Chad Fish

Radiometer Calibration Using Colocated GPS Radio Occultation Measurements

We present a new high-fidelity method of calibrating a cross-track scanning microwave radiometer using Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation (GPSRO) measurements. The radiometer and GPSRO receiver periodically observe the same volume of atmosphere near the Earths limb, and these overlapping measurements are used to calibrate the radiometer. Performance analyses show that absolute calibration accuracy better than 0.25 K is achievable for temperature sounding channels in the 50-60-GHz band for a total-power radiometer using a weakly coupled noise diode for frequent calibration and proximal GPSRO measurements for infrequent (approximately daily) calibration. The method requires GPSRO penetration depth only down to the stratosphere, thus permitting the use of a relatively small GPS antenna. Furthermore, only coarse spacecraft angular knowledge (approximately one degree rms) is required for the technique, as more precise angular knowledge can be retrieved directly from the combined radiometer and GPSRO data, assuming that the radiometer angular sampling is uniform. These features make the technique particularly well suited for implementation on a low-cost CubeSat hosting both radiometer and GPSRO receiver systems on the same spacecraft. We describe a validation platform for this calibration method, the Microwave Radiometer Technology Acceleration (MiRaTA) CubeSat, currently in development for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth Science Technology Office. MiRaTA will fly a multiband radiometer and the Compact TEC/Atmosphere GPS Sensor in 2015.

Initial Observations of Mesospheric Winds Using IDI Radar Measurements at the Bear Lake Observatory

The adaptation of Imaging Doppler Interferometry (IDI) to the dynasonde deployed at the Bear Lake Observatory (41.9°N, 111.4°W) in northeastern Utah enables the routine measurement of mesospheric dynamics. Influenced by the direction of the prevailing wind, a clear seasonal variation is seen in the mesospheric echo numbers. The technique also provides a monitor for the amplitude of the main tidal modes as well as for studying planetary waves with periods of several days. The observations are found to be consistent with those from different instruments based at the same site thus confirming the IDI characterisation of the mesospheric wind field.

A versatile retarding potential analyzer for nano-satellite platforms.

The design of the first retarding potential analyzer (RPA) built specifically for use on resource-limited cubesat platforms is described. The size, mass, and power consumption are consistent with the limitations of a nano-satellite, but the performance specifications are commensurate with those of RPAs flown on much larger platforms. The instrument is capable of measuring the ion density, temperature, and the ram component of the ion velocity in the spacecraft reference frame, while also providing estimates of the ion composition. The mechanical and electrical designs are described, as are the operating modes, command and data structure, and timing scheme. Test data obtained using an ion source inside a laboratory vacuum chamber are presented to validate the performance of the new design.

Preflight Assessment of the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) Performance

The Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) is a part of the Crosstrack Infrared and Microwave Sounding Suite (CrIMSS) that will be used to produce accurate temperature, water vapor, and pressure profiles on the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) and upcoming Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) operational missions. The NPP CrIS flight model has completed sensor qualification, characterization, and calibration and is now integrated with the NPP spacecraft in preparation for the launch. This paper reviews the CrIS performance during thermal vacuum tests, including the spacecraft integration test, and provides a comparison to the AIRS and IASI heritage sensors that it builds upon. The CrIS system consists of the instrument itself and ground-based scientific algorithms. The data reported in this paper was processed with the latest version of the CrIS science sensor data record (SDR) algorithm and thus reflects the performance of the CrIS SDR system. This paper includes the key test results for Noise Equivalent Differential Noise (NEdN), Radiometric Performance, and Spectral Accuracy. The CrIS sensor performance is outstanding and will meet the mission needs for the NPP /JPSS mission. NEdN is one of the key performance tests for the CrIS sensor. The overall NEdN performance for the CrIS in the LWIR, MWIR and SWIR spectral bands is excellent and is comparable or exceeds NEdN performance of AIRS and IASI. Also discussed is the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) approach developed to estimate contribution of random and spectrally correlated noise components to the total NEDN.

Reliable space‐to‐Earth communication as a secondary service in the 460–470 MHz band

Summary By regulatory fiat, secondary communication services cannot cause harmful interference to primary communication services, and they cannot claim protection from harmful interference from the primary service. This paper is about establishing reliable high data rate space-to-Earth communication in the asymmetric setting of a secondary service in the 460–470 MHz frequency band. In this band, the primary services consist of signals that are narrowband relative to the bandwidth of the signal of interest. A frequency domain approach is adopted to detect and cancel narrowband interference. After this processing, the signal of interest can be demodulated by standard techniques. This approach is shown to be effective on real data collected for the Dynamic Ionosphere CubeSat Experiment mission. The telemetry concept for Dynamic Ionosphere CubeSat Experiment was developed with a view toward demonstrating a high-speed data downlink capability that may be adopted as a standard for future CubeSat missions. Copyright

GEOScan: A GEOScience Facility From Space

GEOScan is a grassroots effort, proposed as globally networked orbiting observation facility utilizing the main Iridium NEXT 66-satellite constellation. This will create a revolutionary new capability of massively dense, global geoscience observations and targets elusive questions that scientists have not previously been able to answer, and will not answer, until simultaneous global measurements are made. This effort is enabled by Iridium as part of its Hosted Payload Program. By developing a common sensor suite the logistical and cost barriers for transmitting massive amounts of data from 66 satellites configured in 6 orbital planes with 11 evenly spaced slots per plane is removed. Each sensor suite of GEOScans networked orbital observation facility consists of 6 system sensors: a Radiometer to measure Earths total outgoing radiation; a GPS Compact Total Electron Content Sensor to image Earths plasma environment and gravity field; a MicroCam Multispectral Imager to measure global cloud cover, vegetation, land use, and bright aurora, and also take the first uniform instantaneous image of the Earth; a Radiation Belt Mapping System (dosimeters) to measure energetic electron and proton distributions; a Compact Earth Observing Spectrometer to measure aerosol-atmospheric composition and vegetation; and MEMS Accelerometers to deduce non-conservative forces aiding gravity and neutral drag studies. Our analysis shows that the instrument suites evaluated in a constellation configuration onboard the Iridium NEXT satellites are poised to provide major breakthroughs in Earth and geospace science. GEOScan commercial-of-the-shelf instruments provide low-cost space situational awareness and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance opportunities.

SOFIE instrument overview

Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) recently designed, built, and delivered the Solar Occultation for Ice Experiment (SOFIE) instrument as the primary sensor in the NASA Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) instrument suite. AIMs mission is to study polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs). SOFIE will make measurements in 16 separate spectral bands, arranged in eight pairs between 0.29 and 5.3 μm. Each band pair will provide differential absorption limb-path transmission profiles for an atmospheric component of interest, by observing the sun through the limb of the atmsophere during solar occulation as AIM orbits Earth. A pointing mirror and imaging sun sensor coaligned with the detectors are used to track the sun during occulation events and maintain stable alignment of the sun on the detectors. This paper outlines the mission requirements and goals, gives an overview of the instrument design, fabrication, testing and calibration results, and discusses lessons learned in the process.

SOFIE Instrument Model and Performance Comparison

Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL), in partnership with GATS, Inc., designed, built, and calibrated an instrument to conduct the Solar Occultation for Ice Experiment (SOFIE). SOFIE is the primary infrared sensor in the NASA Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) instrument suite. AIMs mission is to study polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs). SOFIE will make measurements in 16 separate spectral bands, arranged in 8 pairs between 0.29 and 5.3 μm. Each band pair will provide differential absorption limb-path transmission profiles for an atmospheric component of interest, by observing the sun through the limb of the atmosphere during solar occultation as AIM orbits Earth. A fast steering mirror and imaging sun sensor coaligned with the detectors will track the sun during occultation events and maintain stable alignment of the Sun on the detectors. This paper outlines the instrument specifications and resulting design. The success of the design process followed at SDL is illustrated by comparison of instrument model calculations to calibration results, and lessons learned during the SOFIE program are discussed. Relative spectral response predictions based on component measurements are compared to end-to-end spectral response measurements. Field-of-view measurements are compared to design expectations, and radiometric predictions are compared to results from blackbody and solar measurements. Measurements of SOFIE detector response non-linearity are presented, and compared to expectations based on simple detector models.

SOFIE instrument ground calibration

Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL), in partnership with GATS, Inc., designed and built an instrument to conduct the Solar Occultation for Ice Experiment (SOFIE). SOFIE is the primary infrared sensor in the NASA Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) instrument suite. AIMs mission is to study polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs). SOFIE will make measurements in 16 separate spectral bands, arranged in eight pairs between 0.29 and 5.3 μm. Each band pair will provide differential absorption limb-path transmission profiles for an atmospheric component of interest, by observing the sun through the limb of the atmosphere during solar occultation as AIM orbits Earth. A pointing mirror and imaging sun sensor coaligned with the detectors are used to track the sun during occultation events and maintain stable alignment of the sun on the detectors. Ground calibration experiments were performed to measure SOFIE end-to-end relative spectral response, nonlinearity, and spatial characteristics. SDLs multifunction infrared calibrator #1 (MIC1) was used to present sources to the instrument for calibration. Relative spectral response (RSR) measurements were performed using a step-scan Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS). Out-of-band RSR was measured to approximately 0.01% of in-band peak response using the cascaded filter Fourier transform spectrometer (CFFTS) method. Linearity calibration was performed using a calcium fluoride attenuator in combination with a 3000K blackbody. Spatial characterization was accomplished using a point source and the MIC1 pointing mirror. SOFIE sun sensor tracking algorithms were verified using a heliostat and relay mirrors to observe the sun from the ground. These techniques are described in detail, and resulting SOFIE performance parameters are presented.

The Geostationary Remote Infrared Pollution Sounder (GRIPS): measurement of the carbon gases from space

Climate change and air quality are the most pressing environmental issues of the 21st century. Despite decades of research, the sources and sinks of key greenhouse gases remain highly uncertain [IPCC1] making quantitative predictions of atmospheric composition and their impacts. The Geostationary Remote Infrared Pollution Sounder (GRIPS) is a multi-purpose instrument designed to reduce uncertainty associated with atmospheric radiative forcing. GRIPS will measure will measure greenhouse gases and aerosols – two of the most important elements in the earth’s radiation budget. GRIPS will observe carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), - the carbon gases, nitrous oxide (N2O), water vapor and aerosols with unprecedented precision through the atmosphere. The GRIPS instrument uses gas filter correlation radiometry (GFCR) to detect reflected and thermal IR radiation to detect the gases and the reflected solar radiation in the visible and short-wave infrared bands for aerosols. GRIPS is designed to have sensitivity down to the Earth’s surface at ~2-8km nadir resolution. GRIPS can resolve CO2, CO, and CH4 anomalies in the planetary boundary layer and the free troposphere to quantify lofting, diurnal variations and longrange transport. With repeated measurements throughout the day GRIPS can maximize the number of cloud free measurements determining biogenic and anthropogenic sources, sinks, and fluxes. GRIPS is highly complementary to the Orbiting Carbon Observatory, OCO-2, the geostationary Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) and Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) and other existing and planned missions.