Skip to content

Did You Know? Photometric Analysis in TracePro

Did You Know? Photometric Analysis in TracePro

 

 

 

Did you know TracePro gives you the ability to simulate the results for luminous flux, illuminance, intensity, and luminance. These are all photometric terms, meaning they relate to the measurement of visible light. TracePro allows you to evaluate each of these parameters.

Photometry, Fig 1

 

Luminous flux is the total amount of light emitted from a source into all directions. Luminous flux is typically measured in lumens. The Flux Report and the Irradiance/Illuminance Map in TracePro can be used to show luminous flux.

Photometry, Flux Report


Photometry, Illuminance Map

 

Illuminance is lumens per unit area. Illuminance is commonly measured in lux, or lumens per square meter. The Irradiance/Illuminance Map and the 3D Irradiance/Illuminance Map are used to evaluate illuminance in TracePro.



Photometry, Fig 3Photometry, Illuminance Map, 2


Intensity is flux into a given direction or solid angle. For visible light, intensity is measured in candela, which is lumens per steradian. TracePro uses the Candela Plots to display the intensity distributions.


Photometry, Polar IsoCandelaPhotometry, Polar Distribution

 

Finally, luminance is flux per unit area per solid angle. This is light emitted from an area into a certain angle or angular pattern. The unit for luminance is the candela per square meter, also called nits. Luminance is a critical component of many types of optical systems as luminance is what your eye sees. The Luminance Map and the Photorealistic Rendering in TracePro will show the luminance results of the simulation.

 

Photometry, 5b                Photometry, Luminance

 

TracePro can also show the results for the radiometric equivalents of these measurements, specifically, radiant flux, irradiance, radiant intensity, and radiance.