Metop-B AVHRR IR Channel Post-Launch Calibration and Verification Tests

摘要

Meteorological Operational (METOP)-B spacecraft was launched on September 17, 2012, and the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) IR channels were activated October 18. AVHRR instrument has been tested and characterized pre-launch under thermal vacuum (TV) condition by the instrument vender. The instrument dynamic range, noise equivalent differential temperature (NEDT), and nonlinear response have been characterized in the test. Basing on the TV test data, the calibration coefficients are generated for post-launch. The on-orbit verification tests have been performed to verify the instrument response and performance, including the dynamic range, NEDT, on-board blackbody (BB) temperature, instrument response calibration, and instrument status from the telemetry data. The post-launch Cal/Val test is to improve the calibration accuracy and enhance the LIB data quality. These tests include stray light analysis, instrument gain verification, and uncertainty assessment. The stray light impact on the calibration is estimated as 0.2% for 11 μm channel, 0.3% for 12 μm channel, and 3% for 3.7 μm channel. The inter-comparison AVHRR IR channel radiances with the radiance derived from Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) measurement has been performed and the AVHRR bias shoes brightness temperature dependency.