A Low-Resolution Unchopped Radiometer for Satellites

The blackbody temperature and the albedo of a planet, and the variation of both parameters with latitude, longitude, and time, are of great value in understanding the climatic and meteorological conditions of the planet. An unchopped radiometer with a wide but restricted field of view is capable of such temperature and albedo measurements. Coated thermistors mounted in highly reflective cones serve as detectors. Their performance as sensor elements is analyzed in detail herein to prove the feasibility of the measurement. The simplicity of the instrumentation and the low information bandwidth required make the experiment equally attractive for earth satellites and space probes.