8/15/2020 Radiant flux - Wikipedia

Radiant flux
In radiometry, radiant flux or radiant power is the radiant energy emitted, reflected, transmitted or
received, per unit time, and spectral flux or spectral power is the radiant flux per unit frequency or
wavelength, depending on whether the spectrum is taken as a function of frequency or of wavelength.
The SI unit of radiant flux is the watt (W), that is the joule per second (J/s) in SI base units, while that of
spectral flux in frequency is the watt per hertz (W/Hz) and that of spectral flux in wavelength is the watt
per metre (W/m)—commonly the watt per nanometre (W/nm).

Contents
Mathematical definitions
Radiant flux
Spectral flux
Relationship with the Poynting vector
SI radiometry units
See also
References
Further reading

Mathematical definitions

Radiant flux

Radiant flux, denoted Φe ("e" for "energetic", to avoid confusion with photometric quantities), is
defined as[1]

where

∂ is the partial derivative symbol;

Qe is the radiant energy emitted, reflected, transmitted or received;
t is the time.

Spectral flux

Spectral flux in frequency, denoted Φe,ν, is defined as[1]

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where ν is the frequency.

Spectral flux in wavelength, denoted Φe,λ, is defined as[1]

where λ is the wavelength.

Relationship with the Poynting vector

One can show that the radiant flux of a surface is the flux of the Poynting vector through this surface,
hence the name "radiant flux":

where

Σ is the surface;
S is the Poynting vector;
n is a unit normal vector to that surface;
A is the area of that surface;
α is the angle between n and S.

But the time-average of the norm of the Poynting vector is used instead, because in radiometry it is the
only quantity that radiation detectors are able to measure:

where < • > is the time-average.

SI radiometry units

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SI radiometry units
Quantity Unit Dimension
Notes
Name Symbol[nb 1] Name Symbol Symbol

Energy of
Radiant energy Qe[nb 2] joule J M⋅L2⋅T−2 electromagnetic
radiation.
Radiant energy per
Radiant energy density we joule per cubic metre J/m3 M⋅L−1⋅T−2
unit volume.
Radiant energy
emitted, reflected,
transmitted or
received, per unit
Radiant flux Φe[nb 2] watt W = J/s M⋅L2⋅T−3
time. This is
sometimes also
called "radiant
power".
Radiant flux per unit
Φe,ν[nb 3] watt per hertz W/Hz M⋅L2⋅T−2 frequency or
wavelength. The
Spectral flux latter is commonly
Φe,λ[nb 4] watt per metre W/m M⋅L⋅T−3 measured in
W⋅nm−1.

Radiant flux emitted,

reflected, transmitted
Radiant intensity Ie,Ω[nb 5] watt per steradian W/sr M⋅L2⋅T−3 or received, per unit
solid angle. This is a
directional quantity.
Radiant intensity per
watt per steradian per
Ie,Ω,ν[nb 3] W⋅sr−1⋅Hz−1 M⋅L2⋅T−2 unit frequency or
hertz wavelength. The
Spectral intensity latter is commonly
measured in
watt per steradian per
Ie,Ω,λ[nb 4] W⋅sr−1⋅m−1 M⋅L⋅T−3 W⋅sr−1⋅nm−1. This is
metre
a directional quantity.
Radiant flux emitted,
reflected, transmitted
or received by a
surface, per unit
solid angle per unit
watt per steradian per
Radiance Le,Ω[nb 5] W⋅sr−1⋅m−2 M⋅T−3 projected area. This
square metre
is a directional
quantity. This is
sometimes also
confusingly called
"intensity".
Spectral radiance Radiance of a
surface per unit
watt per steradian per frequency or
Le,Ω,ν[nb 3] square metre per W⋅sr−1⋅m−2⋅Hz−1 M⋅T−2 wavelength. The
hertz latter is commonly
measured in
W⋅sr−1⋅m−2⋅nm−1.
Le,Ω,λ[nb 4] watt per steradian per W⋅sr−1⋅m−3 M⋅L−1⋅T−3 This is a directional
square metre, per quantity. This is
metre sometimes also

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confusingly called
"spectral intensity".
Radiant flux received
by a surface per unit
Irradiance area. This is
Ee[nb 2] watt per square metre W/m2 M⋅T−3
Flux density sometimes also
confusingly called
"intensity".
watt per square metre Irradiance of a
Ee,ν[nb 3] W⋅m−2⋅Hz−1 M⋅T−2
per hertz surface per unit
frequency or
wavelength. This is
sometimes also
confusingly called
"spectral intensity".
Spectral irradiance Non-SI units of
Spectral flux density spectral flux density
watt per square
Ee,λ[nb 4] W/m3 M⋅L−1⋅T−3 include jansky (1 Jy
metre, per metre =
10−26 W⋅m−2⋅Hz−1)
and solar flux unit
(1 sfu =
10−22 W⋅m−2⋅Hz−1 =
104 Jy).
Radiant flux leaving
(emitted, reflected
and transmitted by) a
Radiosity Je[nb 2] watt per square metre W/m2 M⋅T−3 surface per unit area.
This is sometimes
also confusingly
called "intensity".
Radiosity of a
watt per square metre surface per unit
Je,ν[nb 3] W⋅m−2⋅Hz−1 M⋅T−2 frequency or
per hertz
wavelength. The
latter is commonly
Spectral radiosity measured in
W⋅m−2⋅nm−1. This is
watt per square
Je,λ[nb 4] W/m3 M⋅L−1⋅T−3 sometimes also
metre, per metre confusingly called
"spectral intensity".
Radiant flux emitted
by a surface per unit
area. This is the
emitted component
of radiosity. "Radiant
Radiant exitance Me[nb 2] watt per square metre W/m2 M⋅T−3
emittance" is an old
term for this quantity.
This is sometimes
also confusingly
called "intensity".
Spectral exitance Radiant exitance of a
surface per unit
watt per square metre frequency or
Me,ν[nb 3] W⋅m−2⋅Hz−1 M⋅T−2 wavelength. The
per hertz
latter is commonly
measured in
W⋅m−2⋅nm−1.
Me,λ[nb 4] watt per square W/m3 M⋅L−1⋅T−3 "Spectral emittance"
metre, per metre is an old term for this
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quantity. This is
sometimes also
confusingly called
"spectral intensity".
Radiant energy
received by a
surface per unit area,
or equivalently
irradiance of a
joule per square
Radiant exposure He J/m2 M⋅T−2 surface integrated
metre
over time of
irradiation. This is
sometimes also
called "radiant
fluence".
joule per square Radiant exposure of
He,ν[nb 3] J⋅m−2⋅Hz−1 M⋅T−1
metre per hertz a surface per unit
frequency or
wavelength. The
latter is commonly
Spectral exposure measured in
joule per square
He,λ[nb 4] J/m3 M⋅L−1⋅T−2 J⋅m−2⋅nm−1. This is
metre, per metre
sometimes also
called "spectral
fluence".
Radiant exitance of a
surface, divided by
Hemispherical that of a black body
ε N/A 1
emissivity at the same
temperature as that
surface.
Spectral exitance of
εν a surface, divided by
Spectral hemispherical that of a black body
 or N/A 1
emissivity at the same
ελ
temperature as that
surface.
Radiance emitted by
a surface, divided by
that emitted by a
Directional emissivity εΩ N/A 1
black body at the
same temperature as
that surface.
Spectral radiance
εΩ,ν emitted by a surface,
Spectral directional divided by that of a
 or N/A 1
emissivity black body at the
εΩ,λ
same temperature as
that surface.
Radiant flux
absorbed by a
surface, divided by
Hemispherical
A N/A 1 that received by that
absorptance
surface. This should
not be confused with
"absorbance".
Spectral hemispherical Aν N/A 1 Spectral flux
absorptance  or absorbed by a
Aλ surface, divided by
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that received by that
surface. This should
not be confused with
"spectral
absorbance".
Radiance absorbed
by a surface, divided
by the radiance
Directional
AΩ N/A 1 incident onto that
absorptance
surface. This should
not be confused with
"absorbance".
Spectral radiance
absorbed by a
surface, divided by
AΩ,ν the spectral radiance
Spectral directional
 or N/A 1 incident onto that
absorptance
AΩ,λ surface. This should
not be confused with
"spectral
absorbance".
Radiant flux reflected
Hemispherical by a surface, divided
R N/A 1
reflectance by that received by
that surface.
Spectral flux
Rν reflected by a
Spectral hemispherical
 or N/A 1 surface, divided by
reflectance
Rλ that received by that
surface.
Radiance reflected
by a surface, divided
Directional reflectance RΩ N/A 1
by that received by
that surface.
Spectral radiance
RΩ,ν reflected by a
Spectral directional
 or N/A 1 surface, divided by
reflectance
RΩ,λ that received by that
surface.
Radiant flux
transmitted by a
Hemispherical
T N/A 1 surface, divided by
transmittance
that received by that
surface.
Spectral flux
Tν transmitted by a
Spectral hemispherical
 or N/A 1 surface, divided by
transmittance
Tλ that received by that
surface.
Radiance transmitted
Directional by a surface, divided
TΩ N/A 1
transmittance by that received by
that surface.
Spectral directional TΩ,ν N/A 1 Spectral radiance
transmittance  or transmitted by a
TΩ,λ surface, divided by
that received by that
surface.
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Radiant flux
absorbed and
scattered by a
Hemispherical
attenuation coefficient
μ reciprocal metre m−1 L−1 volume per unit
length, divided by
that received by that
volume.
Spectral radiant flux
absorbed and
μν scattered by a
Spectral hemispherical
attenuation coefficient
 or reciprocal metre m−1 L−1 volume per unit
μλ length, divided by
that received by that
volume.
Radiance absorbed
and scattered by a
Directional attenuation volume per unit
μΩ reciprocal metre m−1 L−1
coefficient length, divided by
that received by that
volume.
Spectral radiance
absorbed and
μΩ,ν scattered by a
Spectral directional
attenuation coefficient
 or reciprocal metre m−1 L−1 volume per unit
μΩ,λ length, divided by
that received by that
volume.
See also: SI · Radiometry · Photometry

1. Standards organizations recommend that radiometric quantities should be denoted with suffix "e" (for
"energetic") to avoid confusion with photometric or photon quantities.
2. Alternative symbols sometimes seen: W or E for radiant energy, P or F for radiant flux, I for
irradiance, W for radiant exitance.
3. Spectral quantities given per unit frequency are denoted with suffix "ν" (Greek)—not to be confused
with suffix "v" (for "visual") indicating a photometric quantity.
4. Spectral quantities given per unit wavelength are denoted with suffix "λ" (Greek).
5. Directional quantities are denoted with suffix "Ω" (Greek).

See also
Luminous flux
Heat flux
Power (physics)
Radiosity (heat transfer)

References
1. "Thermal insulation — Heat transfer by radiation — Physical quantities and definitions" (http://www.is
o.org/iso/home/store/catalogue_tc/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=16943). ISO 9288:1989. ISO
catalogue. 1989. Retrieved 2015-03-15.

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Further reading
Boyd, Robert (1983). Radiometry and the Detection of Optical Radiation (Pure & Applied Optics
Series) (https://www.amazon.com/Radiometry-Detection-Optical-Radiation-Applied/dp/047186188X/r
ef=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313084491&sr=1-1). Wiley-Interscience. ISBN 978-0-471-
86188-1.

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