Abstract:
An apparatus for determining the fluorescence of materials in a scene which includes optical means to collect radiation from the scene. Means are provided to divide the collected radiation into first and second beam paths. The first beam path traverses a first filter centered on a Fraunhofer line and having a passband which extends into the solar continuum on either side of the Fraunhofer line. The second beam path traverses the first filter and a second filter, also centered on the Fraunhofer line, with a passband on the order of half the bandwidth, at half-depth, of the Fraunhofer line. Means are provided to image the first and second beams onto first and second detector arrays, respectively. The image on the first detector array is registered with the image on the second detector array. Co-adding means are provided whereby successive detector pixels at successive time intervals corresponding to a single point on the ground are added and averaged. The time interval is a function of a constant clock rate and a V/H signal. A single detector is provided to detect the intensity of direct solar radiation outside the Fraunhofer line. A processor compares the value of intensity from the co-added point on the ground from the first and second detector arrays and the single detector to determine fluorescence at each point on the ground in the scene being viewed. In another form, where an optical laser illuminator is employed, the first beam path traverses a first filter which only allows the laser radiation to pass. The second beam path has a passband which passes the emission spectrum of a material excited by the laser radiation.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a system for in-situ measurement of an apparent spectrum of a water body. The system comprises a floating device, and an optical sensing and conduction device, an electronic measurement device, a control circuit and a power supply device which are loaded on the floating device. The floating device comprises a floating body ring and an optical probe mounting frame which is provided on the floating body ring in a direction perpendicular to a ring surface. The optical probe mounting frame comprises a vertical mounting assembly and a horizontal connecting assembly. The horizontal connecting assembly is provided radially along the ring shape of the floating body ring, one end of the horizontal connecting assembly being connected to the vertical mounting assembly, and the other end thereof being connected to the floating body ring, such that the vertical mounting assembly is overhung outside the ring surface of the floating body ring, and meanwhile a vertical projection of the vertical mounting assembly is located in the center of the ring surface. A ratio of an inner diameter to an outer diameter of the floating body ring is 0.80 to 0.85. The floating body ring is provided with a water-tight cavity which provides flotage for the whole floating device and used for loading a necessary electronic device and a necessary power supply assembly. An optical probe is vertically mounted on the optical probe mounting frame. The device for in-situ observation of the apparent spectrum of the water body disclosed by the present invention may be used for directly measuring a water-leaving radiance Lw of the water body, and can furthest reduce the method defects, personal errors and device errors. The precision of a remote sensing reflectivity Rrs finally observed of the water body is improved remarkably, and the operations are simple.
Abstract:
A Tilted Filter Imaging Spectrometer (TFIS) is designed to be a very small optical spectrometer having very high sensitivity and spectral resolution. These properties suggest the use of the device as a Fraunhofer Line discriminator (FLD) to detect objects that fluoresce in sunlight. According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the tilted filter imaging spectrometer incorporates at least one dielectric filter, at least one imaging lens structure; and an imaging detector operatively positioned at a focal length of the imaging lens structure, wherein the dielectric filter is operatively positioned at an angle relative to an optical axis of the imaging lens structure. In at least a second embodiment, the tilted filter imaging spectrometer further incorporates at least one Fabry-Perot Etalon, wherein the Fabry Perot Etalon and the dielectric filter are operatively positioned at angles relative to an optical axis of the imaging lens structure.
Abstract:
A novel methodology for detecting cloud particles is disclosed herein. This methodology exploits the optical glory phenomenon. According to one embodiment, a method for detecting clouds includes receiving data from a sensor which is configured to measure polarization of scattered light in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of incident light, and identifying, from the received sensor data, a cloud based on the polarization of the scattered light.
Abstract:
A method for estimating soil properties within a field using hyperspectral remotely sensed data is provided. In an embodiment, estimating soil properties may be accomplished using a server computer system that receives, via a network, soil spectrum data records that are used to predict soil properties for a specific geo-location. Within the server computer system a soil preprocessing module receives one or more soil spectrum data records that represent a mean soil spectrum of a specific geo-location of a specified area of land. The soil preprocessing module then removes interference signals from the soil spectrum data, creating a set of one or more spectral bands. By removing interference signals, the spectral bands are not erroneously skewed from effects such as baseline drift, particle deviation, and surface heterogeneity. A soil regression module inputs the one or more soil spectral bands and predicts soil property datasets. The soil property datasets include specific soil properties relevant to determining fertility of the soil or soil property levels that may influence soil management at a specific geo-location. The soil regression module then takes the multiple soil property datasets and selects multiple specific soil property datasets that best represent the existing soil properties. Included in the soil property datasets are the multiple soil properties predicted and the spectral band data used to determine the specific soil properties. The soil regression module sends this predicted data to a soil model database.
Abstract:
An index value is calculated for rating an eyeglass with respect to protection against UV hazard. The index value is based on an integrated UV transmission value through the eyeglass and an integrated UV reflection value related to a back face of the eyeglass. Thus, the index value takes into account actual wearing conditions where UV eye exposure is due either to transmission through the eyeglass or reflection on the eyeglass back face. Respective index values obtained for a set of eyeglasses allow easy sorting of the eyeglasses with respect to UV protection efficiency.
Abstract:
An index value is calculated for rating an eyeglass with respect to protection against UV hazard. The index value is based on an integrated UV transmission value through the eyeglass and an integrated UV reflection value related to a back face of the eyeglass. Thus, the index value takes into account actual wearing conditions where UV eye exposure is due either to transmission through the eyeglass or reflection on the eyeglass back face. Respective index values obtained for a set of eyeglasses allow easy sorting of the eyeglasses with respect to UV protection efficiency.
Abstract:
A method of using a sensor array that measures the long-term change in the organic content of the near-surface seawater by simultaneously comparing downwelling sunlight attenuation in the blue and green wavelengths over a significant vertical distance.
Abstract:
A concentration of ethanol is detected without using any light source such as a lamp by utilizing a face of a human being as a light source. The gas detecting apparatus has an optical filter for ethanol which allows to transmit an infrared light having a predetermined wavelength band including an absorption spectrum derived from a C—O stretching vibration of ethanol contained in breath in an absorption spectrum generated by interaction with infrared light emitted from the face of a person, an optical filter for reference that allows to transmit an infrared light having a wavelength band emitted from the face of the person, a converting component for ethanol that converts the infrared light transmitted through the optical filter for ethanol to electric signals, a converting component for reference that converts an infrared light transmitted through the optical filter for reference to electric signals, and a detection component that detects the concentration of ethanol gas based on the electric signals converted by the converting component for ethanol and the electric signals converted by the converting component for reference.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for detecting the presence of hydrocarbons near an unmanned offshore oil platform. The method steps include monitoring reflected atmospheric and thermal radiation, detecting the presence of hydrocarbons, and generating an alert based on the presence of hydrocarbons.