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Low Noise Amplifiers and Receivers for Remote SensingThe study of atmospheric dynamics and climatology depend on accurate and frequent measurements of temperature and humidity profiles of the atmosphere. These measurements furthermore enable highly accurate measurements of ocean topography by providing total column water vapour data for radar path delay correction. The atmospheric temperature profile is characterized at the oxygen molecule absorption frequencies (60 and 118 GHz) and the humidity profile at the water molecule absorption frequencies (23 and 183 GHz). Total column measurements can be achieved by comparing measured radiometric temperatures at atmospheric window channels, such as 90, 130, and 166 GHz. The standard receiver technology for these frequencies was diode mixers with MMIC LNAs being applied at the lower frequencies. The sensitivity of millimeter wave receivers improved significantly with the introduction of the low noise 35 nm gate length InP MMIC amplifiers. We currently achieve 3 dB noise figure at 180 GHz and 2 dB noise figure at 90 GHz with our MMIC low noise amplifiers (LNAs) in room temperature. These amplifiers and the receivers we have built using them made it possible to conduct highly accurate airborne measurements campaigns from the Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle, develop millimeter wave internally calibrated radiometers for altimeter radar path delay correction, and build prototypes of large arrays of millimeter receivers for a geostationary interferometric sounder. We use the developed millimeter wave receivers to measure temperature and humidity profiles in the atmosphere and in hurricanes as well as to characterize the path delay error in ocean topography alitmetery.
Document ID
20150005889
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Conference Paper
External Source(s)
Authors
Kangaslahti, Pekka
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Lim, Boon
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Gaier, Todd
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Tanner, Alan
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Varonen, Mikko
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Samoska, Lorene
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Brown, Shannon
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Lambrigsten, Bjorn
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Reising, Steven
(Colorado State Univ. Fort Collins, CO, United States)
Tanabe, Jordan
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Montes, Oliver
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Dawson, Douglas
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Parashare, Chaitali
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
April 17, 2015
Publication Date
January 4, 2012
Subject Category
Earth Resources And Remote Sensing
Meteorology And Climatology
Acoustics
Meeting Information
Meeting: 2012 USNC-URSI National Radio Science Meeting
Location: Boulder, CO
Country: United States
Start Date: January 4, 2012
End Date: January 7, 2012
Sponsors: International Scientific Radio Union
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
low noise temperature
low noise ampliflier (LNA)
sensitivity improvement

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