IRRADIATION MEASUREMENTS OF THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE IN THE 5- TO 40-MICRON SPECTRAL REGION AT HIGH ALTITUDES

Abstract

The information obtained from the two experimental flights was inaccurate in respect to energy measurement and lacked sufficient spectral resolution to show the emission and absorption characteristics of the atmosphere. The lack of data quality was caused by system errors, environmental conditions, launching shock, and interfering signals. These first flights show the changes that would be necessary to obtain useful data with balloon-borne spectrographic equipment. Photometric means of energy measurement in the infrared are extremely difficult to accomplish accurately. Greater precision and ease of measurement will be achieved if this method is discarded in favor of more direct measurement techniques using a fixed temperature comparator. Simplification of the spectrometer will also help to eliminate many problems. Careful attention to the mating of data storage and/or telemetry equipment will reduce interfering signals and a program of environmental testing of all equipment will insure more reliable results. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1961
Accession Number
AD0255062

Entities

People

  • D.l. Fain
  • R.t. Ekrem

Organizations

  • Ball Aerospace & Technologies

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Absorption
  • Altitude
  • Atmospheres
  • Comparators
  • Data Storage Systems
  • Emission
  • High Altitude
  • Launching
  • Measurement
  • Measuring Instruments
  • Precision
  • Spectrometers
  • Telemetry
  • Telemetry Equipment

Readers

  • Aerospace Test and Evaluation
  • Spectroscopy.
  • Systems Analysis and Design