Methods, procedures, and example results for evaluating commercial off-the-shelf hyperspectral instruments for use as satellite cross-calibration radiometers

A satellite cross-calibration radiometer (SCR) is an on-orbit hyperspectral imaging transfer radiometer that transfers the radiometric calibration from a reference satellite to other on-orbit multispectral instruments via near-simultaneous cross-calibration acquisitions to improve these instruments’ radiometric accuracy and data interoperability. With an increasing number of satellite imaging systems in orbit, multisensor time series-based datasets are becoming more prevalent, necessitating increasingly accurate radiometric calibration to ensure consistency between imagery. Due to their cost and complexity, most satellites do not carry onboard calibrators, and therefore, cross-calibrations with SCRs offer an alternative path to accurate radiometric calibration. Compared with traditional hyperspectral instruments, an SCR hyperspectral instrument has lower spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio requirements, enabling cost-effective commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) hyperspectral instruments to be considered for an SCR mission. Building on previous research, we describe the hyperspectral performance requirements for an SCR. We outline the methods and procedures to screen and characterize candidate COTS hyperspectral sensors in the laboratory prior to an SCR mission using a Headwall Photonics Hyperspec MV.C visible through near-infrared hyperspectral imager as an example. Example laboratory results are provided and discussed.