01-10-2010, 02:42 PM
Abstract
'Infrared Thermography' is a technology that looks at the heat signature of objects to monitor the object's state or condition. All objects emit heat (energy) waves. If an object is cold, its molecules vibrate more slowly and energy of longer wavelengths is emitted. When the temperature of the object rises, its molecules vibrate faster and the wavelength becomes shorter.
Every particular energy wavelength has a temperature associated with it. The lowest temperature that the human eye can visually detect is approx. 500 deg. Celsius. At temperatures cooler than that, the heat waves emitted are invisible and are called infrared waves.