tenebrescence Physics.
(tɛnɪˈbrɛsəns)
[ad. L. tenebrescens, pr. pple. of tenebrescere to grow dark, f. tenebræ darkness.]
The property of reversibly darkening and bleaching in response to radiation of different wavelengths (orig. restricted to the property of darkening only). Hence teneˈbrescent a.; teneˈbresce v. intr., to darken or bleach thus.
| 1946 H. W. Leverenz in RCA Rev. VII. 199 (heading) Luminescence and tenebrescence as applied in radar. [Note] The terms ‘tenebrescence’ and ‘scotophor’ are derived..to correspond to the terms ‘luminescence’ and ‘phosphor’... Tenebrescence is any absorption of light not intrinsic to the materials involved;..a scotophor is a tenebrescent material..which may be made to tenebresce reversibly, i.e., visibly darken and bleach (irrespective of chromaticity), under suitable irradiations. 1953 Amer. Mineralogist XXXVIII. 919 (heading) Composition, tenebrescence and luminescence of spodumene minerals. Ibid., Only non-chromian spodumene is luminescent and tenebrescent. 1970 Dorion & Weibe Photochromism i. 9 Tenebrescent and scotophoric materials are crystals that may be colored by radiation such as electron bombardment, X-rays, or light, and that are bleached by other radiation. |