Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 15, 2026

Characterization of Biological Absorption Spectra Spanning the Visible to the Short-Wave Infrared
Published on: January 10, 2025
Ultraviolet (250-550 nm) absorption spectrum of pure water
Abstract:
Data for the spectral light absorption of pure water from 250 to 550 nm have been obtained using an integrating cavity made from a newly developed diffuse reflector with a very high UV reflectivity. The data provide the first scattering-independent measurements of absorption coefficients in the spectral gap between well-established literature values for the absorption coefficients in the visible (>400 nm) and UV (<200 nm). A minimum in the absorption coefficient has been observed in the UV at 344 nm; the value is 0.000811±0.000227 m-1.
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