The analysis of the molecular structure called DNA is of particular interest for the understanding of the basic processes governing life. Correlation techniques implemented on digital computers are currently used to do this analysis, but the process is so slow that the mapping and sequencing of the entire human genome requires a computational breakthrough. This paper presents a new method of performing the analysis of DNA sequences with an optical time-integrating correlator. The method is characterized by short processing times that make the analysis of the entire human genome a tractable enterprise. A processing strategy and the resultant processing times are presented. Experimental proofs of concept for the two types of analysis specified by the strategy are also included.

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Previous studies have shown-that the intensity of the correlation peaks in Vander Lugt optical correlators can change with the position of the object because of emulsion thickness effects. In this paper, it is shown that the intensity variations are caused by a combination of thickness effects and a position-dependent frequency cutoff due to space variance of the optical processor. Experiments showing the global effect, as well as experiments showing each effect acting alone, have been performed.

An optical processor has been used to filter aeromagnetic contour maps in order to obtain information on underground magnetic ore deposits. This was accomplished by directional filtering of the spatial Fourier transform of the contour map. The directional filtering yields maps of gradients having given directions. A digital analysis was also performed on the data so that the feasibility of the optical technique could be evaluated. The results obtained so far suggest that a systematic filtering of aeromagnetic maps can be carried out at low cost and that the filtered maps can yield useful information to the interpreter.

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