Odin is a 250 kg class satellite built in co-operation between Sweden, Canada, France, and Finland and launched in February 2001. It carries two instruments: a 4-band sub-millimetre radiometer used for both astronomy and atmospheric science and an optical spectrometer and infrared imaging system for purely atmospheric observations. As part of the joint mission Odin will observe the atmospheric limb for 50% of the observation time producing profiles of many species of interest in the middle atmosphere with a vertical resolution of 1–2 km. These species include, among others, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, chlorine monoxide, nitric acid, water vapour, and nitrous oxide. An overview of the mission and the planned measurements is given. PACS Nos.: 42.68Mj, 94.10Dy, 95.55Fw

The optical spectrograph and infrared imager system (OSIRIS) on board the Odin spacecraft is designed to retrieve altitude profiles of terrestrial atmospheric minor species by observing limb-radiance profiles. The grating optical spectrograph (OS) obtains spectra of scattered sunlight over the range 280-800 nm with a spectral resolution of approximately 1 nm. The Odin spacecraft performs a repetitive vertical limb scan to sweep the OS 1 km vertical field of view over selected altitude ranges from approximately 10 to 100 km. The terrestrial absorption features that are superimposed on the scattered solar spectrum are monitored to derive the minor species altitude profiles. The spectrograph also detects the airglow, which can be used to study the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. The other part of OSIRIS is a three-channel infrared imager (IRI) that uses linear array detectors to image the vertical limb radiance over an altitude range of approximately 100 km. The IRI observes both scattered sunlight and the airglow emissions from the oxygen infrared atmospheric band at 1.27 µm and the OH (3-1) Meinel band at 1.53 µm. A tomographic inversion technique is used with a series of these vertical images to derive the two-dimensional distribution of the emissions within the orbit plane.Résumé : Le système de spectrographie optique et d'imagerie infrarouge (OSIRIS) à bord du satellite Odin est conçu pour enregistrer les profils en altitude des éléments mineurs de l'atmosphère en observant les profils de radiance du limbe. Le spectrographe optique à réseau (OS) obtient les spectres de la lumière solaire diffusée sur le domaine entre 280-800 nm, avec une résolution spatiale approximative de 1 nm. Le satellite Odin balaye verticalement le limbe de façon répétée, de telle sorte que l'ouverture verticale de 1 km du OS parcoure les domaines voulus entre 10 et 100 km. Nous analysons les spectres solaires diffusés en superposition avec les caractéristiques terrestres d'absorption, afin de déterminer les profils en altitude des éléments mineurs de l'atmosphère. Le spectrographe détecte aussi la luminescence nocturne atmosphérique qui peut être utilisé pour étudier la mésosphère et la thermosphère. L'autre partie d'OSIRIS est un imageur infrarouge (IRI) à trois canaux qui utilise une banque linéaire de détecteurs pour imager la radiance du limbe sur un domaine d'altitude d'approximativement 100 km. L'IRI observe à la fois la lumière solaire diffusée et les émissions de luminescence nocturne atmospérique provenant de la bande infrarouge de l'oxygène atmosphérique à 1.27 µm et la bande de Meinel de l'OH (3-1) à 1.53 µm. Nous utilisons une technique d'inversion tomographique avec une série de ces images verticales pour obtenir la distribution bidimensionnelle des émissions à l'intérieur de l'orbite.[Traduit par la Rédaction] Can.

ABSTRACT. We present spectrograph design details and initial radial velocity results from the PRL optical fiberfed high-resolution cross-dispersed echelle spectrograph (PARAS), which has recently been commissioned at the Mount Abu 1.2 m telescope in India. Data obtained as part of the postcommissioning tests with PARAS show velocity precision better than 2 m s À1 over a period of several months on bright RV standard stars. For observations of σ Dra, we report 1:7 m s À1 precision for a period of 7 months, and for HD 9407, we report 2:1 m s À1 over a period of 2 months. PARAS is capable of single-shot spectral coverage of 3800-9500 Å at a resolution of ∼67; 000. The RV results were obtained between 3800 and 6900 Å using simultaneous wavelength calibration with a thorium-argon (ThAr) hollow cathode lamp. The spectrograph is maintained under stable conditions of temperature with a precision of 0.01-0.02°C (rms) at 25.55°C and is enclosed in a vacuum vessel at pressure of 0:1 AE 0:03 mbar. The blaze peak efficiency of the spectrograph between 5000 and 6500 Å, including the detector, is ∼30%; it is ∼25% with the fiber transmission. The total efficiency, including spectrograph, fiber transmission, focal ratio degradation (FRD), and telescope (with 81% reflectivity) is ∼7% in the same wavelength region on a clear night with good seeing conditions. The stable point-spread function (PSF), environmental control, existence of a simultaneous calibration fiber, and availability of observing time make PARAS attractive for a variety of exoplanetary and stellar astrophysics projects. Future plans include testing of octagonal fibers for further scrambling of light and extensive calibration over the entire wavelength range up to 9500 Å using thorium-neon (ThNe) or uranium-neon (UNe) spectral lamps. Thus, we demonstrate how such highly stabilized instruments, even on small aperture telescopes, can contribute significantly to the ongoing radial velocity searches for low-mass planets around bright stars.

The V5 ultraviolet auroral imager is one of a complement of experiments launched into polar orbit aboard the Swedish spacecraft Viking in February of 1986. The imager consists of two intensified wide‐angle f/1 cameras, identical except in passband, with electronic despinning providing exposure times of one second. Critical to electronic despinning is the use of tapered fiber optic bundles to remove distortions generated when the spherical focal surface of the Burch configuration camera is projected onto the plane of the charge coupled detector. Data acquired by V5 are telemetered to a ground station in Kiruna, Sweden for archiving and real time display using a VAX11/750 system.

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