A flux calibration method for remote sensing satellites using stars

Star surveys and model analyses show that many stars have absolute stable fluxes as good as 3% in 0.3-35{\mu}m wavebands and about 1% in the visible wavebands. The relative flux calibrations between stars are better than 0.2%. Some stars have extremely stable fluxes and can be used as long term flux calibration sources. Stellar brightness is several orders of magnitude lower than most ground objects while the stars do not usually appear in remote sensing cameras, which makes the stars inappropriate for being calibration sources. The calibration method using stars discussed in this paper is through a mini-camera attached to remote sensing satellite. The mini-camera works at similar wavebands as the remote sensing cameras and it can observe the stars and the ground objects alternatively. High signal-to-noise ratio is achieved for the relatively faint stars through longer exposure time. Simultaneous precise cross-calibration is obtained as the mini-camera and remote sensing cameras look at the ground objects at the same time. The fluxes from the stars used as calibration standards are transferred to the remote sensing cameras through this procedure. Analysis shows that a 2% accurate calibration is possible.Comment: 12 page

An Energetic Variational Approach for ion transport

The transport and distribution of charged particles are crucial in the study of many physical and biological problems. In this paper, we employ an Energy Variational Approach to derive the coupled Poisson-Nernst-Planck-Navier-Stokes system. All physics is included in the choices of corresponding energy law and kinematic transport of particles. The variational derivations give the coupled force balance equations in a unique and deterministic fashion. We also discuss the situations with different types of boundary conditions. Finally, we show that the Onsager's relation holds for the electrokinetics, near the initial time of a step function applied field