Open path gas detector based on spectrometer

An open path gas identification system comprising:

• a transmitter configured to generate illumination across an open path, the illumination having broadband spectrum;
• a receiver positioned to detect the illumination from the transmitter after the illumination has passed through the open path, the receiver including at least one spectrometer configured to determine spectroscopic information, wherein the spectroscopic information comprises a ratio of a first signal wavelength intensity to a first reference wavelength intensity and a ratio of a second signal wavelength intensity to a second reference wavelength intensity;
• wherein the receiver includes memory storing a plurality of spectral fingerprints related to a plurality of gases, wherein each spectral fingerprint includes a plurality of wavelengths at which a particular gas has an absorption line, the receiver further including a controller that is configured to provide a pattern matching engine that receives the spectroscopic information and applies a pattern matching function to identify at least one gas of interest within a plurality of gases based on the spectroscopic information and the plurality of spectral fingerprints and provide an output based on the identification of at least one gas of interest.