Ideal illuminants for rod/L-cone color

Humans see multicolor complex images with illuminants that have very low amounts of 400 to 580nm light when there is enough long-wave light greater than 590nm. Interactions between rods and long-wave (L) cones generate these colors. They are observed when there is insufficient light for a threshold response from M- and S-cones. This paper measures the spectral emission of a wood fire and a wax candle and it compares these low-color temperature spectral radiant exitances with the sensitivities of rods and long-wave cones. The paper reviews some of the literature on the evolution of human cone pigments and the early use of fire by hominids.

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