Fabry-perot interferometer based satellite detection of atmospheric trace gases

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices relating to optical imaging systems for gathering data on atmospheric trace gas emissions from a satellite. An optical system used in the satellite has a Fabry-Perot interferometer coupled to a suitable telescope. The interferometer is a wide angle Fabry-Perot interferometer which creates a fringing pattern in concentric circles with each fringe being a different wavelength on the imaging system. A filter is used with the optical system and allows multiple adjacent modes in a selected spectral range to pass through the interferometer to the imaging system. Each pixel in the imaging system collects light at multiple wavelengths within the selected spectral range. The optical system gathers multiple images of the target area allowing light from the target area to be collected at multiple different wavelengths. Different absorption data for different atmospheric trace gases can be gathered in a single satellite pass over the target area.