Inventors:
Richard Scheps - Rancho Santa Fe CA
Jon S. Schoonmaker - San Diego CA
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC
International Classification:
G02F 111
US Classification:
359285, 359287, 359305, 359308, 359314, 359494, 359573, 356300, 250235, 25033907, 348769, 372 25
Abstract:
The present invention has applications that include detecting color variation in a region, for example, color variations due to temperature changes in an area of ocean water, and, in a more specific application, detecting bioluminescence of certain organisms known to attach themselves to various objects. In one aspect of the invention, an acousto-optic tunable filter hyperspectral imaging system is moved across the region to collect a series of images in which each image represents the intensity of light at a different wavelength. In one embodiment, the acousto-optic tunable filter hyperspectral imaging system includes a motion platform for positioning the acousto-optic tunable filter hyperspectral imaging system over successive Y-coordinates of a region in a direction substantially parallel to a direction of motion of the motion platform. In one such embodiment, the motion platform may be an aircraft or any other platform suitable for moving the acousto-optic tunable filter hyperspectral imaging system over the region.