In-flight monitoring of the optical response of GOME revealed a number of instrumental features that drift or change with time. Some of these observed features are related to outgassing of the instrument in space. In particular outgassing of optical coatings, e.g. the dichroic mirror in GOME, can result in a change of the optical characteristics and thereby changing the response of the GOME instrument. Another feature is related to the etalon effect which results in a spectral modulation of the GOME spectra. This modulation varies in time due to a varying contamination layer, most likely ice, on the cooled detectors. Through the GOBELIN project the GOME breadboard model has been made available to us by ESA. The GOME breadboard model has been fully upgraded to represent the GOME flight mode and therefore offers a unique opportunity to study the above phenomenon under controlled laboratory conditions. First results are presented addressing in particular the effect of outgassing on instrument optical response, including the polarization response, and the etalon effect.

Date Published: 31 December 1997
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 3221, Sensors, Systems, and Next-Generation Satellites, (31 December 1997); doi: 10.1117/12.298090

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3221:
Sensors, Systems, and Next-Generation Satellites
Hiroyuki Fujisada, Editor(s)