continuouswavelength

Continuouswavelength describes a spectrum that contains a broad, uninterrupted range of wavelengths, rather than discrete spectral lines. In optics and spectroscopy the standard term is continuous spectrum, while continuouswavelength is used informally to refer to the property of a spectrum spanning a continuum of wavelengths.

Such spectra arise from sources that emit across many energies. Blackbody radiation, such as that from an incandescent filament or the Sun, produces a smooth distribution of intensity versus wavelength. Dense forests of atomic or molecular transitions can also appear continuous if the lines are so closely spaced that they merge into a smooth curve. The appearance of a continuous spectrum means the measured intensity varies gradually with wavelength without distinct gaps.

In contrast, a line spectrum consists of emission lines at specific wavelengths with little or no emission in between. Absorption features can modify a continuous spectrum, appearing as dips where light at particular wavelengths is absorbed by a medium through which the light travels.

Measuring continuous spectra involves instruments such as spectrometers and spectrophotometers that span a range of wavelengths. The observed continuity depends on spectral resolution; insufficient resolution can blur nearby features, making a spectrum appear more continuous than it truly is.

Applications of continuous spectra include characterizing light sources, determining the spectral energy distribution of objects in astronomy, material analysis, and colorimetry. While the term continuouswavelength may appear in informal discussions, the conventional terminology is a continuous spectrum.