Cross-track infrared sounder FPAA performance

The Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) is one of many instruments that comprise the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). The CrIS instrument is a Michelson interferometer-based. sensor that is sensitive to wavelengths between 3.5 and 16 microns. Three separate Focal Plane Array Assemblies (FPAAs) referred to as the Short Wave Infrared Assembly (SWIR, lambda(c) similar to 5 mum at 98 K), the Mid Wave Infrared assembly (MWIR, lambda(c) similar to 9 mum at 98 K), and the Long Wave Infrared assembly (LWIR, lambda(c) similar to 16 mum at 81 K) are used to span the spectral range. The CrIS instrument measures the earth radiance at high spectral resolution using the data to provide pressure, temperature and moisture profiles of the atmosphere. The CrIS instrument will help improve both global and regional predictions of weather patterns, storm tracks, and precipitation. The CrIS program selected photovoltaic (PV) detectors for use in all three spectral bands. PV technology outperforms photoconductive detectors in terms of high sensitivity and linearity. Each FPAA consists of a 3x3 detector-matrix that are used to form 9 fields of view (FOV). Each detector has a 1,000 gm active area diameter and has its own cold preamplifier, warm post amplifier and independent high pass filter. This paper describes the performance for all three assemblies that together form the basis of the CrIS Engineering Development Unit 2 (EDU2) Detector Preamp Module (DPM).