Paper
19 October 1977 Orbiter Cloud Photopolarimeter For The Pioneer Venus Mission
E. E. Russell, L. A. Watts, S. F. Pellicori, D. L. Coffeen
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Abstract
The Orbiter Cloud Photopolarimeter (OCPP) to be flown aboard the Pioneer Venus Orbiter spacecraft is described. This instrument, while in orbit about the planet Venus, will perform polarimetric and radiometric mapping of the Venus atmosphere in four spectral bands centered in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared regions. Additionally, the instrument is equipped to provide moderate resolution imaging of the time varying cloud patterns in the near ultraviolet. In another mode of operation the instrument is capable of profiling the atmosphere at the limb of the planet to measure the particulate layering. Information resulting from these measurements is intended to provide an understanding of the global cloud dynamics and the atmospheric structure and composition on Venus. The basic operation and functional elements of the instrument are discussed. The optical configuration incorporating a polarization analyzing technique with improved accuracy is described. Long-term and short-term calibration techniques along with expected instrument performance characteristics are summarized.
© (1977) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
E. E. Russell, L. A. Watts, S. F. Pellicori, and D. L. Coffeen "Orbiter Cloud Photopolarimeter For The Pioneer Venus Mission", Proc. SPIE 0112, Optical Polarimetry: Instrumentation and Applications, (19 October 1977); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.955539
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Cited by 17 scholarly publications.
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KEYWORDS
Wave plates

Calibration

Telescopes

Polarimetry

Optical filters

Venus

Sensors

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