Stand-off detection of ethanol gas in turbulent state using a 1.7 μm/1.5 μm near-infrared spectroscopy system

•Concentration of the ethanol gas at simulated turbulence channel was detected.•Differential optical absorption spectroscopy based on a 1.7 μm/1.5 μm dual-band switched fiber laser was used to stand-off detection of ethanol gas.•The R-Square and residual sum of squares of the experimental results were 0.83 and 4.19.•The measuring range of the approach was estimated up to 32 ppm.