Expand this Topic clickable element to expand a topic
Skip to content
Optica Publishing Group

Sunset science. III. Visual adaptation and green flashes

Not Accessible

Your library or personal account may give you access

Abstract

Photographs of green flashes do not preclude a role for physiological effects in these phenomena. While green flashes are certainly not after-images, there is compelling evidence that adaptation in the visual system strongly affects the perceived color of most sunset green flashes. Furthermore, the retinal image of the setting Sun is usually bright enough to bleach most of the red-sensitive photopigment in a few seconds, making the yellow stage of a sunset flash appear green. Even in air so hazy that no green light reaches the eye, a yellow flash may occur and appear green. Many, but not all, visual observations of sunset green flashes are of this yellow flash. The yellow portion of sunset green flashes helps explain their reported durations, which exceed those expected for the appearance of green light alone.

© 2000 Optical Society of America

Full Article  |  PDF Article
More Like This
Sunset science. I. The mock mirage

Andrew T. Young, George W. Kattawar, and Pekka Parviainen
Appl. Opt. 36(12) 2689-2700 (1997)

Atmospheric phenomena before and during sunset

M. Menat
Appl. Opt. 19(20) 3458-3468 (1980)

Cited By

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Cited by links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Figures (4)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Figure files are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Select as filters


Select Topics Cancel
© Copyright 2024 | Optica Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved