Dual color radiometer method selectively discriminating against a radiant energy emissivity characteristic of a preselected atmospheric state

Claim 2

In a dual color radiometer system for providing a respective first and second output signal indicative of a respective first and second spectral sample in the spectral region 13.0-15.0 microns and mutually separated spectrally by at least 0.2 microns, means for determining the intensity of a preselected one of two preselected states in a medium demonstrating a characteristic radiant energy spectral distribution representing the combined spectral distributions associated with said two states and comprising means for differentially combining said two output signals, and means for compensatorily gain-changing one of said two output signals prior to the differential combinations thereof, whereby the component signal intensity of both said output signals due to said second state of said medium are substantially equal and said differentially combined signals are indicative of the intensity of said first state of said medium.

Claim 5

The device of claim 2 in which said system is adapted for detecting that presence of CO2 associated with atmospheric turbulence in an atmosphere demonstrating a characteristic spectral distribution representing the combination of the component spectral distributions associated with such CO2 and atmospheric ice content, said first recited means of claim 2 comprising dual color radiometer means for providing first and second electrical output signals indicative of a respective first and second spectral sample in the 13.5 and 14.5 micron range and mutually separated by at least 0.2 microns; and said second recited means of claim 2 comprising means for compensatorily gain-changing one of said two signals relative to the other whereby the component signal intensity in said signals due to said atmospheric ice content is substantially equal, the first state intensity determined by said third recited means of claim 2 being indicative of that CO2 component signal intensity corresponding to the severity of an air turbulence state.

Claim 6

Apparatus for detecting the intensity of a preselected one of two preselected states in a medium demonstrating a characteristic radiant energy spectral distribution representing the combined component spectral distributions associated with said two states and comprising means responsive to a respective first and second spectral sample of said medium for providing a respective first and second sensor signal; means for compensatorily gain-changing one of said sensor signals relative to the other whereby the component signal intensity of said signals due to said second state of said medium are substantially equal; and means for comparing said gain-changed and the non-gain changed one of said signals to determine the intensity of said first state.

Claim 7

Apparatus for detecting the intensity of a preselected one of two preselected states in a medium demonstrating a characteristic radiant energy spectral distribution representing the combined component spectral distributions associated with said two states and comprising means responsive to a respective first and second spectral sample of said medium for providing a respective first and second sensor signal; means for compensatorily gain-changing one of said sensor signals relative to the other whereby the component signal intensity of said signals due to said second state of said medium are substantially equal; and means for comparing said gain-changed and the non-gain changed one of said signals to determine the intensity of said first state.

Claim 8

Apparatus for detecting the intensity of a preselected one of two preselected states in a medium demonstrating a characteristic radiant energy spectral distribution representing the combined component spectral distributions associated with said two states and comprising means responsive to a respective first and second spectral sample of said medium for providing a respective first and second sensor signal; means for compensatorily gain-changing one of said sensor signals relative to the other whereby the component signal intensity of said signals due to said second state of said medium are substantially equal; and means for differentially combining said gain-changed and the non-gain changed one of said signals to cancel that signal component due to said second state, whereby an output signal is generated which is indicative of the intensity of said first state.

Claim 9

Apparatus for detecting the intensity of a preselected one of two preselected states in a medium demonstrating a characteristic radiant energy spectral distribution representing the combined component spectral distributions associated with said two states and comprising means responsive to a respective first and second spectral sample of said medium for providing a respective first and second sensor signal; means for compensatorily gain-changing one of said sensor signals relative to the other whereby the component signal intensity of said signals due to said second state of said medium are substantially equal; and means for differentially combining said gain-changed and the non-gain changed one of said signals to cancel that signal component due to said second state, whereby an output signal is generated which is indicative of the intensity of said first state.

Claim 10

Apparatus for detecting the intensity of a preselected one of two preselected states in an atmosphere demonstrating a characteristic radiant energy spectral distribution representing the combinEd component spectral distributions associated with said two states in a common spectral region and comprising means responsive to a respective first and second spectral sample of said atmosphere in said spectral region for providing a respective first and second sensor signal; means for compensatorily gain-changing one of said sensor signals relative to the other whereby the component signal intensity of said signals due to said second state of said medium are substantially equal; and means for comparing said gain-changed and the non-gain changed one of said signals to determine the intensity of said first state.

Claim 11

Apparatus for detecting the intensity of a preselected one of two preselected states in an atmosphere demonstrating a characteristic radiant energy spectral distribution representing the combinEd component spectral distributions associated with said two states in a common spectral region and comprising means responsive to a respective first and second spectral sample of said atmosphere in said spectral region for providing a respective first and second sensor signal; means for compensatorily gain-changing one of said sensor signals relative to the other whereby the component signal intensity of said signals due to said second state of said medium are substantially equal; and means for comparing said gain-changed and the non-gain changed one of said signals to determine the intensity of said first state.

Claim 12

Apparatus for detecting the magnitude of the CO2 state in an atmospheric sector having a CO2 content and an ice content, said sector demonstrating a characteristic radiant energy spectral distribution representing the combined component spectral distributions associated with said two contents in a common spectral region and comprising means responsive to a respective first and second spectral sample of said atmosphere for providing a respective first and second sensor signal; means for compensatorily gain-changing one of said sensor signals relative to the other whereby the component signal intensity of said signals due to said second content of said medium are substantially equal; and means for differentially combining said gain-changed and the non-gain changed one of said signals to cancel that signal component due to said second state, whereby an output signal is generated which is indicative of the intensity of said CO2 state.

Claim 13

Apparatus for detecting the magnitude of the CO2 state in an atmospheric sector having a CO2 content and an ice content, said sector demonstrating a characteristic radiant energy spectral distribution representing the combined component spectral distributions associated with said two contents in a common spectral region and comprising means responsive to a respective first and second spectral sample of said atmosphere for providing a respective first and second sensor signal; means for compensatorily gain-changing one of said sensor signals relative to the other whereby the component signal intensity of said signals due to said second content of said medium are substantially equal; and means for differentially combining said gain-changed and the non-gain changed one of said signals to cancel that signal component due to said second state, whereby an output signal is generated which is indicative of the intensity of said CO2 state.

Claim 14

Apparatus for detecting air turbulence intensity occurring in an atmosphere with or without ice content and comprising means responsive to a respective first and second spectral sample of said atmosphere for providing a respective first and second sensor signal indicative of mutually exclusive spectral lines in the spectral region 13.0-15.0 microns; means for compensatorily gain-changing one of said sensor signals relative to the other whereby the component signal intensity of said signals due to an ice content state of said atmosphere are substantially equal; and means for comparing said gain-changed and the non-gain changed one of said signals to determine the intensity of said CO2 state.

Claim 15

Apparatus for detecting air turbulence intensity occurring in an atmosphere with or without ice content and comprising means responsive to a respective first and second spectral sample of said atmosphere for providing a respective first and second sensor signal indicative of mutually exclusive spectral lines in the spectral region 13.0-15.0 microns; means for compensatorily gain-changing one of said sensor signals relative to the other whereby the component signal intensity of said signals due to an ice content state of said atmosphere are substantially equal; and means for comparing said gain-changed and the non-gain changed one of said signals to determine the intensity of said CO2 state.

Claim 16

The device of claim 8 in which said means for comparing comprises means for differentially combining said gain-changed and the non-gain changed one of said signals to cancel that signal component due to said second state, whereby an output signal is generated which is indicative of the intensity of said CO2 state.

Claim 17

The device of claim 9 in which said output signal is preselectively thresholded to determine the presence of an intensity associated with an air turbulence state.

Claim 18

The device of claim 8 in which said first recited means provides a respective first and second sensor signal indicative of a respective first and second spectral sample corresponding to 13.8 and 14.2 microns wavelength, respectively, and said second recited means doubles the gain of said first sensor signal relative to that of said second sensor signal.