history
Traceable FLIR temperature calibration
id: LK-20260713-flir-calibration-provenance
date: 2026-07-13
sequence: 49
type: feat
compatibility: compatible
component: `labkit.thermal` | `1.0.0 -> 1.1.0`
component: `labkit_FLIRThermal_app` | `1.2.8 -> 1.3.0`
scope: Traceable FLIR temperature calibrationContext
A successful Celsius conversion did not reveal whether emissivity and environmental values came from the file or from model defaults, which could make an absolute temperature appear more certain than its metadata justified.
Decision and rationale
Preserve conversion provenance with the thermal record and show fallback use in the app, rather than silently treating every parameter as measured.
Changes
- Added optional conversion diagnostics with correction mode, defaulted fields, parameter sources, and fallback status.
- Stored diagnostics in thermal record metadata and surfaced warnings in FLIR file status and details.
- Documented embedded calibration requirements and environmental fallbacks.
User and data impact
Users can distinguish radiometric values based entirely on embedded metadata from values affected by fallback assumptions before interpreting temperatures.
Compatibility and migration
Existing one-output conversion calls remain valid. The diagnostics output and record metadata are additive; app workflows need no migration.
Validation
Thermal facade and FLIR app tests cover metadata sources, fallback reporting, and one-output compatibility.
Evidence
The model and provenance contract are documented in docs/api/thermal.md; branch checkpoint 7391e293 carries the implementation before the final squash merge.
Known limitations and follow-up
Diagnostics describe source and fallback use; they do not estimate a physical uncertainty interval for a particular camera, surface, or environment.