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In this paper, we describe the design, fabrication, calibration, and deployment of an airborne multispectral polarimetric imager. The motivation for the development of this instrument was to explore its ability to provide information about water constituents, such as particle size and type. The instrument is based on four 16 MP cameras and uses wire grid polarizers (aligned at 0°, 45°, 90°, and 135°) to provide the separation of the polarization states. A five-position filter wheel provides for four narrow-band spectral filters (435, 550, 625, and 750 nm) and one blocked position for dark-level measurements. When flown, the instrument is mounted on a programmable stage that provides control of the view angles. View angles that range to ±65° from the nadir have been used. Data processing provides a measure of the polarimetric signature as a function of both the view zenith and view azimuth angles. As a validation of our initial results, we compare our measurements, over water, with the output of a Monte Carlo code, both of which show neutral points off the principle plane. The locations of the calculated and measured neutral points are compared. The random error level in the measured degree of linear polarization (8% at 435) is shown to be better than 0.25%.

The Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO) presently onboard the International Space Station (ISS) is an imaging spectrometer designed for remote sensing of coastal waters. The instrument is not equipped with any onboard spectral and radiometric calibration devices. Here we describe vicarious calibration techniques that have been used in converting the HICO raw digital numbers to calibrated radiances. The spectral calibration is based on matching atmospheric water vapor and oxygen absorption bands and extraterrestrial solar lines. The radiometric calibration is based on comparisons between HICO and the EOS/MODIS data measured over homogeneous desert areas and on spectral reflectance properties of coral reefs and water clouds. Improvements to the present vicarious calibration techniques are possible as we gain more in-depth understanding of the HICO laboratory calibration data and the ISS HICO data in the future.

The Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO) is the first spaceborne hyperspectral sensor designed specifically for the coastal ocean and estuarial, riverine, or other shallow-water areas. The HICO generates hyperspectral images, primarily over the 400-900 nm spectral range, with a ground sample distance of ≈90 m (at nadir) and a high signal-to-noise ratio. The HICO is now operating on the International Space Station (ISS). Its cross-track and along-track fields of view are 42 km (at nadir) and 192 km, respectively, for a total scene area of 8000 km(2). The HICO is an innovative prototype sensor that builds on extensive experience with airborne sensors and makes extensive use of commercial off-the-shelf components to build a space sensor at a small fraction of the usual cost and time. Here we describe the instrument's design and characterization and present early images from the ISS., (© 2011 Optical Society of America)