Detecting Spectral Lines in Explosions

[rp895]

Hi All,
I am working on a sensitivity model for a short wave IR spectrometer. And I have come up to a few questions that I had never thought of before and that seem really interesting (and I still don't know the answers, so it'd be great if anyone had any insight!)
Well, I need to look at an explosion (say powerful blackbody) and take an IR spectrum to detect few things. Now, the explosion itself is hot and luminous, so how do i detect the spectral lines I want? In short, how do you detect any spectral lines in such an environment?
Thanks for any help...
rp895

 

[Astronuc]

Well, one can look at look at a blackbody radiator to look at the temperature (basis of optical pyrometer) and then look at particular (characteristic) emission lines from particular elements, based on the temperature determined from the optical pyrometer.

 

[ravenprp]

Hello rp895,

That is a great question and it is definitely a challenging task to detect spectral lines in an explosion. One approach could be to use a technique called spectroscopy, where you would use a spectrometer to analyze the light emitted from the explosion. Spectroscopy allows us to identify the unique spectral lines emitted by different elements, which can give us information about the composition and temperature of the explosion.

However, in the case of a powerful blackbody explosion, the intense heat and luminosity can make it difficult to detect specific spectral lines. One possible solution could be to use a spectrometer that is sensitive to shorter wavelengths, such as X-rays or gamma rays. These higher energy wavelengths are less affected by the intense heat and can provide more accurate measurements.

Another approach could be to use a filter or grating that can isolate and enhance the specific spectral lines you are interested in detecting. This can help to minimize the impact of the intense background radiation from the explosion.

Overall, detecting spectral lines in an explosion requires careful consideration of the instrumentation and techniques used. I hope this helps and good luck with your sensitivity model!