A Case Study on Field Campaign-Based Absolute Radiometric Calibration of the CAS500-1 Using Radiometric Tarp

Absolute radiometric calibration is a crucial process in converting the electromagnetic signals obtained from satellite sensors into physical quantities. It is performed to enhance the accuracy of satellite data, facilitate comparison and integration with other satellite datasets, and address changes in sensor characteristics over time or due to environmental conditions. In this study, field campaigns were conducted to perform vicarious calibration for the multispectral channels of the CAS500-1. Two valid field observations were obtained under clear-sky conditions, and the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiance was simulated using the MODerate resolution atmospheric TRANsmission 6 (MODTRAN 6) radiative transfer model. While a linear relationship was observed between the simulated TOA radiance of tarps and CAS500-1 digital numbers (DN), challenges such as a wide field of view and saturation in CAS5001 imagery suggest the need for future refinement of the calibration coefficients. Nevertheless, this study represents the first attempt at absolute radiometric calibration for CAS500-1. Despite the challenges, it provides valuable insights for future research aiming to determine reliable coefficients for enhanced accuracy in CAS500-1's absolute radiometric calibration.