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03-Some Definitions in Radiometry PDF
03-Some Definitions in Radiometry PDF
Sensors on board aircraft or satellites measure and usually quantify the energy received
whereas eyes or photographic plates are merely analog receivers. A measurement unit
system is therefore required and this shall be defined here.
The direction of a line through any point on the Earth's surface is defined by 2 angles:
the zenith angle , between the zenith (point on the celestial sphere located on the observer's
ascending vertical) and the direction observed,
the azimuth angle between the North (on the local meridian) and the projection of the line
on the Earth's surface.
A solid angle d delimits a cone in space: d = dS / r2 (in steradians, Sr) where dS is the
area cut by the cone over a sphere of radius r the center of which is at the apex of the
cone (see figure 4).
The solid angle corresponding to all the space around a point equals 4 Sr. The solid
angle of a revolving cone for which the plane half-angle at the apex is a equals: = 2 (1 -
cos ) Sr.
For an observer on Earth, the half-space formed by the celestial arch (in other words an
hemisphere) therefore corresponds to 2 Sr ( = 90).
Definitions on sources
a) Point source
Intensity: intensity is the power emitted by a point source A per solid angle
unit.
If the intensity is the same in all directions, the source is called isotropic.
Whenever a source does not have the same power in all directions it is said
to be anisotropic.
This notion is rarely used in remote sensing, as the Earth's surface observed
by satellite is not a point source.
b) Extended source
Radiance: radiance (L) is the power emitted (dW) per unit of the solid angle
(d) and per unit of the projected surface (ds cos) of an extended
widespread source in a given direction ().
M = dW / dS (in W.m-2)
M=L
d2W / dS = L cos d
i.e.: dW / dS = M = L cos d
Now the element of the solid angle d under which the surface element of a
sphere delimited by directions (, ) ( + d, ) ( + d, + d) and ( , +
d) is:
d = sin d d
Hence the integration over an hemisphere is expressed as follows:
2
/2
cos sin d
M = L d
0
0
As the first integral equals 2 and the second 1/2, the result is:
M = L
Definitions on objects
Irradiance: this is the power received per surface unit from all directions of a
half space (hemisphere).
E = dW / dS (in W.m-2)
The element of the Earth's surface ds receives an irradiance E from the
upper half space and acts for the sensor as a source of radiance L along a
direction .
Remarks:
Why is radiance defined as "directional" and irradiance as "hemispheric" ?
the sensor receives energy radiated by the source dS along a specific direction. Radiance is
therefore directional;
irradiance of the Earth's surface in the visible range is caused by the Sun. As the latter has a
precise position on the celestial arch, we could be led to think irradiance is directional here.
This is not at all the case for a simple reason: through the atmosphere which scatters sunlight
(more details will be given on scattering later), visible radiation reaches us not only from the
direction of the Sun but also from all directions in the upper hemisphere. This is why we can
see clearly along a shady street. Consequently, solar irradiance is the sum of all direct and
diffuse irradiance and is therefore hemispheric.
All the previous definitions can be given for a narrow wavelength range
centered around . They can be noted that:
L(), M(), E( ).
Summary of Radiometric Terms
Radiant flux (W): the amount of radiant energy emitted,
transmitted, or received per unit time.
Radiant flux density (W/m2): radiant flux per unit area
Irradiance (W/m2): radiant flux density incident on a surface
Radiant spectral flux density (W m-2 mm-1): radiant flux density
per unit of wavelength interval.
Radiant intensity (W/sr): flux emanating from a surface per unit
solid angle.
Radiance (W m-2 sr-1): radiant flux density emanating from a
surface per unit solid angle
Spectral radiance (W m-2 sr-1 mm-1): radiance per unit wavelength
interval.
Radiant emittance (W/m2): radiant flux density emitted by a
surface.
Summary of radiometric terms