A necessary condition for accumulating fundamental climate data records is the use of observation instruments whose stability and accuracy are sufficiently high for climate monitoring purposes; the number of instruments and their distribution in space should be sufficient for measurements with no spatial or temporal gaps. The continuous acquirement of data over time intervals of several decades can only be possible under the condition of simultaneous application of instruments produced by different manufacturers and installed on different platforms belonging to one or several countries. The design of standard sources for pre-flight calibrations and in-flight monitoring of instruments has to meet the most stringent requirements for the accuracy of absolute radiometric measurements and stability of all instruments. This means that the radiometric scales should be stable, accurate, and uniform. Current technologies cannot ensure the high requirements for stability and compatibility of radiometric scales: 0.1% per decade within the 0.3 - 3 µm band and 0.01 K per decade within the 3 - 25 µm band. It is suggested that these tasks can be aided through the use of the pure metals or eutectic alloy phase transition phenomenon that always occur under the same temperature. Such devices can be used for pre-flight calibrations and for on-board monitoring of the stability of radiometric instruments. Results of previous studies of blackbody models based upon the phase transition phenomenon are quite promising. A study of the phase transition of some materials in small cells was conducted for future application in onboard monitoring devices and its results are positive and allow us to begin preparations for similar experiments in space.
The demands of modern radiation thermometry and radiometry are being satisfied by a large variety of high-precision unique BB sources (both fixed-point and variable temperature) designed for a wide range of temperature from 100 K to 3500 K. The paper contains a detailed review of low-, medium- and high-temperature precision blackbodies developed at VNIIOFI as the basis of the spectral radiance and irradiance calibration devices in the rank of National standards. The blackbodies include: 1) variable-temperature (100K..1000K) research-grade extended-area (up to 100 mm) models intended to perform radiometric calibrations by comparison with a primary standard source, as well as can be used as the sources for high-accuracy IR calibration of space-borne and other systems not requiring a vacuum environment; 2) low-temperature fixed-point blackbodies on the basis of phase transitions of pure metals such as In and Ga sources, and the metal-metal eutectics operating within the medium-temperature range (300K to 400K); these are used for pyrometric measurements, IR-radiometry, preflight and (future aspects) in-flight calibration of space borne IR instruments; 3) high-temperature wide aperture variable-temperature blackbodies (1800K to 3500K) such as BB3500MP, BB3500YY designed and fabricated, along with fixed-point cells working above the ITS-90 temperatures on the basis of phase transitions of metal-carbon eutectic alloys (Re-C, TiC-C, ZrC-C, HfC-C), which possess unique reproducibility of 0.1% or less.
The full potential of current remote sensor technology is limited by the inability to correct biases once an exo-atmospheric remote sensor becomes operational. Even when the calibration is traced to the International System of Units, SI, and the instrument is performing within the operational envelope wherein it is calibrated, the problem exists and a Space Metrology Program is a potential solution to the problem. This paper discusses such a program, suggests a feasibility study to address the issues and recommends a plan of action.
Any operational instrument has a bias and reducing the magnitude of the bias can only be accomplished when an adequately accurate standard is accessible by the instrument while the instrument is in its operational environment. Currently the radiometric flux from the sun, the moon and the stars is inadequately accurate SI to provide a standard that is consistent with the remote sensor state-of-the-art technology. The result is data that is less accurate than it could be often leading to confusing and conflicting conclusions drawn from that data. Planned remote sensors such as those required to meet future program needs (e.g. the United States National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) and the proposed international Global Earth Observation Program) are going to need the higher accuracy radiometric standards to maintain their accuracy once they become operational. To resolve the problem, a set of standard radiometers on the International Space Station is suggested against which other exo-atmospheric radiometric instruments can be calibrated. A feasibility study for this program is planned.
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