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Sunset science. III. Visual adaptation and green flashes.

A T Young1

  • 1Department of Astronomy, San Diego State University, California 92182-1221, USA.

Journal of the Optical Society of America. A, Optics, Image Science, and Vision
|January 5, 2001
PubMed
Summary

Physiological effects, specifically visual adaptation, strongly influence the perception of sunset green flashes. The bright sun bleaches red-sensitive pigments, causing yellow light to appear green, explaining observed durations.

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Area of Science:

  • Optics
  • Physiology
  • Visual Perception

Background:

  • Green flashes are brief optical phenomena observed at sunset.
  • Their exact cause, particularly the role of physiological effects, remains a topic of investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the contribution of physiological effects, specifically visual adaptation, to the perception of sunset green flashes.
  • To explain why yellow light may appear green during sunset phenomena.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of visual system adaptation mechanisms.
  • Evaluation of the impact of light intensity on retinal photopigments.
  • Comparison of observed green flash characteristics with predicted phenomena.

Main Results:

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  • Visual adaptation significantly affects the perceived color of sunset green flashes.
  • The bright light of the setting sun bleaches red-sensitive photopigments, causing yellow light to be perceived as green.
  • This physiological effect explains observations even in hazy conditions and accounts for the duration of green flashes.

Conclusions:

  • Physiological adaptation is a key factor in the perception of sunset green flashes, not solely an optical phenomenon.
  • The bleaching of photopigments by the setting sun causes yellow light to appear green, explaining many visual observations.
  • This understanding clarifies the duration and appearance of green flashes, distinguishing them from after-images.