Miniature In Situ Hyperspectral Thermal Infrared Sensor

MEDECO proposes to develop the Miniature In situ HyperSpectral Thermal Infrared sensor, MIHSTI, a novel, uncooled, miniature, hyperspectral thermal infrared Fourier transform sensor. MEDECO, joining with GATS, Inc., will provide proof-of-concept measurements, novel relative and absolute calibration methods, and specialized analysis algorithms for analysis of long-wave infrared spectra that can result in a quantitative, spatially resolved determination of atmospheric microphysical properties, greenhouse gas abundances and their variability. MIHSTI will be capable of providing high signal-to-noise, long wave infrared hyperspectra at a spectral resolution from 10 to 300. To achieve the measurement goals, MIHSTI utilizes its throughput advantage and fast optics to achieve the high illumination levels required to reach high S/N with uncooled micromachined bolometer focal plane arrays. The proposed measurement goals will be achieved in the LWIR terrestrial atmospheric windows between wavelengths from 5 microns to 50 microns so that detailed tropospheric radiative balancing can be accurately determined. MEDECO has previously developed with NASA a related visible-nir imaging interferometric sensor flown successfully in the ERAST remotely piloted aircraft. We propose to develop an rpa capability for MIHSTI in situ measurements of microphysical properties of the atmosphere. The proposed sensor provides a means to determine microphysical properties over substantial volumes quickly to relate to local properties measured by active sensors.