Spektrallocus

Spektrallocus is a term used to describe the locus of monochromatic colors on perceptual color spaces. It corresponds to the spectral locus, the boundary of the color space that is traced by light of a single wavelength.

In the CIE 1931 chromaticity diagram, the Spektrallocus is represented by the curve defined by λ → (x(λ), y(λ)) for wavelengths from about 380 to 780 nanometers. Each point on the curve specifies a color perceived from pure spectral light; the curve spans from the near-ultraviolet end (outside the visible arc) through violet to deep red, though practical coordinates are defined only for visible wavelengths. The curve’s appearance can be influenced by illuminant conditions and observer metamerism; the exact coordinates depend on the color-matching functions used.

Applications of the concept include color palette design, display calibration, and color rendering analysis. It is also used in education to illustrate color perception, the idea of purer spectral colors, and the limits of human vision in perceiving color.

Terminology: Spektrallocus is not a standard term in formal color science; the widely accepted term is spectral locus. The variant Spektrallocus appears in some educational materials or literary works, but points to the same underlying concept.

See also: spectral locus; chromaticity diagram; colorimetry.