Supermiras instrument development, technology and calibration

The objective of the Super MIRAS activity is to define optimum array geometrical configurations and corresponding system architectures for future high spatial resolution L-band synthetic aperture interferometric radiometers. The definition of the array geometrical configurations is performed with the objective of maximizing both spatial resolution and radiometric sensitivity. A trade-off between different instrument configurations has concluded that the optimal array geometry is a 16m diameter hexagon with 49 antennas per arm. The selected instrument configuration includes two parallel chains for X and Y polarizations with the capability to deliver at each snapshot the four stokes parameter. Additional details including instrument budgets, calibration requirements/strategy, mechanical analysis and instrument performance are being studied.