Attention:
Operation of the SPTA requires experienced personnel on board the aircraft.
Summary
The sun photometer points at the sun and measures the direct-sun radiance. It is automated by a sun-tracking unit, allowing continuous measurements during flight operations. It provides data of the aerosol optical depth within the 360-1050nm range.
| Manufacturer | Dr. Schulz und Partner GmbH |
|---|---|
| Model | SPTA |
| Serial No. | n/a |
| Type | Photometer |
| SENSOR-Link | ↪ |
Contacts
| Name | Institution | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Andreas Herber | Alfred-Wegener-Institute | Device Contact |
Available devices and Specification
The sun photometer system comprises the photometer unit, a power supply unit and an operator PC.
Specifications of SPTA (without mounting)
Dimension SPTA (max. Diameter x H) |
346 x 361 mm |
|---|---|
Weight SPTA |
4.6 kg |
Dimension Power Supply (L x W x H) |
187 x 134 x 59 mm |
Weight Power Supply |
0.5 kg |
Power Supply |
230 VAC |
Data interface |
serial (RS-232) |
Position
| Info | The sun photometer is installed within a quartz glass dome that is fastened to the cabin roof. A power supply unit and an operator PC are installed in a rack. |
Data logging, storage and archiving
Logged parameter
| Parameter | Sensor Output Type | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| aerosol optical depth | spectral radiance | none |
Rawdata storage on board
During flight the data of the sun photometer are stored on the operator PC.
Data archiving on land
After the flight sun photometer data are are downloaded from the operator PC and are made accessible via the external devices file system of the aircraft data managment system (DMS).