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Light is said to be reflected

when the angle at which light
initially strikes a surface is
equal to the angle at which
light bounces off the same
surface.

In the diagram, light strikes a

surface at an angle "a" and
leaves at an angle "b"
(relative to that surface).
Because angle "a" is equal to
angle "b", this is an example
of reflected light.

Refraction is the bending of a

wave when it enters a medium
where it's speed is different.
The refraction of light when it
passes from a fast medium to a
slow medium bends the light
ray toward the normal to the
boundary between the two
media. The amount of bending
depends on the indices of
refraction of the two media
and is described quantitatively
by Snell’s Law.

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It turns out that any light wave can
have lots of possible orientations. It
may be vibrating in the up and down,
or maybe the side to side. This is what
we would call random polarization
because the waves are randomly
polarized.

The polarizer (invented by Polaroid)

removes all of the possible orientations
except one. We could describe a
polarizer as a "picket fence" . The
picket fence is actually a series of metal
lines within plastic or glass.

Two polarizers at right angles to each

other, will block out all orientations of
light. No light would get through.

: is the energy carried

by a photon.
Unit: Joules (J)

: is the time rate of flow

of radiant energy.
Unit: watts (W = J s )
-1

Φ = dQ = Joules = Watts
dt seconds

A derivative is the instantaneous rate of

change of a function.

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 :

Is a measure of the radiant

flux proceeding from the
source per unit solid angle in
a specified direction.

Unit: watts steradian-1

I = dΦ = watts
dω steradian

Solid Angle (ω ó Ω):

Is equal to the spherical
surface area (A) divided by
the square of the radius (r).

Unit: steradian

Ω = A/r2

Is the radiant flux per unit

solid angle in a specified
direction per unit projected
area.

Unit: watts m-2 steradians-1

L (θ,φ) = __d2Φ____
dω dS cosθ

L is a function of direction,
therefore the zenith (θ)
and azimuth (Ф)angles
must be considered.

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Is the radiance flux per unit area of a
surface.

Unit: watts m-2

E (θ,φ) = dΦ
dS

Scalar Irradiance (E0): Incident on a small

omnidirectional detector.

Downward Irradiance (Ed): Is coming from

the upper hemisphere.

Upward Irradiance (Eu): Is coming from the

lower hemisphere.

Reflectance (R): = Eu
Ed

SPECTRAL RADIANCE

SPECTRAL IRRADIANCE

COSINE COLLECTOR

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 Sample Radiation ()
R() = __________________

Reference Radiation ()

x100 = Reflectance Percent

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Is a measurement of how much
downwelling light that hits a surface is
reflected by the object.

Rrs = Lw = _upwelling radiance_

Ed downwelling irradiance

Unit: steradians-1

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Spectral Range 350 nm to 1050 nm
Internal Memory 500 scans
Channels 512
Linear Array (1) 512 Si
Bandwidth (nominal) 1.5 nm
Scan Time 5 ms and up (selectable)
FOV 4° to 23° options with fiber optic
8.3 cm x 15.2 cm x 19.7 cm
Head Size
3.25" x 6" x 7.75"
Weight 2 kg, 4.5 lbs.
Battery Type 6 Volt NiMH
Battery Life 4 hours
Digitization 16 bit
Wavelength Repeatability +0.1 nm
0.5 s integration time
400 nm: 6.0 x 10-10W · cm-2 ·nm-1· sr-1
Noise Equivalent Radiance
700 nm: 5.7 x 10-10W · cm-2 ·nm-1· sr-1
900 nm: 1.7 x 10-9 W · cm-2 ·nm-1 · sr-1
12 ms integration time
Maximum Radiance Levels
700 nm: 1.5 x 10-4W · cm-2 ·nm-1· sr-1
400nm : ± 5%
Radiometric Calibration
700nm : ± 4%
(Traceable to NIST)
1000nm : ± 5%
Dark Current Correction automatic
Spectrum Averaging selectable
Humidity to 90% RH (non-condensing)
Temperature -10° to 50°C
Sighting Laser

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