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Peter Foukal (pfoukal@world.std.com)
Fri, 15 Aug 2003 10:29:55 -0400


From: "Peter Foukal" <pfoukal@world.std.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2003 10:29:55 -0400
Subject: Solar Bolometric Imager (SBI)

Hello MM;

The balloon flight of Solar Bolometric Imager (SBI) is presently
scheduled for launch from Ft Sumner in the window Aug 25th -
Sept 6th. Support observations would be greatly appreciated.

SBI Mission Aims:

SBI is a novel 30 cm telescope designed to provide the first solar
imaging in total ( 300nm - 2micron) light.SBI provides essentially
flat spectral response over this wide spectral range, so it sees
about the same light as a radiometer such as ACRIM. The new
capability is its 80,000 pixel ( about 2 arc sec) resolution.

This resolution is amply sufficient to identify the basic magnetic
structures (spots, faculae, enhanced network), and measure their
separate contributions to total irradiance variation.

By identifying this contribution accurately and removing it from the
radiometric record, SBI would greatly enhance present capability to
identify (or rule out) additional slow trends in total irradiance, of
greatest importance to climate studies.

The full benefit of SBI will require extended space flight; the balloon
mission will be in part for proof of concept and data product
evaluation. But, if successful, it will also yield the first truly broad
band photometric contrast values for photospheric magnetic
structures. These will immediately improve the accuracy of
empirical models of total irradiance variation.

Requested Support Observations:

1. Daily CaK full disc (or at least active regions), preferably around
noon MST +/- 1 hr;
2. Daily m'gram same as above
3. Daily imaging as above in other, either narrow band continuum,
or in wider ~ 10nm or wider passbands ( including white light).

Data of these kinds will be greatly appreciated.

I will be out of email contact between Sun Aug 17th, and Sat Aug
24th. Further information on SBI during that period can be obtained
from David Rust or Pietro Bernasconi at the email addresses given
above.

Thanks


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