Absolute calibration of a spectrometer using terrestrial solar radiation

Area of Science:

• Spectroscopy
• Optical Engineering
• Atmospheric Science

Background:

• Accurate spectral measurements are crucial for various scientific applications.
• Low-resolution, wideband optical spectrometers are widely used but often lack absolute intensity calibration.
• Existing calibration methods can be complex or require specialized equipment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a straightforward method for absolute intensity calibration of optical spectrometers.
• To utilize terrestrial solar radiation as a readily available calibration source.
• To demonstrate the reproducibility and accuracy of the proposed calibration technique.

Main Methods:

• Employing terrestrial solar radiation as the illumination source for the spectrometer.
• Comparing the spectrometer's output to a well-established solar spectral standard.
• Conducting observations over a three-day period to assess reproducibility.

Main Results:

• The proposed method successfully provides absolute intensity calibration for a low-resolution, wideband optical spectrometer.
• Reproducible calibration results were achieved over three days of observation.
• Evidence supporting the accuracy of the calibration is presented.

Conclusions:

• The presented method offers a practical and reliable approach for calibrating optical spectrometers.
• Solar spectral standards are effective for achieving absolute intensity calibration.
• This technique enhances the reliability of data obtained from wideband spectrometers.