ROSIS - An imaging spectrometer environmental research
Heinz van der Piepen
Institute for Optoelectronic, DFVLR , D-8031 Oberpfaffenhofen, FRG
Roland Doerffer
Institute for Physics, GKSS, D-2054 Geesthacht, FRG.
Bernd Kunkel
Space Systems Group, MBB, D-8012 Ottobrunn, FRG
Abstract
The Reflective optics system imaging spectrometer ( ROSIS ) is a
compact programmable imaging spectrometer based on a CCD matrix
detector array . The instruction has been designed specially for
the monitoring for the of water color and of natural chlorophyll
fluorescence in order to quantitatively derive pigments suspended
matter and yellow substance distributions in the marine environment
how ever its high spectral resolution of
£ 5 nm also permits many new air borne new application in vegetation monitoring and in atmospheric physics an air borne prototype IS ROSIS IS jointly developed at present by MBB GKSS and DFVLR the instrument concept the scope of applications and the relationship to ESA earth observation programme and to NASA earth observation system is discussed.
Imaging spectroscopy
The future observation system by NASA and the earth observation programme by ESA rely to a large extent on the imaging spectrometers like the high resolution imaging spectrometer the moderate resolution imaging spectrometer or the medium resolution imaging spectrometer in addition to other operational sensors these are expect to largely improve the monitoring capabilities for climatology and environment studies in regard to ocean land and atmospheric parameters.
The main advantage of imaging spectrometers in comparison to conventional optional mechanical multi spectral scanners is the availability of a large number of narrow band width spectral channel combined with the positively of an applications specific selection of a few channels for data recording or transmission this permits the use of a single for a variety of monitoring tasks sensor alternatives focus instead on either medium of high geometric resolution (HIRIS, HRIS).
The Narrow band width channels permit a detailed analysis of spectral fine structures which are present in many signatures related to marine biology pigment fluorescence water pollution vegetation stress land use geology atmospheric absorption features etc. As a result these sensors will permit an essential improvement of data interpretation for environmental
monitoring.
In preparation of NASA and ESA future space programmers a few air borne prototypes of such sensors have been developed and used during the past few years Typical examples are the air borne imaging spectrometer from the U.S jet propulsion Laboratory or the Fluorescence line manager from the Canadian Department of Fishers and oceans while the former was designed mainly for the monitoring of mineralogical features the design driver for the latter was based on earlier experience with modern CCD technology a new sensor for water color monitoring from space was studied during 1986/87 by the company MBB on observation mission with ESA's European Retrievable Carrier an air borne prototype of this under construction the instrument conception its future applications are discussed in the following sections .
