flux calibration

Forums Meteors Meteor spectrum 2018 Aug 11 @ 02:26UT flux calibration

#579912
Robin Leadbeater
Participant

Hi Bill,

>I think this is one of the reasons that the technique of comparing particular line ratio’s (as devised by Borovicka) is about as good as we can get. 

Even this needs a relative flux calibration though so instrument response including flat field issues and extinction still need to be considered. 

My only foray into this branch of spectroscopy was back in 2005 and I was glad to at least get something before moving on to other targets

http://www.threehillsobservatory.co.uk/astro/spectra_20.htm

My mentor back then was Ed Majden who had been doing meteor spectroscopy as far back as the ’70s at least, using film, then video.  Do you know if Is he still with us ?  His website is down and the AMS website mentions him doing work in the 50’s so he must be getting on

https://www.amsmeteors.org/ams-programs/meteor-spectroscopy/meteor-studies-at-majden-observatory/

Your continuous monitoring though is certainly taking things to a new level, building statistically useful numbers of observations and working outside the normal showers. 

It is an area where new  developments in technology are moving in our favour too, with affordable large CMOS chips with low read noise, fast readout and improved bit depth compared with the old 8 bit cameras. High efficiency volume phase transmission gratings is another interesting development, though I believe they are still rather specialist/expensive. 

Cheers

Robin