DEMONSTRATION OF A HIGH-SPEED NONSCANNING IMAGING SPECTROMETER

We report results from a field demonstration of a nonscanning high-spe ed imaging spectrometer [computed-tomography imaging spectrometer (CTI S)] capable of simultaneously recording spatial and spectral informati on about a rapidly changing scene. High-speed spectral imaging was dem onstrated by collection of spectral and spatial snapshots of a missile in flight. This instrument is based on computed-tomography concepts a nd operates in the visible spectrum (430-710 nm). Raw image data were recorded at video frame rate (30 frames/s) and an integration time of 2 ms. An iterative reconstruction of the spatial and spectral scene in formation from each raw image took 10 s. We present representative mis sile spectral signatures from the missile firing. The accuracy of the high-speed spectrometer is demonstrated by comparison of extended-sour ce static-scene spectra acquired by a nonimaging reference spectromete r with spectra acquired by use of CTIS imaging of the same static scen es. (C) 1997 Optical Society of America.