Introduction
What exactly is radiant heat? No need to worry-it has nothing to do with either ultraviolet radiation (which gives you a sunburn and damages your skin)or atomic radiation (the kind from a nuclear bomb).
Radiant heat is simply a form of energy that heats objects directly through a process called conversion,without having to heat the air in between .Radiant heat is also called Infrared Energy. The infrared segment of the electromagnetic spectrum is divided into 3 segments by wavelength measured in microns or micrometers (a micreons = 1/1,000,000 of a meter); 0.076~1.5microns=near or close; 1.5~5.6middle or intermediate; 5.6~1,000=far or long wave infrared. The infrared segment of the electromagnetic spectrum occurs just below or “infra?to red light as the next lowest energy band of light. This band of light is not visible to human eyes but can be seen by special cameras that translate infrared into colors into our eyes. We can, however, feel this type of light that we perceive as heat. Our sun produces most of its energy output in the infrared segment of the spectrum. Our atmosphere has a ”window?in it that allows IR rays in the 7-14micron range to safely reach the earth' surface. When warmed, the earth radiates infrared rays in the 7-14micron band with its peak output at 10microns.
