CEDAR: A Calibration 'Facility' for CEDAR (Coupling, Energetics, and Dynamics of Atmospheric Regions) Optical Aeronomy

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The absolute sensitivity of instruments measuring the airglow is necessary for the conversion of photon count rates to emission brightness and to emitting species abundances. Similarly, transmission pass bands must be precisely known, not only for proper sensitivity determination, but also for extracting temperature and wind information. Establishment of a central calibration facility addresses the outstanding problem of absent or inconsistent optical calibration across the aeronomy community. Unified and accurate calibration of optical data at all sites is particularly urgent as assimilative models strive to integrate ground-based data for global descriptions of transport and storm-response, including Space Weather forecasting. The facility features two standard light sources, two standard detectors, and an interference filter calibration instrument. The light sources are mechanically robust against vibration and shock, and can be used at the facility or shipped to investigators at remote sites. Interference filters can be shipped to the calibration facility for reliable and uniform pass band and blocking calibration.