George Smith, Algis J. Vingrys, Jennifer D. Maddocks, and Christopher P. Hely, "Color recognition and discrimination under full-moon light," Appl. Opt. 33, 4741-4748 (1994)
The ability to recognize and discriminate colors under full-moon light was measured Color naming was performed at three sizes (0.5°, 2°, and 4°) by the use of one white and six colored chips that spanned the spectrum at two levels of saturation. The results show that correct color recognition is possible under full-moon light. However, the recognition rate depends on a complex interaction between hue, level of saturation, and size of test field. For small fields and desaturated colors, the recognition rate is low. However, for saturated colors, most hues can be recognized at better than chance levels, with red being recognized very accurately.
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The mesopic range is in between these two ranges, and the limiting light values are taken as the photopic and the scotopic limiting values.
Here and below, the first value is that give by the CIE,2 and the second value is that given by Adler.3
Table 2
Illuminance Levels on a Horizontal Surface That Are Due to theMoon,4 and Luminances of a Horizontal Perfectly Diffuse Reflecting Surface with a Reflectance of 50%a
The illuminances in the right-hand column are calculated from the horizontal values.
Interpolated value.
Table 3
1931 CIE (x, y) Chromaticity Coordinates and Luminous Reflectances of the 13 Color Chips used for the Color Recognition Experiment, based on the D65 Illuminant
Color
Chromaticity Coordinates:
Reflectance Y (%)
x
y
White
0.313
0.333
83.7
Desaturated
Orange
0.362
0.367
79.7
Yellow
0.404
0.428
79.1
Blue
0.284
0.306
71.6
Red
0.357
0.326
65.6
Green
0.346
0.394
58.6
Purple
0.303
0.296
57.1
Saturated
Yellow
0.482
0.463
57.5
Orange
0.505
0.419
38.3
Green
0.327
0.465
17.3
Red
0.532
0.332
15.7
Blue
0.208
0.197
12.2
Purple
0.308
0.247
9.6
Table 4
Response Matrix for Both Levels of Saturation and Three Aperture Sizesa
SATURATED
LARGE
MEDIUM
SMALL
Red
Ora
Yel
Gre
Blu
Pur
Whi
Bla
Red
Ora
Yel
Gre
Blu
Pur
Whi
Bla
Red
Ora
Yel
Gre
Blu
Pur
Whi
Bla
Red
13
Red
13
Red
12
1
Ora
2
11
Ora
2
11
Ora
2
10
1
Yel
8
5
Yel
9
4
Yel
10
3
Gre
8
3
2
Gre
5
2
1
5
Gre
2
1
10
Blu
5
7
1
Blu
3
10
Blu
3
10
Pur
3
1
2
7
Pur
1
3
9
Pur
1
1
11
Whi
1
1
3
1
7
Whi
1
3
9
Whi
1
1
11
DESATURATED
LARGE
MEDIUM
SMALL
Red
Ora
Yel
Gre
Blu
Pur
Whi
Bla
Red
Ora
Yel
Gre
Blu
Pur
Whi
Bla
Red
Ora
Yel
Gre
Blu
Pur
Whi
Bla
Red
2
4
5
2
Red
2
4
5
2
Red
1
5
4
3
Ora
7
1
5
Ora
1
9
3
Ora
5
8
Yel
1
12
Yel
1
11
1
Yel
3
6
4
Gre
5
4
4
Gre
1
5
4
3
Gre
4
1
3
1
4
Blu
3
7
3
Blu
3
7
3
Blu
1
3
3
6
Pur
2
2
1
8
Pur
1
4
1
7
Pur
2
3
8
Whi
1
1
3
1
7
Whi
1
3
9
Whi
1
1
11
The horizontal rows of colors identify the name categories used, whereas the vertical columns of colors list the chip color: Red, red; Ora, orange; Yel, yellow; Gre, green; Blu, blue; Pur, purple; Whi, white; Bla, black.
Table 5
Probabilityo f the ObservedN umbero f CorrectC allsf or EachC olora t Each Sizea
Color
Large (4°)
Medium (2°)
Small (0.5°)
Prop. Corr.
Prob.
Prop. Corr.
Prob.
Prop. Corr.
Prob.
Saturated
Red
1.000
0.0000
1.000
0.0000
0.923
0.0000
Orange
0.846
0.0000
0.846
0.0000
0.769
0.0000
Yellow
0.385
0.0030
0.308
0.0165
0.231
0.0690
Green
0.615
0.0000
0.385
0.0030
0.000
0.8238
Blue
0.538
0.0000
0.769
0.0000
0.231
0.0690
Purple
0.154
0.2159
0.000
0.8238
0.077
0.4965
White
0.538
0.0000
0.692
0.0000
0.846
0.0000
Desaturated
Red
0.154
0.2159
0.154
0.2159
0.077
0.4965
Orange
0.000
0.8238
0.077
0.4965
0.000
0.8238
Yellow
0.923
0.0000
0.846
0.0000
0.462
0.0004
Green
0.385
0.0030
0.385
0.0030
0.077
0.4965
Blue
0.538
0.0000
0.538
0.0000
0.231
0.0690
Purple
0.077
0.4965
0.077
0.4965
0.000
0.8238
White
0.538
0.0000
0.692
0.0000
0.846
0.0000
Binomial distribution statistics were used: Prop. Corr., proportion correct; Prob., probability.
Table 6
Proportion of Hits, False Alarms, and Correct Rejections for Both Saturated and Desaturated Colorsa
Colors
Hits
False Alarms
Misses
Correct Rejection
Accuracy
Bias c
Saturated
Red
0.97
0.03
0.82
0.90
−0.07
Orange
0.82
0.46
0.18
0.97
0.89
−0.41
Yellow
0.31
0.01
0.69
0.85
0.58
1.41
Green
0.08
0.04
0.67
0.82
0.45
1.83
Blue
0.01
0.08
0.46
0.79
0.40
1.87
Purple
0.08
0.01
0.92
0.85
0.46
1.87
White
0.69
0.08
0.31
0.79
0.74
0.45
Desaturated
Red
0.13
0.00
0.87
0.96
0.54
2.11
Orange
0.03
0.08
0.18
0.92
0.47
1.64
Yellow
0.74
0.19
0.26
0.81
0.78
0.12
Green
0.12
0.06
0.72
0.94
0.53
0.19
Blue
0.01
0.12
0.56
0.88
0.45
1.75
Purple
0.32
0.01
0.95
0.99
0.65
1.40
White
0.69
0.32
0.31
0.68
0.69
−0.01
Also given are the accuracy and the bias (c) statistics. Boldfaced values indicate p < 0.05.
Tables (6)
Table 1
photopica and Scotopic Ranges from the CIE2 and Adler3a
The mesopic range is in between these two ranges, and the limiting light values are taken as the photopic and the scotopic limiting values.
Here and below, the first value is that give by the CIE,2 and the second value is that given by Adler.3
Table 2
Illuminance Levels on a Horizontal Surface That Are Due to theMoon,4 and Luminances of a Horizontal Perfectly Diffuse Reflecting Surface with a Reflectance of 50%a
The illuminances in the right-hand column are calculated from the horizontal values.
Interpolated value.
Table 3
1931 CIE (x, y) Chromaticity Coordinates and Luminous Reflectances of the 13 Color Chips used for the Color Recognition Experiment, based on the D65 Illuminant
Color
Chromaticity Coordinates:
Reflectance Y (%)
x
y
White
0.313
0.333
83.7
Desaturated
Orange
0.362
0.367
79.7
Yellow
0.404
0.428
79.1
Blue
0.284
0.306
71.6
Red
0.357
0.326
65.6
Green
0.346
0.394
58.6
Purple
0.303
0.296
57.1
Saturated
Yellow
0.482
0.463
57.5
Orange
0.505
0.419
38.3
Green
0.327
0.465
17.3
Red
0.532
0.332
15.7
Blue
0.208
0.197
12.2
Purple
0.308
0.247
9.6
Table 4
Response Matrix for Both Levels of Saturation and Three Aperture Sizesa
SATURATED
LARGE
MEDIUM
SMALL
Red
Ora
Yel
Gre
Blu
Pur
Whi
Bla
Red
Ora
Yel
Gre
Blu
Pur
Whi
Bla
Red
Ora
Yel
Gre
Blu
Pur
Whi
Bla
Red
13
Red
13
Red
12
1
Ora
2
11
Ora
2
11
Ora
2
10
1
Yel
8
5
Yel
9
4
Yel
10
3
Gre
8
3
2
Gre
5
2
1
5
Gre
2
1
10
Blu
5
7
1
Blu
3
10
Blu
3
10
Pur
3
1
2
7
Pur
1
3
9
Pur
1
1
11
Whi
1
1
3
1
7
Whi
1
3
9
Whi
1
1
11
DESATURATED
LARGE
MEDIUM
SMALL
Red
Ora
Yel
Gre
Blu
Pur
Whi
Bla
Red
Ora
Yel
Gre
Blu
Pur
Whi
Bla
Red
Ora
Yel
Gre
Blu
Pur
Whi
Bla
Red
2
4
5
2
Red
2
4
5
2
Red
1
5
4
3
Ora
7
1
5
Ora
1
9
3
Ora
5
8
Yel
1
12
Yel
1
11
1
Yel
3
6
4
Gre
5
4
4
Gre
1
5
4
3
Gre
4
1
3
1
4
Blu
3
7
3
Blu
3
7
3
Blu
1
3
3
6
Pur
2
2
1
8
Pur
1
4
1
7
Pur
2
3
8
Whi
1
1
3
1
7
Whi
1
3
9
Whi
1
1
11
The horizontal rows of colors identify the name categories used, whereas the vertical columns of colors list the chip color: Red, red; Ora, orange; Yel, yellow; Gre, green; Blu, blue; Pur, purple; Whi, white; Bla, black.
Table 5
Probabilityo f the ObservedN umbero f CorrectC allsf or EachC olora t Each Sizea
Color
Large (4°)
Medium (2°)
Small (0.5°)
Prop. Corr.
Prob.
Prop. Corr.
Prob.
Prop. Corr.
Prob.
Saturated
Red
1.000
0.0000
1.000
0.0000
0.923
0.0000
Orange
0.846
0.0000
0.846
0.0000
0.769
0.0000
Yellow
0.385
0.0030
0.308
0.0165
0.231
0.0690
Green
0.615
0.0000
0.385
0.0030
0.000
0.8238
Blue
0.538
0.0000
0.769
0.0000
0.231
0.0690
Purple
0.154
0.2159
0.000
0.8238
0.077
0.4965
White
0.538
0.0000
0.692
0.0000
0.846
0.0000
Desaturated
Red
0.154
0.2159
0.154
0.2159
0.077
0.4965
Orange
0.000
0.8238
0.077
0.4965
0.000
0.8238
Yellow
0.923
0.0000
0.846
0.0000
0.462
0.0004
Green
0.385
0.0030
0.385
0.0030
0.077
0.4965
Blue
0.538
0.0000
0.538
0.0000
0.231
0.0690
Purple
0.077
0.4965
0.077
0.4965
0.000
0.8238
White
0.538
0.0000
0.692
0.0000
0.846
0.0000
Binomial distribution statistics were used: Prop. Corr., proportion correct; Prob., probability.
Table 6
Proportion of Hits, False Alarms, and Correct Rejections for Both Saturated and Desaturated Colorsa
Colors
Hits
False Alarms
Misses
Correct Rejection
Accuracy
Bias c
Saturated
Red
0.97
0.03
0.82
0.90
−0.07
Orange
0.82
0.46
0.18
0.97
0.89
−0.41
Yellow
0.31
0.01
0.69
0.85
0.58
1.41
Green
0.08
0.04
0.67
0.82
0.45
1.83
Blue
0.01
0.08
0.46
0.79
0.40
1.87
Purple
0.08
0.01
0.92
0.85
0.46
1.87
White
0.69
0.08
0.31
0.79
0.74
0.45
Desaturated
Red
0.13
0.00
0.87
0.96
0.54
2.11
Orange
0.03
0.08
0.18
0.92
0.47
1.64
Yellow
0.74
0.19
0.26
0.81
0.78
0.12
Green
0.12
0.06
0.72
0.94
0.53
0.19
Blue
0.01
0.12
0.56
0.88
0.45
1.75
Purple
0.32
0.01
0.95
0.99
0.65
1.40
White
0.69
0.32
0.31
0.68
0.69
−0.01
Also given are the accuracy and the bias (c) statistics. Boldfaced values indicate p < 0.05.