signal intensity

USAGE SUMMARY

"signal intensity" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used in a scientific or technical context to refer to the strength or magnitude of an electrical, magnetic, or acoustic signal. For example: "The signal intensity of the radar decreased as the ship sailed away from the shore."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Signal intensity.

European Radiology Experimental

Fig. 3 Signal intensity.

EURASIP Journal on Embedded Systems

Note normal marrow signal intensity (M).

Insights into Imaging

Note high signal intensity on T2w.

Insights into Imaging

c Colloidal gold strip signal intensity.

Nanoscale Research Letters

where x said emission signal intensity.

EURASIP Journal on Embedded Systems

High signal intensity of the lesion (arrows).

Insights into Imaging

Therefore, SERS signal intensity would decrease.

Nanoscale Research Letters

The vertical axis represents the signal intensity.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Furthermore, the peak signal intensity is reduced.

Insights into Imaging

The lesion is of intermediate signal intensity.

Insights into Imaging

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Specify the scale or units (e.g., arbitrary units, decibels or pixel values) when discussing intensity to provide context for the reader.

Common error

Do not use "signal intensity" when you actually mean signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). A signal can have high intensity but still be poor quality if it is obscured by excessive noise.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "signal intensity" functions as a technical noun phrase consisting of a noun adjunct ("signal") modifying a head noun ("intensity"). In scientific literature, it acts as the primary descriptor for the magnitude of a physical quantity measured by a sensor. According to Ludwig, it is frequently used as a subject in passive constructions, such as when describing how data was processed or normalized.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

92%

Academia

6%

News & Media

2%

Less common in

Social Media

0.1%

Wiki

0.4%

Formal & Business

0.5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "signal intensity" is a highly specialized and grammatically correct noun phrase essential for scientific writing. It is the gold standard term for describing the magnitude of recorded data in fields such as medical imaging and analytical chemistry. Ludwig AI confirms its high frequency in academic journals, where it serves the purpose of objective reporting. While similar to terms like <a href="/s/signal+strength" target="_blank" rel="alternative">signal strength, it maintains a unique position in imaging contexts. When using it, ensure you maintain a formal register and distinguish between raw intensity and overall signal quality to ensure technical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

signal strength

More common in telecommunications and radio frequency contexts

magnitude of the signal

Emphasizes the absolute size or extent of the data point

signal amplitude

Specifically refers to the peak value of a wave or signal oscillation

pixel intensity

Restricts the meaning to the digital value of an individual point in an image

echo intensity

Used specifically in MRI or ultrasound to describe returned signals

relative intensity

Indicates a comparison between the signal and a baseline or reference

fluorescence intensity

Specific to biological and chemical imaging involving light emission

signal power

Focuses on the energy rate rather than the raw magnitude

brightness level

A less technical and more perceptual description of visual intensity

luminous intensity

Technically refers to light power per unit of solid angle

FAQs

How do I use "signal intensity" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe measurements in research, such as "The <a href="/s/signal+intensity+was+quantified" target="_blank" rel="alternative">signal intensity was quantified using specialized software."

What is the difference between "signal intensity" and "signal strength"?

While often interchangeable, "signal intensity" is the standard term in medical imaging and spectroscopy, whereas <a href="/s/signal+strength" target="_blank" rel="alternative">signal strength is typically used in telecommunications and wireless networking.

Can I say "pixel brightness" instead of "signal intensity"?

In informal contexts or non-scientific photography, you can use <a href="/s/pixel+brightness" target="_blank" rel="alternative">pixel brightness, but in a research paper, "signal intensity" is the more professional and accurate choice.

What does "high signal intensity" mean in an MRI report?

It means the area appears brighter on the image, often indicating specific tissue characteristics or the presence of a contrast agent, which is more precise than saying <a href="/s/the+image+is+bright" target="_blank" rel="alternative">the image is bright.