Page:On the Strain Theory of Photographic Action.djvu/7

190l.] cell by interrupted and continuous illuminations of the same total duration. (See fig. 19.) Though light acted for the same length of time in both cases, yet in that of interrupted illumination the molecular effect as measured by the galvanometer deflection was only seven divisions, whereas with continuous illumination the deflection was 11·5, or one and a-half times as great.

It is thus seen that owing to self-recovery, the effect of light with intermittent illumination is less. It is also evident that the greater the period allowed for self-recovery (during the interval of darkness) the less will be the resultant effect. In connection with this, the experiments of Abney are very interesting. In experimenting on the difference between the effects on photographic emulsion of a continuous exposure and a series of intermittent illuminations, he finds that in the latter case the effect produced was always less, and that the longer the interval between the exposures, the smaller was the effect.

8. Photographic Effect Modified by Time-rate.

It will thus be seen that the photographic effect is not solely governed by the total amount of radiation, but by the time-rate also. The influence of this factor appears to be exhibited in the three following cases. Cases (2) and (3) derive an additional interest from the fact that the effects are probably due not to absorption of radiation, as is usually the case in photography, but to the emission of radiation.

(1.) In photographs of lightning, the line of discharge often comes out dark (the so-called dark lightning). It has been shown that reversals are produced by intense radiation; we may thus have reversals of the first, second, and succeeding higher orders. Now it is possible that the reversal, or the dark-lightning effect, may be obtained, not only by a subsequent diffuse illumination (Clayden effect), but also by the action of lightning itself, provided that the intensity of illumination is sufficiently great and sudden to produce the reversal. The luminous intensity of lightning discharge is