This articleis missing information about ISO 7589 standard illuminants, found with references insds.py. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on thetalk page.(January 2024)

Astandard illuminant is a theoretical source ofvisible light with aspectral power distribution that is published. Standard illuminants provide a basis for comparing images or colors recorded under different lighting.

TheInternational Commission on Illumination (usually abbreviatedCIE for its French name) is the body responsible for publishing all of the well-known standard illuminants. Each of these is known by a letter or by a letter-number combination.

Illuminants A, B, and C were introduced in 1931, with the intention of respectively representing average incandescent light, direct sunlight, and average daylight. Illuminants D (1967) represent variations of daylight, illuminant E is the equal-energy illuminant, while illuminants F (2004) represent fluorescent lamps of various composition.

There are instructions on how to experimentally produce light sources ("standard sources") corresponding to the older illuminants. For the relatively newer ones (such as series D), experimenters are left to measure to profiles of their sources and compare them to the published spectra:^[1]

At present no artificial source is recommended to realize CIE standard illuminant D65 or any other illuminant D of different CCT. It is hoped that new developments in light sources and filters will eventually offer sufficient basis for a CIE recommendation.

Nevertheless, they do provide a measure, called themetamerism index, to assess the quality of daylight simulators.^[2][3] TheMetamerism Index tests how well five sets of metameric samples match under the test and reference illuminant. In a manner similar to thecolor rendering index, the average difference between the metamers is calculated.^[4]

The CIE defines illuminant A in these terms:

CIE standard illuminant A is intended to represent typical, domestic, tungsten-filament lighting. Its relative spectral power distribution is that of a Planckian radiator at a temperature of approximately 2856 K. CIE standard illuminant A should be used in all applications of colorimetry involving the use of incandescent lighting, unless there are specific reasons for using a different illuminant.

Thespectral radiant exitance of ablack body followsPlanck's law:$${\displaystyle M_{e,\lambda }(\lambda ,T)=\frac{c_1{\lambda }^{-5}}{\exp \left(\frac{c_2}{\lambda T}\right)-1}.}$$

At the time of standardizing illuminant A, both${\displaystyle c_1=2\pi \cdot h\cdot c^2}$ (which does not affect the relative SPD) and${\displaystyle c_2=h\cdot c/k}$ were different. In 1968, the estimate ofc₂ was revised from 0.01438 m·K to 0.014388 m·K (and before that, it was 0.01435 m·K when illuminant A was standardized). This difference shifted thePlanckian locus, changing the color temperature of the illuminant from its nominal 2848 K to 2856 K:$${\displaystyle T_{\text{new}}=T_{\text{old}}\times \frac{1.4388}{1.435}=2848\text{K}\times 1.002648=2855.54\text{K}.}$$

In order to avoid further possible changes in the color temperature, the CIE now specifies the SPD directly, based on the original (1931) value ofc₂:^{[1][clarification needed]}$${\displaystyle S_{\text{A}}(\lambda )=100{\left(\frac{560}{\lambda }\right)}^5\frac{\exp \frac{1.435\times {10}^7}{2848\times 560}-1}{\exp \frac{1.435\times {10}^7}{2848\lambda }-1}.}$$

The coefficients have been selected to achieve a normalized SPD of 100 at560 nm. The tristimulus values are(X,Y,Z) = (109.85, 100.00, 35.58), and the chromaticity coordinates using the standard observer are(x,y) = (0.44758, 0.40745).

Illuminants B and C are easily achieved daylight simulations. They modify illuminant A by using liquid filters. B served as a representative of noon sunlight, with acorrelated color temperature (CCT) of 4874 K, while C represented average day light with a CCT of 6774 K. Unfortunately, they are poor approximations of any phase of natural daylight, particularly in the short-wave visible and in the ultraviolet spectral ranges. Once more realistic simulations were achievable, illuminants B and C were deprecated in favor of the D series.^[1]

Illuminant C does not have the status of CIE standard illuminants but its relative spectral power distribution, tristimulus values and chromaticity coordinates are given in Table T.1 and Table T.3, as many practical measurement instruments and calculations still use this illuminant.

Illuminant B was not so honored in 2004.

The liquid filters, designed by Raymond Davis and Kasson S. Gibson in 1931,^[6] have a relatively high absorbance at the red end of the spectrum, effectively increasing the CCT of theincandescent lamp to daylight levels. This is similar in function to a CTBcolor gel that photographers and cinematographers use today, albeit much less convenient.

Each filter uses a pair of solutions, comprising specific amounts of distilled water,copper sulfate,mannite,pyridine,sulfuric acid,cobalt, andammonium sulfate. The solutions are separated by a sheet of uncolored glass. The amounts of the ingredients are carefully chosen so that their combination yields a color temperature conversion filter; that is, the filtered light is still white.

TheD series of illuminants are designed to represent natural daylight and lie along the daylight locus. They are difficult to produce artificially, but are easy to characterize mathematically.

By 1964, several spectral power distributions (SPDs) of daylight had been measured independently by H. W. Budde of theNational Research Council of Canada inOttawa, H. R. Condit and F. Grum of theEastman Kodak Company inRochester, New York,^[7] and S. T. Henderson and D. Hodgkiss ofThorn Electrical Industries inEnfield (north London),^[8] totaling among them 622 samples.Deane B. Judd,David MacAdam, andGünter Wyszecki analyzed these samples and found that the(x,y) chromaticity coordinates followed a simple,quadratic relation, later known as the daylight locus:^[9]

${\displaystyle y=2.870x-3.000x^2-\mathrm{0.275.}}$

Characteristic vector analysis revealed that the SPDs could be satisfactorily approximated by using the mean (S₀) and first two characteristic vectors (S₁ and S₂):^[10][11]

${\displaystyle S_D(\lambda )=S_0(\lambda )+M_1{S}_1(\lambda )+M_2{S}_2(\lambda ).}$

In simpler terms, the SPD of the studied daylight samples can be expressed as thelinear combination of three, fixed SPDs. The first vector (S₀) is the mean of all the SPD samples, which is the best reconstituted SPD that can be formed with only a fixed vector. The second vector (S₁) corresponds to yellow–blue variation (along the locus), accounting for changes in thecorrelated color temperature due to proportion of indirect to direct sunlight.^[9] The third vector (S₂) corresponds to pink–green variation (across the locus) caused by the presence of water in the form of vapor and haze.^[9]

By the time the D-series was formalized by the CIE,^[12] a computation of the chromaticity${\displaystyle (x,y)}$ for a particular isotherm was included.^[13] Juddet al. then extended the reconstituted SPDs to300 nm–330 nm and700 nm–830 nm by using Moon's spectral absorbance data of the Earth's atmosphere.^[14] The tabulated SPDs presented by the CIE today are derived bylinear interpolation of the10 nm data set down to5 nm.^[15] However, there is a proposal to usespline interpolation instead.^[16]

Similar studies have been undertaken in other parts of the world, or repeating Juddet al.'s analysis with modern computational methods. In several of these studies, the daylight locus is notably closer to the Planckian locus than in Juddet al.^[17][18]

The CIE positions D65 as the standard daylight illuminant:

[D65] is intended to represent average daylight and has a correlated colour temperature of approximately 6500 K. CIE standard illuminant D65 should be used in all colorimetric calculations requiring representative daylight, unless there are specific reasons for using a different illuminant. Variations in the relative spectral power distribution of daylight are known to occur, particularly in the ultraviolet spectral region, as a function of season, time of day, and geographic location.

The relativespectral power distribution (SPD)${\displaystyle S_D(\lambda )}$ of a D series illuminant can be derived from itschromaticity coordinates in theCIE 1931 color space,${\displaystyle (x_D,y_D)}$.^[20] First, the chromaticity coordinates must be determined:

${\displaystyle y_D=-3.000x_D^2+2.870x_D-0.275}$

whereT is the illuminant's CCT. Note that the CCTs of the canonical illuminants, D₅₀, D₅₅, D₆₅, and D₇₅, differ slightly from what their names suggest. For example, D50 has a CCT of 5003 K ("horizon" light), whileD65 has a CCT of 6504 K (noon light). This is because the originally experimentally determined values of the constants in Planck's law have become more accurately known (and now take on fixed values in the international system of units and measurements) since the definition of these canonical illuminants, whose SPDs are based on the original values in Planck's law.^[1] The same discrepancy applies to all illuminants in the D series—D₅₀, D₅₅, D₆₅, D₇₅—and can be "rectified" by multiplying the nominal color temperature by${\displaystyle \frac{c_2}{1.4380}}$; for example${\displaystyle 6500\text{K}\times \frac{1.438776877\dots }{1.4380}=6503.51\text{K}}$ for D₆₅.

To determine the D-series SPD (S_D) that corresponds to those coordinates, the coefficients M₁ and M₂ of the characteristic vectors S₁ and S₂ are determined:

${\displaystyle S_D(\lambda )=S_0(\lambda )+M_1{S}_1(\lambda )+M_2{S}_2(\lambda ),}$

${\displaystyle M_1=(-1.3515-1.7703x_D+5.9114y_D)/M,}$

${\displaystyle M_2=(0.0300-31.4424x_D+30.0717y_D)/M,}$

${\displaystyle M=0.0241+0.2562x_D-0.7341y_D}$

where${\displaystyle S_0(\lambda ),S_1(\lambda ),S_2(\lambda )}$ are the mean and first twoeigenvector SPDs, depicted in figure.^[20] The characteristic vectors both have a zero at560 nm, since all the relative SPDs have been normalized about this point. In order to match all significant digits of the published data of the canonical illuminants the values of M₁ and M₂ have to be rounded to three decimal places before calculation ofS_D.^[1]

Using thestandard 2° observer, theCIE 1931 color spacechromaticity coordinates of D65 are^[21]

and theXYZ tristimulus values (normalized toY = 100), are

For thesupplementary 10° observer,^{[citation needed]}

and the corresponding XYZ tristimulus values are

Since D65 representswhite light, its coordinates are also awhite point, corresponding to acorrelated color temperature of 6504 K.Rec. 709, used inHDTV systems, truncates the CIE 1931 coordinates to x=0.3127, y=0.329.

There are no actual daylight light sources, only simulators. Constructing a practical light source that emulates a D-series illuminant is a difficult problem. The chromaticity can be replicated simply by taking a well known light source and applying filters, such as the Spectralight III, that used filtered incandescent lamps.^[22] However, the SPDs of these sources deviate from the D-series SPD, leading to bad performance on the CIEmetamerism index.^[23][24] Better sources were achieved in the 2010s withphosphor-coated white LEDs that can easily emulate the A, D, and E illuminants with high CRI.^[25]

Illuminant E is an equal-energy radiator; it has a constant SPD inside thevisible spectrum. It is useful as a theoretical reference; an illuminant that gives equal weight to all wavelengths. It also has equalCIE XYZ tristimulus values, thus its chromaticity coordinates are (x,y)=(1/3,1/3). This is by design; the XYZ color matching functions are normalized such that their integrals over the visible spectrum are the same.^[1]

Illuminant E is not a black body, so it does not have a color temperature, but it can be approximated by a D series illuminant with a CCT of 5455 K. (Of the canonical illuminants, D₅₅ is the closest.) Manufacturers sometimes compare light sources against illuminant E to calculate theexcitation purity.^[26]

CIE Publication 15.2 introduced twelve new illuminants representing severalfluorescent lamps and comprisingseries F,^[27] later renamed toseries FL from CIE Publication 15:2004 onward.^[5] The original 12 standards are distributed to 3 groups:

• Standards FL1–FL6 represent "standard" fluorescent lamps consisting of two semi-broadband emissions ofantimony andmanganese activations in calcium halophosphatephosphor. FL4 is of particular interest since it was used for calibrating the CIEcolor rendering index (the CRI formula was chosen such that FL4 would have a CRI of 51).^{[citation needed]}
• Standards FL7–FL9 represent "broadband" (full-spectrum light) fluorescent lamps with multiple phosphors, and higher CRIs.
• Standards FL10–FL12 represent narrow triband illuminants consisting of three "narrowband" emissions (caused by ternary compositions of rare-earth phosphors) in the R,G,B regions of the visible spectrum, which leads to poor CRI.

The members within a group represent different CCTs, such that the phosphor weights can be tuned to achieve the desired CCT. In each of these three groups, CIE states that FL2, FL7, and FL11 "take priority" to be representative of their respective groups.^[5]

• 
  FL1–6: Standard
• 
  FL7–9: Broadband
• 
  FL10–12: Narrowband

CIE 15:2004 also introduced fifteen new fluorescent illuminants representing different kinds of fluorescent lamps and comprisingsubseries FL3.^[5] These 15 standards are distributed in 5 groups:

• Standards FL3.1-FL3.3 represent standard halophosphate lamps (similar to FL1-6)
• Standards FL3.4-FL3.6 represent DeLuxe type lamps (similar to FL7-9)
• Standards FL3.7-FL3.11 represent three-band lamps (similar to FL10-12)
• Standards FL3.12-FL3.14 represent multi-band lamps
• Standard FL3.15 represents a D65 simulating fluorescent lamp

• 
  FL3.1-3.3 : standard
• 
  FL3.4-3.6 : DeLuxe
• 
  FL3.7-3.11 : three-band
• 
  FL3.12-3.14 : multi-band
• 
  FL3.15 : D65 simulator

CIE 15:2004 introduced five new illuminants representing different kinds of high pressure discharge lamps and comprisingseries HP.:^[5]

• Standard HP1 for standard high-pressure sodium lamps
• Standard HP2 for color-enhanced high-pressure sodium lamps
• Standards HP3-HP5 for metal halide lamps.

• 
  HP1 and HP2
• 
  HP3 to HP5

CIE Publication 15:2018 introduces nine new illuminants representing severalwhite LEDs with CCTs ranging from 2700~6600 K.^[28] LED-B1 through B5 define standard LED illuminants withphosphor-converted blue light. LED-BH1 defines a blend of phosphor-converted blue and a red LED. LED-RGB1 defines the white light produced by atricolor LED mix. LED-V1 and V2 define LEDs with phosphor-converted violet light.

• 
  LED-B1 to B5
• 
  LED-BH1 and RGB1
• 
  LED-V1 and V2

CIE publication 184:2009 introduced two new illuminants representing naturalindoor light,^[29] which were later included asseries ID in CIE 15:2018.^[28] ID50 and ID65 are equivalent to their outdoor counterparts, D50 and D65, filtered through window glass, thereby removing the ultraviolet contents.^[29] The indoor CCTs are about 100K higher (cooler) relative to their outdoor counterparts.

The spectrum of a standard illuminant, like any other profile of light, can be converted intotristimulus values. The set of three tristimulus coordinates of an illuminant is called awhite point. If the profile isnormalized, then the white point can equivalently be expressed as a pair ofchromaticity coordinates.

If an image is recorded in tristimulus coordinates (or in values which can be converted to and from them), then the white point of the illuminant used gives the maximum value of the tristimulus coordinates that will be recorded at any point in the image, in the absence offluorescence. It is called the white point of the image.

The process of calculating the white point discards a great deal of information about the profile of the illuminant, and so although it is true that for every illuminant the exact white point can be calculated, it is not the case that knowing the white point of an image alone tells you a great deal about the illuminant that was used to record it.

A list of standardized illuminants, their CIE chromaticity coordinates (x,y) of a perfectly reflecting (or transmitting) diffuser, and theircorrelated color temperatures (CCTs) are given below. The CIE chromaticity coordinates are given for both the 2 degree field of view (1931) and the 10 degree field of view (1964).^[30]The color swatches represent the color of each white point, automatically calculated by Wikipedia using theColor temperature template.

• Selected colorimetric tables in Excel, as published inCIE 15:2004
• Konica Minolta Sensing:Light sources & Illuminants

• Light
• Color

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