Modelization and validation of the diffraction effects in the Microcarb instrument for accurately computing the instrumental spectral response function

Le résumé fourni par la source

MicroCarb is a space program which uses a passive Short Wave InfraRed (SWIR) spectrometer instrument. MicroCarb will provide measurements of the atmospheric concentration of the carbon dioxide at global level with a precision sufficient in order to permit to the scientific community to improve the model of the carbon cycle by understanding the mechanisms governing the exchanges of CO2 between the sources and the sinks. The MicroCarb Instrument is currently under development at Airbus Defense & Space (ADS). Among the spectral requirements that it must meet, some concern the Instrumental Spectral Response Function (ISRF), which is a key quantity of spectrometers, needed for spectral instrument calibration and atmospheric inversion calculations. During the development of the Instrument, ADS proposed a method based on several Fourier Transforms to compute the ISRF, based on the one developed by R. Berlich for the FLORIS Instrument [1], in order to have an accurate model of its spectral performances. In this paper, we will explain the simulation method, which allows to take into account diffraction at the system entrance pupil, the spectrometer slit and the dispersion grating, and also the theoretical optical quality of the Instrument. We will describe the preliminary experiments ADS performed to validate this approach. We will then present the work done at ADS and CNES for validating and cross-checking the results of our computations, that required the use of advanced light propagation modules of CODE V. Once validated, this tool allows to accurately compute the theoretical performances of a given working point, such as the Full-Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) of the ISRF, the resolution of the spectrometer and the likeness of the ISRF to a gaussian function. It is also a powerful tool to quickly compute many ISRFs and thus carry out trade-offs on several parameters of the instrument. Finally, by including this static computation into a loop and by varying the radiance inside the slit, it is possible to obtain dynamic ISRFs of complex scenes on the ground, and thus have a complete and validated model of the spectral performances of the MicroCarb instrument.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.