These instruments are light, compact and versatile. This method enables the full potential of such instruments, utilizing an algorithm that can be applied in real time or retroactively to data that has been previously acquired to treat aberrations caused by detector and optical imperfections of the instrument. The algorithm functionality does not depend on the particular parameters of the instrument's configuration such as spectral range or resolution, spatial range or resolution. If the IDL code is translated to an efficient computer language and integrated with the components of a comprehensive data processing and visualization package that includes a user interface, a commercially viable software product for imaging interferometer data may be produced. Interferograms are resolved spatially in one dimension at the detector plane.
Spatial information is obtained in the orthogonal dimension.
The method exploits these properties by carrying out a sequence of reversible transformations which effectively discriminate and separate the detector's systematic noise from the desired signal. Imaging interferometers may be based on ground, aircraft, or satellite platforms and used for the same type of observations as conventional imaging spectrometers, but where weight, size, and design parameter restrictions limit the use of conventional dispersion-based sensors. Imaging interferometers have remote sensing applications for land, ocean, or atmosphere observations such as agricultural or land use assessments, environmental monitoring, and mineral exploration or mapping. They also may be used for space and astronomical missions.ollaborative industry and university partnerships. Technology Commercialization Status NASA, Ames Research Center, currently seeks to license this technology.