Intensum

Intensum is a term that appears mainly in technical literature and in Latin-language sources, where it is used to denote the concept of total or integrated intensity of a field, signal, or phenomenon over a defined domain. The form is linked to Latin intensus, with intensum appearing in some contexts as a neuter noun that conveys the idea of an overall intensity.

In scientific usage, intensum is not a standardized technical term but is sometimes employed to describe a quantity obtained by integrating an intensity function over a region or spectrum. For example, in optics or radiometry, one may encounter the idea of an integrated or total intensity I_tot, defined as the integral of a spectral or directional intensity I(λ) or I(x) over the relevant variable. In such contexts, intensum corresponds to the accumulated energy, power, or luminous quantity across wavelengths, directions, or time, depending on the formulation.

Because intensum lacks a fixed, universally adopted definition, its precise meaning and units can vary among authors and disciplines. Some writers use intensum as a general label for “total intensity” to avoid committing to a specific observable, while others may formalize it within a given model as the result of a particular integration process.

See also: intensity, spectral intensity, radiance, irradiance, radiant flux, integration.