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Radiometry
 
 
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In optics
Optics

Optics is the study of the behavior and properties of light including its optical phenomena with matter and its imaging by optical instruments....
, radiometry is the field that studies the measurement
Measurement

Measurement is the process of assigning a number to an attribute according to a rule or set of rules. The term can also be used to refer to the result obtained after performing the process....
 of electromagnetic radiation
Electromagnetic radiation

Electromagnetic radiation takes the form of wave propagation waves in a vacuum or in matter. EM radiation has an electric field and magnetic field component which oscillate in phase perpendicular to each other and to the direction of energy Wave propagation....
, including visible light. Note that light is also measured using the techniques of photometry
Photometry (optics)

Photometry is the science of measurement of light, in terms of its perceived brightness to the human eye. It is distinct from radiometry, which is the science of measurement of radiant energy in terms of absolute power; rather, in photometry, the radiant power at each wavelength is weighted by a luminosity function that models human b...
, which deal with brightness as perceived by the human eye, rather than absolute power.

Radiometry is important in astronomy
Astronomy

Astronomy is the science of Astronomical object and Phenomenon that originate outside the Earth's atmosphere . It is concerned with the evolution, physics, chemistry, meteorology, and motion of celestial objects, as well as the physical cosmology....
, especially radio astronomy
Radio astronomy

Radio astronomy is a subfield of astronomy that studies Astronomical object at radio frequency. The initial detection of radio waves from an astronomical object was made in the 1930s, but subsequent advances have identified a number of different sources of radio emission....
, and is important for Earth remote sensing
Earth remote sensing

Earth remote sensing is data collection on the Natural environment, geology, climate, and other characteristics of the Earth by means of sensors positioned in the air or in Earth orbit....
. The measurement techniques categorized as radiometry in optics are called photometry
Photometry (astronomy)

Photometry is a technique of astronomy concerned with measurement the flux, or intensity of an astronomical object's electromagnetic radiation....
 in some astronomical applications, contrary to the optics usage of the term.

Spectroradiometry is the measurement of absolute radiometric quantities in narrow bands of wavelength.







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Encyclopedia


In optics
Optics

Optics is the study of the behavior and properties of light including its optical phenomena with matter and its imaging by optical instruments....
, radiometry is the field that studies the measurement
Measurement

Measurement is the process of assigning a number to an attribute according to a rule or set of rules. The term can also be used to refer to the result obtained after performing the process....
 of electromagnetic radiation
Electromagnetic radiation

Electromagnetic radiation takes the form of wave propagation waves in a vacuum or in matter. EM radiation has an electric field and magnetic field component which oscillate in phase perpendicular to each other and to the direction of energy Wave propagation....
, including visible light. Note that light is also measured using the techniques of photometry
Photometry (optics)

Photometry is the science of measurement of light, in terms of its perceived brightness to the human eye. It is distinct from radiometry, which is the science of measurement of radiant energy in terms of absolute power; rather, in photometry, the radiant power at each wavelength is weighted by a luminosity function that models human b...
, which deal with brightness as perceived by the human eye, rather than absolute power.

Radiometry is important in astronomy
Astronomy

Astronomy is the science of Astronomical object and Phenomenon that originate outside the Earth's atmosphere . It is concerned with the evolution, physics, chemistry, meteorology, and motion of celestial objects, as well as the physical cosmology....
, especially radio astronomy
Radio astronomy

Radio astronomy is a subfield of astronomy that studies Astronomical object at radio frequency. The initial detection of radio waves from an astronomical object was made in the 1930s, but subsequent advances have identified a number of different sources of radio emission....
, and is important for Earth remote sensing
Earth remote sensing

Earth remote sensing is data collection on the Natural environment, geology, climate, and other characteristics of the Earth by means of sensors positioned in the air or in Earth orbit....
. The measurement techniques categorized as radiometry in optics are called photometry
Photometry (astronomy)

Photometry is a technique of astronomy concerned with measurement the flux, or intensity of an astronomical object's electromagnetic radiation....
 in some astronomical applications, contrary to the optics usage of the term.

Spectroradiometry is the measurement of absolute radiometric quantities in narrow bands of wavelength.

See also


  • Reflectivity
    Reflectivity

    In photometry and heat transfer, reflectivity is the fraction of incident radiation Reflection by a surface. In general it must be treated as a directional property that is a function of the reflected direction, the incident direction, and the incident wavelength....


External links


  • Professor Jim Palmer's Radiometry FAQ page (University of Arizona).