-
- The Infrared Sea Surface Skin Temperature Radiometer (ISAR)
is designed to provide sea-surface skin temperature (SSST) measurements
in support of satellite calibration and validation activities.
ISAR will be deployed on volunteer ships in a global network
and its operational goals are to make observations autonomously
from a ship at sea for six-months and with an accuracy of +/-0.1
C.
-
- The tiny hole in the inner
scan drum looks into a 45 degree mirror that reflects incoming
infrared radiation into the infrared thermometer inside a waterproof
housing, through a transparent window. The scan drum can be pointed
to the sea surface at a variety of angles, at the sky, and back
into two high-precision black-body cavities. This cycle allows
correction for sky contamination and the system is self calibrating.
A small amount of contamination can be tolerated by this open
air design.
-
- ISAR incorporates a pitch-roll
sensor, a flux-gate compass, and a GPS and thus is completely
self-contained. A measurement cycle can be completed as often
as once per minute. The optical rain gauge (shown on the upper
left side of the instrument) is an extremely sensitive detector
of precipitation, and when any droplets in the air are encountered,
the scan drum immediately rotates inward and the outer door closes.
|
 |
