Open AccessRadiometric Calibration of the Rosetta Navigation Camera
Author(s) -
Bernhard Geiger,
Rafael Andrés,
Thiago Statella
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of astronomical instrumentation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 24
eISSN - 2251-1725
pISSN - 2251-1717
DOI - 10.1142/s2251171721500045
Subject(s) - calibration , spacecraft , comet , remote sensing , computer science , radiometric calibration , detector , computer vision , artificial intelligence , range (aeronautics) , computer graphics (images) , physics , astronomy , geology , aerospace engineering , engineering , telecommunications , quantum mechanics
The Navigation Camera (NavCam) on board the Rosetta spacecraft was essential for optical navigation in the vicinity of the comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. Images acquired throughout the mission are also of high scientific interest. In order to extend the range of potential applications, we generated datasets of radiometrically calibrated images. For this purpose, methods based on stellar observations as well as cross-calibration with images of the extended comet nucleus were investigated. In this paper, we document technical characteristics of the camera, discuss the techniques applied for determining appropriate calibration factors, and describe the algorithms used for correcting detector effects and artifacts. The calibrated images were archived in the Planetary Science Archive of the European Space Agency.