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The subject of this manuscript is broadband noise signals and systems. The aim of this research is to show the results of a modern active-passive 3-mm waveband system consisting of a noise-pulsed radar and a radiometer. Noise radar systems (NRS) based on broadband signals are characterized by high resolution, accuracy, and information content when performing unambiguous measurements of the range and speed of targets, as well as increased electromagnetic compatibility and noise immunity. These distinctive features of NRS determine the relevance of their construction for practical tasks of short- and medium-range radar. Additional opportunities for ensuring secrecy, reliability of detection of objects, and their tracking are provided by the combination of active and passive location modes in conjunction with advancement to the short-wave part of the millimeter (MM) wave band (WB). The most important characteristic of any pulsed radar, which largely determines its potential for practical application, is the operating frequency, as well as the shape and width of the probing signal spectrum. The main idea of this work is to describe the construction scheme and the results of preliminary tests of the developed active-passive system in the 94 GHz band with a noisy 20–100 ns illumination pulse in the 5 GHz band. The obtained values of the energy potential of the system in the active location mode (-105 dB) and the achieved radiometer sensitivities in the passive mode (0.007K and 0.03K) make it possible to observe ground and air objects at a distance of several kilometres. Noted that the measured parameters of the radar, in the case of processing the received signal by pulse compression methods, make it possible to count on ensuring the resolution of targets in range at the level of 10-15 cm. A multiple (more than an order of magnitude) decrease in the interference fluctuations of the received signal, which is due to the facet nature of the backscattering of targets, has experimentally demonstrated using a noise probing pulse compared to a single-frequency pulse. The methods for further work on the development and practical application of the constructed measuring system are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transformation electromagnetics offers an unconventional approach for the design of novel radiating devices. Here, we propose an electromagnetic metamaterial able to split an isotropic radiation into multiple directive beams. By applying transformations that modify distance and angles, we show how the multiple directive beams can be steered at will. We describe transformation of the metric space and the calculation of the material parameters. Different transformations are proposed for a possible physical realization through the use of engineered artificial metamaterials. Full wave simulations are performed to validate the proposed approach. The idea paves the way to interesting applications in various domains in microwave and optical regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the first attempt to analyze data obtained simultaneously by the Russian BTN and Bulgarian R3DR instruments, flown in 2010 on the Zvezda module of the International space station (ISS). Both instruments have well established sensitivity against gamma radiation. This was verified in space, when the Russian spacecraft Soyuz TMA-16, initially docked to the aft port of the Zvezda module, was relocated to the zenith-facing port of the Poisk module on January 21, 2010. This maneuver brings a gamma ray source in the angle of view of both the BTN and R3DR instruments. The comparison of the data, after the relocation, for the first channels of the spectrometers reveals that they are elevated. This situation continues till March 18, 2010 when Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft was undocked from the ISS and landed. The final part of the paper, investigate the decrease of the R3DR instrument dose rates in the region of the South Atlantic anomaly (SAA), generated by the additional mass of the Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over northeastern Canada, the amount of water stored in a snowpack, estimated by its snow water equivalent (SWE) amount, is a key variable for hydrological applications. The limited number of weather stations driving snowpack models over large and remote northern areas generates great uncertainty in SWE evolution. A data assimilation (DA) scheme was developed to improve SWE estimates by updating meteorological forcing data and snowpack states with passive microwave (PMW) satellite observations and without using any surface-based data. In this DA experiment, a particle filter with a Sequential Importance Resampling algorithm (SIR) was applied and an inflation technique of the observation error matrix was developed to avoid ensemble degeneracy. Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR-2) brightness temperature (TB) observations were assimilated into a chain of models composed of the Crocus multilayer snowpack model and radiative transfer models. The microwave snow emission model (Dense Media Radiative Transfer - Multi-Layer model, DMRT-ML), the vegetation transmissivity model (ϖ-гopt), and atmospheric and soil radiative transfer models were calibrated to simulate the contributions from the snowpack, the vegetation, and the soil, respectively, at the top of the atmosphere. DA experiments were performed for 12 stations where daily continuous SWE measurements were acquired over 4 winters (2012-2016). Best SWE estimates are obtained with the assimilation of the TBs at 11, 19, and 37 GHz in vertical polarizations. The overall SWE bias is reduced by 68% compared to the original SWE simulations, from 23.7 kgm-2 without assimilation to 7.5 kgm-2 with the assimilation of the three frequencies. The overall SWE relative percentage of error (RPE) is 14.1% (19% without assimilation) for sites with a fraction of forest cover below 75 %, which is in the range of accuracy needed for hydrological applications. This research opens the way for global applications to improve SWE estimates over large and remote areas, even when vegetation contributions are up to 50% of the PMW signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sorben-Tec system was tested for rapid dosimetric evaluation of 222Rn level in drinking water in domestic conditions using a dosimeter of beta radiometer as a measurement equipment. It was shown that the method is cheap, rapid and very simple, therefore it can be used by population for rapid radiation safety assessment of drinking water. The sorption-active Sorben-Tec system contains iron hexacyanoferrate allowing for separation of approximately 40% of both 214Pb and 214Bi, the short-lived decay products of 222Rn from 5 L water sample. It was assessed that the Sorben-Tec system provides detection limits of radon in 5 L water samples of 35-40 and 10 Bq L−1 for dosimetric and radiometric measurements respectively. The total time consumption of analysis does not exceed 1 h excluding the time for 214Pb and 214Bi ingrowth in the water sample (min. 3 h). Due to an insignificant sorption of radon, it is possible to reuse spent Sorben-Tec system again 3-4 h after previous analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results from tests of radiation detection instruments with radionuclide identification capabilities will depend on the sources used for the tests. Radionuclide identification detectors are designed to measure photons and provide an identification of the source being measured. High-resolution spectra need to be acquired to determine all the observable peaks in the source spectra before testing these types of instruments. These peaks may be due to impurities and/or scatter peaks in the sources. This paper discusses the issues encountered with the response of a radioisotope identification device due to scatter peaks in one type of source used for testing. In addition, it provides spectra for different source types and source constructions to compare the differences in scatter, allowing for a better source type selection for instrument testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional thermocouple rods used to adjust the ribbon temperature in annealing lehrs is significantly disturbed by the cooling system. This leads to reading errors of up to 80°C compared to the real temperature of the glass ribbon. A novel radiation measurement device has been developed that is based on the capture of the hemispherical ribbon radiation by a device with an absorption surface. This radiometric device is installed at distances of about 100 - 300 mm from the glass ribbon. The temperature of the absorption surface is detected by simple rugged sensors like TCs or NTCs. A detailed analysis of the radiation field allowed attributing a sensitivity width bands on the running glass ribbon to each radiation sensor. The sensitivity bandwidth depends on the distance of the sensor from the glass surface. This way, the implementation of the sensors is adapted to the width of the cooling zones of the lehr. Moreover, the impact of the coolers on the measured temperature is largely reduced. Tests with different configurations revealed the reliability and precision of the new method. The measurement precision of the new method is of the same order of magnitude as pyrometers. An annealing lehr has been equipped with the new ribbon temperature sensors and even tiny fluctuations of the ribbon temperature are measured correctly. The intrinsic precision of the sensors is better that 5°C and the measured ribbon temperatures compared to pyrometer values lay within 10°C. The new measurement method allows cheap reliable mapping of ribbon temperatures in annealing lehrs. Moreover, the new radiometric measurement sensor can also be applied in the tin bath opening the gate for ribbon temperature mapping in this environment inaccessible for scanners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Paper describes the simulator development for the Total Ionizing Dose (TID) measurement of radiation monitoring instrument. The TID Detector (UDOS001-micro dosimeter) is a compact hybrid microcircuit which directly measures Total Ionizing Dose absorbed by an internal silicon test mass. The developed detector simulator, simulates the equivalent Total Ionized Dose absorbed from the space radiation and Ground checkout simulator receive the data from Radiation monitoring Instrument through UART and process it for the functional verification of the Radiation monitoring Instrument, which is discussed in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which reported an ultrafast detector that is sensitive to radiation in a broad spectral range from submillimeter waves to visible light. Description of the device; Experimental details; Conclusions.

The recent paper by Morillas et al. [Morillas, L. et al. Using radiometric surface temperature for surface energy flux estimation in Mediterranean drylands from a two-source perspective, Remote Sens. Environ. 136, 234–246, 2013] evaluates the two-source model (TSM) of Norman et al. (1995) with revisions by Kustas and Norman (1999) over a semiarid tussock grassland site in southeastern Spain. The TSM - in its current incarnation, the two-source energy balance model (TSEB) - was applied to this landscape using ground-based infrared radiometer sensors to estimate both the composite surface radiometric temperature and component soil and canopy temperatures. Morillas et al. (2013) found the TSEB model substantially underestimated the sensible H (and overestimated the latent heat LE ) fluxes. Using the same data set from Morillas et al. (2013), we were able to confirm their results. We also found energy transport and exchange behavior derived from primarily the observations themselves to differ significantly from a number of prior studies using land surface temperature for estimating heat fluxes with one-source modeling approaches in semi-arid landscapes. However, revisions to key vegetation inputs to TSEB and the soil resistance formulation resulted in a significant reduction in the bias and root mean square error (RMSE) between model output of H and LE and the measurements compared to the prior results from Morillas et al. (2013). These included more representative ground-based vegetation greenness and local leaf area index values as well as modifications to the coefficients of the soil resistance formulation to account for the very rough (rocky) soil surface conditions with a clumped canopy. This indicates that both limitations in remote estimates of biophysical indicators of the canopy at the site and the lack of adjustment in soil resistance formulation to account for site specific characteristics, contributed to the earlier findings of Morillas et al. (2013). This suggests further studies need to be conducted to reduce the uncertainties in the vegetation and land surface temperature input data in order to more accurately assess the effects of the transport exchange processes of this Mediterranean landscape on TSEB formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) instrument requires in-flight calibration and validation to maintain its accuracy during orbit operations over an extended period. An internal calibration system provides calibration for the three channels; however, there is no device for calibration of the shortwave response of the total channel. A three-channel comparison technique has been developed to calibrate the shortwave response of the total channel using the tropical oceans as a vicarious calibration target. The difference between day and night outgoing longwave radiances (OLR) averaged over the tropical oceans is used to validate the day OLR. This paper evaluates the efficacy of the technique. A relation is computed at night between the window channel radiance and the OLR retrieved from the total channel for each month for each instrument. The relation has a standard deviation of 0.28 \textW\cdot\textm^-2\cdot\textsr^-1. Given 120 months of data, the precision of the curved line faired through these data is better than 0.05 \textW\cdot\textm^-2\cdot\textsr^-1. A bias is found between FM-1 and FM-3 of 0.3 \textW\cdot\textm^-2\cdot\textsr^-1, which is taken to be the accuracy with which the total channels can be calibrated with the internal blackbodies. This result includes the differences of longwave spectral responses of the instruments. The tropical mean OLR is between 87.4 and 90.2 \textW\cdot\textm^-2\cdot\textsr^-1 at night, with a standard deviation of 0.44 for FM-1 and 0.47 \textW\cdot\textm^-2\cdot\textsr^-1 for FM-3. The average difference between day and night tropical mean from the four instruments is 0.6\pm 0.09\ \textW\cdot\textm^-2\cdot\textsr^-1 over their data periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The personal dosimetry service at the Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission uses Harshaw 8814 cards with LiF:Mg,Ti detectors. The dosemeters are read in a Harshaw 6600 TLD reader. In the process of accreditation for the ISO 17025 standard(1), different influence factors are investigated and the uncertainty has been determined. The Individual Monitoring Service Laboratory--LAEC reads the dosemeters once it receives them from the customer, and new cards are immediately given for the next wearing period. The wearing period is 2 months. The dosemeter results are reported to the customers without background subtraction. Both Hp(10) and Hp(0.07) are reported. For this paper, only the uncertainty on Hp(10) will be focussed. The following factors are taken into account for the uncertainty: calibration factor, dosemeter homogeneity and repeatability, energy and angular dependence, non-linearity, temperature dependence, etc. Also the detection limit was determined. One of the important factors is the correction for fading. This fading correction depends on the procedure used such as storage temperatures, the time–temperature profile of the read-out, pre-heat and annealing conditions. Pre- and post-irradiation fading curves were measured for a storage period up to 182 d at room temperature (15-25°C). The resulting final combined standard uncertainty on the reported doses is of the order of 24 % for doses of ~1 mSv. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the trustworthiness of the Advanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) and the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI-A), as on-orbit reference instruments that are useful in re-calibrating the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) series (Mittaz and Harris, 2011). To do this, a 39-month period (1 January 2008 to 31 March 2011) of AATSR and IASI-A inter-comparisons of top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiance measurements is examined. Our inter-comparison reveals features of the AATSR and IASI-A bias with respect to scan angle, scene temperature, time and orbital maneuvers, and gives insight into their trustworthiness as an in-orbit reference instruments. The first feature that our study reveals is that the AATSR (nadir view) and IASI-A are both stable (have no perceptible trends in the period of study). The second feature is that IASI-A is perhaps more accurate ( ∼  0.05 K) than its stated accuracy (0.5 K). In fact the AATSR and IASI-A bias is close to the AATSR pre-launch bias (plus a small offset of +0.07 K) implying that IASI-A can get close to pre-launch levels of accuracy. Third, a very small scan angular dependence of AATSR and IASI-A bias indicates that the IASI-A response vs. scan angle algorithm is robust, while the instrument is in orbit. Inter-comparisons of AATSR with IASI-A further reveal the impact of orbital maneuvers of the ENVISAT, the platform carrying AATSR, done in October 2011 and not anticipated previously. Our study reveals that this maneuver introduced a temperature-dependent bias in the AATSR measurements for low temperatures (< 240 K) in the period following this maneuver (Cocevar et al., 2011). Our study also shows that the known AATSR 12 µm channel offset is in fact temperature dependent, grows up to 0.4 K, varies seasonally and is correlated with instrument temperature and cannot be corrected by shifting the spectral response function (SRF) of AATSR. We also present a set of recommendations to help identify the parameters under which these instruments can provide the most trustworthy observations for the AVHRR re-calibration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric O3 →  O(1D) photolysis frequencies j(O1D) are crucial parameters for atmospheric photochemistry because of their importance for primary OH formation. Filter radiometers have been used for many years for in situ field measurements of j(O1D). Typically the relationship between the output of the instruments and j(O1D) is non-linear because of changes in the shape of the solar spectrum dependent on solar zenith angles and total ozone columns. These non-linearities can be compensated for by a correction method based on laboratory measurements of the spectral sensitivity of the filter radiometer and simulated solar actinic flux density spectra. Although this correction is routinely applied, the results of a previous field comparison study of several filter radiometers revealed that some corrections were inadequate. In this work the spectral characterisations of seven instruments were revised, and the correction procedures were updated and harmonised considering recent recommendations of absorption cross sections and quantum yields of the photolysis process O3 →  O(1D). Previous inconsistencies were largely removed using these procedures. In addition, optical interference filters were replaced to improve the spectral properties of the instruments. Successive determinations of spectral sensitivities and field comparisons of the modified instruments with a spectroradiometer reference confirmed the improved performance. Overall, filter radiometers remain a low-maintenance alternative of spectroradiometers for accurate measurements of j(O1D) provided their spectral properties are known and potential drifts in sensitivities are monitored by regular calibrations with standard lamps or reference instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of radiation measurement systems includes a modelling phase which ascertains the best 3D geometry for a projected gauge. To simulate measured counts by a detector, the widely-used rigorous phenomenological model is used. However, this model does not consider possible source or/and detector movement during a measurement interval. Therefore, the phenomenological model has been successfully modified in order to consider such a displacement during the time sampling interval in dynamic experiments. To validate the proposed model, a simple radiation system was accurately implemented in the MCNP5 code. The experiments confirmed the accuracy of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A far infrared radiometer (FIRR) dedicated to measuring radiation emitted by clear and cloudy atmospheres was developed in the framework of the Thin Ice Clouds in Far InfraRed Experiment (TICFIRE) technology demonstration satellite project. The FIRR detector is an array of 80?60 uncooled microbolometers coated with gold black to enhance the absorptivity and responsivity. A filter wheel is used to select atmospheric radiation in nine spectral bands ranging from 8 to 50 μm. Calibrated radiances are obtained using two well-calibrated blackbodies. Images are acquired at a frame rate of 120 Hz, and temporally averaged to reduce electronic noise. A complete measurement sequence takes about 120 s. With a field of view of 6°, the FIRR is not intended to be an imager. Hence spatial average is computed over 193 illuminated pixels to increase the signal-to-noise ratio and consequently the detector resolution. This results in an improvement by a factor of 5 compared to individual pixel measurements. Another threefold increase in resolution is obtained using 193 non-illuminated pixels to remove correlated electronic noise, leading an overall resolution of approximately 0.015Wm-2 sr-1. Laboratory measurements performed on well-known targets suggest an absolute accuracy close to 0.02Wm-2 sr-1, which ensures atmospheric radiance is retrieved with an accuracy better than 1%. Preliminary in situ experiments performed from the ground in winter and in summer on clear and cloudy atmospheres are compared to radiative transfer simulations. They point out the FIRR ability to detect clouds and changes in relative humidity of a few percent in various atmospheric conditions, paving the way for the development of new algorithms dedicated to ice cloud characterization and water vapor retrieval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reliable quantification of ultraviolet (UV) radiation at the earth's surface requires accurate measurements of spectral global solar UV irradiance in order to determine the UV exposure to human skin and to understand long-term trends in this parameter. Array spectroradiometers (ASRMs) are small, light, robust and cost-effective instruments, and are increasingly used for spectral irradiance measurements. Within the European EMRP ENV03 project "Solar UV", new devices, guidelines and characterization methods have been developed to improve solar UV measurements with ASRMs, and support to the end user community has been provided. In order to assess the quality of 14 end user ASRMs, a solar UV intercomparison was held on the measurement platform of the World Radiation Center (PMOD/WRC) in Davos, Switzerland, from 10 to 17 July 2014. The results of the blind intercomparison revealed that ASRMs, currently used for solar UV measurements, show a large variation in the quality of their solar UV measurements. Most of the instruments overestimate the erythema-weighted UV index - in particular at large solar zenith angles - due to stray light contribution in the UV-B range. The spectral analysis of global solar UV irradiance further supported the finding that the uncertainties in the UV-B range are very large due to stray light contribution in this wavelength range. In summary, the UV index may be detected by some commercially available ASRMs within 5% compared to the world reference spectroradiometer, if well characterized and calibrated, but only for a limited range of solar zenith angles. Generally, the tested instruments are not yet suitable for solar UV measurements for the entire range between 290 and 400 nm under all atmospheric conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a portable device was presented for continual measuring of equilibrium equivalent concentration (EEC) of 222Rn based on the Timepix detector with 300-mm-thick active layer. In order to have a portable device, a filtration head was developed for collecting short-lived radon progenies attached on aerosols. The short-lived progenies are estimated from analysing alphas from decay of 218,214Po from Millipore filter after termination of filtration. Comparison with beta measurement was done as well. The dependence of EEC on an air flow and filtration time was studied. The low-level detection limit for EEC was estimated from the last 10 min of 3-h decay measurement and was found in the range of 40-70 Bq m-3. EEC was measured in National Radiation Protection Institute radon chamber, and results were compared with the commercial detector Fritra4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the Eighth International Conference on High Levels of Natural Radiation and Radon Areas held in autumn 2014 at Prague, the third intercomparison of radon/thoron gas and radon short-lived decay products measurement instruments was organised by and held at the Natural Radiation Division of the National Radiation Protection Institute (NRPI; SÚRO v.v.i.) in Prague. The intercomparison was newly focussed also on continuous monitors with active sampling adapters capable to distinguish radon/thoron gas in their mix field. The results of radon gas measurements carried out in the big NRPI radon chamber indicated very well an average deviation of up to 5 % from the reference NRPI value for 80 % of all the exposed instruments. The results of equilibrium equivalent concentration continuous monitors indicated an average deviation of up to 5 % from the reference NRPI value for 40% of all the exposed instruments and their ~8-10 % shift compared with the NRPI. The results of investigated ambient conditions upon response of exposed continuous monitors indicated influence of aerosol changes upon response of radon monitors with an active air sampling adapters through the filter, only. The exposures of both radon/thoron gas discriminative continuous monitors and passive detectors have been indicated inconsistent results: on one hand, their excellent agreement up to several per cent for both the gases, and on the other hand, systematic unsatisfactory differences up to 40 %. Additional radon/thoron exercises are recommended to improve both the instruments themselves and quality of their operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of absorptance measurements of the cavity used in the cryogenic radiometer of the National Metrology Center of Mexico (CENAM) as absorptance device. The cavity absorptance was determined for several reference wavelengths in the visible range (VIS) using a He–Ne laser source and a tunable Ar–Kr laser at 476 nm, 488 nm, 520 nm, 568 nm and 676 nm. The absorptance value of 0.999 816 ± 1.9 × 10 −6 ( k = 2) at 632.8 nm obtained, matches with the reference value reported by the manufacturer of the cavity, L-1 Standards and Technology Inc., which is 0.999 823 ± 8.0 × 10 −6 ( k = 2). The variations found in the absorptance values goes from −4.4 × 10 −6 to −5.1 × 10 −7 for the wavelengths listed above. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel algorithm for the detection of precipitation is described and tested. The algorithm is applicable to any modern passive microwave radiometer on board polar orbiting satellites independent of the observation geometry and channel frequency assortment. The algorithm is based on the application of canonical correlation analysis and on the definition of a threshold to be applied to the resulting linear combination of the brightness temperatures in all available channels. The algorithm has been developed using a 2-year data set of co-located Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMIS) and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission precipitation radar (TRMM-PR) measurements and Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) Microwave Humidity Sounder and TRMM-PR measurements. This data set was partitioned intofour classes depending on the background surface emissivity (vegetated land, arid land, ocean, and coast) with the same procedure applied for each surface class. In this paper we describe the procedure and evaluate the results in comparison with many well-known algorithms for the detection of precipitation. The algorithm shows a small rate of false alarms and superior detection capability; it can efficiently detect (probability of detection between 0.55 and 0.71) minimum rain rate varying from 0.14mmh-1 (AMSU over ocean) to 0.41 (SSMIS over coast) with the remarkable result of 0.25mmh-1 over arid land surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article introduces the topics of the January 2015 issue of the technology history periodical "Technikgeschichte" on sensory aspects of technology historiography, the history of auditory displays to measure radiation, and research on the role of handicraft in early nonfiction films.

A calibrated radiometer has been developed to enable the collection of accurate infrared measurements of sea surface temperature (SST) from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A key feature of this instrument is that in situ calibration is achieved with two built-in blackbodies (BBs). The instrument is designed so that the 2-D microbolometer array produces infrared images incremented as the aircraft travels, resulting in a well-calibrated strip of SST. Designed to be carried by medium-class UAVs, the Ball Experimental SST (BESST) instrument has been also successfully flown on manned aircraft. A recent intercalibration of BESST was carried out at the University of Miami using their National Institute of Standards and Technology traceable water-bath BB and a Fourier transform interferometer, the Marine-Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (M-AERI). The characterization of the BESST instrument with the Miami BB demonstrates the linearity and precision of the response of the microbolometer-based radiometer. Coincident measurements of SST from a nearby pier clearly demonstrated the excellent performance of the BESST instrument with a mean SST equal to that of the M-AERI and an RMS of 0.14 K very close to the microbolometer's advertised precision of 0.1 K. Cold calibration was not possible in Miami due to condensation, but a Ball BB was characterized relative to the Miami water-bath BB, and calibrations were made in Boulder at lower temperatures than were possible in Miami. The BESST instrument's performance remained linear, and the mean and RMS values did not change. UAV flights were conducted in summer/fall of 2013 over the Alaskan Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper discusses an intercomparison campaign performed in the mixed radiation field at the CERN-EU (CERF) reference field facility. Various instruments were employed: conventional and extended-range rem counters including a novel instrument called LUPIN, a bubble detector using an active counting system (ABC 1260) and two tissue-equivalent proportional counters (TEPCs). The results show that the extended range instruments agree well within their uncertainties and within 1σ with the H*(10) FLUKA value. The conventional rem counters are in good agreement within their uncertainties and underestimate H*(10) as measured by the extended range instruments and as predicted by FLUKA. The TEPCs slightly overestimate the FLUKA value but they are anyhow consistent with it when taking the comparatively large total uncertainties into account, and indicate that the non-neutron part of the stray field accounts for ∼30 % of the total H*(10). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific procedural apparatus for the remote measurement of thermal parameters is developed. The construction of instruments for investigating manifestations of thermal parameters in the character of electromagnetic radiations in the infrared wavelength band is substantiated. The results of remote measurements of the thermal parameters of isotropic materials are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the experimental results of a study of the sources of 1/ f type noise (hereafter referred to as 1/ f-type noise for the sake of brevity) in a total power radiometer. We find this noise to have two main sources in the radiometer: microwave amplifiers and the square-law diode detector with a Schottky barrier. We present methods for a substantial reduction of 1/ f-type noise, which allow total power radiometer measurements to be performed with nominal sensitivity on time scales of up to 10 seconds. The sensitivity of the total power radiometer on time scales up to 100 seconds remains higher than that of a Dicke switched radiometer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we present the development and calibration of a Real-time Airborne Radioactivity Monitor using gamma-ray spectrometry on a particulate Filter (RARM-F) to be used in an automatic environmental radiation surveillance network. The RARM-F collects a constant flow of air that passes across a particulate filter, where airborne aerosols are collected. Then, the filter is faced toward a NaI(Tl) or LaBr3(Ce) scintillation detector that is used for gamma-ray spectrometry. This permits the identification and quantification of airborne radioactive isotopes in real time. The RARM-F was fully calibrated with a combination of experimental data and Monte Carlo simulations. For the simulations, a user code, including a model of the system geometry, was prepared for the EGS5 code system and validated with experimental measurements. The calibration methodology is independent of the scintillation crystal used; however, the measurement capabilities and the performance of the RARM-F are not. Thus, we also discuss some characteristics of the RARM-F when using different crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Inhalation of radon (222Rn) and its short-lived decay products and of products of the thoron (220Rn) series accounts for more than half of the effective dose from natural radiation sources. At this time, many countries have begun large-scale radon and thoron surveys and many different measurement methods and instruments are used in these studies. Consequently, it is necessary to improve and standardize technical methods of measurements and to verify quality assurance by intercomparisons between laboratories. Four international intercomparisons for passive integrating radon and thoron monitors were conducted at the NIRS (National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Japan). Radon exercises were carried out in the 24.4 m3 inner volume walk-in radon chamber that has systems to control radon concentration, temperature, and humidity. Moreover, the NIRS thoron chamber with a 150 dm3 inner volume was utilized to provide three thoron intercomparisons. At present, the NIRS is the only laboratory world-wide that has carried out periodic thoron intercomparison of passive monitors. Fifty laboratories from 26 countries participated in the radon intercomparison, using six types of detectors (charcoal, CR-39, LR 115, polycarbonate film, electret plate, and silicon photodiode). Eighteen laboratories from 12 countries participated in the thoron intercomparisons, using two etch-track types (CR-39 and polycarbonate) detectors. The tests were made under one to three different exposures to radon and thoron. The data presented in this paper indicated that the performance quality of laboratories for radon measurement has been gradually increasing. Results of thoron exercises showed that the quality for thoron measurements still needs further development and additional studies are needed to improve its measuring methods. The present paper provides a summary of all radon and thoron international intercomparisons done at NIRS from 2007 to date and it describes the present status on radon and thoron passive, one-time cycle monitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the retrieval of near-surface soil moisture data below crop canopies (winter rye and winter barley) from airborne L-band radiometer observations using a radiative transfer model at very dry soil moisture conditions (<15 Vol.%). Using physically based models, the roughness parameterization plays a crucial role for the description of the surface emissivity. A two-step optimization procedure was performed for choosing an optimal roughness value to minimize the uncertainty of soil moisture estimates. A crop-type specific roughness parameterization within the model did not show satisfactory soil moisture results. Instead, a "pixel"-based (spatially varying) roughness parameter optimization provided significantly improved results, also indicating a strong relationship between the optimal roughness parameter value and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) derived from imaging spectrometer data. Our results demonstrate the importance of treating surface roughness as spatially variable when retrieving soil moisture information from high spatial resolution L-band brightness temperature data. Furthermore, the results strongly indicate that a combination of passive microwave observations and optical remote sensing data of the vegetation improve the mapping and monitoring of surface soil moisture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate a method to improve the performance of commonly used parameterizations to calculate the cloud-free down-welling long-wave radiation at the surface. The method uses a monthly climatology of the effective radiating temperature of the atmosphere instead of the instantaneous screen-level temperature. The climatology of the effective radiating temperature can be derived from pyrgeometer measurements and was incorporated into two commonly used schemes. We compared the calculated cloud-free down-welling long-wave irradiances to high-quality pyrgeometer measurements from four Swiss sites. The discrepancies between observations and modified schemes can be reduced by up to 35 %, resulting in a model uncertainty close to 5 W m which corresponds to the measurement uncertainty of pyrgeometers. Furthermore, we introduce a new long-wave model which is based on radiative transfer calculations in the 8-14- $\upmu $m wavelength range. In the remaining long-wave spectrum, the radiation is calculated using the Planck function with the effective radiating temperature of the atmosphere. The performance of this new model is consistent with the modified parameterizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a method for adjusting long-term climate data records (CDRs) for the integrated use with near-real-time data using the example of surface incoming solar irradiance (SIS). Recently, a 23-year long (1983-2005) continuous SIS CDR has been generated based on the visible channel (0.45-1 μm) of the MVIRI radiometers onboard the geostationary Meteosat First Generation Platform. The CDR is available from the EUMETSAT Satellite Application Facility on Climate Monitoring (CM SAF). Here, it is assessed whether a homogeneous extension of the SIS CDR to the present is possible with operationally generated surface radiation data provided by CM SAF using the SEVIRI and GERB instruments onboard the Meteosat Second Generation satellites. Three extended CM SAF SIS CDR versions consisting of MVIRI-derived SIS (1983-2005) and three different SIS products derived from the SEVIRI and GERB instruments onboard the MSG satellites (2006 onwards) were tested. A procedure to detect shift inhomogeneities in the extended data record (1983-present) was applied that combines the Standard Normal Homogeneity Test (SNHT) and a penalized maximal T-test with visual inspection. Shift detection was done by comparing the SIS time series with the ground stations mean, in accordance with statistical significance. Several stations of the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) and about 50 stations of the Global Energy Balance Archive (GEBA) over Europe were used as the ground-based reference. The analysis indicates several breaks in the data record between 1987 and 1994 probably due to artefacts in the raw data and instrument failures. After 2005 the MVIRI radiometer was replaced by the narrow-band SEVIRI and the broadband GERB radiometers and a new retrieval algorithm was applied. This induces significant challenges for the homogenisation across the satellite generations. Homogenisation is performed by applying a mean-shift correction depending on the shift size of any segment between two break points to the last segment (2006-present). Corrections are applied to the most significant breaks that can be related to satellite changes. This study focuses on the European region, but the methods can be generalized to other regions. To account for seasonal dependence of the mean-shifts the correction was performed independently for each calendar month. In comparison to the ground-based reference the homogenised data record shows an improvement over the original data record in terms of anomaly correlation and bias. In general the method can also be applied for the adjustment of satellite datasets addressing other variables to bridge the gap between CDRs and near-real-time data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, three different radiation detectors (BF3 counter, NE213 and BGO scintillators) and an 241Am–Be isotopic neutron–gamma source have been used for a typical liquid levelmetry. The study shows that the use of the Am–Be source together with an NE213 scintillator has the best performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluctuating properties of the atmosphere, and in particular its water vapour content, give rise to phase fluctuations of astronomical signals which, if uncorrected, lead to rapid deterioration of performance of (sub)-mm interferometers on long baselines. The Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimeter Array (ALMA) uses a 183 GHz water vapour radiometer (WVR) system to help correct these fluctuations and provide much improved performance on long baselines and at high frequencies. Here we describe the design of the overall ALMA WVR system, the choice of design parameters and the data processing strategy. We also present results of initial tests that demonstrate both the large improvement in phase stability that can be achieved and the very low contribution to phase noise from the WVRs. Finally, we describe briefly the main limiting factors to the accuracy of phase correction seen in these initial tests; namely, the degrading influence of cloud and the residual phase fluctuations that are most likely to be due to variations in the density of the dry component of the air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method of calibration of instruments used for the measurement of the space-energy characteristics of laser radiation is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ionic conductivity of TlBr, TlI and their solid solutions, candidates for high energy radiation detection, was examined using impedance spectroscopy. The orthorhombic to cubic phase change in TlI was observed via a steep change in conductivity with increasing temperature, whereas the TlBr-TlI solid solution was cubic throughout the measured temperature range, in agreement with the literature. The intrinsic conductivity of the cubic phase of each material showed nearly identical behavior, indicating that I substitution for Br has little to no effect on the combined defect formation and transport parameters in the studied range. Additionally, optical transmission was correlated with I concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study gives the results of dosimetry measurements carried out in the Silène reactor at Valduc (France) with neutron and photon personal thermoluminescence dosemeters (TLDs) in mixed neutron and gamma radiation fields, in the frame of the international accident dosimetry intercomparison programme in 2002. The intercomparison consisted of a series of three irradiation scenarios. The scenarios took place at the Valduc site (France) by using the Silène experimental reactor. For neutron and photon dosimetry, Panasonic model UD-809 and UD-802 personal TLDs were used together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an analysis of Advanced Very High-Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) thermal data from Shiveluch, Kliuchevskoi and Karymsky (Kamchatka, Russia) from 1993 to 2008. These different volcanoes show contrasting and variable patterns in their thermal data and lack reliable precursory thermal trends prior to large explosions. Pixel-integrated temperatures (pirT) at Shiveluch were above background during three phases: (1) 1993-1995, (2) 2001-2005 and (3) 2006-time of writing, each of which was associated with growth of an andesitic dome punctuated by explosions. The coarse spatial resolution of the AVHRR may have prevented observation of precursory thermal patterns at this volcano. Kliuchevskoi showed five phases, these show a rapid (days) or gradual (weeks to months) increase in temperature followed by rapid drop-offs, suggesting these basaltic eruptions start explosively, followed by lava effusion or vice versa. Fast magma ascent rates probably prevent the generation of thermal precursors. At Karymsky, elevated pirT values cluster into seven phases showing three trends: (1) persistently high pirT, (2) a gradual increase and decrease and (3) gradual increase followed by steep drop-offs. These trends are due to the extrusion of viscous andesitic-dacitic lava, not to Strombolian-Vulcanian activity, and show no consistent pattern prior to large explosions. PirT values at Karymsky Lake reflect the dyke intrusion that started the 1996 eruptive cycle at Karymsky. The values obtained here provide a baseline against which to monitor these volcanoes and Karymsky Lake in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This work examines energy exchange between a window and the external environment with emphasis on the role of radiation in determining indoor energy demand. A set of radiometers monitored the flow of solar and longwave radiation to and from a window located in Chicago, IL from December to July. A model of energy exchange between the atmosphere, window and interior space allows estimates of the energy required to maintain indoor temperatures. Energy is lost to the atmosphere by sensible heat transport, longwave emission and reflection of sunlight, where the net effect of radiation is the difference between incoming and outgoing components. Sensible heat transport is the most important contributor to cooling, particularly in winter, while the direct effects of radiation are small, except in June and July. However, longwave radiation has a significant influence on the window''s temperature. Radiative processes increase the temperature contrast between the window and the atmosphere, and thereby influence sensible heat transport. For the circumstance analyzed here, the action of solar and longwave radiation during December and January increases the demand for interior heating by a factor of four over what would exist in the absence radiant energy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Many of the major scientists of the late 19th and early 20th century have weighed in on the mechanisms that influence the forces produced in the Crookes radiometer. However, even today, there is still some uncertainty, and in fact confusion, about the order of magnitudes of forces produced by these mechanisms and the dominant mechanisms in various operational regimes and configurations. The development of a better understanding of the radiometric force, aimed at resolving that confusion, has been helped by modern computational techniques. In the transitional flow regime, where the radiometric force is observed, kinetic approaches are necessary for valid results. These modern kinetic approaches, coupled with significant increases in computational speed, have qualitatively improved the level of understanding of radiometric flows. For the first time, flowfields near the vanes of a radiometer can be fully investigated in an attempt to quantify the importance of various mechanisms involved in the production of the radiometric force. In many cases, the computational techniques have been validated by highly accurate experiments. Various operational regimes and geometric configurations have been studied in an attempt to maximize the force. This review looks at the historic context of three types of radiometers, most notably the Crookes radiometer, develops a modern understanding of the mechanisms behind the radiometric force, and documents recent applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This article describes a method of measuring the absolute outdoor longwave irradiance using an absolute cavity pyrgeometer (ACP), U.S. Patent application no. 13/049, 275. The ACP consists of domeless thermopile pyrgeometer, gold-plated concentrator, temperature controller, and data acquisition. The dome was removed from the pyrgeometer to remove errors associated with dome transmittance and the dome correction factor. To avoid thermal convection and wind effect errors resulting from using a domeless thermopile, the gold-plated concentrator was placed above the thermopile. The concentrator is a dual compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) with 180° view angle to measure the outdoor incoming longwave irradiance from the atmosphere. The incoming irradiance is reflected from the specular gold surface of the CPC and concentrated on the 11mm diameter of the pyrgeometer''s blackened thermopile. The CPC''s interior surface design and the resulting cavitation result in a throughput value that was characterized by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The ACP was installed horizontally outdoor on an aluminum plate connected to the temperature controller to control the pyrgeometer''s case temperature. The responsivity of the pyrgeometer''s thermopile detector was determined by lowering the case temperature and calculating the rate of change of the thermopile output voltage versus the changing net irradiance. The responsivity is then used to calculate the absolute atmospheric longwave irradiance with an uncertainty estimate (U95) of ±3.96Wm−2 with traceability to the International System of Units, SI. The measured irradiance was compared with the irradiance measured by two pyrgeometers calibrated by the World Radiation Center with traceability to the Interim World Infrared Standard Group, WISG. A total of 408 readings were collected over three different nights. The calculated irradiance measured by the ACP was 1.5W/m2 lower than that measured by the two pyrgeometers that are traceable to WISG, with a standard deviation of ±0.7Wm−2. These results suggest that the ACP design might be used for addressing the need to improve the international reference for broadband outdoor longwave irradiance measurements. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]