MarketSpectral resolution
Company Profile

Spectral resolution

The spectral resolution of a spectrograph, or, more generally, of a frequency spectrum, is a measure of its ability to resolve features in the electromagnetic spectrum. It is usually denoted by , and is closely related to the resolving power of the spectrograph, defined as where is the smallest difference in wavelengths that can be distinguished at a wavelength of . For example, the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) can distinguish features 0.17 nm apart at a wavelength of 1000 nm, giving it a resolution of 0.17 nm and a resolving power of about 5,900. An example of a high resolution spectrograph is the Cryogenic High-Resolution IR Echelle Spectrograph (CRIRES+) installed at ESO's Very Large Telescope, which has a spectral resolving power of up to 100,000.

Doppler effect
The spectral resolution can also be expressed in terms of physical quantities, such as velocity; then it describes the difference between velocities \Delta v that can be distinguished through the Doppler effect. Then, the resolution is \Delta v and the resolving power is R = \frac{c}{\Delta v}, where c is the speed of light. The STIS example above then has a spectral resolution of 51. ==IUPAC definition==
IUPAC definition
IUPAC defines resolution in optical spectroscopy as the minimum wavenumber, wavelength or frequency difference between two lines in a spectrum that can be distinguished. Resolving power, R, is given by the transition wavenumber, wavelength or frequency, divided by the resolution. ==See also==
tickerdossier.comtickerdossier.substack.com