It is my premise that the literature of vision science has historically made a crucial mistake in conjoining the concepts of electromagnetic wavelengths with (the hues of) color – that “long wavelengths actually represent the color red” etc. This shortcut has had major consequences.
To begin, It is certainly well understood that the light interaction process on the retina occurs at the plane of the outer segments of cone and rod receptors. At that point, however, an assumption is made that photons (“light particles”) interact with three pigment molecules residing in the cone and rod retinal receptors. This has led to absurd hypotheses such as the “photon catch” notion as the reason for the length of receptors. In contrast with this model it is the basic finding of this work, however, that this light interaction fundamentally involves detection of light as the wave of classical physics. It becomes clear that the structure of the eye simply evolved to use the principles of the refraction of light to detect light in this manner, i.e., interacting with the wave nature light and not as “incident photons …interacting with retinal pigments, etc” as has become dogma in modern thinking.
This electromagnetic wave interaction process occurring at the point of the retinal outer segments is, in singular physics terms, the fundamental process of vision. Interaction with the outer world is determined at this point and, as shown in this work, lies in the realm of the quantum – actually performing the transition from classical to quantum physics . Absorbed light wave is transduced at each light detection site on the retinal surface to quantized electron particles that serve ultimately to form the “real world” visual image that we see.
The spatial aspect of this interaction on the retina is defined by a heretofore unrecognized geometry of the nanostructural organization of retinal receptors. At the risk of using another shortcut, it is “optical antennas” (read “spatial entities”) that absorb the wave nature of incident light. Further, this interaction occurs in the plane of outer segments in very fast, (quantum) or ~10-15 second time. The physics of light interaction on this plane is the fundamental nature of the vision process.
All subsequent steps in the formation of the visual image within the retina are biochemical in nature that, in effect, “slow down” the information bearing process in time to human nervous system proportions.
The shortest electromagnetic wave detected on the retina is known to be near 400 nanometers with the longest wavelengths (the upper end of the visible spectrum) at 700 nanometers. At this point light is still considered a “pure wave” without any implication of the term “color”.
It seems helpful here to get some idea of the spatial antenna lengths on the retina that would be resonant with, and therefore absorb, these wavelengths.
Using the antenna equation: L = λ/2n where antenna length L absorbs (or is resonant with) an electromagnetic wavelength divided by twice the index of refraction of the absorbing medium. The diameter of a single rod on the retina is about one micron (10-6 m). The light absorbing antenna length therefore should be 400 nm / ~2.6 (using 1.3 as a refractive index for the retina) or of the order of 150 nm. The corresponding length for the 700 nm long wavelength limit of vision is longer at ~270 nm. These values are smaller than the center-to-center distances between adjacent cones and rods (~1.8 and ~1.0 micron) but are sensible relative to the requirements (discussed in the body of the paper) for a portion of the length (lipid membrane) to involve time-transitive thermalization of the absorbed electromagnetic energy. There is much to be learned about this fundamental nanostructure that translates the wave of classical physics to the quantum nature of the absorbing electron.
It remains that the retina is nanospatially “tuned” to three – and only three – single electromagnetic wavelengths that correspond to cone-cone, cone-rod, and rod-rod appositional distances (how many times have I said this!).
Crucial to what comes next – sensing the hues that we term color – the center, cone-rod apposition geometrically defines the exact center of the visible band. A spatial geometry is associated with, or determines, an electromagnetic wavelength
These three wavelengths therefore must certainly be considered “primary”- but are still “wavelengths” and not yet the hues of color! Young et al many years ago correctly deduced the trichromicity of the vision process but the field went astray in associating these (shortcut) with colors!
Now enter the profound insight of Edwin Land regarding color vision. The above finding of a precise mid band reference wavelength on the retinal surface directly supports what Land deduced from external measurements. I have discussed Land’s work before and I leave it to the reader to review this.
In summary, the sensation of the hues of color must be the province of the brain with the initial visual interaction with the outer world formed at the plane of retinal outer segments at the point of transition between the classical/quantum time domain of physics. Future understanding of vision will involve the discipline of physics!
A thought experiment – with the knowledge that the short wavelength limit of the visual band is narrowly “tuned” to a single , or at most a VERY narrow band of wavelengths consistent with spatial dimensionality, how should we describe which of the many hues that we term “blue” will we see?
GCH
11.13.09
Ojai,CA
THE FATAL FLAW IN ASSOCIATING THE TERMS “WAVELENGTH” AND “COLOR”
by Gerald Huth on November 13, 2009
It is my premise that the literature of vision science has historically made a crucial mistake in conjoining the concepts of electromagnetic wavelengths with (the hues of) color – that “long wavelengths actually represent the color red” etc. This shortcut has had major consequences.
To begin, It is certainly well understood that the light interaction process on the retina occurs at the plane of the outer segments of cone and rod receptors. At that point, however, an assumption is made that photons (“light particles”) interact with three pigment molecules residing in the cone and rod retinal receptors. This has led to absurd hypotheses such as the “photon catch” notion as the reason for the length of receptors. In contrast with this model it is the basic finding of this work, however, that this light interaction fundamentally involves detection of light as the wave of classical physics. It becomes clear that the structure of the eye simply evolved to use the principles of the refraction of light to detect light in this manner, i.e., interacting with the wave nature light and not as “incident photons …interacting with retinal pigments, etc” as has become dogma in modern thinking.
This electromagnetic wave interaction process occurring at the point of the retinal outer segments is, in singular physics terms, the fundamental process of vision. Interaction with the outer world is determined at this point and, as shown in this work, lies in the realm of the quantum – actually performing the transition from classical to quantum physics . Absorbed light wave is transduced at each light detection site on the retinal surface to quantized electron particles that serve ultimately to form the “real world” visual image that we see.
The spatial aspect of this interaction on the retina is defined by a heretofore unrecognized geometry of the nanostructural organization of retinal receptors. At the risk of using another shortcut, it is “optical antennas” (read “spatial entities”) that absorb the wave nature of incident light. Further, this interaction occurs in the plane of outer segments in very fast, (quantum) or ~10-15 second time. The physics of light interaction on this plane is the fundamental nature of the vision process.
All subsequent steps in the formation of the visual image within the retina are biochemical in nature that, in effect, “slow down” the information bearing process in time to human nervous system proportions.
The shortest electromagnetic wave detected on the retina is known to be near 400 nanometers with the longest wavelengths (the upper end of the visible spectrum) at 700 nanometers. At this point light is still considered a “pure wave” without any implication of the term “color”.
It seems helpful here to get some idea of the spatial antenna lengths on the retina that would be resonant with, and therefore absorb, these wavelengths.
Using the antenna equation: L = λ/2n where antenna length L absorbs (or is resonant with) an electromagnetic wavelength divided by twice the index of refraction of the absorbing medium. The diameter of a single rod on the retina is about one micron (10-6 m). The light absorbing antenna length therefore should be 400 nm / ~2.6 (using 1.3 as a refractive index for the retina) or of the order of 150 nm. The corresponding length for the 700 nm long wavelength limit of vision is longer at ~270 nm. These values are smaller than the center-to-center distances between adjacent cones and rods (~1.8 and ~1.0 micron) but are sensible relative to the requirements (discussed in the body of the paper) for a portion of the length (lipid membrane) to involve time-transitive thermalization of the absorbed electromagnetic energy. There is much to be learned about this fundamental nanostructure that translates the wave of classical physics to the quantum nature of the absorbing electron.
It remains that the retina is nanospatially “tuned” to three – and only three – single electromagnetic wavelengths that correspond to cone-cone, cone-rod, and rod-rod appositional distances (how many times have I said this!).
Crucial to what comes next – sensing the hues that we term color – the center, cone-rod apposition geometrically defines the exact center of the visible band. A spatial geometry is associated with, or determines, an electromagnetic wavelength
These three wavelengths therefore must certainly be considered “primary”- but are still “wavelengths” and not yet the hues of color! Young et al many years ago correctly deduced the trichromicity of the vision process but the field went astray in associating these (shortcut) with colors!
Now enter the profound insight of Edwin Land regarding color vision. The above finding of a precise mid band reference wavelength on the retinal surface directly supports what Land deduced from external measurements. I have discussed Land’s work before and I leave it to the reader to review this.
In summary, the sensation of the hues of color must be the province of the brain with the initial visual interaction with the outer world formed at the plane of retinal outer segments at the point of transition between the classical/quantum time domain of physics. Future understanding of vision will involve the discipline of physics!
A thought experiment – with the knowledge that the short wavelength limit of the visual band is narrowly “tuned” to a single , or at most a VERY narrow band of wavelengths consistent with spatial dimensionality, how should we describe which of the many hues that we term “blue” will we see?
GCH
11.13.09
Ojai,CA