Comments on: They know how to put on a good show http://williamtozier.com/slurry/2005/10/18/they-know-how-to-put-on-a-good-show Pontification without all the gritty gravitas Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:16:04 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: clew http://williamtozier.com/slurry/2005/10/18/they-know-how-to-put-on-a-good-show/comment-page-1#comment-155 clew Tue, 25 Oct 2005 23:31:17 +0000 http://williamtozier.com/slurry/?p=134#comment-155 I was just told in passing (but in a forest ecology course) that fluorescence was often a way of dumping extra light, when the light/water ratio was too low for non-damaging photosynthesis. Does the fall color come after the tree shuts off the water to its leaves? Is the blazing color the <i>bremsstrahlung</i> as the abandoned leaves rage against the dying of the light? (Could I fit more half-baked metaphors in?) I was just told in passing (but in a forest ecology course) that fluorescence was often a way of dumping extra light, when the light/water ratio was too low for non-damaging photosynthesis.

Does the fall color come after the tree shuts off the water to its leaves? Is the blazing color the bremsstrahlung as the abandoned leaves rage against the dying of the light?

(Could I fit more half-baked metaphors in?)

]]> By: Ken Muldrew http://williamtozier.com/slurry/2005/10/18/they-know-how-to-put-on-a-good-show/comment-page-1#comment-139 Ken Muldrew Wed, 19 Oct 2005 15:49:06 +0000 http://williamtozier.com/slurry/?p=134#comment-139 I don't know who they're talking to or what they're saying, but green leaves give off light that is not just re-emitted (chemiluminescence, presumably). We were once looking to measure the spectrum of this very weak light using a monochromator and a very sensitive photomultiplier when one of the fellows in the dark room put a small tear in the leaf. The PMT saturated immediately. It was as if the leaf was screaming. One can't help thinking of Mullah Nasruddin searching for his lost car keys under the streetlight. I don’t know who they’re talking to or what they’re saying, but green leaves give off light that is not just re-emitted (chemiluminescence, presumably). We were once looking to measure the spectrum of this very weak light using a monochromator and a very sensitive photomultiplier when one of the fellows in the dark room put a small tear in the leaf. The PMT saturated immediately. It was as if the leaf was screaming.

One can’t help thinking of Mullah Nasruddin searching for his lost car keys under the streetlight.

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