When the dye is exposed to UV or blue-green light it is excited to a higher energy state. Oxygen molecule collisions happen more frequently when the paint is under high pressure, caused by an increase in the number of surrounding molecules. Oxygen is reactive so this decaying method inhibits the paint's fluorescence by taking up energy. Light sources are high energy bulbs or blue-green lasers used to excite the UV spectrum of the paint. Black and white 16-bit CCD cameras are used to pixel the painted area.
Back illumination is used to increase the quantum efficiency.
Fast readout speed allows for alignment and focusing and a slow readout speed allows minimizing dark charge noise and increased contrast sensitivity. As many as eight cameras have been installed in a single experiment with gigabytes of memory for each image. A conventional pressure sensor set up of this magnitude take years to complete and record. Additional contact information 1. Marvin Sellers, Arnold Engineering Development Center, Arnold Air Force Base.