Uncertainty analysis for filter radiometry based on the uncertainty associated with integrated quantities

Emma Woolliams
National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK Email: emma.woolliams@npl.co.uk

In Calibration

In Use

The measured signal, V(T) [units:V], of a radiance mode filter radiometer measuring a blackbody is given by the radiance responsivity of the filter radiometer R [units: A / (W m-2 sr-1)] and the blackbody L -2 -1 -1 [units: W m sr nm ]. Hence radiance, L ,T
BB

V T = G

( )

R ( )L ( ,T ) d ,
L BB

( )

The source radiance is determined as L = V gR G

cal trap

where G is the gain [units: V A-1] of the transimpedance amplifier, and , are the dimensionless quantities for emissivity and size-of-source effect (SSE) correction, respectively. The blackbody spectral radiance is given by Plancks law, which, for measurements in which the detector is in air, is

( )

( )(

,trap

( )

trap

where, Vtrap ( ) is the signal (voltage) given by the trap detector, g is the geometric factor for the trap and sphere apertures, R ,trap ( ) is the power responsivity of the trap detector (A W-1) and Gtrap is the amplifier gain for the trap detector. The radiance responsivity of the filter radiometer is given by

2hc 2 1 LBB , T = 2 5 1 hc n k T n exp B where T is the thermodynamic temperature, k B is the Boltzmann constant, h is the Planck constant, c is the speed of light in a vacuum, n is the refractive index of the air at the detector and is the wavelength in air.

RL = VTH,cal

where VTH,cal during calibration.

( ) ( ) (G L ( )) ( ) is the signal on the filter radiometer during its calibration and G

TH,cal cal

These equations are solved by estimating a value for the temperature, calculating the right hand side of the expression, and then comparing this to the measured signal. In practice this is achieved by introducing the equation
i and calculating the estimated root of h T , i.e. the value of T that gives h T = 0 . This is solved using a numerical bisection algorithm (e.g. Newton-Raphson).

h T = G RL i LBB i , T i V T = 0

( )

( ( ) (

) ) ( )

(1)

TH,cal

is its amplifier gain

( )

( )

Uncertainty Concepts
The uncertainty associated with temperature, u (T ) , can be determined for the most generic case using a matrix equation. From Equation (1): (2)

Analysis avoiding matrices

With the correlation explicitly described, Equation (1) can be rewritten and following analysis, Expression (2) simplifies to

where

h cT = T

(3) h h h h h h c x = V G R1 R2

and U x is the covariance matrix with rows and columns corresponding to V , G , , , RL 1 , RL 2 , . The necessary derivatives for equation (3)

( ) ( )

As well as the derivatives to the left, we need

Analysis embracing matrices

The uncertainty associated with temperature is given by Equation (2), where the sensitivity coefficient matrices are given in subsequent expressions in that section. Additionally, the covariance matrix, Ux is needed. This has the following form (here, for clarity, the columns and rows have a header that would not normally be indicated): The diagonal of the covariance matrix is the variance associated with each input parameter in turn. The off-diagonal terms give the covariance. In most cases these are zero (the amplifier gain is uncorrelated with the blackbody emissivity, for example). The only covariance terms are the values . This is the covariance between the calibrated radiance responsivity at wavelength i and that at wavelength j. If the responsivity can be described by the model in Equation (4), then the covariance terms are given by .

Correlation in the filter radiometer responsivity

Geometric factor for the double aperture system Amplifier gain calibrations for the trap detector and filter radiometer amplifiers Stray light, diffraction and other such effects in the optical system

Usually correlated from wavelength to wavelength

Electronic noise in the trap and filter radiometer, and their amplifiers Short term stability of the monochromatic radiance source

Usually random from wavelength to wavelength

Trap responsivity determined at the wavelength of the monochromatic source Wavelength accuracy and stability of the monochromatic source

Partially correlated or sometimes correlated

Conclusions
This poster has shown the basic concepts for uncertainty analysis for filter radiometry. The associated paper has step-by-step instructions for how to apply these equations and also includes information on dealing with interpolation uncertainties in the trap detector responsivity and in the wavelength scale.

Here is the true value of the responsivity (a theoretical concept, unknown). ri is the specific random error at the ith wavelength and s is the systematic error common at all wavelengths. By definition, ri and s are unknowable, and have an expectation value of zero.

Acknowledgments
Peter Harris and Maurice Cox of NPLs mathematics group have patiently answered my many questions on this topic over the last decade. Thanks also to Clare Matthews for a thorough review of the draft paper. This work has been funded by the National Measurement Office, an Executive Agency of the UK Department of Business, Innovation and Skills.

www.npl.co.uk

Queens Printer and Controller of HMSO, 2013. 10631/0913

are the radiance responsivity values for the filter radiometer at the calibration wavelengths The of the filter radiometer. These will be determined experimentally, for example using a (spectrally tuneable) monochromatic radiance source, whose radiance is determined by a trap detector and two apertures. The uncertainty associated with the responsivity at any one wavelength will come from a combination of effects, some of which will introduce correlation and some of which will not. In many cases the wavelength accuracy is a negligible uncertainty component and the trap responsivity can be treated as fully correlated (see paper for what to do if not). On these occasions, the filter radiometer responsivity can be modelled as