Infrared Observations of the Solar System in Support of Large Aperture InfraredTelescope (LARITS): Calibration

摘要

The Purpose of this project was to improve the infrared calibration base forinfrared detectors. Groundbased infrared measurements of solid-surfaced planetary bodies, such as asteroids, are being used for the calibration of spacecraft detectors. A limitation has been the relatively poor theoretical understanding of thermal emission from these objects. The goal was to: (1) develop a database of sources and, (2) improve or modify the thermal models for these sources to provide a calibration data base for spacecraft infrared detector systems. The technique consisted of five phases: (1) design and construct infrared detector system to be used with and without collecting optics, (2) acquire whole-disk infrared lunar data relative to a laboratory blackbody and tie them to Mars (Venus or Mercury) and Vega, (3) compare with thermophysical model of the mood and modify, (4) acquire infrared asteroid photometry, (5) compare the lunar disk photometry the asteroid calibrators using photometry and thermophysical models. The Si bolometer is calibrated without optics, attached to the portable telescope drive and Lunar disk measurement made. Next the bolometer is attached to the 90 inch telescope, Lunar scans are made and the remaining objects (planets, stars, asteroids) are measured. (RH)