ljustransport

Ljustransport is a term used in Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish to describe the propagation of light through a medium or space. It encompasses the study of how electromagnetic radiation travels, interacts with matter, and transfers energy. In a broader sense, ljustransport covers phenomena such as refraction, reflection, scattering, absorption, and interference as light propagates.

Theoretical frameworks include Maxwell's equations, which describe light as electromagnetic waves; ray optics (Fermat's principle, Snell's law) for macroscopic paths; wave optics for interference and diffraction; and radiative transfer theory for energy transport in scattering and absorbing media. Computational methods such as ray-tracing and Monte Carlo simulations are used to predict light propagation in complex geometries.

Key parameters include the refractive index n, the scattering coefficient μs, the absorption coefficient μa, and the phase function. The transport properties are often summarized by the reduced scattering coefficient μs' and the diffusion approximation for highly scattering media. In practical contexts, ljustransport informs design of optical devices, imaging systems, solar cells, and biomedical imaging modalities like diffuse optical tomography.

In academia, ljustransport appears in physics, engineering, and applied sciences contexts, with research spanning fundamental optics to applied photonics. The term highlights cross-disciplinary approaches to understanding how light energy is redistributed as it traverses materials and interfaces.