Reptile Lamp Database

Spectrum #861
Robinson2026Fig1a1 (Light Power Health UK Standard LED 15W R63) Edit
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(1) Raw Measurement

Spektrum
Lampid Robinson2026Fig1a1
Spectrometer -
Originator Publication
Ballast - no ballast or default/unknown ballast -
Reflector - no reflector -
Distance 0
Age 0
created by Sarina Wunderlich, 01.10.2026; last updated by , 01.10.2026
Description

From Supplementary Excel, scaled to 8 lx as indicated in the publication

(2) Comparison of full spectrum to sunlight

The spectrum is compared to the ASTM spectrum. The measured spectrum is scaled to a lux or UVI value that seems to "make sense" to the database. This can go wrong, depending on the quality and range of the data. Spektrum

(3) Colorimetry

Colorimetry is the science to describe physically the human color perception. The wavelength range 380 nm - 780 nm is visible to humans and detected by three different photoreceptors. Many Reptiles see the range 350 nm - 800 nm and have an additional UV photoreceptor in their retina.

Whereas a spectrometer measures the intensity in every tiny wavelength interval resulting in thousands of individual intensities, the human eye only measures three intensities detected by the three cones. The same is true for the reptile eye with usually three or four photoreceptors. Effectively the detailled spectrum displayed above reduces to a much compacter bar graph displayed below. The photoreceptor sensitivites from these L-Cone, M-Cone, S-Cone, and U-Cone are used, they are chosen as an average of measured reptile photoreceptor sensitivity curves. The bar graph also shows as reference the intensity seen by the three or four photoreceptors for average sunlight (ASTM spectrum).

From these three numbers the colour coordinate and the correlated colour temperature for humans are calculated using the CIE standard method. I adapted this concept to a "3 cone reptile (M,S,U)" and a "4 cone reptile (L,M,S,U)". I am sure, that this adaption to other colour spaces makes sense mathematically and this is also done in scientific research regarding colour vision of animals, however I have not seen calculation of colour temperatures for other animals in the scientific literature. Even if it is hypothetical, at least this shows, how arbitrary the colour temperature is, and that the colour temperature calculated for humans does not apply to reptiles. The colour spaces also show the colour coordinates of different phases of daylight ((ids 1, 338 – 451, 511 – 513 ), indicated by crosses, coloured in the appriximate colour perceived by a human.

Human (CIE) 3 cone reptile 4 cone reptile
Cone Excitation
Colour Coordinate ( 0.46 ; 0.41 ) ( 0.66 ; 0.32 ) ( 0.58 ; 0.28 ; 0.13 )
CCT 2700 Kelvin 2600 Kelvin 2600 Kelvin
distance 0.051 0.02
colour space 3-D-graph not implemented yet

(4) Vitamin D3 Analysis

Vitamin D3 is produced by UVB radiation around 300 nm. 7DHC/ProD3 present in the skin is converted to PreD3 when absorbing an UV photon. PreD3 can be converted back to ProD3, to Lumisterol, or to Tachysterol when absorbing another UV photon or can be converted to Vitamin D3 in a warm environment.

This process prevents any overdose of vitamin D3 from UV radiation with a spectrum similar to sunlight. As a comparison the solar spectra at 20°(id:14) and at 85°(id:21) solar angle are shown.

The ratio of the readings of two solarmeters 6.2 (UVB) and 6.5 (UV index) has proven a useful and very simply number to acess the spectral shape in the vitamin-d3-active region.

(5) Effective Irradiances

Effective irradiances are calculated for all ranges, actionspectra and radiometers currently present in this database.

The calculation method is a numerical implementation (Simpson's rule) of the formula

To learn more about calculating effective irradiances and radiometers I recommend this excellent report on UVB meters: Characterizing the Performance of Integral Measuring UV-Meters (pdf).

The numbers in the following tables can also be used to estimate certain (effective) irradiances from radiomer readings. Example: If the database lists

  • range: UVB (US) = 13.8 µW/cm²
  • radiometer: Solarmeter 6.2 = 19.6 µW/cm²
then any Solarmeter 6.2 reading multiplied with 0.7 (0.7=13.8/19.6) is an estimate of UVB irradiance for this specific lamp. If you do so, always make sure, that the calculated (effective) irradiance is valid. The calculated value is not valid, if the lamp's spectrum is not measured in the relevant range.

(5a) Ranges
total ( 0 nm - 0 nm) 2.99 µW/cm² = 0.0299 W/m²
UVC ( 0 nm - 280 nm) 0 µW/cm² = 0 W/m²
non-terrestrial ( 0 nm - 290 nm) 0 µW/cm² = 0 W/m²
total2 ( 250 nm - 880 nm) 2.99 µW/cm² = 0.0299 W/m²
UVB (EU) ( 280 nm - 315 nm) 1.43E-5 µW/cm² = 1.43E-7 W/m²
UVB (US) ( 280 nm - 320 nm) 2.42E-5 µW/cm² = 2.42E-7 W/m²
UVA+B ( 280 nm - 380 nm) 7.19E-5 µW/cm² = 7.19E-7 W/m²
Solar UVB ( 290 nm - 315 nm) 1.43E-5 µW/cm² = 1.43E-7 W/m²
UVA D3 regulating ( 315 nm - 335 nm) 1.63E-5 µW/cm² = 1.63E-7 W/m²
UVA (EU) ( 315 nm - 380 nm) 5.72E-5 µW/cm² = 5.72E-7 W/m²
UVA2 (medical definition) ( 320 nm - 340 nm) 1.68E-5 µW/cm² = 1.68E-7 W/m²
UVA (US) ( 320 nm - 380 nm) 4.77E-5 µW/cm² = 4.77E-7 W/m²
UVA1 (variant) ( 335 nm - 380 nm) 4.09E-5 µW/cm² = 4.09E-7 W/m²
UVA1 (medical) ( 340 nm - 400 nm) 0.000286 µW/cm² = 2.86E-6 W/m²
vis. UVA ( 350 nm - 380 nm) 2.38E-5 µW/cm² = 2.38E-7 W/m²
VIS Rep3 ( 350 nm - 600 nm) 1.24 µW/cm² = 0.0124 W/m²
VIS Rep4 ( 350 nm - 700 nm) 2.73 µW/cm² = 0.0273 W/m²
purple ( 380 nm - 420 nm) 0.0217 µW/cm² = 0.000217 W/m²
VIS ( 380 nm - 780 nm) 2.97 µW/cm² = 0.0297 W/m²
VIS2 ( 400 nm - 680 nm) 2.54 µW/cm² = 0.0254 W/m²
PAR ( 400 nm - 700 nm) 2.73 µW/cm² = 0.0273 W/m²
blue ( 420 nm - 490 nm) 0.229 µW/cm² = 0.00229 W/m²
green ( 490 nm - 575 nm) 0.687 µW/cm² = 0.00687 W/m²
yellow ( 575 nm - 585 nm) 0.114 µW/cm² = 0.00114 W/m²
orange ( 585 nm - 650 nm) 1.05 µW/cm² = 0.0105 W/m²
tmp ( 600 nm - 1000 nm) 1.75 µW/cm² = 0.0175 W/m²
red ( 650 nm - 780 nm) 0.875 µW/cm² = 0.00875 W/m²
IR2 ( 655 nm - 685 nm) 0.412 µW/cm² = 0.00412 W/m²
IRA ( 700 nm - 1400 nm) 0.262 µW/cm² = 0.00262 W/m²
IRB ( 1400 nm - 3000 nm) 0 µW/cm² = 0 W/m²
(5b) Actionspectra
Erythema 1.14E-6 UV-Index
Pyrimidine dimerization of DNA 1.41E-5 µW/cm²
Photoceratitis 1.67E-6 µW/cm²
Photoconjunctivitis 3.09E-8 µW/cm²
DNA Damage 7.65E-8
Vitamin D3 6.24E-6 µW/cm²
Photosynthesis 1.85 µW/cm²
Luminosity 8 lx
Human L-Cone 1.27 µW/cm²
Human M-Cone 0.85 µW/cm²
Human S-Cone 0.186 µW/cm²
CIE X 1.26 µW/cm²
CIE Y 1.11 µW/cm²
CIE Z 0.359 µW/cm²
PAR PPFD 0.136 µmol/m²/s
Extinction preD3 2.99E-5 e-3*m²/mol
Extinction Tachysterol 9.79E-5 e-3*m²/mol
Exctincition PreD3 0.013 m²/mol
Extinction Lumisterol 4.54E-6 m²/mol
Exctincition Tachysterol 0.128 m²/mol
Extinction 7DHC 2.01E-6 m²/mol
L-Cone 1.19 µW/cm²
M-Cone 0.575 µW/cm²
S-Cone 0.278 µW/cm²
U-Cone 0.0228 µW/cm²
UVR - ICNIRP 2004 7.23E-7 Rel Biol Eff
Melatonin Supression 0.32 µW/cm²
Blue Light Hazard 0.21 µW/cm² (26.3 µW/cm² per 1000 lx)
CIE 174:2006 PreVit D3 7.76E-6 µW/cm²
Lumen Reptil 5.67 "pseudo-lx"
Vitamin D3 Degradation 4.97E-6 µW/cm²
Actinic UV 7.53E-7 µW/cm² (0.000942 mW/klm)
Exctincition Lumisterol 0.00681 m²/mol
Exctincition 7DHC 0.00256 m²/mol
Exctincition Toxisterols 0.00182 m²/mol
UV-Index2 1.14E-6 UV-Index (285-400nm)
(5c) Broadbandmeters
Solarmeter 6.2 (UVB, pre 2010) 2.82E-5 µW/cm²
Solarmeter 6.5 (UV-Index, pre 2010) 1.84E-6
Leybold UVB 2.03E-5 µW/cm²
Leybold UVA 5.01E-5 µW/cm²
Leybold UVC 0 µW/cm²
DeltaOhm UVB 3.19E-5 µW/cm²
DeltaOhm UVC 4.58E-6 µW/cm²
Vernier UVB 1.28E-5 µW/cm²
Vernier UVA 4.37E-5 µW/cm²
Gröbel UVA 4.74E-5 µW/cm²
Gröbel UVB 1.24E-5 µW/cm²
Gröbel UVC 2.12E-9 µW/cm²
Luxmeter 7.56 lx
Solarmeter 6.4 (D3) 5.74E-6 IU/min
UVX-31 3.66E-5 µW/cm²
IL UVB 1.11E-8 µW/cm²
IL UVA 4.53E-5 µW/cm²
Solarmeter 6.5 (UVI, post 2010) 1.57E-6 UV-Index
Solarmeter 6.2 (UVB, post 2010) 1.6E-5 µW/cm² (Solarmeter Ratio = 10.2)
Solarmeter AlGaN 6.5 UVI sensor 1.5E-5 UV Index
GenUV 7.1 UV-Index 8.32E-7 UV-Index
Solarmeter 10.0 (Global Power) (manuf.) 0.0371 W/m²
Solarmeter 4.0 (UVA) 5.89E-6 mW/cm²
LS122 (manuf.) 1.34E-5 W/m²
ISM400 (first guess) 0.0314 W/m²
LS122 (assumption) 0.00176 W/m²
ISM400_new 0.0274 W/m²
Solarmeter 10.0 (Global Power) (assumption) 0.0377 W/m²
(5d) Summary of my favourites
UVC (0nm -280nm) [µW/cm] 0 0 %
non-terrestrial (0nm -290nm) [µW/cm] 0 0 %
UVB (EU) (280nm -315nm) [µW/cm] 1.43E-5 0.000479 %
UVB (US) (280nm -320nm) [µW/cm] 2.42E-5 0.000808 %
Solar UVB (290nm -315nm) [µW/cm] 1.43E-5 0.000479 %
UVA (EU) (315nm -380nm) [µW/cm] 5.72E-5 0.00191 %
UVA (US) (320nm -380nm) [µW/cm] 4.77E-5 0.00159 %
UVA2 (medical definition) (320nm -340nm) [µW/cm] 1.68E-5 0.000562 %
UVA1 (medical) (340nm -400nm) [µW/cm] 0.000286 0.00954 %
UVA D3 regulating (315nm -335nm) [µW/cm] 1.63E-5 0.000545 %
vis. UVA (350nm -380nm) [µW/cm] 2.38E-5 0.000795 %
VIS (380nm -780nm) [µW/cm] 2.97 99.4 %
blue (420nm -490nm) [µW/cm] 0.229 7.64 %
total2 (250nm -880nm) [µW/cm] 2.99 100 %
UV-Index2 [UV-Index] 1.14E-6
Luminosity [lx] 8
Blue Light Hazard [µW/cm²] 0.21 26.3µW/cm/1000lx
Solarmeter 6.5 (UVI, post 2010) [UV-Index] 1.57E-6
Solarmeter 6.2 (UVB, post 2010) [µW/cm²] 1.6E-5
Actinic UV [µW/cm²] 7.53E-7 5.01 at UVI7.6
Vitamin D3 [µW/cm²] 6.24E-6 41.5 at UVI7.6