Uncertainties assessment in orbital or airborne sensors absolute calibration

Abstract

The electro-optical sensor absolute calibration (orbital or airborne) aims to transform the digital numbers present in the images into physical quantities. The orbital sensor calibration procedure frequently considers a reference surface on the ground. Radiometric measurements are taken from this reference surface and the results are compared to those acquired by the sensors to be calibrated. Obviously the complete calibration procedure includes uncertainties that have to be estimated in order to provide confidence to the sensor data. This work aims to evaluate the main uncertainties involved in the process of absolute calibration of eletro-optical sensors in the visible, near and middle infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.