S. National Bureau of Standards (NBS), and by the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) are compared to check the agreement of UV radiometric scales. The NBS group used the optically thin continuum radiation from a wall-stabilized hydrogen arc as its fundamental radiometric standard, while the MPI and PTB groups used the synchrotron radiation facility in DESY. It is found that the spectral radiance scales based upon the DESY synchrotron and the NBS hydrogen arc are consistent, at least for one wavelength relative to another.

Bridges, J. M.↗

State of The Art Radiometer Standards For NASA'S Earth Observing System

The Multi-Angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), to be launched in 1998, is one of five instruments on NASA's first Earth Observing System (EOS) platform. The 3% absolute radiometric calibration requirement is considered challenging, particularly since it must be maintained through the five-year mission life. The Instrument requirements have led to the development of an On-Board Calibrator (OBC) consisting of diffuse panels and photodiode-based radiometric standards.

SpectroRadiometer↗

GOME Calibration and Validation Using Backscatter UV Techniques

GOME radiance, irradiance, and ozone products were validated by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center through three tasks which included, pre-launch calibration comparisons with SBUV and TOMS radiometric standards, validation of GOME Level-1 irradiance and radiance and Level 2 total ozone data products using SBUV/2 and TOMS algorithms and data, and studies of GOME data using the Goddard radiative transfer code. The prelaunch calibration using the NASA large aperture integrating sphere was checked against that provided by TPD. Agreement in the calibration constants, derived in air, between the Goddard and TPD system were better than 3%. Validation of Level-1 irradiance data included comparison of GOME and SSBUV and the UARS solar irradiances measurements. Large wavelength dependent differences, as high as 10%, were noted between GOME and the US instruments. This discrepancy has now been attributed to radiometric sensitivity changes experienced by GOME when operating in a vacuum. GOME Earth radiance data were then compared to the NOAA-14 SBUV/2 radiances. These results show that between 340 and 400 nm the differences in GOME and SBUV/2 data are less than 5% with some wavelength dependence. At wavelengths shorter than 300 nm, differences are of the order of 10% or more where the GOME radiances are larger. To test GOME DOAS retrieved total ozone values, these values were compared with ozone amounts retrieved using GOME radiances in the TOMS version-7 algorithm. The differences showed a solar zenith angle dependence ranging from 0 to 10% where the TOMS algorithm values were higher. GOME radiances below 300 nm were further validated by selecting radiances at wavelengths normally used by SBUV and processing them through the SBUV ozone profile algorithm and then compared to climatological values. The GOME ozone profiles ranged from 10-30% lower over altitude compared to climatological values. This is consistent with the offsets detected in the SBUV/2 radiance comparisons at wavelengths shorter than 300 nm.

Hilsenrath, E.↗

EUNIS Underflight Calibrations of CDS, EIT, TRACE, EIS, and EUVI

The Extreme-Ultraviolet Normal-Incidence Spectrograph (EUNIS) is a sounding rocket instrument that obtains imaged high-resolution solar spectra. It has now had two successful flights, on 2006 April 12 and 2007 November 16, providing data to support underflight calibrations for a number of orbiting solar experiments on both occasions. A regular part of each campaign is the end-to-end radiometric calibration of the rocket payload carried out at RAL in the UK, using the same facility that provided pre-flight CDS and EIS calibrations. The measurements, traceable to primary radiometric standards, can establish the absolute EUNIS response within a relative uncertainty of 10% over its full longwave bandpass of 300-370A. During each EUNIS flight, coordinated observations are made of overlapping solar locations by all participating space experiments, and identified by subsequent image co-registrations, allowing the EUNIS calibrations to be applied to these other instruments as well. The calibration transfer is straightforward for wavelengths within the EUNIS LW bandpass, and is extended to other wavelengths by means of a series of 'insensitive' line-ratios, with one line of each pair in the calibrated band and the other in the transfer band. In this way, the EUNIS-06 flight is able to update the radiometric calibrations of CDS NISl (plus 2nd order NIS2 near 2x304A), all four channels of EIT, and the three EUV channels of TRACE. The EUNIS-07 flight will further update those missions, as well as both channels of Hinode/EIT and all four channels of STEREO/SECCHI/EUVI. Future EUNIS flights have been proposed that will continue this underflight calibration service. EUNIS is supported by the NASA Heliophysics Division through its Low Cost Access to Space Program in Solar and Heliospheric Physics.

Thomas, Roger J.↗

EUNIS Underflight Calibrations of CDS, EIT, TRACE, EIS, and EUVI

The Extreme-Ultraviolet Normal-Incidence Spectrograph (EUNIS) is a sounding rocket instrument that obtains imaged high-resolution solar spectra. It has now had two successful flights, on 2006 April 12 and 2007 November 16, providing data to support underflight calibrations for a number of orbiting solar experiments on both occasions. A regular part of each campaign is the end-to-end radiometric calibration of the rocket payload carried out at RAL in the UK, using the same facility that provided pre-flight CDS and EIS calibrations. The measurements, traceable to primary radiometric standards, can establish the absolute EUNIS response within a total uncertainty of 10% over its full longwave bandpass of 300-370A. During each EUNIS flight, coordinated observations are made of overlapping solar locations by all participating space experiments, and identified by subsequent image co-registrations, allowing the EUNIS calibrations to be applied to these other instruments as well. The calibration transfer is straightforward for wavelengths within the EUNIS LW bandpass, and is extended to other wavelengths by means of a series of temperature- and density-insensitive line-ratios, with one line of each pair in the calibrated band and the other in the transfer band. In this way, the EUNIS-06 flight is able to update the radiometric calibrations of CDS NISl (and 2nd-order NIS2 near 2x304A), all four channels of EIT, and the three EUV channels of TRACE. The EUNIS-07 flight will further update those missions, as well as both channels of Hinode/EIS and all four channels of STEREO/SECCHI/EUVI. Future EUNIS flights have been proposed that will continue this underflight calibration service. EUNIS is supported by the NASA Heliophysics Division through its Low Cost Access to Space Program in Solar and Heliospheric Physics.

Thomas, Roger J.↗

Proceedings of Second Conference on Solar Simulation Research

The subjects most actively discussed informally at the 1964 meeting included progress reports on solar simulators which have been completed or are planned or under construction. Need for radiometric standards and the possible need for further solar data were also discussed.

SOLAR SIMULATION↗

Electromagnetic power absorber

Device has reflection coefficient of order of few tenths of percent and is designed to maintain isothermal temperature distribution in high-power microwave and laser applications. Rigid tile functions over broad temperature range and serves as blackbody radiometric standard. Tile modules allow assembly of compact and economical custom-design configurations. Epoxy surface of tiles is insulated with styrofoam against environmental changes and is not subject to convective heat loss. Technique also prevents moisture accumulation and serves as infrared radiation shield.

Iwasaki, R.↗