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S. Fornasier (Dip. di Astronomia, Univ. di Padova), C. Pernechele (Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova), C. Barbieri (Dip. di Astronomia, Univ. di Padova)
We present the Asiago Astrophysical Observatory reflectogoniometer, a useful instrument which allows to perform laboratory studies of transmitted and diffuse light. In particular the instrument allows a complete characterization of the Bidirectional Reflectance Function (BDRF) for spherical shape samples and of the Transmittance Function for plane samples. The instrument is placed in an optical laboratory of the Asiago Astrophysical Observatory. Data are acquired by a CCD camera, equipped with its own frame grabber card, and analysed by a pc. Image calibration, i.e. the procedure that converts the value of each pixel of a CCD frame in a radiometric quantity, follows the standard sequence used for remote sensing application (bias, dark, flat fielding, distortion corrections, reflectogoniometric calibration, using a reflectometric standard), and it is implemented in a data reduction pipeline. The instrument tests performed until now have confirm that the imaging-goniophotometer is an instrument suitable for the quick characterization of diffusing surfaces in all the tree possible configuration: transmittance measurements (translucent plates), partial reflectance measurements (diffusing sheets), and bidirectional function characterization (coatings and paints). The goniophotometer may have different astronomical and industrial applications: it can be used for the characterization of absorbance properties of paints for baffling in spatial missions, of diffusive properties of flat field panels, of trasmittance properties of different glasses type and of reflective properties of rocks surfaces, like, for example, meteorites samples.