Abstract: Optical fibers are utilized to provide high efficiency, spatially resolved coupling of light from collection optics to an imaging spectrometer. In particular, a micro lens array may be utilized to couple light from multiple spatial locations into individual optical fibers. At the opposite end of the fiber bundle, the fibers are packed tightly together to send the light into an imaging spectrograph. The light that enters this spectrograph maintains its spatial separation, for instance, along the array dimension and is spectrally dispersed, for instance, along a dimension orthogonal to the array dimension. This spatially separated, wavelength resolved light can then be recorded on a two dimensional detector such as a CCD camera.

Abstract: A small area electrostatic aerosol collector combines electrostatic collection of aerosol particles and electrohydrodynamic spraying of fluid so that a sample collected electrostatically can have fluid applied thereto. The fluid may assist with disaggregation and/or desalinization of biological material collected onto a sample substrate. A controller associated with the collector may control an electrostatic charge device and a spraying device such that the charge device and spraying device may operate in alternating fashion, or the charge device and spraying device may operate simultaneously. Further, mechanical systems are provided, for the disaggregation of particulate clusters collected onto a sample substrate.

Abstract: Cosmic spike filters are provided, which remove noise spikes in spectral data. Spikes are eliminated by locating, smoothing and filtering the spikes using replicates to improve the accuracy of the spike detection process compared to when only one replicate is used. Cosmic spike filters are also provided that combine a data collection approach and a statistical approach to remove cosmic spike noise from the collected signal without distorting the true signal. Still further, a statistical approach is provided to identify and remove negative peaks from a spectrum, where the negative peaks are caused by bad pixels in a charge coupled device.

Abstract: Optical fibers are utilized to provide high efficiency, spatially resolved coupling of light from collection optics to an imaging spectrometer. In particular, a micro lens array may be utilized to couple light from multiple spatial locations into individual optical fibers. At the opposite end of the fiber bundle, the fibers are packed tightly together to send the light into an imaging spectrograph. The light that enters this spectrograph maintains its spatial separation, for instance, along the array dimension and is spectrally dispersed, for instance, along a dimension orthogonal to the array dimension. This spatially separated, wavelength resolved light can then be recorded on a two dimensional detector such as a CCD camera.