Comparison of the light-flash phenomena observed in space and in laboratory experiments.
Astronauts on Apollo and Skylab missions have reported observing a variety of visual phenomena when their eyes were closed and adapted to darkness. These observations were studied under controlled conditions during a number of sessions on board Apollo and Skylab spacecraft and the data available to date on these so-called light flashes are in the form of descriptions of the phenomena and frequency of occurrence. Similar visual phenomena have been demonstrated in a number of laboratories by exposing the eyes of human subjects to beams of neutrons, alpha particles, pions and protons. More than one physical mechanism is involved in the laboratory and space phenomena. No direct comparison of the laboratory and space observations has been made by observers who have experienced both. However, the range of visual phenomena observed in the laboratory is consistent with the Apollo and Skylab observations. Measured detection efficiencies can be used to estimate the frequencies with which various phenomena would be observed if that subject was exposed to cosmic rays in space.
McNulty
P J
PJ
Clarkson College of Technology, Potsdam, N.Y., USA.
Pease
V P
VP
Bond
V P
VP
D003359:Cosmic Radiation; D003623:Dark Adaptation; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D010719:Phosphenes / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012160:Retina / Q000528:radiation effects; D013026:Space Flight; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014893:Weightlessness