NOTICE: Due to a lapse in annual appropriations, most of this website is not being updated. Learn more.
Form submissions will still be accepted but will not receive responses at this time. Sections of this site for programs using non-appropriated funds (such as NVLAP) or those that are excepted from the shutdown (such as CHIPS and NVD) will continue to be updated.
An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
A finite element thermal simulation of a microwave blackbody calibration target
Published
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 targets 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
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)