Remote detection and analysis of chemical and biological aerosols
First Claim
1. A system for detecting and analyzing chemical and/or biological aerosols in a sample cloud in the air, said system comprising:
- a radiation source, said radiation source directing a radiation beam towards the cloud, said radiation beam heating the cloud to raise the temperature of the cloud relative to its background; and
a spectrum analysis device responsive to emissions from the cloud, said spectrum analysis device generating an emission spectrum of the chemical and/or biological aerosols in the cloud from the emissions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for detecting and analyzing chemical and biological aerosols. A beam of radiation is used to radiate a target cloud including the aerosol. The radiation energy that is absorbed by the cloud is thermalized by collisional energy transfer between the molecules that absorb the radiation to generate heat. The wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation is selected to be in resonance with the absorption lines of water or oxygen molecules in the cloud, or to be in resonance with absorption lines of known target molecules in the cloud to generate the heat. An increase in the cloud temperature increases the emission intensity of the molecules against the background, resulting in improved detection of the target molecules in the aerosol. A tracking telescope collects the thermal emissions generated by the radiation beam. A spectrometer receives the emissions from the cloud and generates an emission spectrum.
101 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for detecting and analyzing chemical and/or biological aerosols in a sample cloud in the air, said system comprising:
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a radiation source, said radiation source directing a radiation beam towards the cloud, said radiation beam heating the cloud to raise the temperature of the cloud relative to its background; and
a spectrum analysis device responsive to emissions from the cloud, said spectrum analysis device generating an emission spectrum of the chemical and/or biological aerosols in the cloud from the emissions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for detecting and analyzing chemical or biological aerosols, said system comprising:
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a chamber for holding the aerosol, said chamber including a first end and a second end, said first end having a first window;
a radiation source, said radiation source generating and directing a radiation beam through the first window to heat the aerosol within the chamber; and
a spectrum analysis device positioned relative to the first end of the chamber, said spectrum analysis device being responsive to emissions from the sample emitted through the first window, said spectrum analysis device generating an emission spectrum of the aerosol. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for detecting and analyzing chemical and/or biological aerosols in a sample, said method comprising:
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heating the sample relative to its background by directing a radiation beam from a radiation source towards the sample; and
generating an emission spectrum of the chemical and/or biological aerosol by receiving emissions from the sample in a spectral analysis device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification