The invention relates to a device and a method for remotely determining the impulse response of an object irradiated by a pulse train with low-intensity pulses of electromagnetic radiation. A complete representation of the pulse train transmitted towards the object is known in advance, and a convolution between the signal representation of the pulse train and the signal of the detected response from the object is performed, which provides a signal representation of the impulse response. Said signal representation can then be used, e.g., to analyze possible defects in the structure of the object.