Remote Sensing High Performance FTIR Systems

Significance of the topic

Remote sensing using high-performance FTIR is critical for monitoring pollutants, safeguarding security, and supporting environmental research. Systems that combine spectral analysis and imaging allow remote detection of hazardous materials with high sensitivity and spatial resolution.

Objectives and Overview

This summary reviews Bruker’s portfolio of remote sensing FTIR systems designed for the identification and quantification of gases, liquids, and solids over long ranges. It covers imaging spectrometers (HI 90, SIGIS 2), mobile interferometers (EM 27), and open path configurations (OPS) and highlights their applications across defense, industry, and environmental monitoring.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Bruker systems employ ruggedized Fourier-transform infrared interferometers combined with customized optical attachments and calibration units. Key instruments include:

• HI 90 Hyperspectral Imaging System for real-time gas cloud mapping and visualization using integrated image processing and spectral algorithms.
• SIGIS 2 Scanning Imaging System for scanning predefined areas, overlaying chemical data on video imagery, and rapid detection from long distances.
• EM 27 Remote Sensing FTIR for field spectroscopy of atmospheric emissions, with optional solar tracker (EM 27 SUN) using camera-based control.
• OPS Open Path Monitoring System utilizing retroreflectors to measure airborne pollutants along several hundred meters of path.

Operating software (OPUS RS) provides an intuitive interface, automatic data analysis, and access to comprehensive spectral libraries of VOCs, toxic industrial chemicals, and chemical warfare agents.

Main Results and Discussion

Field deployments demonstrate accurate identification and quantification of trace gases at ranges exceeding ten kilometers. Imaging systems deliver high spatial resolution maps of gas clouds and surface contaminants. Passive and active modes enable flexible configurations for various environmental, industrial, and security scenarios. Integrated calibration ensures consistent performance during extended missions.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Environmental Monitoring: Continuous air quality and emission assessments at industrial, municipal, and natural sites.
• Security and Defense: Detection and mapping of airborne toxic chemicals and threat agents for emergency response forces.
• Industrial Safety: Facility surveillance, leak detection, and compliance verification in chemical plants.
• Volcanology and Atmospheric Research: Measurement of volcanic gases and atmospheric constituents with solar absorption spectroscopy.

Future Trends and Possibilities

Advances in detector sensitivity, machine learning for spectral interpretation, and miniaturization promise enhanced detection limits and broader deployment. Integration into unmanned aerial platforms and networked sensor arrays will enable real-time, large-area monitoring. Expansion of spectral libraries and adaptive calibration techniques will further improve specificity and quantitative accuracy.

Conclusion

Bruker’s high-performance FTIR remote sensing solutions deliver versatile, reliable tools for non-contact chemical analysis across security, industrial, and environmental domains. Their combination of long-range detection, imaging capabilities, and robust instrumentation supports critical monitoring and research needs.