The Sequential Filter Imaging Radiometer (SFIR), a new instrument configuration for Earth observations

The sequential filter imaging radiometer (SFIR) concept is presented, contrasted with other sensor configurations, and its strengths and weaknesses discussed. In a pushbroom SFIR the optics image the scene onto a long, narrow area array. The length of the array defines the field of view. The spectral defining filters are sequentially placed over the full array, a sample of data for that band is taken, and then the next filter is placed in front of the array. All filters are placed over the array in the time that it takes for the image of the scene to advance the array width. Thus, the entire scene is observed in each band and the sensor can be configured such that resampling is not required to register the bands to each other. >