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Irradiance. In radiometry, irradiance is the radiant flux received by a surface per unit area. The SI unit of irradiance is the watt per square metre (W⋅m −2). The CGS unit erg per square centimetre per second (erg⋅cm −2 ⋅s −1) is often used in astronomy. Irradiance is often called intensity, but this term is avoided in radiometry ...
Irradiance is defined as power per unit area, so the solar luminosity (total power emitted by the Sun) is the irradiance received at the Earth (solar constant) multiplied by the area of the sphere whose radius is the mean distance between the Earth and the Sun: = where A is the unit distance (the value of the astronomical unit in metres) and k ...
Irradiance in space is a function of distance from the Sun, the solar cycle, and cross-cycle changes. [2] Irradiance on the Earth's surface additionally depends on the tilt of the measuring surface, the height of the Sun above the horizon, and atmospheric conditions. [3] Solar irradiance affects plant metabolism and animal behavior. [4]
A light field, or lightfield, is a vector function that describes the amount of light flowing in every direction through every point in a space. The space of all possible light rays is given by the five-dimensional plenoptic function, and the magnitude of each ray is given by its radiance. Michael Faraday was the first to propose that light ...
Pyranometer. A pyranometer (from Greek πῦρ (pyr) 'fire' and ἄνω (ano) 'above, sky') is a type of actinometer used for measuring solar irradiance on a planar surface and it is designed to measure the solar radiation flux density (W/m 2) from the hemisphere above within a wavelength range 0.3 μm to 3 μm. A typical pyranometer does not ...
The Airy disk is of importance in physics, optics, and astronomy. The diffraction pattern resulting from a uniformly illuminated, circular aperture has a bright central region, known as the Airy disk, which together with the series of concentric rings around is called the Airy pattern. Both are named after George Biddell Airy.
This glossary of astronomy is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to astronomy and cosmology, their sub-disciplines, and related fields. Astronomy is concerned with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth. The field of astronomy features an extensive vocabulary and a ...
Prominence. Solar wind. A radiation zone, or radiative region, is a layer of a star's interior where energy is primarily transported toward the exterior by means of radiative diffusion and thermal conduction, rather than by convection. [1] Energy travels through the radiation zone in the form of electromagnetic radiation as photons.