INFRARED ATMOSPHERIC TRANSMISSOMETER

THE PROPOSAL IS TO DEVELOP A SPECTRAL ATMOSPHERIC TRANSMISSOMETER TO COVER THE SPECTRAL REGION FROM 1 TO 14 MICROMETERS THAT WILL OPERATE IN A MARINE ENVIRONMENT. THE PHASE I EFFORT WILL CONSIST OF REVIEW OF THE OFF THE SHELF OPTIONS FOR THE VARIOUS MAJOR COMPONENTS, SELECTION OF THE BEST SET TO MATCH THE NEED AND DESIGN OF THE SYSTEM. PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT A FLITER WEDGE SPECTROMETER, COUPLED WITH A HOT BLACK BODY AND A RETROREFLECTOR WOULD FILL THE REQUIREMENTS. THE MAJOR PROBLEM TO BE FACED IS SELECTION OF A WINDOW MATERIAL THAT WILL PROTECT THE OPTICAL SYSTEMS THAT CAN SURVIVE THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT WHILE GIVING REPRODUCIBLE RESULTS WITH A REASONABLE LEVEL MAINTENANCE. NEWLY DEVELOPED MATERIALS, SUCH AS CLEARTRAN,WILL BE EXAMINED FOR THIS REQUIREMENT.