FTIRs are the equivalent of
DOAS (
Differential Optical Absorption Spectrometer) spectrometers but operating in the infrared spectral region. These instruments are capable of analyzing several volcanic gases simultaneously. However, they require a heat source to operate. This can either be an artificial heat lamp set up behind a volcanic
vent, or a natural source such as a
lava lake. This requirement makes continuous operational use of
FTIR instruments challenging.