MULTICHANNEL OCCULTATION PHOTOMETER

THIS PROJECT RESPONDS TO THE NEED FOR AN INFRARED PHOTOMETERTHAT IS CAPABLE OF ACQUIRING, WITH NEAR SIMULTANEITY, DATA IN AT LEAST TWO SELECTABLE PASSBANDS (1.0-TO-5.2 MICRONS AND 8-TO-13 MICRONS). THE PHOTOMETER MUST HAVE HIGH SENSITIVITY, OPERATE WITH A DUTY CYCLE OF ABOUT 100 PERCENT ON-SOURCE DURING CHOPPING, AND SAMPLE DATA CONTINUOUSLY FOR ONE HOUR AT 100 HZ. THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP A COMPACT INSTRUMENT THAT CAN OPERATE TWO STATE-OF- THE-ART INFRARED DETECTORS (INSB AND SI:AS) SIMULTANEOUSLY IN THE SAME CRYOGENIC DEWAR. THE PHASE I OBJECTIVE IS TO DEVELOP DETAILED CONCEPTUAL AND ENGINEERING DESIGNS OF A PROTOTYPE INSTRUMENT AND CONSTRUCT A WORKING LABORATORY- BENCH MODEL. EXPERIENCE GAINED IN THE LABORATORY MODEL WOULD BE APPLIED DIRECTLY TO DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROTOTYPE INSTRUMENT DURING PHASE II. THIS PROJECT COULD LEAD TO APPLICATIONS IN GROUN- AND SPACECRAFT-BASED ASTORPHYSICAL AND PLANETARY SCIENCE; REMOTESENSING APPLICATIONS FOR GEOLOGICAL MAPPING AND FORESTRY; AND MONITORING MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES WITH EMITTED RADIATION SIGNATURES.