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Imaging Fourier transform spectroscopy from a space based platform : the Herschel/SPIRE Fourier transform spectrometer

The Herschel Space Observatory (Herschel), a







flagship mission of the European







Space Agency (ESA), is comprised of three cryogenically cooled instruments commissioned







to explore the far-infrared/submillimetre universe. Herschel's remote orbit at the second







Lagrangian point (L2) of the Sun-Earth system, and its cryogenic payload, impose a need







for thorough instrument characterization and rigorous testing as there will be no possibility







for any servicing after launch.







The Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) is one of the instrument







payloads aboard Herschel and consists of a three band imaging photometer and a two band







imaging spectrometer. The imaging spectrometer on SPIRE consists of a Mach-Zehnder







(MZ)-Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) coupled with bolometric detector arrays to







form an imaging FTS (IFTS). This thesis presents experiments conducted to verify the







performance of an IFTS system from a space based platform, i.e. the use of the SPIRE







IFTS within the Herschel space observatory. Prior to launch, the SPIRE instrument has







undergone a series of performance verification tests conducted at the Rutherford Appleton







Laboratory (RAL) near Oxford, UK. Canada is involved in the SPIRE project through







provision of instrument development hardware and software, mission







flight software, and







support personnel. Through this thesis project I have been stationed at RAL for a period







spanning fifteen months to participate in the development, performance verification, and







characterization of both the SPIRE FTS and photometer instruments.







This thesis discusses Fourier transform spectroscopy and related FTS data process




ing (Chapter 2). Detailed discussions are included on the spectral phase related to the FTS







beamsplitter (Chapter 3), the imaging aspects of the SPIRE IFTS instrument (Chapter 4),







and the noise characteristics of the SPIRE bolometer detector arrays as measured using the







SPIRE IFTS (Chapter 5). This thesis presents results from experiments performed both on







site at the RAL Space Science and Technology Department (SSTD) Assembly Integration







Verification (AIV) instrument test facility as well as from the Astronomical Instrumentation







Group (AIG) research laboratories within the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the







University of Lethbridge. / xxiii, 243 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 29 cm

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:ALU.w.uleth.ca/dspace#10133/1303
Date January 2009
CreatorsSpencer, Locke Dean, University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science
ContributorsNaylor, David A.
PublisherLethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Arts and Science, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Source SetsLibrary and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada
Languageen_US
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
RelationThesis (University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science)

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