MINSK, 26 April (BelTA) – Scientists of the Belarusian State University have designed a unique device for studying Earth's atmosphere from the outer space. The three-band spectral radiometer MSR-09 is designed to be mounted on nano satellites in order to study the content of trace gases in Earth's troposphere by measuring solar radiation absorbance spectrum, the university's press service told BelTA.
The spectrometer uses three sensors that focus on different optical bands. They register diffuse solar radiation that passes through layers of the atmosphere in the vertical direction and the horizontal one. The vertical scheme of solar radiation input allows studying the quantity of gases and aerosols while the horizontal one examines their distribution in the atmosphere. The collected data is stored in a microcontroller and beamed down to Earth's surface for further processing.
The innovative R&D product will enhance the ability of meteorological forecasters and ecologists to study Earth's atmosphere in detail. It will allow evaluating the speed of the ozone layer's recovery, finding sources and ways of transfer of gases and aerosols, which pollute the ground air and affect the temperature climate in several parts of the planet. The spectral radiometer has already been successfully tested by the electronics manufacturer OAO Peleng in conditions closely resembling the outer space.
The technology has no world analogs and has been patented in Belarus.
The spectral radiometer was designed by a team of scientists of the A. N. Sevchenko Institute of Applied Physical Problems of the Belarusian State University led by Head of the Aerospace Research Department, Professor Boris Belyayev.
