Importance

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Abstract

A high resolution fast imaging spectrograph is disclosed which provides 400 spatial channels and 100 spectral channels of information. A collimating mirror (10) and a focusing mirror (12) face a plane diffraction grating (14), which is positioned at an acute angle to the perpendicular to the optic axis. An elongated slot (16) is cut through approximately the center of the grating allowing the light source (18) to pass through the slot and onto the collimating mirror. A turning mirror (20), which is placed at the focus of the focusing mirror and adjacent to the slot, directs radiation to a camera mirror (22), which focuses a final image outside the instrument enclosure onto a detector (24). The light source to the instrument is provided by an optical fiber ribbon. The detector will commonly be a CCD or CID 2-D detector, permitting the simultaneous measurement of spectral distribution of a spatial profile. The instrument requires no power input, has no moving parts, and is completely passive with no operating controls or adjustments. Also disclosed is a commercially significant means to utilize the high spatial resolution imaging spectrograph in earth science remote imaging applications through the utilization of a reflecting telescope connected to the spectrograph by means of an optical fiber ribbon.

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First Claim