HIRDLS proto-flight model radiometric calibration from pre-launch calibration data

The High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder (HIRDLS) flight instrument, which is currently in orbit on the NASA Aura Satellite, went through a pre-launch calibration at Oxford University during Autumn 2002. One of the calibration exercises was to characterize the radiometric signals of the HIRDLS proto-flight model (PFM). It was discovered during the data-analysis phase, that the radiometric data required special treatment. Because of the stringent radiometric requirements imposed on HIRDLS, these additional analyses were necessary. This manuscript will detail these specific analysis techniques that were used on the data and present results based on a full analysis of the data, including a complete accounting of the statistical error analysis.