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The Radiometric and Pointing Calibration of SECCHI COR1 on STEREO

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Abstract

COR1 is the innermost coronagraph of the Sun Earth Connection Coronal and Heliospheric Investigation (SECCHI) instrument suite aboard the twin Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft. The paired COR1 telescopes observe the white-light K-corona from 1.4 to 4 solar radii in a waveband 22.5 nm wide centered on the Hα line at 656 nm. An internal polarizer allows the measurement of both total and polarized brightness. The co-alignment of the two COR1 telescopes is derived from the star λ Aquarii for the Ahead spacecraft, and from an occultation of the Sun by the Moon for Behind. Observations of the planet Jupiter are used to establish absolute photometric calibrations for each telescope. The intercalibration of the two COR1 telescopes are compared using coronal mass ejection observations made early in the mission, when the spacecraft were close together. Comparisons are also made with the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) C2 and Mauna Loa Solar Observatory Mk4 coronagraphs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Adnet Systems Inc., NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, USA

    W. T. Thompson

  2. Catholic University, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, USA

    N. L. Reginald

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  1. W. T. Thompson
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  2. N. L. Reginald
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Correspondence to W. T. Thompson.

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Thompson, W.T., Reginald, N.L. The Radiometric and Pointing Calibration of SECCHI COR1 on STEREO. Sol Phys 250, 443–454 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-008-9228-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-008-9228-2

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