Abstract: A method of optical spectroscopy for analysing a sample using an optical spectrometer is provided. The method comprises obtaining a sample spectrum of the sample using the optical spectrometer and obtaining a blank spectrum using the optical spectrometer. The blank spectrum comprises structured background radiation which is correlated with the sample spectrum. A cross-correlation of the sample spectrum and the blank spectrum is determined. A mapped blank spectrum is generated by mapping the blank spectrum to the sample spectrum based on the cross-correlation, and the mapped blank spectrum is subtracted from the sample spectrum to generate a background corrected sample spectrum.

Abstract: A method of operating an instrument which comprises a first and second ion stores, comprising determining whether a target accumulation time for the second ion store is greater than a threshold accumulation time. When the target accumulation time is less than the threshold accumulation time, ions are accumulated within the second ion store using an accumulation time that is based on the target accumulation time. When the target accumulation time is greater than the threshold accumulation time, ions are accumulated within the first ion store using a first accumulation time that is based on a difference between the target accumulation time and the threshold accumulation time, the ions accumulated in the first ion store are passed to the second ion store, and further ions are accumulated within the second ion store using a second accumulation time that is based on the threshold accumulation time.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a measure of a rate of decay of an ion sample. Specifically, the present disclosure provides methods and apparatus for determining decay constants and cross-section measurements in parallel to mass measurement and decay time correction. The disclosure particularly relates to methods and apparatus for performing Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS).