Abstract

In recent years there has been considerable interest in the variation of optical element properties in the environment of earth orbital space. This has primarily occurred due to the requirements of astronomical researchers, since orbiting optical observatories could potentially contribute so much to this science. One of the presently active efforts to generate an investigation capability in this area is associated with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) Program. Since about mid 1966, one particular area of optical property variation has been actively investigated. This is the potential problem of optical degradation of sophisticated optical systems due to spacecraft effluences. This degradation would occur through one of two mechanisms: (a) particulates in a suspended (vapor) state of various size distributions producing spurious scattering of light, and/or (b) direct degradation by deposition (or condensation) of particulate contaminants onto critical optics by physical adsorption. This latter process could be followed by polymerization reactions and chemical adsorption due to solar uv irradiation.

Liquid Filters for the Ultraviolet, Visible, and Near Infrared

K. A. Ingersoll
Appl. Opt. 11(11) 2473-2476 (1972)

Near-infrared, visible, and ultraviolet lidar echo emulator

Mónica Rodríguez-Cortina, Pawel Adamiec, Juan Barbero, Manuel Caño-García, Xabier Quintana, and Morten Andreas Geday
Opt. Express 30(2) 2173-2185 (2022)

Ultraviolet laser contamination of quartz optics

M. M. Hills and D. J. Coleman
Appl. Opt. 32(22) 4174-4177 (1993)

Surface contamination detection by means of near-infrared stimulation of thermal luminescence

Arthur H. Carrieri and Erik S. Roese
Appl. Opt. 45(4) 736-743 (2006)

Ultraviolet/ozone cleaning of carbon-contaminated optics

Roger W. C. Hansen, Mark Bissen, Dan Wallace, Jeff Wolske, and Tom Miller
Appl. Opt. 32(22) 4114-4116 (1993)