Series of Photovoltaic Converters Based on Semiconductors with Intrinsic Photoconductivity

One of the ways to solve multiple problems of optical diagnostics is to use photovoltaic converters based on semiconductors with intrinsic photoconductivity slightly doped with deep impurities which form several energy levels with different charge states within the semiconductor′s bandgap. Peculiarities of physical processes of recharging these levels make it possible to construct photodetectors with different functionality based on a range of simple device structures.The aim of this work is to analyze peculiarities of conversion characteristics of single-element photovoltaic converters based on semiconductors with intrinsic photoconductivity, to systematize their properties and to represent structures of photovoltaic convertors as a device structures suitable for implementation in measurement transducers of optical diagnostics systems.Based on the analysis of the characteristics of the conversion characteristics of single-element photovoltaic converters based on semiconductors with intrinsic photoconductivity and the requirements for their design, a dash series of photovoltaic converters was developed for use in the measuring transducers of optical diagnostics systems. The possibility of constructing functional measuring transducers for multiparameter measurements of optical signals is shown.

Interlaboratory Comparisons in the Field of Radiation Control

The article discusses the features of the radiation control laboratories participation accredited in the Russian national accreditation system in interlaboratory comparisons. The participants results in the most relevant areas are presented - scrap metal radiation monitoring, multiparameter measurements on X-ray machines, radioactive radon monitoring. The participants results analysis was perfomed and typical errors that occur during measurements and processing of results were discussed.

Evaluation of X-Band Dual-Polarization Radar-Rainfall Estimates from OLYMPEX

The difficulty of representing high rainfall variability over mountainous areas using ground-based sensors is an open problem in hydrometeorology. Observations from locally deployed dual-polarization X-band radar have the advantage of providing multiparameter measurements near ground that carry significant information useful for estimating drop size distribution (DSD) and surface rainfall rate. Although these measurements are at fine spatiotemporal scale and are less inhibited by complex topography than operational radar network observations, uncertainties in their estimates necessitate error characterization based upon in situ measurements. During November 2015–February 2016, a dual-polarized Doppler on Wheels (DOW) X-band radar was deployed on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State as part of NASA’s Olympic Mountain Experiment (OLYMPEX). In this study, rain gauges and disdrometers from a dense network positioned within 40 km of DOW are used to evaluate the self-consistency and accuracy of the attenuation and brightband/vertical profile corrections, and rain microphysics estimation by SCOP-ME, an algorithm that uses optimal parameterization and best-fitted functions of specific attenuation coefficients and DSD parameters with radar polarimetric measurements. In addition, the SCOP-ME precipitation microphysical retrievals of median volume diameter D0 and normalized intercept parameter NW are evaluated against corresponding parameters derived from the in situ disdrometer spectra observations.