Precision calibration, communication, and Earth observation using a miniature stratospheric platform

使用微型平流层平台进行精密校准、通信和地球观测

• 批准号: RGPIN-2022-04514
• 负责人: Albert, Justin
• 金额: $ 2.48万
• 依托单位: University of Victoria
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=762918
• 关键词: Precision; calibration; communication; Earth; observation

Objectives This program is developing a novel stratospheric platform capability with broad impact across the diverse fields of astronomy, telecommunications, Earth observation, the science of Earth's atmosphere, and surveillance for intelligence and defence.  We are constructing a low-cost, hand-launched miniature stratospheric propelled balloon which can remain persistently over a single region of Earth's surface, at altitudes of between 12 and 30 km, over timescales of up to months between its ascent from and its descent to Earth. The aim is for the device to be serviced very simply, quickly, and cheaply, and sent promptly back up again, repeatedly and indefinitely. Scientific Approach This interdisciplinary research draws from the fields of basic physics, astronomy, and aerospace engineering.  With both strong international support, and Canadian and international partners with decades of experience in developing and flying high-altitude airships for both scientific and defence-related R&D, we have designed, constructed, flown, and recovered our payloads for high-altitude balloons containing both monochromatic light sources for astronomical calibration, as well as onboard photometric calibration of these sources.  We utilize individually-controlled monochromatic lightweight laser diode modules and LEDs with light directed into an integrating sphere.  The light output from the sphere is continuously monitored by precisely-calibrated photodiodes. Using this standard calibration technique, photometric and radiometric measurement of sources regularly obtain precisions of better than an order of a part in 103. Impact We will create a highly-affordable hub for: cellular and remote-region communication; photometric and polarimetric calibration for both astronomy and atmospheric science; aerosol and trace gas sampling; surveillance; and monitoring of ground, ship, and aircraft traffic in the Arctic and elsewhere.  This program will provide training for HQP and undergraduates in cutting-edge, in-demand fields as varied as aerospace engineering, astrophysics, precision metrology, radio communication, and atmospheric and space science; and provide a well-defined, commercializable, and affordable product that will have a major impact on the scientific (as well as commercial and defence) capabilities of Canada and our colleagues around the world.  Our atmospheric science collaborators will additionally be using our data and technique for calibration of the AEROCAN aerosol monitoring network, to increase the precision of aerosol data for climate studies.  Beyond the 0.1%-level precision photometry foreseen with our real-time photodiode calibration of our onboard light sources, the much longer-term goals of the program include utilizing onboard cryogenic radiometer-based calibration, enabling observatories across the world to reach the then-technology-limited precision of 0.01% photometry.

目的该计划正在开发一种新的平流层平台能力，其影响广泛，涉及天文学、电信、地球观测、地球大气层科学以及情报和国防监视等多个领域。我们正在建造一个低成本的手动发射的微型平流层推进气球，它可以持续停留在地球表面的一个区域，高度在12到30公里之间，从它从上升到下降到地球的时间尺度长达几个月。这样做的目的是让设备得到非常简单、快速和廉价的维修，并迅速地重复和无限期地重新送回。科学方法这项跨学科的研究涉及基础物理、天文学和航天工程等领域。在强有力的国际支持下，以及在为科学和国防相关研发开发和飞行高空飞艇方面拥有数十年经验的加拿大和国际合作伙伴，我们已经设计、建造、飞行和恢复了我们的高空气球的有效载荷，这些气球包含用于天文校准的单色光源，以及这些光源的船上光度校准。我们利用单独控制的单色轻型激光二极管模块和LED，将光线定向到积分球中。球体的光输出由精确校准的光电二极管持续监测。使用这种标准校准技术，光源的光度测量和辐射测量经常获得比103的一个数量级更好的精度。影响我们将创建一个非常实惠的枢纽：蜂窝和远程通信；天文学和大气科学的光度和偏振校准；气溶胶和痕量气体采样；监测；以及监测北极和其他地区的地面、船舶和飞机交通。该计划将为HQP和本科生提供尖端、需求广泛的领域的培训，包括航空航天工程、天体物理学、精密计量学、无线电通信、大气和空间科学；并提供定义明确、可商业化和负担得起的产品，将对加拿大和我们世界各地的同事的科学(以及商业和国防)能力产生重大影响。我们的大气科学合作者还将使用我们的数据和技术来校准Aerocan气溶胶监测网络，以提高气候研究的气溶胶数据的精度。除了我们对星载光源的实时光电二极管校准所预见的0.1%级别的精度测光之外，该计划的更长期目标包括利用基于星载低温辐射计的校准，使世界各地的天文台能够达到当时技术限制的0.01%测光精度。