System and method for detecting a given gas species present in a gaseous sample using gas filter correlation spectroscopy

A system for detecting a given gas species present in a gaseous sample, the system comprising:

• an optical pulse generator configured to generate a primary optical pulse directed along a primary optical path, the primary optical pulse having a duration and carrying optical power within an excitation spectrum encompassing at least one absorption spectral band of the given gas species;
• an optical beam splitter configured for splitting the primary optical pulse into a first optical pulse directed along a first arm path and a second optical pulse directed along a second arm path, the first arm path having an optical gas filter unit containing an amount of the given gas species to be detected and configured for attenuating the first optical pulse at the at least one absorption band, one of the first and second arm paths having a time delay unit being configured to cause a time delay between the first and second optical pulses, one of i) the primary optical path and ii) the first and second arm paths extending across the gaseous sample;
• a measurement optical detector configured for measuring measurement signal values of the first and second optical pulses propagating along the first and second arm paths;
• and
• a computer detecting the given gas species in the gaseous sample based on the measurement signal values.