A method of analyzing a remotely-located object includes the step of illuminating at least a portion of a targeted object with electromagnetic radiation to induce a phase transformation in the targeted object, wherein the phase transformation produces an emitter plasma, which emits terahertz radiation. The method also includes the step of ionizing a volume of an ambient gas to produce a sensor plasma by focusing an optical probe beam in the volume and the step of detecting an optical component of resultant radiation produced from an interaction of the focused optical probe beam and the terahertz radiation in the sensor plasma. Detecting an optical component of the resultant radiation emitted by the sensor plasma facilitates detection of a characteristic fingerprint of the targeted object imposed onto the terahertz radiation produced as a result of the induced phase transformation.