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LectureNotes8

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sahaniarun542
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Babu Banarasi Das National Institute of Technology & Management

Sensor and Instrumentation KOE034

Lecture Notes

Faculty : Shivam Dixit Course : B.Tech – CSE 3 Semester

Thermal Image

A thermal image (thermogram) is a digital representation of a scene and a measure of the


thermal radiation emitted by the pictured objects. Thermal images are captured via
thermographic cameras, which are devices capable of sensing this radiation in the form of
infrared light. A thermal image allows us to remotely sense the temperature of an object or at
least accurately tell its temperature relative to its environment. This is useful as it allows us to
essentially "see" in the dark as well as perceive the temperatures of many objects remotely.

Thermal Radiation

All matter above absolute zero (−459.67°F) emits electromagnetic radiation as a function of its
temperature. This property is referred to as blackbody radiation. Around room temperature,
most objects emit this radiation at infrared wavelengths. As their temperature increases,
objects begin to emit light in the visible spectrum, beginning with a dim red glow before
reaching a white hot (which means it's covering most of the visible spectrum) and eventually
releasing most of that energy in ultraviolet wavelengths and beyond.
Bolometer

In a basic sense, a bolometer is a simple sensor that absorbs thermal radiation, and changes
resistance as a result. This change in resistance can be electrically measured, and the incident
radiation (which should be a function of the object's temperature) can be determined. A
bolometer is a large thing, so in this case, the small array of sensors in the cameras are
microbolometers.

Components of a Thermal Imaging Camera

What are the thermal properties of the thing we are trying to measure? This depends on a
few factors:

1. Absorption

Different materials absorb certain wavelengths of light at varying levels, affecting their
thermal energy. Understanding absorption is relevant for the other factors influencing the
radiation detected by the camera.

2. Transmission

Materials transmit certain wavelengths of light as well, absorbing some, reflecting others. Since
no object is detected alone and in a vacuum, other sources of EM radiation will possibly be
transmitted through the subject and into the camera as well.
3. Emission

For a given temperature, different materials emit thermal radiation at widely varying levels. For
example, aluminium is highly emissive, while wood is an ineffective emitter. This property
roughly correlates to electrical conductivity, while not a precise relationship, it is an easier way
to remember and have a sense for how emissive an object is. This is one of the most important
properties to recognize, as understanding that for a given equivalent temperature two
dissimilar (in composition) materials will appear to be at different temperatures!

4. Reflectivity

All EM radiation can be reflected as well. Depending on the surface conditions of an object as
well as its reflectivity, other sources of EM radiation may bounce off the subject and strike the
camera sensors, which, being indistinguishable from the directly emitted radiation from the
subject, will skew the thermal image as well.

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