Attenuation coefficient

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The linear attenuation coefficient, attenuation coefficient, or narrow-beam attenuation coefficient characterizes how easily a volume of material can be penetrated by a beam of light, sound, particles, or other energy or matter. A coefficient value that is large represents a beam becoming attenuated as it passes through a given medium, while a small value represents that a beam will experience little or no loss in the medium. The (derived) SI unit of attenuation coefficient is the reciprocal metre (m−1). Extinction coefficient is another term for this quantity, often used in meteorology and climatology. The attenuation length is the reciprocal of the attenuation coefficient.

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