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Photochemistry of Vision

  • Book
  • © 1972

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Authors:
  1. E. W. Abrahamson

    1. Department of Chemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA

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  2. Ch. Baumann

    1. Kerckhoff-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Bad Nauheim, Germany

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  3. C. D. B. Bridges

    1. Department of Ophathalmology, New York University Medical Center, New York, USA

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  4. F. Crescitelli

    1. Department of Zoology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA

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  5. H. J. A. Dartnall

    1. Medical Research Council’s Vision Unit, School of Biological Studies, The University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, UK

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  6. R. M. Eakin

    1. Department of Zollogy, University of California, Berkeley, USA

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  7. G. Falk

    1. Department of Biophysics, University College London, London, UK

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  8. P. Fatt

    1. Department of Biophysics, University College London, London, UK

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  9. T. H. Goldsmith

    1. Department of Biology, Yale University, New Haven, USA

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  10. R. Hara

    1. Department of Biology, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara, Japan

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  11. T. Hara

    1. Department of Biology, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara, Japan

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  12. S. M. Japar

    1. Division of Pure Physics, National Research Council, Ottawa, Canada

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  13. P. A. Liebman

    1. Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA

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  14. J. N. Lythgoe

    1. Medical Research Council’s Vision Unit, School of Biological Studies, The University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, UK

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  15. R. A. Morton

    1. Department of Zoology, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK

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  16. W. R. A. Muntz

    1. Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, The University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, UK

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  17. W. A. H. Rushton

    1. Trinity College, Cambridge, UK

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  18. T. I. Shaw

    1. Department of Zoology and Comparative Physiology, Queen Mary College, University of London, London E. 1, UK

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  19. J. R. Wiesenfeld

    1. Department of Physical Chemistry, The University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

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  20. T. Yoshizawa

    1. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan

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Editors:
  1. Herbert J. A. Dartnall
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Part of the book series: Handbook of Sensory Physiology (SENSORY, volume 7 / 1)

Part of the book sub series: Autrum,H.(Eds):Hdbk Sens.Physiology Vol 7 (1536)

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About this book

Radiation can only affect matter if absorbed by it. Within the broad range of 300-1000 nm, which we call "the visible", light quanta are energetic enough to produce excited electronic states in the atoms and molecules that absorb them. In these states the molecules may have quite different properties from those in their dormant condition, and reactions that would not otherwise occur become possible. About 80 % of the radiant energy emitted by our sun lies in this fertile band, and so long as the sun's surface temperature is maintained at about 6000° C this state of affairs will continue. This and the transparency of our atmosphere and waters have allowed the generation and evolution of life. Before life began the atmosphere probably also transmitted much of the solar short-wave radiation, but with the rise of vegetation a new product - oxygen - appeared and this, by a photochemical reaction in the upper atmosphere, led to the ozone layer that now protects us from the energetic "short-wave" quanta that once, perhaps, took part in the generation of life-molecules. Light is an ideal sensory stimulus. It travels in straight lines at great speed and, consequently, can be made to form an image from which an animal can make "true", continuous and immediate assessments of present and impending events.

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Table of contents (18 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages I-XII
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Principles of the Interaction of Light and Matter

    • Edwin W. Abrahamson, S. M. Japar
    Pages 1-32

  3. The Chemistry of the Visual Pigments

    • R. A. Morton
    Pages 33-68

  4. The Structure, Spectra, and Reactivity of Visual Pigments

    • Edwin W. Abrahamson, John R. Wiesenfeld
    Pages 69-121

  5. Photosensitivity

    • H. J. A. Dartnall
    Pages 122-145

  6. The Behaviour of Visual Pigments at Low Temperatures

    • T. Yoshizawa
    Pages 146-179

  7. The Circular Dichroism and Optical Rotatory Dispersion of Visual Pigments

    • Trevor I. Shaw
    Pages 180-199

  8. Physical Changes Induced by Light in the Rod Outer Segment of Vertebrates

    • G. Falk, P. Fatt
    Pages 200-244

  9. The Visual Cells and Visual Pigments of the Vertebrate Eye

    • Frederick Crescitelli
    Pages 245-363

  10. Visual Pigments in Man

    • William A. H. Rushton
    Pages 364-394

  11. The Regeneration and Renewal of Visual Pigment in Vertebrates

    • Ch. Baumann
    Pages 395-416

  12. The Rhodopsin-Porphyropsin Visual System

    • C. D. B. Bridges
    Pages 417-480

  13. Microspectrophotometry of Photoreceptors

    • P. A. Liebman
    Pages 481-528

  14. Inert Absorbing and Reflecting Pigments

    • W. R. A. Muntz
    Pages 529-565

  15. The Adaptation of Visual Pigments to the Photic Environment

    • John N. Lythgoe
    Pages 566-603

  16. List of Vertebrate Visual Pigments

    • John N. Lythgoe
    Pages 604-624

  17. Structure of Invertebrate Photoreceptors

    • Richard M. Eakin
    Pages 625-684

  18. The Natural History of Invertebrate Visual Pigments

    • Timothy H. Goldsmith
    Pages 685-719

  19. Cephalopod Retinochrome

    • Tomiyuki Hara, Reiko Hara
    Pages 720-746

  20. Back Matter

    Pages 747-847
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Authors and Affiliations

  • Department of Chemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA

    E. W. Abrahamson

  • Kerckhoff-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Bad Nauheim, Germany

    Ch. Baumann

  • Department of Ophathalmology, New York University Medical Center, New York, USA

    C. D. B. Bridges

  • Department of Zoology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA

    F. Crescitelli

  • Medical Research Council’s Vision Unit, School of Biological Studies, The University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, UK

    H. J. A. Dartnall, J. N. Lythgoe

  • Department of Zollogy, University of California, Berkeley, USA

    R. M. Eakin

  • Department of Biophysics, University College London, London, UK

    G. Falk, P. Fatt

  • Department of Biology, Yale University, New Haven, USA

    T. H. Goldsmith

  • Department of Biology, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara, Japan

    R. Hara, T. Hara

  • Division of Pure Physics, National Research Council, Ottawa, Canada

    S. M. Japar

  • Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA

    P. A. Liebman

  • Department of Zoology, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK

    R. A. Morton

  • Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, The University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, UK

    W. R. A. Muntz

  • Trinity College, Cambridge, UK

    W. A. H. Rushton

  • Department of Zoology and Comparative Physiology, Queen Mary College, University of London, London E. 1, UK

    T. I. Shaw

  • Department of Physical Chemistry, The University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

    J. R. Wiesenfeld

  • Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan

    T. Yoshizawa

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Photochemistry of Vision

  • Authors: E. W. Abrahamson, Ch. Baumann, C. D. B. Bridges, F. Crescitelli, H. J. A. Dartnall, R. M. Eakin, G. Falk, P. Fatt, T. H. Goldsmith, R. Hara, T. Hara, S. M. Japar, P. A. Liebman, J. N. Lythgoe, R. A. Morton, W. R. A. Muntz, W. A. H. Rushton, T. I. Shaw, J. R. Wiesenfeld, … T. Yoshizawa

  • Editors: Herbert J. A. Dartnall

  • Series Title: Handbook of Sensory Physiology

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-65066-6

  • Publisher: Springer Berlin, Heidelberg

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

  • Copyright Information: Springer-Verlag, Berlin · Heidelberg 1972

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-642-65068-0Published: 15 November 2011

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-642-65066-6Published: 06 December 2012

  • Series ISSN: 0072-9906

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XII, 848

  • Topics: Zoology, Medicine/Public Health, general

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