Thermal Imaging

All bodies with a temperature greater than absolute zero (0 K) emit infrared (IR) radiation. The amount of infrared radiation emitted by an object increases with increasing temperature. Infrared radiation is not visible for the human eye. However, infrared cameras have been created to capture this type of radiation to create an image (thermogram) based on the intensity of the IR radiation captured by the camera. The intensity of the thermal radiation can be correlated to the surface temperature of the object. The use of thermal imaging is large and continues to grow in many fields in industry as well as in research. For example, with the swine flu pandemic, IR cameras are being used to detect possible infected individuals in crowed places such as airports. The camera would detect potential infected people through their increased body temperature due to their fever. Here are some IR sample images I took holding a previously wetted coin (a) and, a heated circular surface being cooled by an air jet hitting on the center of the hot surface (b).

(a): Holding a previously wetted coin(b) Heated circular surface cooled by an air jet hitting on the center