Device for the Detection of Fluorescent Substances on the Surface of the Earth

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to devices for the detection of fluorescent substances on the surface of the earth.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A device capable of detecting fluorescent substances on the earth's surface is disclosed in a publication by Scintrex, 222 Snidecroft Raod, Concord, Ontario, Canada, dated Oct. 1, 1982. The device is installed in a helicopter and comprises a laser that emits a narrow beam illuminating a limited spot on the surface of the earth. The means for detecting fluorescence comprise an optical system aimed at the illuminated spot. This publication also describes a hand held device of the same type. Whenthis prior art device is used with a helicopter, the distance of the helicopter from the surface of the earth, the helicopter's flying speed, the frequency of the laser (i.e., number of pulses emitted per second), and the size of the illuminated surface area permit the investigation of only very small points. Furthermore, coordination of the surface area sampled from the helicopter with a map is extremely difficult, and requires time-consuming subsequent investigation on the ground. Similarly, the hand held instrument can only illuminate a few square centimeters at a time. Thus, neither of these Scintrex devices is suitable for the exploration of large surface areas on the ground.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that is capable of rapidly, continuously, and systematically exploring the surface of the earth by exciting and detecting fluorescence.

It is a specific object of the present invention to provide a device capable of detecting fluorescent substances throughout a continuous band of the earth's surface as the vehicle carrying the device moves. Preferably, the device is capable of detecting fluorescence in a straight or ring-shaped line, as contrasted with the small points detectable by prior art devices. The position and route followed by the continuous surface band is determined by the route followed by the vehicle. Thus, it is not necessary to aim the device at limited points on the surface of the earth.

Widening or spreading of the laser beam into a broader band to obtain linear illumination is advantageously achieved by means of cylindrical optical systems, in particular by means of a cylindrical lens. It is also possible, however, to use currently available lasers with up to 500 Hz, i.e., up to 500 pulses per second, for obtaining a continuous ring-shaped or ellipse-shaped line by illuminating and investigating overlapping areas. The advantage of such a system, advantageously realized by use of a rotating deflection mirror, is the high energy density of the resulting ultraviolet radiation that excites the flurescence.

The use of a high output of the laser is desirable. However, such lasers are quite heavy. In order to be able to suitably distribute this weight in the vehicle, the laser may be arranged within the vehicle to radiate upwards into a deflection mirror that deflects the laser beam obliquely downward in the general direction in which the vehicle is travelling. Accordingly, the laser beam travels upward from the laser to a point above the vehicle and from there downward in the general direction of investigation. This also makes it possible, where a land vehicle is used, to simply mount the heavy laser on the cargo area of the vehicle.

If a deflecting mirror is used, it is expedient to arrange the means for spreading the beam downstream from the deflecting mirror in the radiation direction. This permits the deflecting mirror to be relatively small, since it only has to deflect a narrow beam rather than a beam spread over a wide sector. In this arrangement, the means for detecting fluorescence may be installed in the vicinity of the deflecting mirror or at the center of the beam sector. In the latter case, it is advantageous to install the means for widening the laser beam and the means for detecting fluorescence at the upper end of an extendable telescopic rod, preferably within a housing. Accordingly, the housing containing the optical system can be extended upward from the vehicle when in use, and may be protected from damage in this position. Its altitude can be adjusted for purposes of correction.

In a further preferred embodiment, partial sectors in the outer edge region of the widened laser beam may be deflected inward by mirrors arranged at the sides of the widened beam band. In this embodiment, the outer edge bands are, in a manner of speaking, pivoted inward. This superposition results in increased radiation intensity in the outer edge regions of the emerging beam sector within which the surface is illuminated. This also makes it possible to equalize the radiation intensity over the emitted beam sector, in contrast to the original widened beam sector in which the radiation intensity decreases from the center towards the edges in approximately a Gaussian distribution curve.

In order to obtain uniform exploration density, the timing frequency of the laser may be directly proportional to the travelling speed of the vehicle. It is preferable for the means for detecting fluorescence to operate with the same timing frequency as the laser.

Further objects and embodiments of the present invention will be described in the following description of the preferred embodiment and the claims.

FIG. 1 shows a land vehicle in side elevation provided with a device according to the present invention in schematic representation;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the path followed by the laser beam in the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows the effect of the reflection of the edge regions of the widened laser beam into the core of the beam sector; and

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment similar to that shown in FIG. 1 including a land vehicle with a rotating deflecting mirror shown schematically in side elevation.

The vehicle shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a land vehicle, although it is also possible to use an airplane, a helicopter, or the like. A laser 2 is installed on the loading area of vehicle 1. The laser beam 3 is directed by a mirror 4 upward through an extendable telescopic rod 5 at whose upper end a housing 6 is provided. The housing 6 comprises a deflecting mirror 7 that directs the laser beam in the travelling direction of the vehicle 1 and downward at a shallow angle.

A lens system, not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is installed in the housing 6 in front of the deflecting mirror 7 in the travelling direction of vehicle 1. This lens system spreads the laser beam over a sector 8 such that a narrow strip 10 is illuminated in front of vehicle 1 on the ground surface 9 on which vehicle 1 is travelling.

The housing 6 further contains means for detecting fluorescence in the narrow strip, which are not shown here, and comprise, in a manner well known in the art, an optical system, photomultiplier, and evaluating means. A cylindrical lens or other converging lenses may be provided to concentrate the light emitted from the linear strip 10 onto the photomultiplier. In addition, a slit diaphragm is provided that prevents light from entering from regions outside of the narrow strip 10.

FIG. 3 shows the path followed by the beam and the optical system. The beam 3 emitted from the laser 2 first passes through a lens 11, and is deflected upward by mirror 4 towards the deflecting mirror 7. The mirror 7 deflects the beam obliquely downward such that it impinges upon the surface to be explored at an angle of approximately 18.degree.. Lenses 12 are located downstream from the deflecting mirror 7 in the direction of radiation, with at least one of these lenses 12 being a cylindrical lens (30) that spreads out the beam to form the beam band or sector 8.

Mirrors 13 are provided adjacent to the beam sector 8 in the same plane, as shown in FIG. 2 and, in particular, in FIG. 4. The dotted lines in FIGS. 2 and 4 indicate that these mirrors 13 deflect the partial sector 14 of the laser beam into the linear strip 10 such that the undeflected and deflected radiation overlaps in regions 15 of strip 10. Accordingly, the intensity of radiation is increased in regions 15 such that the original Gaussian intensity distribution is equalized.

FIG. 5 shows another example of an embodiment similar to that shown in FIG. 1. At the right of FIG. 5, the illuminated strip 10 is shown enlarged. FIG. 5 shows a vehicle 1 in which a device comprising a rotating deflecting mirror 17 driven by motor 16 is installed. The paths followed by the beam 3 emitted by laser 2 and by fluorescent beams 18 are also shown. The beam 3 from laser 2 is spread out by an optical system 19 containing spherical lenses and at least one cylindrical lens. This results in a partial area on the ground surface 9 around the vehicle 1 being illuminated. Fluorescent beams 18 emitted by excited fluorescent substances in the surface 9 being illuminated then pass via the rotating deflecting mirror 17 to an optical receiver 20 arranged surrounding the laser beam 3.

The present invention has been described in terms of certain preferred embodiments. Other embodiments not specifically described may nevertheless fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention and the following claims.