BRDF, ALBEDO, CLOUD AND AEROSOL RADIOMETER (BACAR)

The proposed airborne instrument, BACAR (BRDF: bidirectional reflectance-distribution function, Albedo, Cloud and Aerosol Radiometer) will demonstrate radiometrically accurate measurements from the Ultraviolet to Thermal Infrared (19 channels), including polarization, from a single instrument, which is unprecedented, and will overcome significant technological challenges in optical design with high optical throughput and SNR (signal-to-noise ratio), as well as fast data readouts and processing. BACAR will expand the current CAR (Cloud Absorption Radiometer) airborne science capability and build on its BRDF legacy in important ways that will have particular impact in the following areas: (i) snow & ice mapping, (ii) wildfires, (iii) natural resources mapping, (iv) volcano monitoring, (v) surface-temperature determination & radiation balance constraints, (vi) cloud studies, (vii) air pollution studies, and (viii) acute pollution-event monitoring. 

The entire BACAR project is organized following a standard design/build top-level process that includes: conceptual design, trade studies, preliminary design, critical design and fabrication/test.