Week 3 Log

June 15th - June 19th

Again, this week dealt mostly with the Spectro-Polarimeter project. There are a number of challenges I am encountering with the Spectro-Polarimeter project. The equatorial mount does not always function correctly. A large part of this week has been adjusting myself to the most efficient methodology for working the instrument and mount.

Another challenge in the Spectro-Polarimeter project has been the detection of the larger wavelengths known as short-wave infrared (SWIR). Detection of SWIR in regions of the sky 90 degrees away from the sun is particularly challenging. This poses a serious problem for the project. At regions 90 degrees away from the sun, skylight has a maximum polarization. These are regions of great interest to the Spectro-Polarimeter project.

Image provided by Dr. Joseph Shaw and the Optical Remote Sensor Laboratory.

In the image above, the orange band shows the region of maximum polarization. This region is 90 degrees away from the sun. The sun is in the lower left of the image.

During the latter part of the week, I started the Solar Radiometer project. I began by building the circuit for the Solar Radiometer in a breadboard. The circuit diagram for the Solar Radiometer is in the image below.

Credit to Forrest M. Mims III