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arXiv · 2304.08585

Radiometry for Nighttime Sub-Cloud Imaging of Venus' Surface in the Near-InfraRed Spectrum

Brian M. Sutin·Anthony B. Davis·Kevin H. Baines·James A. Cutts·Leonard I. Dorsky
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Abstract

Does radiometry (e.g., signal-to-noise ratio) limit the performance of near-IR subcloud imaging of our sister planet's surface at night? It does not. We compute subcloud radiometry using above-cloud observations, an assumed ground temperature, sub-cloud absorption and emission modeling, and Rayleigh scattering simulations. We thus confirm both archival and recent studies that deployment of a modest subcloud camera does enable high-resolution surface imaging.

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Brian M. Sutin, Anthony B. Davis, Kevin H. Baines, James A. Cutts, Leonard I. Dorsky. 2023-04-17. Radiometry for Nighttime Sub-Cloud Imaging of Venus' Surface in the Near-InfraRed Spectrum. https://arxiv.org/abs/2304.08585

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