Enhanced co-registered optical systems

1. An imaging optical system comprising:

a first imaging optical sub-system having at least one optical element; said first imaging optical sub-system being optically disposed to receive light from a source;

a first spectrometer optical sub-system having at least one optical element; said first spectrometer optical sub-system configured to substantially receive light from said first imaging optical sub-system; said first spectrometer optical sub-system being configured to disperse said light received from said first imaging optical sub-system and imaging said dispersed light onto a first image plane; said first imaging optical sub-system and said first spectrometer optical sub-system having a combined first spatial distortion characteristic;

a second imaging optical sub-system having at least one optical element; said second imaging optical sub-system being optically disposed to receive light from a source; and

a second spectrometer optical sub-system having at least one optical element; said second spectrometer optical sub-system configured to substantially receive light from said second imaging optical sub-system; said second spectrometer optical sub-system being configured to disperse said light received from said second imaging optical sub-system and imaging said dispersed light onto a second image plane; said second imaging optical sub-system and said second spectrometer optical sub-system having a combined second spatial distortion characteristic; said first spatial distortion characteristic and said second spatial distortion characteristic being substantially matched.

2. The optical imaging system of claim 1 wherein said second imaging optical sub-system and said second spectrometer optical sub-system are designed to substantially minimize the difference between said first and said second spatial distortion characteristics.

3. The optical imaging system of claim 1 wherein at least one optical element is refractive.

4. The optical imaging system of claim 1 wherein at least one optical element is reflective.

5. The optical imaging system of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one detecting element located substantially at said first image plane.

6. An imaging optical system comprising:

an optical sub-system having at least one optical element;

a beam splitting device; said beam splitting device being optically disposed to receive light from said optical sub-system;

a first imaging optical sub-system having at least one optical element; said beam splitting device being configured to substantially direct a first portion of the light to said first imaging optical sub-system; said first imaging optical sub-system being optically disposed to receive light from said beam splitting device;

a first spectrometer optical sub-system having at least one optical element; said first spectrometer optical sub-system configured to substantially receive light from said first imaging optical sub-system; said first spectrometer optical sub-system being configured to disperse said light received from said first imaging optical sub-system and imaging said dispersed light onto a first image plane; said first imaging optical sub-system and said first spectrometer optical sub-system having a combined first spatial distortion characteristic;

a second imaging optical sub-system having at least one optical element; said beam splitting device being configured to substantially direct a second portion of the light to said second imaging optical sub-system;

said second imaging optical sub-system being optically disposed to receive light from said beam splitting device; and

a second spectrometer optical sub-system having at least one optical element; said second spectrometer optical sub-system configured to substantially receive light from said second imaging optical sub-system;

said second spectrometer optical sub-system being configured to disperse said light received from said second imaging optical sub-system and imaging said dispersed light onto a second image plane;

said second imaging optical sub-system and said second spectrometer optical sub-system having a combined second spatial distortion characteristic; said first spatial distortion characteristic and said second spatial distortion characteristic being substantially matched.

7. The optical imaging system of claim 6 wherein said second imaging optical sub-system and said second spectrometer optical sub-system are designed to substantially minimize the difference between said first and said second spatial distortion characteristics.

8. The optical imaging system of claim 6 wherein at least one optical element is refractive.

9. The optical imaging system of claim 6 wherein at least one optical element is reflective.

10. The optical imaging system of claim 6 further comprising:

at least one detecting element located substantially at said first image plane.

11. An imaging optical system comprising:

a plurality of imaging optical sub-systems having at least one optical element; said plurality of imaging optical sub-systems being optically disposed to receive light from a source;

a plurality of spectrometer optical sub-systems having at least one optical element; each spectrometer optical sub-system of said plurality of spectrometer optical sub-systems configured to substantially receive light from at least one imaging optical sub-system of said plurality of imaging optical sub-systems;

a plurality of image planes; each spectrometer optical sub-system of said plurality of spectrometer optical sub-systems being configured to disperse said light received from said plurality of imaging optical sub-systems and imaging said dispersed light onto at least one image plane of said plurality of image planes;

a plurality of spatial distortion characteristics; each imaging optical sub-system and spectrometer optical sub-system of said plurality of imaging optical sub-systems and said plurality of spectrometer optical sub-systems having a spatial distortion characteristic of said plurality of spatial distortion characteristics; each spatial distortion characteristic of said plurality of spatial distortion characteristics being substantially matched.

12. A method for providing spectral fidelity and improving performance in sensors that operate in at least two spectral bands, the method comprising:

configuring a first spectrometer, the first spectrometer operating in a first spectral band, to have a first spatial distortion characteristic; and

configuring a second spectrometer, the second spectrometer operating in a second spectral band, to have a second spatial distortion characteristic;

wherein the sensor comprises the first spectrometer and the second spectrometer; the first spectrometer and the second spectrometer being configured such that the first spatial distortion characteristic and the second spatial distortion characteristic have a predetermined relationship.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first spatial distortion characteristic and a second spatial distortion characteristic are substantially matched.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein a difference between the first and second spatial distortion characteristics is substantially minimized.