SOME RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE AVERAGE ENERGY OF THE QUANTA IN A VISUAL STIMULUS AND THE COLOR RESPONSE,
Abstract
It is shown that the ratio of the number of light quanta absorbed by the retina to the absorbed light energy is an important parameter in the elaboration of colour information by the visual sense. For this ratio, thus the number of quanta absorbed per unit of absorbed energy, the term 'specific quantum number' (SQN) is introduced. By measuring the SQN for various spectral regions it can be shown, on the basis of Grassmann's laws, that all light stimuli which occupy the same locus in colour space, independently of their colour composition (metamers), also have equal SQN's. The colour loci, for equal SQN in the colour triangle, lie along lines which coincide exactly with the tritanopic colour confusion lines. One component of the colour discriminating function of the visual sense derives from the ability to gauge differences in the specific quantum number. With the help of a simple model, the dependency of opponent-colour experience upon receptor excitation can be qualitatively described. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0626436
Entities
People
- Rainer Roehler
Organizations
- RAND Corporation