The fraction of the energy of electromagnetic radiation reflected from a body (or
surface) relative to the energy incident upon it. The reflection of light from a surface
is, of course, dependent on the
wavelength of the light, the nature of the surface and its
angle of incidence with the surface. The term albedo usually connotes a broad
wavelength band (visible, ultraviolet or
infrared), whereas the terms reflectivity and spectral albedo are used to describe the reflection
of monochromatic (single
wavelength or small band of wavelengths) radiation.
Source:
PAC, 1990, 62, 2167
(Glossary of atmospheric chemistry terms (Recommendations 1990))
on page 2173
Cite as:
IUPAC. Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the "Gold Book"). Compiled by
A. D. McNaught and A.Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford (1997).
XML on-line corrected version: http://goldbook.iupac.org (2006-) created by M. Nic,
J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN 0-9678550-9-8.
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.
