Radiant energy ($Q_{\mathrm{e}}$)

Radiant energy is the amount of energy emitted, transferred or received as electromagnetic radiation. It is measured in joules. For the specified beam or collection of rays crossing a boundary,where radiant flux ${\Phi }_{\mathrm{e}}$ is radiation power. The receiving geometry and time interval are part of the statement; dividing by a receiving area produces radiant exposure, rather than another total energy.^[ref]

For an original passive-optic example, stipulate $5.0\mathrm{mJ}$ incident during an interval, with no remaining change of stored energy afterward. Suppose $3.0\mathrm{mJ}$ is transmitted, $1.25\mathrm{mJ}$ reflected and $0.75\mathrm{mJ}$ absorbed. Their sum is the incoming $5.0\mathrm{mJ}$. A detector collecting only the transmitted path receives $3.0\mathrm{mJ}$, even though the source supplied more. This radiometric energy balance specifies the collection boundary instead of equating every energy readout in the apparatus.

A thermal detector converts absorbed radiation into an observable temperature response; a calibrated model relates that response to received energy. A documented NIST arrangement uses a slow thermal reference and calibrated beam splitting to establish pulse-energy measurements.^[ref] Absorbed energy, incident radiant energy and energy in an uncollected branch must remain distinct in that calibration.

Two sources can deliver the same radiant energy with different radiant flux histories or spectra. Their total energies agree only for the specified integration and collection; this alone does not determine peak power, radiant exposure at a point or detector response.