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Isolation of chromatic and achromatic mechanisms: A new approach
Author(s) -
Kulikowski J. J.,
Carden D.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
ophthalmic and physiological optics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.147
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1475-1313
pISSN - 0275-5408
DOI - 10.1046/j.1475-1313.1998.97000513.x
Subject(s) - achromatic lens , chromatic scale , optics , flicker , physics , masking (illustration) , annulus (botany) , sensitivity (control systems) , spectral sensitivity , materials science , computer science , wavelength , art , composite material , electronic engineering , visual arts , engineering , operating system
Summary The purpose of this study was to optimise the testing paradigm for isolating the contributions of chromatic and achromatic mechanisms to the human spectral sensitivity function. Spectral sensitivity was determined for a test spot size of 1.2 deg presented with various spatial and temporal masks on a large, 10 deg background field of moderate intensity (1000 td) and colour temperature, CT = 2700 K. Sinusoidal temporal presentation (1 Hz) and a masking annulus of between 3 and 10 min of arc surrounding the test spot, was found to be most effective in separating chromatic from achromatic mechanisms. Square‐wave (1 Hz) temporal presentation combined with the annulus was slightly less selective. The presence of the annulus did not affect the shape of flicker detection at 25 Hz which is a measure of the luminosity (achromatic) spectral sensitivity function.