Autonomous on-board data processing and instrument calibration software for the Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager on-board the Solar Orbiter mission

DOI: 
10.1117/1.JATIS.6.4.048004
Publication date: 
01/10/2020
Main author: 
Albert, Kinga
IAA authors: 
Cobos Carrascosa, Juan Pedro; Hernandez Exposito, David; Orozco Suarez, David; del Toro Iniesta, Jose Carlos
Authors: 
Albert, Kinga; Hirzberger, Johann; Kolleck, Martin; Jorge, Nestor Albelo; Busse, Dennis; Rodríguez, Julian Blanco; Carrascosa, Juan Pedro Cobos; Fiethe, Björn; Gandorfer, Achim; Germerott, Dietmar; Guan, Yejun; Guerrero, Lucas; Gutierrez-Marques, Pablo; Expósito, David Hernández; Lange, Tobias; Michalik, Harald; Suárez, David Orozco; Schou, Jesper; Solanki, Sami K.; del Toro Iniesta, José Carlos; Woch, Joachim
Journal: 
Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems
Publication type: 
Article
Volume: 
6
Pages: 
048004
Issue: 
4
Abstract: 
A frequent problem arising for deep space missions is the discrepancy between the amount of data desired to be transmitted to the ground and the available telemetry bandwidth. A part of these data consists of scientific observations, being complemented by calibration data to help remove instrumental effects. We present our solution for this discrepancy, implemented for the Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager on-board the Solar Orbiter mission, the first solar spectropolarimeter in deep space. We implemented an on-board data reduction system that processes calibration data, applies them to the raw science observables, and derives science-ready physical parameters. This process reduces the raw data for a single measurement from 24 images to five, thus reducing the amount of downlinked data, and in addition, renders the transmission of the calibration data unnecessary. Both these on-board actions are completed autonomously.
Database: 
ADS
ADS Bibcode: 
2020JATIS...6d8004A