Optical absorption spectroscopy based gas analyzer systems and methods

An optical absorption spectroscopy based gas analyzer system for detecting one or more chemical species in a gaseous medium, the system comprising:

• an optical cell containing a gas medium having a chemical species to be measured;
• a continuous-wave laser emitting laser light coupled to the cell, wherein the laser is capable of emitting a predominately single frequency light at a first wavelength and the laser is capable of emitting a predominately single frequency light at a second wavelength, and wherein the laser cannot be continuously tuned from the first wavelength to the second wavelength;
• a detector system for measuring the intensity of the laser light transmitted through the optical cell and generating a data signal;
• a wavelength meter system capable of measuring wavelength the laser light between the first wavelength and the second wavelength, determining an event of a laser tuning discontinuity, while the laser is tuned from the first wavelength to the second wavelength, and generating a laser wavelength data signal;
• and a processor capable of conducting the absorption spectroscopy analysis of the gaseous medium based on the data signal from the detector system and the laser wavelength data signal from the wavelength meter system received while the laser was tuned from the first wavelength to the second wavelength.