Simultaneous ranging and remote chemical sensing utilizing optical dispersion or absorption spectroscopy

1. A system for simultaneous optical pathlength determination and remote chemical sensing of a sample disposed along an optical path, the system comprising:

a modulated laser source configured for modulated light emission so that at least one spectral sideband with a sideband frequency is created, the modulated laser source being configured to direct the modulated light emission along the optical path, the modulated laser source being configured to vary the sideband frequency over time;

a detector configured to detect transmitted light from the optical path and generate a detected light intensity signal;

a frequency down-converter configured to receive the detected light intensity signal and generate a frequency down-converted light intensity signal;

a demodulator configured to demodulate the frequency of the down-converted light intensity signal and output an instantaneous frequency;

a pathlength calculator configured to determine an optical pathlength to the sample based on the instantaneous frequency; and

the frequency down-converted light intensity signal being simultaneously output for spectroscopic chemical sensing.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an RF signal generator configured to vary the sideband frequency over time.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the demodulator is a frequency demodulator configured to demodulate the frequency of the down-converted light intensity signal and output an instantaneous frequency.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a path separation filter configured to receive the frequency down-converted light intensity signal and generate a plurality of single path frequency down-converted light intensity signals each associated with a different optical path.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the path separation filter is a comb filter.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a phase corrector configured to correct phase variations in the frequency down-converted light intensity signal.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the modulated laser source is configured to vary the sideband frequency over time based on a piecewise linear sweep waveform.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the modulated laser source is configured to vary the sideband frequency over time based on a sinusoidal wave.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the modulated laser source is configured to vary the sideband frequency over time based on a combination of a piecewise linear sweep waveform and a sinusoidal wave.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the optical path includes a sample cell containing the sample.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the optical path is an open path containing the sample.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising reflectors in the open path configured to direct the modulated light emission to the detector.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the detector is configured to detect scattered radiation from objects or particles in the open path.

14. The system of claim 1 further comprising a spectroscopic processor configured to perform chemical sensing of the sample based on the frequency down-converted light intensity signal.

15. A method for simultaneous optical pathlength determination and remote chemical sensing of a sample disposed along an optical path, the method comprising:

Generating a modulated laser light emission so that at least one spectral sideband with a sideband frequency is created; the modulated laser light emission having a sideband frequency that varies over time,

directing the modulated laser light emission along the optical path;

detecting a reflected light emission from the optical path and generating a detected light intensity signal;

frequency down-converting the detected light intensity signal and generating a frequency down-converted light intensity signal;

demodulating the frequency down-converted light intensity signal and outputting an instantaneous frequency;

determining a pathlength to the sample based on the instantaneous frequency; and

outputting the frequency down-converted light intensity signal for spectroscopic chemical sensing.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising providing an RF signal generator configured to vary the sideband frequency over time.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein a light intensity signal from the detector is frequency down-converted by a down-converter synchronized with the generated sideband frequency.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the frequency down-converted light intensity signal is frequency demodulated.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising filtering the frequency down-converted light intensity signal and generating a plurality of single path frequency down-converted light intensity signals each associated with a different path.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising providing a comb filter to generate the plurality of single path frequency down-converted light intensity signals.

21. The method of claim 15 , further comprising correcting phase variations in the frequency down-converted light intensity signal.

22. The method of claim 15 , further comprising varying the sideband frequency over time based on a piecewise linear sweep waveform.

23. The method of claim 15 , further comprising varying sideband frequency over time based on a sinusoidal wave.

24. The method of claim 15 , further comprising varying the sideband frequency over time based on a combination of a piecewise linear sweep waveform and a sinusoidal wave.

25. The method of claim 15 , further comprising providing a spectroscopic processor configured to perform chemical sensing of the sample based on the frequency down-converted light intensity signal.