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A technology assessment to determine how a world-wide, continuous measurement of lightning could be achieved from a geostationary platform is provided. Various approaches to the detector sensors are presented. It was first determined that any existing detector chips would require some degree of modification in order to meet the lightning mapper sensor requirements. The elements of the system were then analyzed, categorized, and graded for study emphasis. The recommended approach for the lightning mapper sensor is to develop a monolithic array in which each detector cell has circuitry that implements a two-step photon-collecting method for a very high dynamic range with good measurement accuracy. The efficiency of the array is compatible with the use of a conventional refractive optics design having an aperture in the neighborhood of 7 to 10 cm.

An outline is presented of a method in which a sensor under design can be evaluated by comparison with an existing sensor of similar spectral response, providing certain performance characteristics are known. An approach for calculating errors in radiance measurements is discussed, giving attention to calibration, error caused by resolution factors, noise effects on accuracy, and combined radiance level accuracies for several scanner designs. The derivation of error caused by the modulation transfer function is also considered.

ERTS multispectral scanner with optimal sensitivity and resolution for agricultural scenes signature analysis

The four-band Multispectral Scanner System (MSS) is discussed. Included is a description of the MSS with major emphasis on the flight subsystem (scanner and multiplexer), the theory for the MSS calibration system processing techniques, system calibration data, and a summary of the performance of the two four-band MSS systems.