spectrum bolometer

A spectrum bolometer is an instrument used to measure radiation by detecting temperature changes in a blackened metal strip within a resistance bridge. Invented by Samuel P. Langley in 1880, early versions used a Wheatstone bridge and a galvanometer to measure radiation intensity. Modern designs often employ platinum gratings to enhance sensitivity and compensate for temperature fluctuations, capable of detecting temperature changes as small as 0.0001° C. The spectrum bolometer specifically uses a single strip to explore the intensity distribution within a spectrum. It is essentially a combination of a spectroscope and a bolometer, also known as a spectroradiometer, for analyzing the energy distribution in a spectrum.12