Thermal infrared spectroscopy (TIR spectroscopy) is the subset of

infrared spectroscopy Infrared spectroscopy (IR spectroscopy or vibrational spectroscopy) is the measurement of the interaction of infrared radiation with matter by absorption, emission, or reflection. It is used to study and identify chemical substances or function ...

that deals with radiation emitted in the infrared part of the

electromagnetic spectrum The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of frequencies (the spectrum) of electromagnetic radiation and their respective wavelengths and photon energies. The electromagnetic spectrum covers electromagnetic waves with frequencies ranging fro ...

. The emitted infrared radiation, though similar to blackbody radiation, is different in that the radiation is banded at characteristic vibrations in the material. The method measures the thermal

infrared radiation Infrared (IR), sometimes called infrared light, is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than those of visible light. It is therefore invisible to the human eye. IR is generally understood to encompass wavelengths from around ...

emitted (as opposed to being transmitted or reflected) from a volume or surface. This method is commonly used to identify the composition of surface by analyzing its

spectrum A spectrum (plural ''spectra'' or ''spectrums'') is a condition that is not limited to a specific set of values but can vary, without gaps, across a continuum. The word was first used scientifically in optics to describe the rainbow of colors ...

and comparing it to previously measured materials. It is particularly suited to airborne and spaceborne applications.

Thermal infrared spectrometers

Airborne

*TIMS: a multispectral radiometer flown on C-130, ER-2, and the Stennis Learjet aircraft. *SEBASS: a hyperspectral sensor developed and operated by The Aerospace Corporation. *Hyper-Cam: a hyperspectral thermal infrared camera developed by Telops. *OWL: a hyperspectral thermal infrared camera developed by Specim.Frost&Sullivan, Technical Insights, Aerospace&Defence (Feb 2011), #5
World First Thermal Hyperspectral Camera for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Spaceborne

*ISM: An imaging spectrometer on board the Soviet

Phobos 2 ''Phobos 2'' was the last space probe designed by the Soviet Union. It was designed to explore the moons of Mars, Phobos and Deimos. It was launched on 12 July 1988, and entered orbit on 29 January 1989. ''Phobos 2'' operated nominally throug ...

spacecraft. *

ASTER Aster or ASTER may refer to: Biology * ''Aster'' (genus), a genus of flowering plants ** List of ''Aster'' synonyms, other genera formerly included in ''Aster'' and still called asters in English * Aster (cell biology), a cellular structure shap ...

: a multispectral radiometer on board the Earth-observing

Terra Terra may often refer to: * Terra (mythology), primeval Roman goddess * An alternate name for planet Earth, as well as the Latin name for the planet Terra may also refer to: Geography Astronomy * Terra (satellite), a multi-national NASA scienti ...

satellite. *

TIS TIS, Tis or Tis may refer to: Organisations * Taporoporo'anga Ipukarea Society, an environmental NGO based in the Cook Islands * TransInvestService (TIS), is a large Ukrainian private terminal operator and stevedore operating in the Port of Yuzhn ...

: A spectrometer is on board the Mangalyan spacecraft. * TES: A

hyperspectral Hyperspectral imaging collects and processes information from across the electromagnetic spectrum. The goal of hyperspectral imaging is to obtain the spectrum for each pixel in the image of a scene, with the purpose of finding objects, identifyi ...

spectrometer on board the

Mars Global Surveyor ''Mars Global Surveyor'' (MGS) was an American robotic space probe developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and launched November 1996. MGS was a global mapping mission that examined the entire planet, from the ionosphere down through t ...

spacecraft. * Mini-TES: a small version of the TES instrument carried on both

Mars Exploration Rover NASA's Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission was a robotic space mission involving two Mars rovers, '' Spirit'' and '' Opportunity'', exploring the planet Mars. It began in 2003 with the launch of the two rovers to explore the Martian surface ...

s. *

THEMIS In Greek mythology and religion, Themis (; grc, Θέμις, Themis, justice, law, custom) is one of the twelve Titan children of Gaia and Uranus, and the second wife of Zeus. She is the goddess and personification of justice, divine order, fai ...

: a multispectral thermal infrared imager on board the

2001 Mars Odyssey ''2001 Mars Odyssey'' is a robotic spacecraft orbiting the planet Mars. The project was developed by NASA, and contracted out to Lockheed Martin, with an expected cost for the entire mission of US$297 million. Its mission is to use ...

spacecraft. *OTES: thermal spectroscopy aboard

OSIRIS-REx OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer) is a NASA asteroid-study and sample-return mission. The mission's primary goal is to obtain a sample of at least from 101955 Bennu, a carbona ...

spacecraft

References

External links

Arizona State University TES Homepage

Infrared spectroscopy Remote sensing {{spacecraft-stub