NIST Role in Radiometric Calibrations for Remote Sensing Programs at NASA, NOAA, DOE and DOD

Published

July 1, 2001

Author(s)

Albert C. Parr, Raju V. Datla

Abstract

The Optical Technology Division (OTD) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been actively involved in providing calibration support to establish SI traceable measurement support for the NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) radiometric sensors. Specialized transfer standard radiometers traceable to the NIST spectroradiometric scales were built; they cover the visible and infrared spectral range up to 10 m. An example of this effort has been the calibration support provided for the NASA's SeaWiFS program. The OTD has also developed the Thermal Infrared Transfer Standard Radiometer (TXR) for NASA's EOS program, and it will be deployed twice in 2000. The TXR was used for the end-to-end calibration of the Infrared Calibration Facility at Los Alamos in support of DOE remote sensing programs. Plans also call for the TXR to be used in a feasibility test of calibration support for the NOAA GOES program. The need to calibrate the performance of sensors for missile defense prompted the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) of the Department of Defense (DOD) to sponsor the development of the Low Background Calibration Facility (LBIR) at NIST. The LBIR facility has been providing calibration of blackbodies and detectors to BMDO/DOD missile test facilities for over ten years. Internationally, OTD has been actively participating in the intercomparisons with other national standard laboratories in the measurement of SI traceable radiometric quantities. The requirements for global warming and climate change studies show the need for high accuracy data from remote sensing platforms. This translates into the need for long term radiometric calibration support for space-based sensors during the course of the mission. As a possibility to provide real time radiometric calibration support for a variety of missions, we will explore the future prospects of deploying SI traceable transfer standard radiometers on the International Space Station or other such platforms. Such a program would allow for recoverable instruments that could be periodically intercompared with the absolute radiometric standards in the laboratory and thereby provide long term measurement assurance for space based radiometry.

Proceedings Title

COSPAR 2000 | | Calibration and Characterization of Satellite Sensors and Accuracy of Derived Physical Parameters Advances in Space Research | Elseveir Science

Conference Dates

July 16-23, 2000

Conference Location

Warsaw, PL

Conference Title

Advances in Space Research

Pub Type

Conferences

Keywords

radiometric calibrations, radiometric transfer standards, radiometry, remote sensing, satellite sensor testing, space based radiometry

Citation

Parr, A. and Datla, R. (2001), NIST Role in Radiometric Calibrations for Remote Sensing Programs at NASA, NOAA, DOE and DOD, COSPAR 2000 | | Calibration and Characterization of Satellite Sensors and Accuracy of Derived Physical Parameters Advances in Space Research | Elseveir Science, Warsaw, PL (Accessed April 23, 2024)