Doppler broadening

{
  "id": "MLC-T-MET-005094",
  "term": "Doppler broadening",
  "field": "Meteorology and atmospheric science",
  "definition": "The widening of a spectral line due to the Doppler effect, caused by the random thermal motion of emitting or absorbing particles within a gas. Particles moving towards an observer emit light at slightly higher frequencies, while those moving away emit at lower frequencies, resulting in a spread of observed frequencies. This effect is used in atmospheric remote sensing to infer temperature and turbulence from the spectral width of backscattered laser light.",
  "see_also": [
    "Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/meteorology/doppler-broadening/"
}