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| title | chunk | source | category | tags | date_saved | instance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attenuation | 3/3 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attenuation | reference | science, encyclopedia | 2026-05-05T10:54:38.322362+00:00 | kb-cron |
=== Applications === In optical fibers, attenuation is the rate at which the signal light decreases in intensity. For this reason, glass fiber (which has a low attenuation) is used for long-distance fiber optic cables; plastic fiber has a higher attenuation and, hence, shorter range. There also exist optical attenuators that decrease the signal in a fiber optic cable intentionally. Attenuation of light is also important in physical oceanography. This same effect is an important consideration in weather radar, as raindrops absorb a part of the emitted beam that is more or less significant, depending on the wavelength used. Due to the damaging effects of high-energy photons, it is necessary to know how much energy is deposited in tissue during diagnostic treatments involving such radiation. In addition, gamma radiation is used in cancer treatments where it is important to know how much energy will be deposited in healthy and in tumorous tissue. In computer graphics attenuation defines the local or global influence of light sources and force fields.
=== Radio ===
Attenuation is an important consideration in the modern world of wireless telecommunications. Attenuation limits the range of radio signals and is affected by the materials a signal must travel through (e.g., air, wood, concrete, rain). See the article on path loss for more information on signal loss in wireless communication.
== See also ==
== References ==
== External links == NIST's XAAMDI: X-Ray Attenuation and Absorption for Materials of Dosimetric Interest Database NIST's XCOM: Photon Cross Sections Database NIST's FAST: Attenuation and Scattering Tables Underwater Radio Communication