Thermal Infrared Spectrometers for the Polar Radiant Energy in the Far‐Infrared Experiment (PREFIRE)

Abstract The Polar Radiant Energy in the Far‐InfraRed Experiment (PREFIRE) was selected by NASA to fly two miniaturized Thermal InfraRed Spectrometers (TIRS) capable of distinguishing the spectral signatures of surface and atmospheric properties in Earth's polar regions. A trade study examining spectral sampling as well as separation of cloudy and clear scenery at 20 km scales highlighted the possibility to utilize ambient (uncooled) detector technologies in a miniaturized spectrometer that could facilitate low‐cost and rapid access to space. This work describes the design, implementation, testing and performance of two TIRS systems, as well as the challenges and acceptable limitations of the cost‐constrained effort, that feature the novel joining of compact thermopile array technologies with concentric imaging spectrometry methods. The TIRS systems presented here each have 2.7 kg mass, draw 4.3 W power, and provide spectral resolution of 1.71 m below 35 m sampled at 0.86 m increments.

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Publication Details

Journal
Earth and Space Science
Published
2025-09-26
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1029/2024ea003711
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Superconducting and THz Device Technology
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.15
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article

Thermal Infrared Spectrometers for the Polar Radiant Energy in the Far‐Infrared Experiment (PREFIRE)

Aronne Merrelli, M. C. Foote, Gary Hawkins, Eric B. Hochberg et al.
1 citations
Earth and Space Science
Superconducting and THz Device Technology
1.15
article

Thermal Infrared Spectrometers for the Polar Radiant Energy in the Far‐Infrared Experiment (PREFIRE)

Aronne Merrelli, M. C. Foote, Gary Hawkins, Eric B. Hochberg, Nasrat Raouf, S. B. Calcutt, Tristan L’Ecuyer, Daniel W. Wilson, Rudi Bendig, Ian M. McKinley, Deacon Nemchick, Giacomo Mariani, Gary D. Spiers, Brian J. Drouin, Harrison Herzog, Sharmila Padmanabhan, James McGuire, Matthew Kenyon, David Martínez
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Abstract The Polar Radiant Energy in the Far‐InfraRed Experiment (PREFIRE) was selected by NASA to fly two miniaturized Thermal InfraRed Spectrometers (TIRS) capable of distinguishing the spectral signatures of surface and atmospheric properties in Earth's polar regions. A trade study examining spectral sampling as well as separation of cloudy and clear scenery at 20 km scales highlighted the possibility to utilize ambient (uncooled) detector technologies in a miniaturized spectrometer that could facilitate low‐cost and rapid access to space. This work describes the design, implementation, testing and performance of two TIRS systems, as well as the challenges and acceptable limitations of the cost‐constrained effort, that feature the novel joining of compact thermopile array technologies with concentric imaging spectrometry methods. The TIRS systems presented here each have 2.7 kg mass, draw 4.3 W power, and provide spectral resolution of 1.71 m below 35 m sampled at 0.86 m increments.

Earth and Space ScienceVol. 12(10)
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (US), University of Wisconsin–Madison (US), University of Michigan (US), University of Oxford (GB)
Openalex Percentile: Top 16%
Superconducting and THz Device Technology
1.15
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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