A Radiometer is an instrument to measure total energy or power from an object in the form of radiation, especially infrared radiation.
In the aerospace context, a radiometer is an instrument used for measuring the electromagnetic radiation emitted by objects in space. Radiometers are used in a wide range of applications, including Earth observation, planetary science, and astronomy. These instruments can measure various types of radiation, including visible light, infrared radiation, and microwave radiation.
Examples of radiometers used in the aerospace industry include:
- AMSR-E: The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) is a radiometer developed by NASA for use on the Aqua satellite. AMSR-E measures microwave radiation emitted by the Earth's surface to provide data on a range of environmental factors, including sea surface temperature, sea ice extent, and precipitation.
- MIRI: The Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) is a radiometer and spectrograph developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) for use on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). MIRI will measure infrared radiation from distant objects in the universe to provide data on their properties and composition.
- VIR: The Visible and Infrared Radiometer (VIR) is an instrument developed by the Italian Space Agency for use on the Rosetta spacecraft, which studied a comet in 2014. VIR measured the visible and infrared radiation emitted by the comet to provide data on its composition and properties.
- Mars Climate Sounder: The Mars Climate Sounder is a radiometer developed by NASA for use on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The instrument measures infrared radiation emitted by the Martian atmosphere to provide data on its temperature, composition, and dynamics.
Similar instruments used in the aerospace industry include:
- Spectrometers: Spectrometers are instruments that measure the properties of light, such as its wavelength or frequency. These instruments are used in a wide range of applications, including astronomy, Earth observation, and planetary science. Examples of spectrometers used in the aerospace industry include the Hubble Space Telescope's Cosmic Origins Spectrograph and the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft's Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph.
- Polarimeters: Polarimeters are instruments that measure the polarization of light. Polarimetry is used in a range of applications, including remote sensing of the Earth's atmosphere and studying the polarization of light from distant objects in the universe. Examples of polarimeters used in the aerospace industry include the Polarization and Anisotropy of Reflectances for Atmospheric Science (PARAS) instrument on the Indian Space Research Organization's Resourcesat-2 satellite and the Planck satellite's High Frequency Instrument.
- Interferometers: Interferometers are instruments that measure the interference patterns created by waves of light. These instruments are used in astronomy and remote sensing to provide high-resolution data on the properties of distant objects. Examples of interferometers used in the aerospace industry include the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) instrument on the European Space Agency's Envisat satellite and the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) operated by the European Southern Observatory.