Earth Planets and Moons ID: 11070

The QWIP Detector; an Infrared Instrument

Released on August 15, 2012

All objects emit infrared radiation and the characteristics of the infrared radiation are primarily dependent on the temperature of the object. One of the unique features of the new Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector (QWIP) instrument technology is the ability to, what engineers call "band gap." This means it can spectrally respond to specific wavelengths. This video shows the evolution of taking this instrument from inception, to testing on the ground and from a plane, and ultimately to a NASA science mission. The applications are range from finding caves on Mars to loking for thermal polution in rivers or residual hot spots in forest fires, or monitoring food spoilage.

Credits

Erica Drezek (HTSI): Lead Animator
Erica Drezek (HTSI): Video Editor
Erica Drezek (HTSI): Producer
Erica Drezek (HTSI): Videographer
Rob Andreoli (Advocates in Manpower Management, Inc.): Videographer

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/11070

This item is part of this series:
Narrated Movies

Goddard TV Tape:
G2012-053 -- Quantum Well Infrared Photodector (QWIP)

Keywords:
SVS >> HDTV
SVS >> Infrared
SVS >> Mars
SVS >> Pollution
SVS >> Radiation
SVS >> Volcano
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Spectral/Engineering >> Infrared Wavelengths >> Thermal Infrared
SVS >> Goddard Space Flight Center
DLESE >> Narrated
SVS >> Quantum
SVS >> Forest Fires
NASA Science >> Earth
NASA Science >> Planets and Moons
SVS >> QWIP
SVS >> TIRS
SVS >> Flight Instrument

GCMD keywords can be found on the Internet with the following citation: Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Morahan, A. Aleman, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, M. Meaux, S. Grebas, C.Solomon, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, R. Bilodeau, 2013. NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 8.0.0.0.0