Ultraspectral imaging: a new contribution to global virtual presence

A new technology, ultraspectral imaging (USI) offers the capability to extend spectral imaging to a level where molecular adsorption or emission line features can be presented in a two dimensional display. With these capabilities, unambiguous identification and mapping of gaseous constituents or solid material by their spectral features becomes possible. One of the techniques that shows the potential to collect these type of data is a proposed USI based on a Fourier transform ultraspectral imager operating in the 3 /spl mu/m to 5 /spl mu/m and 8 /spl mu/m to 12 /spl mu/m bands designed for installation in an aircraft. This proposed instrument will have a 15 degree field of view (FOV), with an instantaneous field of view (IFOV) of 1.0 mrad. The target spectral resolution is better than 1.5 cm/sup -1/ over 2000 to 3000 cm/sup -1/ and 0.4 cm/sup -1/ over 850 to 1250 cm/sup -1/ using 512 spectral channels. The device will use a variety of spectral enhancement techniques to achieve this unprecedented spectral resolution. Computer simulations of the optical systems demonstrate subwavenumber resolutions and signal to noise ratios of over 900.