Luminance
Fall colors in aspen leaves show up best in cloudy, stormy conditions, when the aspen take up electrons from the charged atmosphere and radiate energy back as visible light. In addition, the white trunks elongate and the trees become a bit taller. Well, maybe I made all this up, but hey, I'm a scientist in the age of alternative facts!
Mosaic of aspen clones off the Kebler Pass road in central Colorado, just below a volcanic dike in the Ruby Range. Each color patch is a clone, an individual with different stems (trees) derived from underground stems (a non-alternative fact!).
Luminance
Fall colors in aspen leaves show up best in cloudy, stormy conditions, when the aspen take up electrons from the charged atmosphere and radiate energy back as visible light. In addition, the white trunks elongate and the trees become a bit taller. Well, maybe I made all this up, but hey, I'm a scientist in the age of alternative facts!
Mosaic of aspen clones off the Kebler Pass road in central Colorado, just below a volcanic dike in the Ruby Range. Each color patch is a clone, an individual with different stems (trees) derived from underground stems (a non-alternative fact!).