Analysis of chromatic-adaptation effect by a linkage model.

Hunt suggested that an adaptation-dependent linkage in the visual pathway from the retina to the brain can explain the variation of saturation produced by change of adapting luminance. If variation of saturation is caused by change of linkage, this change must also be involved in chromatic adaptation to light sources that have different chromaticities. By considering the effective adaptation levels of receptors, the model is extended and formulated for application to prediction of chromatic adaptation. It is tested by use of experimental results for chromatic adaptation obtained by Burnham et al. Suitable selection of parameters that specify the state of linkage produces good predictions of the effects of chromatic adaptation.