A DICHOTOMOUS METHOD FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF COLORANT RESPONSES TO LIGHT.

The Colorant Field Guide is an interactive tool designed to aid in the grouping of colorants based on their shared responses to ultraviolet reflected (UVR 320-400nm), ultraviolet induced visible fluorescence (UVF 420-680nm), visible (VIS 400-680nm) and infrared reflected (IR 830-1100nm [850 peak]) radiation.

By employing standardized vocabularies and quantitative metrics such as scene-referred imaging, CIELAB, and the Munsell color system, the tool provides reproducible and communicable results across institutions. Although it does not offer absolute identification, the guide is designed to suggest actionable next steps—indicating, for example, whether further analysis with XRF for metallic components or Raman spectroscopy for organic compounds might be warranted. This directed approach minimizes the trial-and-error phase by narrowing down the list of potential analyses, thereby saving time and resources.

The step-by-step nature of dichotomous keys helps in managing cognitive load by breaking complex classification tasks into smaller, more manageable parts. Each step requires the user to retrieve and apply previously learned information, reinforcing neural connections and promoting a deeper and more organized understanding of colorant response.

Any information included that has been cited from other sources is not following the standardized vocabularies or value references as described in the INFO section.