Multi-channel array processor

A fiber optic sensing system for monitoring an environmental parameter comprising:na light source;a optical fiber;at least one interferometric sensor positioned outside the optical fiber and which modulates light received from the light source in response to changes in an environmental parameter;an optical cross-correlator which receives the modulated light;a two-dimensional photosensitive detector array; andoptical focusing means for providing the modulated light to the two-dimensional photosensitive detector array, where the optical focusing means focuses the modulated light from a two-dimensional beam to a line beam.

A method for monitoring at least one environmental parameter using a two-dimensional detector and at least one interferometric sensor that modulates light in response to the environmental parameters, the method comprising:nproviding light through an optical fiber to at least one interferometric sensor positioned outside the optical fiber, said interferometric sensor modulating the light in response to a corresponding environmental parameter;focusing and optically cross-correlating the modulated light so that the light is focused from a two-dimensional beam to a line beam and provided to the two-dimensional detector having a plurality of light sensing units; andscanning the plurality of light sensing units to identify a correlation burst for each interferometric sensor and creating an output representative of each environmental parameter being monitored.