Patent ID: 8330961

Claim:
A gas monitoring system, comprising: at least one light source for generating light energy having a corresponding wavelength; an optical interferometer for receiving said light energy from each said light source, said optical interferometer including a free-space optical path disposed in an environment of interest wherein said light energy from each said light source is introduced into said free-space optical path; an optical device disposed in said free-space optical path and providing for at least partial transmission of said light energy and at least partial reflection of said light energy based upon said corresponding wavelength thereof, wherein said light energy of a first selected wavelength continues traversing said free-space optical path and wherein said light energy of at least one second selected wavelength is directed away from said free-space optical path; said optical interferometer generating an interference between said light energy of said first selected wavelength so-traversing said free-space optical path with said light energy at said corresponding wavelength incident on said optical interferometer; a first optical detector optically coupled to said optical interferometer for detecting said interference; and at least one second detector optically coupled to said optical interferometer for detecting said light energy at said at least one second selected wavelength directed away from said free-space optical path.