Material	Emissivity
	1.0 µm	5.0 µm	7.9 µm	8-14 µm
Asbestos	0.9	0.9	0.95	0.95
Assphalt	n.r.	0.9	0.95	0.95
Basalt	n.r.	0.7	0.7	0.7
Carbon
Unoxidized	0.8-0.95	0.8-0.9	0.8-0.9	0.8-0.9
Graphite	0.8-0.9	0.7-0.9	0.7-0.8	0.7-0.8
Carborundum	n.r.	0.9	0.9	0.9
Ceramic	0.4	0.85-0.95	0.95	0.95
Clay	n.r.	0.85-0.95	0.95	0.95
Concrete	0.65	0.9	0.95	0.95
Cloth	n.r.	0.95	0.95	0.95
Glass
Plate	n.r.	0.98	0.85	0.85
Gob	n.r.	0.9	n.r.	n.r.
Gravel	n.r.	0.95	0.95	0.95
Gypsum	n.r.	0.4-0.97	0.8-0.95	0.8-0.95
Ice	n.r.		0.98	0.98
Limestone	n.r.	0.4-0.98	0.98	0.98
Paint (non-Al.)		0.9-0.95	0.9-0.95
Paper (any color)	n.r.	0.95	0.95	0.95
Plastic
Qpaque	n.r.	0.95	0.95	0.95
Over 20 mils	n.r.
Rubber	n.r.	0.9	0.95	0.95
Sand	n.r.	0.9	0.9	0.9
Snow	n.r.		0.9	0.9
Soil	n.r.	< td>	0.9-0.98	0.9-0.98
Water	n.r.		0.93	0.93
Wood, (natural)	n.r.	0.9-0.95	0.9-0.95	0.9-0.95

n.r. = not recommended

To optimize surface temperature measurement accuracy:
1. Determine the object emissivity for the spectral range of the instrument to be used for the measurement.
2. Avoid reflections by shielding object from surrounding high temperature sources.
3. For higher temperature objects use shorter wavelength instruments, whenever possible.
4. For semi-transparent materials such as plastic film and glass, assure that
the background is uniform and lower in temperature than the object.
5. Hold instrument perpendicular to surface whenever emissivity is less than 0.9.
In all cases, do not exceed angles more than 30 degrees from incidence.
6. For 1M and 2M models, avoid measurements in high ambient light conditions.
7. If you have Ratrek MT, ST, or MX, use the 8-14 micron column.