Instrument Information
IDENTIFIER urn:nasa:pds:context:instrument:pvo.oir::1.2
NAME Infrared Radiometer (OIR) for Pioneer Venus
TYPE Radiometer
DESCRIPTION The Orbiter Infrared Radiometer (OIR) was an advanced instrument designed for vertical temperature sounding of the atmosphere from cloud tops to 150 km on Venus, as well as for cloud morphology studies, including water vapor mapping. Based on Nimbus satellite technologies, the OIR operated for only 72 orbits before failing on February 14, 1979. The instrument featured eight channels, each focused on different wavelengths, which helped measure temperatures, cloud structures, total solar reflected intensity, and water vapor distribution. The OIR had dimensions of 24.8 x 17.5 x 25.1 cm, weighed 5.9 kg, and consumed 5.2 W of power, achieving a temperature sensitivity of better than 0.5 K. During its operation, it collected around 800,000 temperature profiles of the upper atmosphere.
MODEL IDENTIFIER
NAIF INSTRUMENT IDENTIFIER
SERIAL NUMBER not applicable
REFERENCES Delderfield, J., et al., Radiometer for the Pioneer Venus Orbiter, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Rem. Sens., GE-18, No. 1, 70-75, Jan. 1980.

Taylor, F. W., et al., Infrared remote sounding of the middle atmosphere of Venus from the Pioneer Orbiter, Science, 203, No. 4382, 779-781, Feb. 1979.

Taylor, F. W., et al., Temperature, cloud structure, and dynamics of the Venus middle atmosphere by infrared remote sensing from Pioneer Orbiter, Science, 205, No. 4401, 65-67, July 1979.