Radiometric characterization of field radiometers in support of the 1997 Lunar Lake, Nevada, experiment to determine surface reflectance and top-of-atmosphere radiance

A continuing series of field campaigns to Lunar Lake, Nevada, has been established to develop measurement protocols and assess the uncertainties of ground-based calibrations of on-orbit satellite sensors. In June 1997, an ensemble of field radiometers was deployed to validate the fundamental reflectance and radiance measurements of the Land Satellite (Landsat-5) Thematic Mapper (TM) and Satellite Pour l'Observation de la Terre (SPOT-2) Haute Resolution Visible (HRV) satellite instruments. Prior their deployment to Lunar Lake, many of the field instruments measured a common sphere source at the University of Arizona (UA). The results, presented in this work, showed variations in the relative stabilities of the field instruments, and demonstrate the need for in-depth characterization of field instruments for an accurate assessment of instrument performance and measurement uncertainty. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Inc.