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The IRIS actually acts as three separate instruments. First,
it is a very sophisticated thermometer. It can determine the
distribution of heat energy a body is emitting, allowing scientists
to determine the temperature of that body or substance. Second,
the IRIS is a device that can determine when certain types
of elements or compounds are present in an atmosphere or on
a surface. Third, it uses a separate radiometer to measure
the total amount of sunlight reflected by a body at ultraviolet,
visible, and infrared frequencies.
IRIS Science Objectives
- Determination
of atmospheric vertical thermal structure (which in turn
aids modeling of atmosphereic dynamics).
- Measurement
of the abundances of hydrogen and helium (as a check on
therories regarding their ratio in the primitive solar
nebula).
- Determination
of the balance of energy radiated to that absorbed from
the sun (to help investigate planetary origin, evolution,
and internal processes).
A
Sideways Diagram of the IRIS
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