A multidimensional analyzer is a device that can provide several independent measurements of a sample under study at the same time. Each independent measurement constitutes a different analysis dimension. In general, more information regarding sample properties can be obtained with multidimensional analysis methods than with a single dimension analyzer. The boxes below illustrate the advantage of multidimensional analysis. When you move your mouse over the boxes you will see an image. The only difference between these three boxes is the number of pixels (or dimensions) used to represent the image. The image is clearly recognizable when 12,288 dimensions (128 x 96 pixels) are employed. It is less recognizable when 768 dimensions are employed (32 x 24 pixels) and unrecognizable when only 48 dimensions are employed (8 x 6 pixels).

In a similar manner, the analysis of complex, multicomponent samples by using multidimensional methods provides a better "view" of the sample than single dimension techniques. The focus of our research is to employ the structure-specific, multidimensional analysis techniques of: infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography, and mass spectrometry to characterize samples. In addition to the multidimensional information derived from our infrared spectroscopic (absorbance vs. wavenumber), gas chromatographic (detector signal vs. time), and mass spectrometric (ion abundance vs. m/z value) analysis methods, we employ sample heating to provide yet another analysis dimension (sample temperature). Translating the enormous quantity of data generated by these combined analysis methods into sample property information is a problem best addressed by using chemometrics.