Spectral resolution

One calls spectral resolution the capacity of separation of a Spectrographe. The larger the spectral resolution is, the more detailed the spectrum obtained will be, and the more one will be able to measure there lines of low intensity or depth. It is defined by:

$R = \ frac {\ lambda} {\ Delta \ lambda},$

where $\ lambda$ is the Wavelength to which the resolution is calculated or measured. $\ Delta \ lambda$ is the interval wavelength of the full width at half-height of a line of calibration (regarded as infinitely in an original manner fine and thus widened only by the optics of the spectrograph). This width is sometimes called element of resolution. $\ Delta \ lambda$ is sometimes taken as the simple interval between two adjacent points of the spectrum.

The here definite $R$ quantity is sometimes called also to be able of resolution, while the resolution can also correspond to simply $\ Delta \ lambda$

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