Munsell Value Research Articles

Color of Small Ochre Fragments from the Upper Paleolithic Sites Kapova Cave and Kamennaya Balka II (Russia): Combining Visual Color Identification and Cluster Analysis

A technique for characterizing the color of small ochre samples was proposed. The technique includes visual color determination with the aid of a stereomicroscope and a Munsell Soil Color Chart, conversion of Munsell values to CIE L*a*b* coordinates, cluster analysis, and principle component analysis (PCA). The technique was applied to ochre samples from the Kapova Cave and Kamennaya Balka II Upper Paleolithic sites. Characterization of the color of a statistically significant number of pigment samples makes it possible to identify the relationships between different structural features of the cultural layer and reliably identify a wide range of artistic practices in parietal caves in addition to the actual creation of drawings, and it also possibly serves as a chronological marker at multi-layered sites.

A Novel Approach Based on Munsell Value for the Evaluation of Asphalt Aging Degree

A Novel Approach Based on Munsell Value for the Evaluation of Asphalt Aging Degree

The usefulness of the Munsell colour indices for identification of drained soils with various content of organic matter

PurposeThe aim of the study was to determine the usefulness of the Munsell colour indices for identification of drained soils with various content of organic matter, developed on the sandy substrate.MethodsThe analysed soils, according to the Polish Soil Classification (PSC 2019), belong to thin murshic soils (WRB 2022: Murshic Histosols/Histic Gleysols), typical semimurshic soils (Mollic/Umbric Gleysols (Arenic, Drainic, Mulmic)) and to postmurshic soils (Umbric Gleysols (Arenic, Drainic, Nechic)). The following dry colour indices: value (V), chroma (Ch), V+Ch, V+0.5Ch, V×Ch and V/Ch, were correlated with soil variables (LOI, Corg., Ntot., C:N and FeHCl, MnHCl—elements extracted with 0.5 M HCl).ResultsThe strongest correlation with the SOM content was displayed by the Munsell value, which allows one to estimate the SOM, Corg., Ntot. content in the soils studied. The classification and regression trees (C&RT) revealed that the analysed soil materials could be successfully divided based on the Munsell value alone. The V/Ch quotient demonstrated significant correlations with LOI, Corg., Ntot., C:N, FeHCl and MnHCl. This quotient equalled 1–2 for murshic (≥ 12% Corg.) and semimurshic (≥ 6.0 Corg. < 12.0%), but varied greatly (1–5) for postmurshic (≥ 0.6 Corg. < 6.0% Corg.) soil materials.ConclusionThe analysed soil materials had the Munsell value differentiated enough to enable their identification. The V/Ch quotient can help to trace the origin of postmurshic soils. Its narrow value (1–2) indicates that the postmurshic soil developed through advanced transformation of murshic soil materials, whereas a broader value (2–5) indicates that the postmurshic soil originated from dewatered Gleysols.

Evaluation of asphalt ageing degree based on asphalt color

To understand the relationship between the surface color and ageing of asphalt, the evaluation method for asphalt surface color was established with the color parameter of Munsell Value, then two asphalts were adopted to study the influence of asphalt ageing on its surface color, and the mechanism of whitening was investigated by the four generic fractions experiment, color spectrum tests and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) test. The results show that the surface color of asphalt will be changed by some factors, while ageing is an important factor. The thermal-oxidative ageing (TOA) of asphalt would lead to the asphalt to be darker in color due to the component migration caused by ageing, while the ultraviolet ageing (UVA) of asphalt will result in a grey or white asphalt surface because of the fact that UVA makes the surface wrinkled and rough which would cause the asphalt surface to change from specular reflection to diffuse reflection. Since the whitening of asphalt surface caused by UVA is much more serious than the blacking caused by TOA, the asphalt pavement always tends to appear grey or white during its service life. To verify the close relationship between the surface color and UVA degree of asphalt, two modified asphalts with anti-ultraviolet ageing agents, carbon black and layered double hydroxides, were suffered from UVA, and their ageing degrees were assessed with the parameters of Munsell Value and conventional physical properties, results indicate the two evaluations on UVA degree have much consistency, which means it is feasible to adopt Munsell Value, a parameter of asphalt surface color, to evaluate the UV ageing degree of asphalt.

Analysis of Rock Mass Surface Colour using CIELAB and Munsell Chart

Rock mass surface colour is crucial for weathering assessment. CIELAB colour space and Munsell chart are methods to express the surface colour of rock masses. This study analysed the L*a*b* value from both approaches and examined the effectiveness and reliability of rock slope weathering assessment method. The Munsell Rock chart is a conventional method primarily used in practice. However, due to the constraint of individual vision and variation in the optical environment, errors and bias in rock surface colour can easily occur using the conventional method. The colourimeter was used to determine the CIELAB colour values of the samples, while the rock colour chart determined the colour coordinates and Munsell values. The Munsell hue and chroma were assigned using linear interpolation by Munsell conversion software CMC 2.1 to convert Munsell colour systems to L*a*b* value. A total of six granitic rock slopes were investigated. For quantitatively method, the Munsell optical system was less effective in assessing the rock mass surface colour. The positive correlation of a* and b* with R2=0.9407 demonstrated the efficiency of CIELAB system. The a*b* result of the rock slope indicated that most of the slopes were considered medium to strong with a moderately weathered surface. This result is strongly supported by a geomechanical test of Schmidt-UCS and index properties (Id2) with a range of 50-100 MPa and 2-4 MPa respectively. The finding verified mineralogical assessment which showed the correlation of rock mass surface colour to mineral composition. The study recommended any geotechnical and technical purpose in enhancing the method of weathering assessment by using the CIELAB colour space to rapidly and efficiently measure the rock surface colour.

An examination of reflected glare prediction method based on luminance distribution

Explicit evaluation methods and suppression techniques for reflected glare have not been clarified in museum lighting. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the occurrence mechanism of reflected glare and to make use of its knowledge for future exhibitions in museums. In this paper, for the first step, we focused on the several factors, which were assumed to have an influence on the intensity of the reflected glare, such as the balance between ambient light levels for an exhibition room and target light levels for paintings, the Munsell value of paintings, and the amount of varnish coating. We conducted a subjective experiment in which the reflected glare on the replica paintings was evaluated by subjects aged in their 20s in an experimental room that was assumed to be an actual exhibit space. Based on the results of this experiment, we confirmed that the degree of reflected glare in museums could be roughly estimated from luminance distribution, reflectance, and glossiness of the paintings.

Water-stained leaves: formation and application as a field indicator of wetland hydrology

Wetland delineations conducted in the United States utilize field indicators as proxy measures of the presence or absence of wetland hydrology. Water-stained leaves provide a practical, qualitative field indicator of wetland hydrology; however, the formation of water-stained leaves has not been elucidated. In response, leaves from six tree species were examined under five treatments to investigate the water-staining process and concomitant timeframes. Results indicate that leaf staining occurred within 14-21 days of continuous exposure to wetland waters and sediment under both laboratory and field conditions. Leaf staining was characterized by readily observable shifts in leaf color (i.e., decreasing Munsell hue, value, and chroma) causing the leaves to appear very dark or black. No color shifts associated with leaf staining occurred in treatments exposed to upland conditions. The timeframe associated with leaf staining corresponds with established wetland hydrology criteria requiring a minimum hydroperiod of 14 consecutive days of soil saturation, flooding, or ponding. Leaves exposed to wetland waters and sediment underwent color shifts significantly faster and to a greater extent than leaves inundated with deionized water, likely as a result of increased microbial abundance and the presence of anaerobic conditions in the simulated wetland treatments. Results suggest that water-stained leaves 1) are a useful and reliable wetland hydrology field indicator for wetland delineation purposes, 2) may provide a proxy measure of wetland hydroperiod, and 3) Munsell color measurements can help differentiate between leaves exposed to wetland and upland conditions.

Chromatic fading following complete adaptation to unique hues.

Profound vision loss occurs after prolonged exposure to an unchanging featureless visual environment. The effect is sometimes called visual fade. Here we investigate this phenomenon in the color domain using two different experiments. In the first experiment we determine the time needed for a colored background to appear achromatic. Four backgrounds were tested. Each represented the observers’ four unique hues. This adaptation time was compared with time to recover after adaptation Hue shifts at the end of the adaptation period were also measured. There were wide individual differences in adaptation times and recovery times. Overall recovery was faster than adaptation (p < 0.02). There were minimal shifts in hue. In the second experiment the changes in saturation (Munsell chroma) and lightness (Munsell value) of the background were monitored at six time intervals during the adapting process. Again asymmetric matching with Munsell samples was used. There were two distinct components to both the adaptation and recovery phases; one fast with time constant <1s, the other slow with time constant between 40 and 160s.The experiments show that the special case of visual fade involving color represents the sensory basis for many color-related effects involving adaptation.

Prediction of Orchard Soils Degradation using Munsell Soil Color

The soil organic carbon content played an important role in reducing soil fertility, then fruit yield and quality. Several studies in Mekong Delta, Vietnam area showed that soil of orchards was degraded after longtime constructed. The prediction of soil organic carbon in the fields at wider regions requires a large number of samples that are costly to analyze. The objective of this study found out the correlation between Munsell soil colour with the content of organic matter of the different orchard soils to predict the content of organic carbon from 52 orchard soil samples of the different ages of construction as soil degraded. A case study in Hau Giang province, Vietnam. The results showed that there was a complicated relation to soil properties. Soil colour has the same Munsell Hue, but there is different between Munsell Value and Chroma when the soil has at the same humidity. Organic Carbon content ranged from 1,32 to 5,6%. There was negative significant correlation between organic C content and Munsell soil color properties, such as with Munsell Value (r = -0,75** air-dry, r = -0,74** moist); Munsell Chroma (r= -0,55** air-dry, r = -0,66** moist). Since, Visual soil colour assessment is useful predictors of organic C content, especially for topsoil layers to predict the degradation of orchard soils. This study indicates that soil organic content can be predicted by using Munsell soil colours for visual field measurements on the old raised bed at the moist condition, which can be used for field soil fertility degradation recommendation. However, more study of pedotransfer function on other soils condition must be correlated for further recommendation.

Soil Color and Mineralogy Mapping Using Proximal and Remote Sensing in Midwest Brazil

Soil color and mineralogy are used as diagnostic criteria to distinguish different soil types. In the literature, 350–2500 nm spectra were successfully used to predict soil color and mineralogy, but these attributes currently are not mapped for most Brazilian soils. In this paper, we provided the first large-extent maps with 30 m resolution of soil color and mineralogy at three depth intervals for 850,000 km2 of Midwest Brazil. We obtained soil 350–2500 nm spectra from 1397 sites of the Brazilian Soil Spectral Library at 0–20 cm, 20–60, and 60–100 cm depths. Spectra was used to derive Munsell hue, value, and chroma, and also second derivative spectra of the Kubelka–Munk function, where key spectral bands were identified and their amplitude measured for mineral quantification. Landsat composites of topsoil and vegetation reflectance, together with relief and climate data, were used as covariates to predict Munsell color and Fe–Al oxides, and 1:1 and 2:1 clay minerals of topsoil and subsoil. We used random forest for soil modeling and 10-fold cross-validation. Soil spectra and remote sensing data accurately mapped color and mineralogy at topsoil and subsoil in Midwest Brazil. Hematite showed high prediction accuracy (R2 &gt; 0.71), followed by Munsell value and hue. Satellite topsoil reflectance at blue spectral region was the most relevant predictor (25% global importance) for soil color and mineralogy. Our maps were consistent with pedological expert knowledge, legacy soil observations, and legacy soil class map of the study region.

A rapid and quantitative method for assessing the whiteness of whitened lignin based on an in-depth analysis of reported methods

The modification of lignin to a lighter color has been a concern in lignin valorization. In the previous reports on lignin color reduction, the methods of assessing the whiteness of lignin varied from each other, due to the absence of a universal method for characterizing the lightness/darkness of dark samples. In this paper, the reported methods for assessing the whiteness of lignin were analyzed, including “comparison of absorbance curve”, “absorbance at specific wavelength”, “ISO or TAPPI brightness” and “photograph observation”. Our study revealed that various defects existed in these methods. In light of the Munsell color system, we herein proposed a quantitative method for evaluating the whiteness of lignin, based on the finding that the sum of the reflectance of samples with the same Munsell value (whiteness) are substantially equal. A model for converting the reflectance of lignin to Munsell value was established, and the effectiveness of the model was verified and discussed. The standard deviation of the model ranges from 0.23-1.10. The applicability of the method to liquid was also discussed in the paper. Moreover, because the model was derived from the Munsell color system, it can also be applied to characterize other medium to dark-colored objects besides lignin.

Effect of Dehydration and Discoloration Time of Ethanol, Temperature, and Dipping Time of a Preservation Solution for Dyeing on Quality of Preserved Flowers of Rose ‘Pink Aurora’

The objective of this study was to examine the proper temperature and time for treatment when using ethanol for dehydration and discoloration of Rosa hybrida ‘Pink Aurora’ bred in Korea and also for treatment of a preservation solution for dyeing to make preserved flowers of this species. For dehydration and decolorization, dipping was carried out at 25 ± 2°C for 3, 6, 12, 18, or 24 hours, and dyeing was treated at 25, 30, or 35 ° C for 6, 12, 18, or 24 hours. The most effective duration of dehydration was 12 hours, considering that the red color decolored perfectly in the H value of the Munsell value, and the yellow color grew richer as the treatment time increased. For the treatment of the preservation solution, a “C” value (indicating chroma) was higher at 35℃ in 48 hours. Flower shrinking percentage was lower at lower temperatures and with longer times of immersion. The weight was reduced by 53%–47% after longer times of immersion at all temperatures (24-hour dehydration), whereas it was reduced by 73% after 6 hours of immersion and by 68% after 24 hours of immersion at 25°C (48-hour dehydration). In conclusion, longer immersion time resulted in lesser reduction of flower weight. In consideration of the above results, the most effective condition was dehydration for 12 hours and dyeing at 25°C for 24 hours.

Influences of lighting time course and background on categorical colour constancy with RGB‐LED light sources

AbstractSome previous studies have investigated the influence of the lighting time course and viewing background on the colour constancy using two‐dimensional flat stimuli simulated on a monitor. In the present study, we investigated the categorical colour constancy in real scenes by manipulating (a) the lighting time course, that is, adaptation period to the illuminant (brief adaptation or complete adaptation) and (b) the background structure of a stimulus (a uniform gray background with an approximately 25% spectral reflectance or a multicolour background consisting of the Macbeth ColorChecker and some fruit models). The neutral (u′ = 0.1994, v′ = 0.4671), red (u′ = 0.2433, v′ = 0.4622), green (u′ = 0.1525, v′ = 0.4697), blue (u′ = 0.2049, v′ = 0.4198), and yellow (u′ = 0.1892, v′ = 0.5112) illuminants were produced by an RGB‐LED lamp. For each chromatic illumination condition, subjects categorized 240 surfaces with Munsell Value 5/ in four viewing conditions with different combinations of the lighting time course and the background structure. A total of seven subjects participated in experiments with red and green illuminants and five subjects with blue and yellow illuminants. The results showed that the constancy index was the lowest (0.66) in the brief adaptation and gray background condition and the highest (0.74) in the complete adaptation and multicolour background condition. The results suggest that increasing the adaptation period alone or adding chromatic cues in the background with a brief adaptation can help to improve the colour constancy, and a time‐taking reference to surrounding coloured objects with the long presentation of the illuminant may also contribute to obtaining colour constancy.

Potential Color Change Dynamics of Beneficial Use Sediments

ABSTRACT Berkowitz, J.F.; VanZomeren, C.M., and Priestas, A.M., 2018. Potential color change dynamics of beneficial use sediments. Sediment color is important in determining aesthetic and habitat suitability for beach nourishment projects; however, sediment derived from dredging operations must meet locally established color compatibility requirements (i.e. cannot be too dark). Often, potential sediment sources are close to meeting specified thresholds, and previous observations suggest that sediments may lighten over time following beach nourishment. This work seeks to characterize the degree of color change potential based on the removal of constituents affecting sediment color. Thus, a sequential chemical treatment was developed to examine color changes associated with the removal of carbonates, organic matter, and iron oxide coatings from sediments collected from eight U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredging operations. The results show that Munsell values increased by an average of 1.0 unit (became lig...

Colours Convey Lanna Identity in Lamphun and Chiang Mai Area

Colour control is a specific tool to identify local environment. Especially in the historic area or conservation area, to promote colour control is very necessary. Therefore, there are many standards of colour to control such as Munsell, colour name, and L*a*b*. This research is aimed to analyze the appropriate colour control by using a Munsell standard colour which is suitable to visual perception. The study area is scoped in northern region of Lanna culture in Thailand which nowadays used names of colours to control. Chiang Mai and Lamphun are selected to be case study because they are in a center of Lanna Empire of Thailand and have many historic significant things such as city wall, temple, monastery, palace, and city moat. The mainly procedure conducts in this article is based on the analysis of material colour. The study chose local natural materials which are used in the historic significant things. Earthen clay tile, wooden roof tile, burnt clay brick, laterites, hard wood, bamboo, silver, and gold are evaluated. The procedure used the DIC application of android processor on smart phone. This application has a conversion data to switch a colour value from pick-up point in photo to many colour values such as RGB, CMYK which Munsell value is included. The photos were taken within the historic area of Chiang Mai and Lamphun by random. The result can scope a range of colours of Munsell standard of natural colour (N), red (R), yellow (Y), and yellow-red (YR). A natural colour (N) can be suggested a range 1.0-9.0 (N 1.0-9.0). Red can be ranged the value between 3.0-7.0 and chroma between 3.0-9.0 (R 3.0-7.0/3.0-9.0). Yellow can be ranged the value between 6.0-9.0 and chroma between 4.0-12.0 (Y 6.0-9.0/4.0-12.0). Yellow-red can be ranged the value between 2.0-8.0 and chroma between 2.0-11.0 (YR 2.0-8.0/2.0-11.0). The results can be revealed a process of colour analysis of historic colour control and may offer to be an ordinance in further.

インテリアにおける壁紙模様が空間の知覚に及ぼす影響

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of wallpaper pattern type, Munsell value, and illuminance on the perception of interior space. A series of psychological experiments were conducted to evaluate the four parameters: magnitude values of volume, width, depth, and height of interior space, using two types of one-tenth scale models of a room. The “horizontal model” measured 24 mc in height and 45 cm in width and depth, the “vertical model, ” measured 45 cm in height, 24 cm in width, and 45 cm in depth. The wallpaper patterns used in these experiments were vertical stripe, horizontal stripe, square, wave, floral and arabesque. The figures of the patterns were printed in three achromatic colours, N8.5, N7, and N5. The ground of the patterns and the floor were printed in achromatic colour N9. The walls and floor of a reference model with no pattern were also printed in N9. The experiments were conducted in three illuminance conditions: 750 lx, 500 lx, and 300 lx. A magnitude estimation method was applied to evaluate the four parameters. The eighteen subjects (12 women and 6 men) were asked to look into each model by turns through a viewing aperture in the rear wall and to compare their four spatial parameters of the comparison model with those of the standard model. These experiments were conducted separately with horizontal and vertical models. The results showed that the effects of the wallpaper pattern type, Munsell value, and illuminance were obvious. However, these effects were different between horizontal and vertical models and were more remarkable in horizontal model. It is because vertical model was so extraordinary that the effects of wallpaper pattern type and Munsell value became blurred. On the other hand, some of the effects were common between horizontal and vertical models, and can be regarded as stable results. These results can be summarized as follows: · The existence of wallpaper pattern decreased the magnitude value of volume. · The effects of the Munsell value were obvious;, the lower the Munsell value, the lower the magnitude values of volume, width, and depth. · The effects of the pattern type were different between horizontal model and vertical model. The pattern type had similar effects on the magnitude values of volume and depth of horizontal model. The horizontal stripe and floral patterns had higher corresponding value than did other types. The vertical stripe and horizontal stripe patterns had opposite effects on the magnitude values of width and height of both models. The horizontal stripe pattern increased the magnitude value of width and decreased that of height, whereas the horizontal stripe pattern increased the magnitude value of height and decreased that of width. · Illuminance was found to affect only the magnitude value of volume of horizontal model; the lower the illuminance, the lower the magnitude value of volume.

Influence of Long-term Application of Feedlot Amendments to Cropland on Ground Elevation, Ah Horizon Depth, and Soil Color

Few studies have examined the effect of long-term application of feedlot manure on ground elevation, Ah horizon depth, and color of surface soil. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of manure type (stockpiled vs. composted feedlot manure), bedding (straw vs. wood chips), and application rate (13, 39, and 77 Mg ha−1 dry wt.) on these soil properties after 17 annual applications. There was also one inorganic (IN) fertilizer treatment and an unamended control. Elevations were measured using a total station, and the Munsell value and chroma measured on field soil and on fine-ground ( 0.05) effect on relative elevation and Ah depth, but relative elevation and Ah depth increased with greater application rates (10.7 cm increase in relative elevation at 77 Mg ha−1). The Munsell color value was significantly lower or darker for amended than unamended soils and shifted the Chernozemic soil Great Group classification f...

A minimal Munsell value error based laser printer model

The image printed by laser printer may be nonlinearly distorted by dot gain and dot loss. In this case, printer model is usually built to suppress this nonlinear distortion and to make sure the printout result is the same as input image. The parameters of the printer model which will directly affect the printout result are key. In this paper, the chroma or density values of printout result is changed into Munsell value, and optimal parameters of printer model are calculated via the calculation of minimal error between Munsell value and input gray value. And then the minimal-Munsell-value-error-based laser printer model (MMVEBLPM) is established and applied in the green noise halftone method. Experimental results showed that the optimal parameters can be calculated fast and the nonlinear distortion of laser printer is suppressed significantly with the proposed model.

Use of Munsell color charts to measure skin tone objectively in nursing home residents at risk for pressure ulcer development.

To assess the feasibility of classifying skin tone using Munsell color chart values and to compare Munsell-based skin tone categories to ethnicity/race to predict pressure ulcer risk. Pressure ulcer classification uses level of visible tissue damage, including skin discoloration over bony prominences. Prevention begins with early detection of damage. Skin discoloration in those with dark skin tones can be difficult to observe, hindering early detection. Observational cohort of 417 nursing home residents from 19 nursing homes collected between 2009-2014, with weekly skin assessments for up to 16weeks. Assessment included forearm and buttocks skin tone based on Munsell values (Dark, Medium, Light) at three time points, ethnicity/race medical record documentation, and weekly skin assessment on trunk and heels. Inter-rater reliability was high for forearm and buttock values and skin tone. Mean Munsell buttocks values differed significantly by ethnicity/race. Across ethnicity/race, Munsell value ranges overlapped, with the greatest range among African Americans. Trunk pressure ulcer incidence varied by skin tone, regardless of ethnicity/race. In multinomial regression, skin tone was more predictive of skin damage than ethnicity/race for trunk locations but ethnicity/race was more predictive for heels. Given the overlap of Munsell values across ethnicity/race, color charts provide more objective measurement of skin tone than demographic categories. An objective measure of skin tone can improve pressure ulcer risk assessment among patients for whom current clinical guidelines are less effective.

Metamer mismatching in practice versus theory.

Metamer mismatching (the phenomenon that two objects matching in color under one illuminant may not match under a different illuminant) potentially has important consequences for color perception. Logvinenko et al. [PLoS ONE10, e0135029 (2015)] show that in theory the extent of metamer mismatching can be very significant. This paper examines metamer mismatching in practice by computing the volumes of the empirical metamer mismatch bodies and comparing them to the volumes of the theoretical mismatch bodies. A set of more than 25 million unique reflectance spectra is assembled using datasets from several sources. For a given color signal (e.g., CIE XYZ) recorded under a given first illuminant, its empirical metamer mismatch body for a change to a second illuminant is computed as follows: the reflectances having the same color signal when lit by the first illuminant (i.e., reflect metameric light) are computationally relit by the second illuminant, and the convex hull of the resulting color signals then defines the empirical metamer mismatch body. The volume of these bodies is shown to vary systematically with Munsell value and chroma. The empirical mismatch bodies are compared to the theoretical mismatch bodies computed using the algorithm of Logvinenko et al. [IEEE Trans. Image Process.23, 34 (2014)]. There are three key findings: (1) the empirical bodies are found to be substantially smaller than the theoretical ones; (2) the sizes of both the empirical and theoretical bodies show a systematic variation with Munsell value and chroma; and (3) applied to the problem of color-signal prediction, the centroid of the empirical metamer mismatch body is shown to be a better predictor of what a given color signal might become under a specified illuminant than state-of-the-art methods.