NPL — National Physical Laboratory

Snapshot

Why it matters internationally

NPL is the United Kingdom’s national metrology institute, and it anchors emissivity in the international comparison infrastructure: NPL was the pilot laboratory of the CCT Supplementary Comparison S1 of infrared spectral normal emissivity (2–14 µm, 23–800 °C), with NMIJ, LNE, NIST, INRIM and PTB as participants. Comparisons of this kind are what make emissivity values measured in different countries mutually trustworthy.

Scope of activity

Radiative properties measured

Infrared spectral normal emissivity · radiation thermometry · land-surface temperature and emissivity.

Capability envelope

• CCT-S1 comparison scope: spectral normal emissivity, 2–14 µm, 23–800 °C.
• Earth observation: laboratory calibration and field measurement of land-surface temperature and emissivity, linking laboratory radiometry to satellite retrieval.

Application domains

Non-contact thermometry · Earth observation and climate measurement · radiometric calibration and standards.

External sources

• Why is emissivity important? — NPL
• CCT-S1 final report — Metrologia (PMC)
• Land-surface temperature and emissivity — NPL eprints