Infrared thermography (IRT), also known as thermal imaging, is a measurement and imaging technique in which a thermal camera detects infrared radiation originating from the surface of objects. This radiation has two main components: thermal emission from the object's surface, which depends on its temperature and emissivity, and reflected radiation from surrounding sources. When the object is not (fully) opaque, i.e. exhibits nonzero transmissivity at the cameras operating wavelengths, transmitted radiation also contributes to the observed signal. The result is a visible image called a thermogram. Thermal cameras most commonly operate in the long-wave infrared (LWIR) range (7–14 μm); less frequently, systems designed for the mid-wave infrared (MWIR) range (3–5 μm) are used. Since infrared radiation is emitted by all objects with a temperature above absolute zero according to the black body radiation law, thermography makes it possible to see one's environment with or without visible illumination. The amount of radiation emitted by an object increases with temperature, and thermography allows one to see variations in temperature. When viewed through a thermal imaging camera, warm objects stand out well against cooler backgrounds. For example, humans and other warm-blooded animals become easily visible against their environment in day or night. As a result, thermography is particularly useful to the military and other users of surveillance cameras.
Some physiological changes in human beings and other warm-blooded animals can also be monitored with thermal imaging during clinical diagnostics. Thermography is used in allergy detection and veterinary medicine. Some alternative medicine practitioners promote its use for breast screening, despite the FDA warning that "those who opt for this method instead of mammography may miss the chance to detect cancer at its earliest stage". Notably, government and airport personnel used thermography to detect suspected swine flu cases during the 2009 pandemic. Thermography has a long history, although its use has increased dramatically with the commercial and industrial applications of the past 50 years. Firefighters use thermography to see through smoke, to find persons, and to locate the base of a fire. Maintenance technicians use thermography to locate overheating joints and sections of power lines, which are a sign of impending failure. Building construction technicians can see thermal signatures that indicate heat leaks in faulty thermal insulation, improving the efficiency of heating and air-conditioning units. The appearance and operation of a modern thermographic camera is often similar to a camcorder. Often the live thermogram reveals temperature variations so clearly that a photograph is not necessary for analysis. A recording module is therefore not always built-in. Specialized thermal imaging cameras use focal plane arrays (FPAs) that respond to longer wavelengths (mid- and long-wavelength infrared). The most common types are InSb, InGaAs, HgCdTe and QWIP FPA. The newest technologies use low-cost, uncooled microbolometers as FPA sensors. Their resolution is considerably lower than that of optical cameras, mostly 160×120 or 320×240 pixels, and up to 1280 × 1024 for the most expensive models. Thermal imaging cameras are much more expensive than their visible-spectrum counterparts, and higher-end models are often export-restricted due to potential military uses. Older bolometers or more sensitive models such as InSb require cryogenic cooling, usually by a miniature Stirling cycle refrigerator or with liquid nitrogen.
Thermal energy
Thermal images, or thermograms, are visual displays of the total infrared energy emitted, transmitted, and reflected by an object. Because there are multiple sources of the infrared energy, it is sometimes difficult to get an accurate temperature of an object using this method. A thermal imaging camera uses processing algorithms to reconstruct a temperature image. Note that the image shows an approximation of the temperature of an object, as the camera integrates multiple sources of data in the areas surrounding the object to estimate its temperature. This phenomenon may become clearer upon consideration of the formula:
Incident Radiant Power = Emitted Radiant Power + Transmitted Radiant Power + Reflected Radiant Power; where incident radiant power is the radiant power profile when viewed through a thermal imaging camera. Emitted radiant power is generally what is intended to be measured; transmitted radiant power is the radiant power that passes through the subject from a remote thermal source, and; reflected radiant power is the amount of radiant power that reflects off the surface of the object from a remote thermal source. This phenomenon occurs everywhere, all the time. It is a process known as radiant heat exchange, since radiant power × time equals radiant energy. However, in the case of infrared thermography, the above equation is used to describe the radiant power within the spectral wavelength passband of the thermal imaging camera in use. The radiant heat exchange requirements described in the equation apply equally at every wavelength in the electromagnetic spectrum. If the object is radiating at a higher temperature than its surroundings, then power transfer takes place radiating from warm to cold following the principle stated in the second law of thermodynamics. So if there is a cool area in the thermogram, that object will be absorbing radiation emitted by surrounding warm objects. The ability of objects to emit is called emissivity, to absorb radiation is called absorptivity. Under outdoor environments, convective cooling from wind may also need to be considered when trying to get an accurate temperature reading.
Emissivity
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