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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 ...
Mathematically, for the spectral power distribution of a radiant exitance or irradiance one may write: =where M(λ) is the spectral irradiance (or exitance) of the light (SI units: W/m 2 = kg·m −1 ·s −3); Φ is the radiant flux of the source (SI unit: watt, W); A is the area over which the radiant flux is integrated (SI unit: square meter, m 2); and λ is the wavelength (SI unit: meter, m).
Total solar irradiance (TSI) is a measure of the solar power over all wavelengths per unit area incident on the Earth's upper atmosphere. It is measured perpendicular to the incoming sunlight. [3] The solar constant is a conventional measure of mean TSI at a distance of one astronomical unit (AU).
Photometry (astronomy) In astronomy, photometry, from Greek photo- ("light") and -metry ("measure"), is a technique used in astronomy that is concerned with measuring the flux or intensity of light radiated by astronomical objects. [ 1 ] This light is measured through a telescope using a photometer, often made using electronic devices such as a ...
In optics, Lambert's cosine law says that the radiant intensity or luminous intensity observed from an ideal diffusely reflecting surface or ideal diffuse radiator is directly proportional to the cosine of the angle θ between the observer's line of sight and the surface normal; I = I0 cos θ. [1][2] The law is also known as the cosine emission ...
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 ...
Photometry is a branch of optics that deals with the measurement of light in terms of its perceived brightness to the human eye. [1] It is concerned with quantifying the amount of light that is emitted, transmitted, or received by an object or a system. In modern photometry, the radiant power at each wavelength is weighted by a luminosity ...
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 ...