In-lab radiometric instruments calibration and uncertainties assessment

Abstract

Extracting quantitative information from both airborne and orbital sensors data requires information about their absolute calibration. The most common in-flight absolute calibration method is based on radiometric data collected from a reference surface located on the Earth. The first step of that method is the surface characterization, which involves radiometric measurements to determine the average Reflectance Factor of the surface. Frequently these reference surfaces are relatively large and the radiometric measurements have been performed by instruments, which must be calibrated. Thus, analyzing the instruments conditions and their respective contributions to the fina l uncerta inty of the mea surements experiments have to be performed in laboratory. The objective of this paper is to describe some in-lab instruments calibration procedures including the uncertainties assessment.