A finite element thermal simulation of a microwave blackbody calibration target

Published

July 21, 2013

Author(s)

Derek A. Houtz, Dave K. Walker

Abstract

A method is introduced to determine the gradient between measured physical temperature and true radiating surface temperature of a passive microwave calibration target (load or blackbody). An empirical cooling curve fitting is employed to determine heat transfer coefficients and commercial finite element software is used to solve for the physical temperature at the surface of the target. Only gradients in the direction parallel to the target’s pyramidal structures are determined. Two insulation thicknesses are investigated and a mean surface radiating temperature is determined. This surface temperature differs from the internally measured physical temperature by a maximum of 0.3 K. Use of a thicker insulation assembly decreases this temperature bias by 0.1 K.

Proceedings Title

2013 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium

Conference Dates

July 22-26, 2013

Conference Location

Melbourne

Pub Type

Conferences

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DOI Link

Keywords

passive microwave remote sensing, microwave radiometry, calibration, blackbody characterization

Citation

Houtz, D. and Walker, D. (2013), A finite element thermal simulation of a microwave blackbody calibration target, 2013 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium , Melbourne, -1, [online], https://doi.org/10.1109/IGARSS.2013.6721175 (Accessed October 17, 2025)