There is a field of science that involves ultrafast optical imaging technology. High speed optical imaging is a very important field of research with the objective to obtain blur-free images of ultrafast transient phenomena that occur in virtually all areas of science, industry, defense, energy, and medicine. A recent publication [1] reports on an information rich optical imaging technique that is capable of capturing multidimensional information. This new technology is capable of capturing dynamic scenes on the picosecond and femtosecond scale, and ultrafast multidimensional optical imaging ideally suited for studies in physics, chemistry, and biology. To break the limitation of the existing techniques in imaging dimensions, the researchers developed a spectral-volumetric compressed ultrafast photography (SV-CUP) technique.
References
- Pengpeng Ding et al, Single-shot spectral-volumetric compressed ultrafast photography, Advanced Photonics (2021). DOI: 10.1117/1.AP.3.4.045001, https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/journals/advanced-photonics/volume-3/issue-04/045001/Single-shot-spectral-volumetric-compressed-ultrafast-photography/10.1117/1.AP.3.4.045001.full?SSO=1
CUP stands for “compressed ultrafast photography.” Ultrafast pump-probe microscopy is a common method for time and space-resolved imaging of short and ultra-short pulse laser ablation. This technique called pump-probe-based ultrafast imaging can acquire high-resolution multidimensional information; it cannot however adequately capture unstable or irreversible transient scenes. This idea of compressed ultrafast imaging overcomes the limitations of pump-probe-based microscopy enabling higher temporal resolution, higher data throughput, and single shot acquisition. This new technique has been successfully applied in the studies of various ultrafast phenomena, such as capturing photons, observing optical Mach cones, and detecting optical chaotic dynamics. When the research paper describes the ability to capture five dimensional data, they are referring to the capability of acquiring spatial (x, y, z), temporal (t), and spectral (λ) information of the object being photographed. This information is critical for capturing the dynamic phenomenon, the dynamic processes, and exploring potential mechanisms, etc. The research paper reports the following:
“To capture as much spatial–temporal–spectral (x,y,z,t,λ) information as possible, various multi-dimensional optical imaging techniques have been developed. For example, the spectral imaging techniques, including coded aperture snapshot spectral imaging, adaptive optics spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, volume holographic spatial–spectral imaging, and compressive spectral time-of-flight (ToF) imaging, could capture the spatial–spectral four-dimensional (4D) (x,y,z,λ) information, but there was no temporal information. However, the ultrafast imaging techniques, such as compressed ultrafast photography (CUP), sequentially timed all-optical mapping photography, and single-shot femtosecond time-resolved optical polarimetry, could record the spatial–temporal three-dimensional (3D) (x,y,t) information, while both the depth (i.e., z) and spectral information were missing.”
The new novel method developed by the researchers was to use the SV-CUP combined with time of flight CUP (TOF-CUP) and hyperspectral CUP (HCUP) this system is capable of simultaneously capturing 5D information with a single snapshot measurement. So the TOF-CUP captures the 3D spatial information, and the HCUP records the temporal and spectral information. This 5D acquisition is only possible by coupling these two techniques together, made possible by the time-stamped relationship. Combining computational imaging, compressed sensing, and image processing, SV-CUP achieves the needed novel technology necessary for improved dimensionality in ultrafast optical imaging.
The Spiritual insights that we receive from this type of research actually reminds us how the Scriptures speak to us about slowing down in life to take the time to read our bibles and hear the Lord speaking to us.
ספר תהלים פרק לז
דּ֤וֹם׀ לַיהוָה֮ וְהִתְח֪וֹלֵ֫ל ל֥וֹ אַל־תִּ֭תְחַר בְּמַצְלִ֣יחַ דַּרְכּ֑וֹ בְּ֝אִ֗ישׁ עֹשֶׂ֥ה מְזִמּֽוֹת׃
Tehillim / Psalms 37:7
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
אִגֶּרֶת יוֹחָנָן הָרִאשׁוֹנָה פרק ב
וְהָעוֹלָם עוֹבֵר עִם תַּאֲווֹתָיו, אַךְ הָעוֹשֶׂה אֶת רְצוֹן אֱלֹהִים עוֹמֵד לָעַד
1 John 2:17
And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
These Scriptures are what came to mind in relation to slowing down. In Tehillim / Psalms 37:7, David writes דּ֤וֹם׀ לַיהוָה֮ וְהִתְח֪וֹלֵ֫ל ל֥וֹ “be quiet / still to the Lord and tremble before him,” and אַל־תִּ֭תְחַר בְּמַצְלִ֣יחַ דַּרְכּ֑וֹ בְּ֝אִ֗ישׁ עֹשֶׂ֥ה מְזִמּֽוֹת “do not be excited over the success of his way, by the man who does evil plans.” Here the Lord speaks to us concerning slowing down, and to reflect upon the one who created us. We also note what the Lord wrote to Moshe saying, יב וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה עֲלֵה אֵלַי הָהָרָה וֶהְיֵה-שָׁם וְאֶתְּנָה לְךָ אֶת-לֻחֹת הָאֶבֶן וְהַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוָה אֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתִּי לְהוֹרֹתָם: “ascend the mountain unto me and wait (to be there, וֶהְיֵה-שָׁם) that I give to you the tablets of stone, and the Torah, and the commandments that I wrote for your instruction.” (Shemot / Exodus 24:12) Notice how the Lord says ascend and wait using the word וֶהְיֵה-שָׁם meaning “to be there” or “wait there,” etc. Moshe was commanded to slow down and wait upon the Lord. It is easy to hurry past the words of Scripture without slowing down to reflect upon what God has to say. This is the essential truth that is being revealed to us according to Shemot / Exodus 24:12. The message in this verse is that the commandments form an integral part of Torah and we are to be patient in our faith and obedience as God leads us in the right way to conduct our lives. This is why Moshe added the words אֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתִּי לְהוֹרֹתָם, “which I wrote down in order to teach them.” This teaches us that in order to receive God’s revelation we need to slow down, pay attention, and earnestly seek Him, His ways, and His Messiah Yeshua.
If we look at the news and consider all that is going on both internationally and domestically, and even locally, we can see that we live in perilous times. We can be encouraged by what John wrote according to 1 John 2:17, וְהָעוֹלָם עוֹבֵר עִם תַּאֲווֹתָיו, אַךְ הָעוֹשֶׂה אֶת רְצוֹן אֱלֹהִים עוֹמֵד לָעַד “And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” This is all the more reason why we must pay careful attention to slowing down and seeking the Lord as those who seek God’s will (רְצוֹן אֱלֹהִים) will abide forever (עוֹמֵד לָעַד). In relation to perilous times, we note what the author of Hebrews writes according to Hebrews 2:1-4.
Hebrews 2:1-4
1 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, 3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. (NASB)
The author of Hebrews speaks of drifting away from the truth. The relative ease of drifting is due to the gradual nature of sin and its effect on one’s life via culture and our schmoozing up alongside various ideologies that are lived out on television and in this world. The author of Hebrews speaks of being anchored to the truth otherwise we would drift and literally become shipwrecks in our faith. This is why Yeshua said what he did when he asked the rhetorical question if he will find faith when he returns. (Luke 18:8) The reason being what we find here in today’s culture, the idea of just going with the flow, or to quietly give up hope, or to be comfortably numb to sin, to fall asleep and die on the inside, these things are very big dangers in our culture today. Such as ignoring God’s mercy, or to make a pretense of knowing the grace of God, to turn around and blatantly disobey His Word (the commands). Faith is the subject matter here as saying in Luke 18:8 that he will essentially return to settle all accounts as judging the lost and the saved. What these things speak to us is the urgent need to slow down and seek the Lord God Almighty, to remember, to hear, and to wake up to the reality of the times as being ever increasingly evil, and and we need to draw near to the Lord, and set the Lord always before us. (Tehillim / Psalms 16:8) This is why each day we affirm the fundamentals of our Faith, for example as we read according to the Shema, ד שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהוָ֥ה׀ אֶחָֽד׃ ה וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃ (Devarim / Deuteronomy 6:4-5, “hear oh Israel, the Lord our God is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”). Based upon the scientific research on spectral volumetric compressed ultrafast photography [1] scientists are going to great lengths in order to create technology that is capable of capturing previously unknown mechanisms in physics, chemistry, and biology. This reminds us also that we need to daily pursue our high calling in the Messiah! Just as Hosea states according to Hosea 6:3, וְנֵדְעָ֣ה נִרְדְּפָ֗ה לָדַ֙עַת֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה “Let us know; let us pursue after (נִרְדְּפָ֗ה) to know the Lord.” Notice how significant this is for us today! The Lord promises us according to Jeremiah 29:13, וּבִקַּשְׁתֶּ֥ם אֹתִ֖י וּמְצָאתֶ֑ם כִּ֥י תִדְרְשֻׁ֖נִי בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶֽם׃ “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Notice the emphasis is upon one’s motivation, to seek (תִדְרְשֻׁ֖נִי) with all of your heart (בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶֽם). The Lord God Almighty promises us that if we seek Him we will find Him and He will come to us! This verse describes the beautiful grace of God that refreshes the one who seeks Him.
