point source

American  

noun

Physics, Optics.

1. a source of radiation sufficiently distant compared to its length and width that it can be considered as a point.

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point source British  

noun

1. optics a source of light or other radiation that can be considered to have negligible dimensions

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Etymology

Origin of point source

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

One PSF basically describes how an infinitely small point source of light originating in the sample is widened and spread into a three-dimensional diffraction pattern by the optical system.

From Science Daily

"But declining levels of phosphorus, particularly in rivers flowing through urban areas, suggests that efforts to control phosphorus pollution from point sources such as wastewater treatment plants are working."

From Science Daily

Researchers developed a method to automatically detect methane emissions at a global scale, potentially providing methane detection at high frequency and high resolution from point sources.

From Science Daily

They assumed then that the quasar's light stemmed from a single, star-like "point source."

From Science Daily

They discovered that diesel-powered vehicles emitted about half of the nitrogen oxides from road vehicles, while additional pollutants such as benzene were emitted from other point sources, including nearby petrochemical refineries.

From Science Daily