Accurate antenna reflector loss measurements for radiometer calibration budget

Author

Skou, Niels

Author_Institution

Danish Center for Remote Sensing, Tech. Univ. Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark

Volume

1

fYear

1996

fDate

27-31 May 1996

Firstpage

749

Abstract

Antenna reflector losses may play an important role in the calibration budget for a microwave radiometer. If the losses are small they are difficult to measure by traditional means. However, they can be assessed directly by radiometric means using the sky brightness temperature as incident radiation. The paper describes how such measurements are carried out as well as a suitable experimental set-up. The main reflector of the European Space Agency´s MIMR system is used to demonstrate the principle

Keywords

calibration; geophysical equipment; geophysical techniques; microwave antennas; microwave measurement; radiometers; radiometry; remote sensing; satellite antennas; SHF; antenna reflector loss; equipment; geophysical measurement technique; incident radiation; instrument; land surface; microwave radiometry; radiometer calibration budget; satellite antenna; satellite remote sensing; sky brightness temperature; terrain mapping; Antenna measurements; Brightness temperature; Calibration; Loss measurement; Microwave radiometry; Optical reflection; Reflector antennas; Stability; Temperature measurement; Time measurement;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, 1996. IGARSS '96. 'Remote Sensing for a Sustainable Future.', International

Conference_Location

Lincoln, NE

Print_ISBN

0-7803-3068-4

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IGARSS.1996.516463

Filename

516463