The goals of this experiment are to learn the various techniques in measuring emissivity and brightness temperature with a thermographic camera.

This experiment involves determining the emissivity and temperature of various materials by measuring radiation in the 8-12 micrometer range . Measurements are made by imaging the emission of objects and comparing to that of an object with known emissivity. Measurements are made of black cans containing differing temperatures of water and of various materials (aluminum, chrome, glass and others). These measurements are, however, complicated by ambient radiation, and require the use of liquid nitrogen as a low temperature background.

Left: Two black cans, side by side, contain tap water (left) and hot water (right). The brightness of the cans indicate power radiated in the 8-12 um wavelength range.

Right: This is an image of a horizontal slice of brightness temperature of the two cans at left.

Images by Kathy Nicol