GREAT/SOFIA atmospheric calibration

Abstract

The GREAT observations need frequency-selective calibration across the passband for the residual atmospheric opacity at flight altitude. At these altitudes the atmospheric opacity has both narrow and broad spectral features. To determine the atmospheric transmission at high spectral resolution, GREAT compares the observed atmospheric emission with atmospheric model predictions, and therefore depends on the validity of the atmospheric models. We discuss the problems identified in this comparison with respect to the observed data and the models, and describe the strategy used to calibrate the science data from GREAT/SOFIA during the first observing periods. © 2012 ESO.