Traceable calibration of radiation sources from the visible to the far infrared for space borne applications at PTB

The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) has developed dedicated instrumentations and methods for the traceable calibration of space borne instruments in terms of the three fundamental radiometric units, i.e. spectral radiance (radiation temperature), spectral radiant intensity and spectral photon flux. The traceable calibration under conditions similar to the space environment is achieved by use of two major radiometric calibration facilities of PTB, the Spectral Radiance Comparator Facility (SRCF) and the Reduced Background Calibration Facility (RBCF) which are part of the Primary Temperature Radiator Facility of PTB and cover the wavelength range from the UV to the FIR (THz range). The improved detector instrumentations of the SRCF and RBCF, detailed calibration schemes and results of calibrations for space missions are presented.

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