Determination of design and operation parameters for upper atmospheric research instrumentation to yield optimum resolution with deconvolution

The final report for work on the determination of design and operation parameters for upper atmospheric research instrumentation to yield optimum resolution with deconvolution is presented. Papers and theses prepared during the research report period are included. Among all the research results reported, note should be made of the specific investigation of the determination of design and operation parameters for upper atmospheric research instrumentation to yield optimum resolution with deconvolution. A methodology was developed to determine design and operation parameters for error minimization when deconvolution is included in data analysis. An error surface is plotted versus the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and all parameters of interest. Instrumental characteristics will determine a curve in this space. The SNR and parameter values which give the projection from the curve to the surface, corresponding to the smallest value for the error, are the optimum values. These values are constrained by the curve and so will not necessarily correspond to an absolute minimum in the error surface.