Refereed journal article or data article (A1)

Uncertainty of Radiometer Calibration Loads and Its Impact on Radiometric Measurements




List of AuthorsMatti Kaisti, Miikka Altti, and Torsti Poutanen

PublisherIEEE

Publication year2014

JournalIEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques

Journal acronymMTT

Volume number62

Issue number10

Start page2435

End page2446

Number of pages12

ISSN0018-9480

DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TMTT.2014.2349873

URLhttp://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=6895175

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/1993438


Abstract

We present an uncertainty analysis of radiometer calibration.

The procedure can be used to determine the uncertainty

in the nominal brightness temperature of the unknown scene. A

total power radiometer requires frequent calibration with known

reference loads that are connected to the radiometer. Our analysis

includes uncertainties from the radiometer calibration loads and

from the connecting network (CN) that is required to multiplex

calibration loads and scene to the radiometer input. We show the

design and analysis of three calibration loads and how their uncertainties

propagate from load terminals to the radiometer calibration

plane and to the scene. All three loads, including a cryogenic

load, are simple, inexpensive, and show great stability and

accuracy. We give an uncertainty calculation example for our three

calibration loads and for the CN. We validate our model and the

long-term stability of the loads through measurements. The analysis

is done at 52 GHz, but the analysis and the construction of the

loads are generic and easily scalable to other frequencies.

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