One point calibration in interferometric radiometers devoted to Earth observation

摘要

Amplitude calibration has a major impact on the final performance of an interferometric radiometer devoted to Earth observation. This work presents a new method to calibrate the instrument based on a combination of internal and external signals. This so-called "one point" calibration makes use of deep sky views as single external calibration target. This method will be tested in the commissioning phase of the MIRAS/SMOS mission by the European Space Agency, as a back-up of the current calibration approach.