Warning receiver for detecting and characterizing an optical source

A method of detecting and characterizing an optical source, the method comprising:

• receiving light within a field-of-view (FOV) defined by first and second scene spatial angles that are orthogonal to each other;
• compressing the light along the first scene spatial angle into a single line of light along the second scene spatial angle;
• separating the single line of light into a plurality of wavelengths orthogonal to the second scene spatial angle to produce a two-dimensional light field indexed by the second scene spatial angle and wavelength;
• detecting the two-dimensional light field to generate electrical signals indexed by the second scene spatial angle and wavelength;
• and
• processing the electrical signals to detect and characterize the optical source within the FOV.

A warning receiver, comprising:

• first and second anamorphic lenses positioned in orthogonally oriented channels to receive light within a field-of-view (FOV) defined by Elevation and Azimuth angles that are orthogonal to each other, said first anamorphic lens configured to compress the light along the Elevation angle into a first single line of light along the Azimuth angle, said second anamorphic lens configured to compress light along the Azimuth angle into a second single line of light along the Elevation angle;
• first and second dispersive elements positioned in the orthogonally oriented channels to separate the first and second single lines of light into a plurality of wavelengths orthogonal to the Azimuth and Elevation angles, respectively, to produce a first and second two-dimensional light fields indexed by the Azimuth and Elevation angles and wavelength;
• at least one pixelated detector positioned to receive the first and second two-dimensional light field and first and second readout electrical signals indexed by the Azimuth and Elevation angles and wavelength;
• and
• a processor coupled to the at least one pixelated detector to process the electrical signals indexed by the Azimuth and Elevation angles across the wavelength spectrum a wavelength spectrum of the first and second single lines of light, respectively, to detect and characterize an optical source within the FOV and to independently locate the optical source in the Azimuth and Elevation angles.