Method and system for correcting incident light fluctuations in absorption spectroscopy

An absorption spectroscopy system, comprising:

• a light source for emitting a photon beam;
• a controller for controlling the light source to emit a wavelength modulated photon beam, wherein the controller is also adapted to apply at least one tapering burst signal modulation to the photon beam;
• a photodetector for detecting the modulated photon beam after transmission through a sample medium;
• and
• an electronic detection system for processing the detected beam to obtain at least one detected burst signal and to measure absorption effects of one or more measurands, wherein the electronic detection system is adapted to compare the at least one detected burst signal with the applied at least one burst signal modulation to determine intensity fluctuations of the incident light that are separate from absorption effects of the measurand(s), and to correct for the effects of the determined intensity fluctuations for increased accuracy of measurement of the absorption effects of the measurand(s).

A method of calibrating an absorption spectroscopy system that comprises a light source and a light detector, the method comprising:

• applying, using the controller, at least one modulation burst signal to a beam emitted by the light source;
• detecting, at a detector, the modulated beam after transmission through a sample gas;
• processing, using an electronic detection system coupled to the detector, the detected beam to obtain at least one detected modulation burst signal, and comparing at least one detected modulation burst signal with the applied modulation burst signal to identify signal processing anomalies;
• and
• modifying the modulation burst signal to reduce signal processing anomalies.