EP0324583A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Remote sensing system
Assignee: WORLD GEOSCIENCE Corp Ltd
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Filing: 1989-01-10
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-01-10
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for detecting an anomaly, (e.g the presence of a hydrocarbon seep) at or near a water or land surface comprises means for generating a beam, preferably a pulsed beam, of primary light radiation, preferably ultra-violet light, and directing the beam towards the surface. The beam is sufficiently intense and of such a spectral composition that the beam causes the anomaly, if present, to emit secondary light radiation. The apparatus also comprises means for collecting the secondary light radiation, or means for collecting solar induced secondary light radiation, spectral analysis means for analysing the spectrum of the secondary radiation, and a high resolution, multi-element digitising detector for recovering the analysed secondary radiation. The detector has a plurality of detection channels positioned across the spectrum of the basckscattered primary radiation and emitted secondary radiation, the channels being software configurable and under the control of a digitally addressable computer-operated controller. The concentration of used channels across the plurality of channels is adjustable and increasable in the regions of the spectrum of greatest interest and decreasable in the regions of least interest.
Inventors
- 👤 Andrew Ian Grant
- 👤 David Graham Stevens
- 👤 Martyn Taylor Macpherson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 14:14
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01J; G01J3/00; G01J3/28; G01J3/44; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/62; G01N21/63; G01N21/64; G01J3/02; G01J3/06; G01J2003/066; G01J3/2803; G01N2201/00; G01N2201/02; G01N2201/021; G01N2201/0214
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
Apparatus for detecting an anomaly at or near a water or land surface which apparatus comprises means (2) for generating a beam of primary light radiation, and directing the beam towards the surface, the beam being sufficiently intense and of such a spectral composition that the beam causes the anomaly, if present, to emit secondary light radiation, means (8) for collecting the secondary light radiation, or means for collecting solar induced secondary light radiation, and spectral analysis means (9) for analysing the spectrum of the secondary radiation, characterised by the fact that the apparatus also comprises a high resolution, multi-element digitising detector (10) for detecting the analysed radiation, having a plurality of channels across the spectrum of the emitted secondary radiation, the channels being software configurable and under the control of a digitally addressable computer-operated controller (11), the concentration of used channels across the plurality of channels being adjustable and increasable in the regions of the spectrum of greatest interest and decreasable in the regions of least interest.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
168 words
Apparatus for detecting an anomaly at or near a water or land surface which apparatus comprises means (2) for generating a beam of primary light radiation, and directing the beam towards the surface, the beam being sufficiently intense and of such a spectral composition that the beam causes the anomaly, if present, to emit secondary light radiation, means (8) for collecting the secondary light radiation, or means for collecting solar induced secondary light radiation, and spectral analysis means (9) for analysing the spectrum of the secondary radiation, characterised by the fact that the apparatus also comprises a high resolution, multi-element digitising detector (10) for detecting the analysed radiation, having a plurality of channels across the spectrum of the emitted secondary radiation, the channels being software configurable and under the control of a digitally addressable computer-operated controller (11), the concentration of used channels across the plurality of channels being adjustable and increasable in the regions of the spectrum of greatest interest and decreasable in the regions of least interest.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means (2) for generating the beam of primary light radiation is a laser.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the laser (2) is a pulsed laser.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein the means (2) for generating the primary light radiation is means for generating ultra-violet light.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the means (2) for generating ultra-violet light is an excimer laser.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein the means (8) for collecting the secondary light radiation is an optical telescope.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein the spectral analysis means (9) is a grating spectograph.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus according to any of claims 4 to 7 wherein the means (2) for generating a pulsed beam of ultra-violet light is capable of generating light of wavelength 308 nm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein the detector (10) is capable of detecting light in the wavelength range of 300 to 800 nm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the apparatus is capable of providing relatively high adjustable spectral resolution in the wavelength region up to 500 nanometres and relatively low spectral resolution for the wavelength beyond 500 nanometres.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for detecting an anomaly at or near a water or land surface by generating a beam of primary light radiation, and directing the beam towards the surface, the beam being sufficiently intense and of such spectral composition that the beam causes the anomaly, if present, to emit secondary light radiation, collecting the secondary light radiation, or collecting solar induced secondary radiation, and analysing the spectrum of the secondary radiation characterised by the fact that the analysed radiation is detected by means of a high resolution, multi-element digitising detector having a plurality of channels across the spectrum of the emitted secondary radiation, the channels being software configurable and under the control of a digitally addressable computer operated controller, the concentration of used channels across the plurality of channels being adjusted and increased in the region of the spectrum of greatest interest and decreased in the regions of least interest.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for detecting an anomaly at or near a water or land surface by generating a beam of primary light radiation, and directing the beam towards the surface, the beam being sufficiently intense and of such spectral composition that the beam causes the anomaly, if present, to emit secondary light radiation, collecting the secondary light radiation, or collecting solar induced secondary radiation, and analysing the spectrum of the secondary radiation characterised by the fact that the analysed radiation is detected by means of a high resolution, multi-element digitising detector having a plurality of channels across the spectrum of the emitted secondary radiation, the channels being software configurable and under the control of a digitally addressable computer operated controller, the concentration of used channels across the plurality of channels being adjusted and increased in the region of the spectrum of greatest interest and decreased in the regions of least interest.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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