Quantity
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Unit
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Dimension
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Notes
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Name
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Symbol[nb 1]
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Name
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Symbol
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Symbol
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Radiant energy
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Qe[nb 2]
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joule
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J
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M⋅L2⋅T−2
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Energy of electromagnetic radiation.
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Radiant energy density
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we
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joule per cubic metre
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J/m3
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M⋅L−1⋅T−2
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Radiant energy per unit volume.
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Radiant flux
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Φe[nb 2]
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watt
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W or J/s
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M⋅L2⋅T−3
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Radiant energy emitted, reflected, transmitted or received, per unit time. This is sometimes also called "radiant power".
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Spectral flux
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Φe,ν[nb 3] or Φe,λ[nb 4]
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watt per hertz or watt per metre
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W/Hz or W/m
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M⋅L2⋅T−2 or M⋅L⋅T−3
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Radiant flux per unit frequency or wavelength. The latter is commonly measured in W⋅sr−1⋅m−2⋅nm−1.
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Radiant intensity
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Ie,Ω[nb 5]
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watt per steradian
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W/sr
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M⋅L2⋅T−3
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Radiant flux emitted, reflected, transmitted or received, per unit solid angle. This is a directional quantity.
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Spectral intensity
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Ie,Ω,ν[nb 3] or Ie,Ω,λ[nb 4]
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watt per steradian per hertz or watt per steradian per metre
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W⋅sr−1⋅Hz−1 or W⋅sr−1⋅m−1
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M⋅L2⋅T−2 or M⋅L⋅T−3
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Radiant intensity per unit frequency or wavelength. The latter is commonly measured in W⋅sr−1⋅m−2⋅nm−1. This is a directional quantity.
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Radiance
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Le,Ω[nb 5]
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watt per steradian per square metre
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W⋅sr−1⋅m−2
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M⋅T−3
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Radiant flux emitted, reflected, transmitted or received by a surface, per unit solid angle per unit projected area. This is a directional quantity. This is sometimes also confusingly called "intensity".
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Spectral radiance
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Le,Ω,ν[nb 3] or Le,Ω,λ[nb 4]
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watt per steradian per square metre per hertz or watt per steradian per square metre, per metre
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W⋅sr−1⋅m−2⋅Hz−1 or W⋅sr−1⋅m−3
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M⋅T−2 or M⋅L−1⋅T−3
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Radiance of a surface per unit frequency or wavelength. The latter is commonly measured in W⋅sr−1⋅m−2⋅nm−1. This is a directional quantity. This is sometimes also confusingly called "spectral intensity".
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Irradiance
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Ee[nb 2]
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watt per square metre
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W/m2
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M⋅T−3
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Radiant flux received by a surface per unit area. This is sometimes also confusingly called "intensity".
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Spectral irradiance
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Ee,ν[nb 3] or Ee,λ[nb 4]
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watt per square metre per hertz or watt per square metre, per metre
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W⋅m−2⋅Hz−1 or W/m3
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M⋅T−2 or M⋅L−1⋅T−3
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Irradiance of a surface per unit frequency or wavelength. The terms spectral flux density or more confusingly "spectral intensity" are also used. Non-SI units of spectral irradiance include Jansky = 10−26 W⋅m−2⋅Hz−1 and solar flux unit (1SFU = 10−22 W⋅m−2⋅Hz−1).
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Radiosity
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Je[nb 2]
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watt per square metre
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W/m2
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M⋅T−3
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Radiant flux leaving (emitted, reflected and transmitted by) a surface per unit area. This is sometimes also confusingly called "intensity".
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Spectral radiosity
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Je,ν[nb 3] or Je,λ[nb 4]
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watt per square metre per hertz or watt per square metre, per metre
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W⋅m−2⋅Hz−1 or W/m3
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M⋅T−2 or M⋅L−1⋅T−3
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Radiosity of a surface per unit frequency or wavelength. The latter is commonly measured in W⋅m−2⋅nm−1. This is sometimes also confusingly called "spectral intensity".
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Radiant exitance
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Me[nb 2]
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watt per square metre
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W/m2
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M⋅T−3
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Radiant flux emitted by a surface per unit area. This is the emitted component of radiosity. "Radiant emittance" is an old term for this quantity. This is sometimes also confusingly called "intensity".
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Spectral exitance
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Me,ν[nb 3] or Me,λ[nb 4]
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watt per square metre per hertz or watt per square metre, per metre
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W⋅m−2⋅Hz−1 or W/m3
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M⋅T−2 or M⋅L−1⋅T−3
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Radiant exitance of a surface per unit frequency or wavelength. The latter is commonly measured in W⋅m−2⋅nm−1. "Spectral emittance" is an old term for this quantity. This is sometimes also confusingly called "spectral intensity".
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Radiant exposure
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He
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joule per square metre
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J/m2
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M⋅T−2
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Radiant energy received by a surface per unit area, or equivalently irradiance of a surface integrated over time of irradiation. This is sometimes also called "radiant fluence".
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Spectral exposure
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He,ν[nb 3] or He,λ[nb 4]
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joule per square metre per hertz or joule per square metre, per metre
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J⋅m−2⋅Hz−1 or J/m3
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M⋅T−1 or M⋅L−1⋅T−2
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Radiant exposure of a surface per unit frequency or wavelength. The latter is commonly measured in J⋅m−2⋅nm−1. This is sometimes also called "spectral fluence".
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Hemispherical emissivity
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ε
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|
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1
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Radiant exitance of a surface, divided by that of a black body at the same temperature as that surface.
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Spectral hemispherical emissivity
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εν or ελ
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|
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1
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Spectral exitance of a surface, divided by that of a black body at the same temperature as that surface.
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Directional emissivity
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εΩ
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|
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1
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Radiance emitted by a surface, divided by that emitted by a black body at the same temperature as that surface.
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Spectral directional emissivity
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εΩ,ν or εΩ,λ
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|
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1
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Spectral radiance emitted by a surface, divided by that of a black body at the same temperature as that surface.
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Hemispherical absorptance
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A
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|
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1
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Radiant flux absorbed by a surface, divided by that received by that surface. This should not be confused with "absorbance".
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Spectral hemispherical absorptance
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Aν or Aλ
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|
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1
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Spectral flux absorbed by a surface, divided by that received by that surface. This should not be confused with "spectral absorbance".
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Directional absorptance
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AΩ
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|
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1
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Radiance absorbed by a surface, divided by the radiance incident onto that surface. This should not be confused with "absorbance".
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Spectral directional absorptance
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AΩ,ν or AΩ,λ
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|
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1
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Spectral radiance absorbed by a surface, divided by the spectral radiance incident onto that surface. This should not be confused with "spectral absorbance".
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Hemispherical reflectance
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R
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|
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1
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Radiant flux reflected by a surface, divided by that received by that surface.
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Spectral hemispherical reflectance
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Rν or Rλ
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|
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1
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Spectral flux reflected by a surface, divided by that received by that surface.
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Directional reflectance
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RΩ
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|
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1
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Radiance reflected by a surface, divided by that received by that surface.
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Spectral directional reflectance
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RΩ,ν or RΩ,λ
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|
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1
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Spectral radiance reflected by a surface, divided by that received by that surface.
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Hemispherical transmittance
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T
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|
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1
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Radiant flux transmitted by a surface, divided by that received by that surface.
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Spectral hemispherical transmittance
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Tν or Tλ
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|
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1
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Spectral flux transmitted by a surface, divided by that received by that surface.
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Directional transmittance
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TΩ
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|
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1
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Radiance transmitted by a surface, divided by that received by that surface.
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Spectral directional transmittance
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TΩ,ν or TΩ,λ
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|
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1
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Spectral radiance transmitted by a surface, divided by that received by that surface.
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Hemispherical attenuation coefficient
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μ
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reciprocal metre
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m−1
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L−1
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Radiant flux absorbed and scattered by a volume per unit length, divided by that received by that volume.
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Spectral hemispherical attenuation coefficient
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μν or μλ
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reciprocal metre
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m−1
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L−1
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Spectral radiant flux absorbed and scattered by a volume per unit length, divided by that received by that volume.
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Directional attenuation coefficient
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μΩ
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reciprocal metre
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m−1
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L−1
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Radiance absorbed and scattered by a volume per unit length, divided by that received by that volume.
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Spectral directional attenuation coefficient
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μΩ,ν or μΩ,λ
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reciprocal metre
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m−1
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L−1
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Spectral radiance absorbed and scattered by a volume per unit length, divided by that received by that volume.
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See also: SI · Radiometry · Photometry
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