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The Surface Imaging for Lunar Volatiles, Exploration, and Resources (SILVER) instrument is a proposed imaging investigation for the 2008 Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission. SILVER and its experienced Measurement Team will prepare for and support future lunar human exploration activities, especially landing site identification and certification on the basis of potential resources. SILVER combines a high-resolution pushbroom visible imaging channel (SILVER-HR) and a wide-field-of-view (45 deg) framing imaging channel (SILVER-WF). SILVER-HR will obtain a single-detector 6 km imaging swath of 12,228 pixels at 0.5 m/pixel to image greater than 100 sq km target areas from 50 km altitude, imaging greater than 15% the lunar surface during a 1 year nominal mission. SILVER-HR has excellent stray-light rejection and its imaging detector has selectable time delay integration (TDI) with up to 128 stages for extreme low-light sensitivity, permitting direct imaging of permanently shadowed polar regions in scattered sunlight or earthshine. SILVER-WF will obtain geodetic framing images in a 2048 x 2048 format at 20m/pixel, with 60% along-track overlap stereo for imaging context and for derivation of a global digital elevation model of meter-scale lunar topography.

Outline of synthesis procedures, with description of the birefringent networks which result from their use. Optical compensators are employed in synthesis procedures in two different ways. The first role is simply the practical one of compensating for slightly incorrect crystal lengths. The second role occurs because some synthesis procedures require different fractional retardations for the stages of the network. Lyot and Solc filters are described, and an attempt is made to show how birefringent networks function. Experimental results are presented, and the application of synthesis procedures to electrooptic networks is discussed.

Inexpensive Rochon prisms can be produced by substituting easily polished glass for one-half of the calcite. Reciprocal polarizing properties of a conventional Rochon prism are retained, and angular separation between ordinary and extraordinary rays is the same as in all-calcite prism.

Glan-Thompson and Rochon prisms modified by replacing one of two calcite halves of cemented oriented birefringent crystals with glass

Electro-optical modulator realizes voltage transfer function in synthesizing birefringent networks. Choice of the voltage transfer function is important, the most satisfactory optimizes the modulator property.

The transmission characteristics of synthesized optical single-pass and double-pass birefringent networks is obtained by measuring network transmission as a function of network temperature. This technique is most useful for testing those birefringent networks whose bandwidths and periods are very small.

Multistage electro-optic amplitude modulator performance tests, noting agreement between experiment and theory

Synthesis technique for electrooptic modulators for amplitude modulation of light based on naturally birefringent network synthesis technique

Optical synthesis of lossless double-pass networks using birefringent crystals

Birefringent devices, lossless double-pass network synthesis, and electro-optical amplitude modulators

Optical lossless double pass network synthesis techniques using birefringent crystals extended to complex and real transmittance amplitudes

Synthesis of electro-optic modulators for amplitude modulation of light

Optical network synthesis using birefringent crystals - synthesis of lossless networks containing equal length crystals and compensators