Polarization considerations in the multi-angle imager for aerosols (MAIA)

The significant effects of aerosols on public health and climate drive a growing necessity for the characterization of particulate matter in air pollutants. The earth-orbiting Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) instrument will combine radiance and polarization measurements to derive features of ground-level particulate matter. The optical design requires an in-depth analysis of several key polarization factors in order to meet stringent requirements on radiometric and polarimetric accuracy. A simple two-layer optical coating, a pair of achromatic quarter-wave plates, and analysis of the polarization aberrations are used to minimize the effects of polarization errors and achieve high polarimetric accuracy.This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at repository@u.library.arizona.edu