MAIA
IBWS 2011, Karlovy Vary
Meteor Automatic Imager and Analyzer
Image Intensifiers
in
Astronomy
Stanislav Vítek, Karel Fliegel, Petr Páta, Pavel Koten
České vysoké učení technické v Praze
Fakulta elektrotechnická
Katedra radioelektroniky
Technická 2
166 27 Praha 6
www.multimediatech.cz
© Multimedia Technology Group
29/4/2011
v1.00
IBWS 2011, Karlovy Vary
Outline of the talk

Motivation of our work

Description of MAIA system

Image intensifier: good for any science?

Movie 

Experiences, conclusions
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Motivation of our work

Observations of faint meteor showers

Requirements for equipment
IBWS 2011, Karlovy Vary
 Fast enough
 High gain
 Affordable
 Requirements for technical properties are critical

Budget → limited

Human resources → better (students)
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History

S-VHS camcorder
 25 fps
IBWS 2011, Karlovy Vary
 Records on tapes
 Jitter

No cover
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Description of camera

Mechanical componets
 (A) Outer cover
IBWS 2011, Karlovy Vary
• Videotec HEG47K2A000
• Heating with thermostat
• Internal dimensions 134x88x450mm
 (B) Inner cover
• Model Brůna I
• Parts milled from solid aluminium
• Precise adjust of all components
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Description of camera

(2) Key electro-optical components
IBWS 2011, Karlovy Vary
 (A) Outer lens
• Pentax SMC FA 1.4/50mm (K-Mount bayonet)
 (B) Image intensifier
• Philips (Photonis) XX1332
• Aperture 50/40mm
• Gain up to 60000 lm/lm
• Resolution 30lp/mm
 (C) Inner lens
• Pentax H1214-M 1.4/12mm
• Extension 250μm
• C-Mount
 (D) Camera
Black anodized inner cover
• JAI CM-040GE
• GigE Vision interface (8/10bpp), 1/2” progressive mono CCD
• Resolution 776 x 582pix (0,45Mpix) ~PAL
• Framerate 61,15fps
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Overall description
IBWS 2011, Karlovy Vary

2 stations (Kunžak a Odřejov)




~ 210Mbps (8bpp @ 60fps, custom video format)
~ 1TB / night
video sequences ~ 10 min
central DB, batch data processing
Camera
Camera
PC
92.5km
Main PC
HDD array
GigE
Vision
GigE
Vision
Internet
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Image intensifier

Philips (Photonis) XX1332
IBWS 2011, Karlovy Vary
 Image intensifier for night vision
 Microchannel plate
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Electro-optical properties

Spectral sensitivity
 ~ 455-845nm

Non-linear!
Overall spectral sensitivity
Relative sensitivity, Spectral transmission [-]
1
AGC
10
0
Lens
B=0.11
0.8
0.6
Normalized gain [-]
IBWS 2011, Karlovy Vary
 Automatic gain control
B=0.23
0.4
B=0.36
0.2
0
B=0.47
B=0.59
400
500
10
-1
B=0.71
600
700
Wavelength [nm]
-2
800
900
10 -4
10
-3
-2
10
10
10
Normalized input power [-]
-1
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10
0
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Electro-optical properties

Spectral response of camera
 ~ 400-725nm

Spectrum on the output aperture of image intensifier
Spectral sensitivity of camera
Spectrum on the output of II
1
Relative response, Relative power [-]
Relative response, Spectral transmission [-]
IBWS 2011, Karlovy Vary
 ~ 487-571nm
Lens
0.8
Camera w/o lens
0.6
Camera with lens
0.4
0.2
0
400
500
600
700
800
Wavelength [nm]
900
1000
1
0.8
Camera with lens
0.6
0.4
Relative power
0.2
0
400
500
600
700
800
Wavelength [nm]
900
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1000
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Electro-optical properties

Overall resolution
Output aperture of
image intensifier
1
0.8
JAI CM-040GE
MTF [-]
IBWS 2011, Karlovy Vary
 Limited by used camera (0,24Mpix in circular aperture)
Input lens and
image intensifier
0.6
Overall MTF
0.4
Nikon D700
0.2
0
0
200
400
600
800
Spatial frequency [LW/PH]
1000
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1200
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Experiences, Conclusions

Unprotected input aperture → 
 Automatic iris should be designed
IBWS 2011, Karlovy Vary

New system
 much better characteristics
 Not working continuously
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11/11
MAIA
IBWS 2011, Karlovy Vary
Meteor Automatic Imager and Analyzer
Thank for your attention 
České vysoké učení technické v Praze
Fakulta elektrotechnická
Katedra radioelektroniky
Technická 2
166 27 Praha 6
www.multimediatech.cz
© Multimedia Technology Group
29/4/2011
v1.00