Digital filtering implementations for the detection of broad spectral features by direct analysis of passive Fourier transform infrared interferograms.

Finite impulse response (FIR) filters and finite impulse response matrix (FIRM) filters are evaluated for use in the detection of volatile organic compounds with wide spectral bands by direct analysis of interferogram data obtained from passive Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) measurements. Short segments of filtered interferogram points are classified by support vector machines (SVMs) to implement the automated detection of heated plumes of the target analyte, ethanol. The interferograms employed in this study were acquired with a downward-looking passive FT-IR spectrometer mounted on a fixed-wing aircraft.

Remote detection of heated ethanol plumes by airborne passive Fourier transform infrared spectrometry.

Methodology is developed for the automated detection of heated plumes of ethanol vapor with airborne passive Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. Positioned in a fixed-wing aircraft in a downward-looking mode, the spectrometer is used to detect ground sources of ethanol vapor from an altitude of 2000-3000 ft. Challenges to the use of this approach for the routine detection of chemical plumes include (1) the presence of a constantly changing background radiance as the aircraft flies, (2) the cost and complexity of collecting the data needed to train the classification algorithms used in implementing the plume detection, and (3) the need for rapid interferogram scans to minimize the ground area viewed per scan.