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A detector for ions and metastable atoms has been designed and evaluated which utilizes a conversion from particle to photon detection. The device is ’’solar blind’’ and currently used in shock‐tube research in conjunction with a quadrupole mass spectrometer where the insensitivity of the gain to pressure fluctuations is highly advantageous. Preliminary observations of the performance of the detector and its conversion efficiency for various ion species are reported. Values of overall gain are typically 5×105 for conversion electrode potentials of 10 kV and a characteristic time constant < 1 μsec.

A new gas filter correlation spectrometer (GASPEC), for the remote detection of trace vapors in the atmosphere by means of natural emission in the ir, is described. Unique optical features of the GASPEC include two detectors using a single focal plane chopper plus an optical reference for electronic gain balancing. Continuous sensor balance and calibration are achieved along with the source radiometric and target gas information. Several GASPEC instruments have been built and tested including devices to sense CH(4), C(2)H(6), HCI, and CO. Some preliminary data taken with these sensors are presented.