Tristimulus values

  • The amounts of the three primary colors needed to form any particular color are called the tristimulus values, denoted by X, Y, Z (or any other three symbols).
  • For any color with spectrum S(λ)S(λ)

X=∫S(λ)x(λ)dλX = ∫S(λ)x(λ)dλ, Y=∫S(λ)y(λ)dλY = ∫S(λ)y(λ)dλ, Z=∫S(λ)z(λ)dλZ = ∫S(λ)z(λ)dλ

  • Trichromatic (or chromaticity) coefficients
    x=XX+Y+Zx=\frac{X}{X+Y+Z}, y=YX+Y+Zy=\frac{Y}{X+Y+Z}, z=ZX+Y+Zz=\frac{Z}{X+Y+Z}

  • Only two chromaticity coefficients are necessary to specify the chrominance of a light.
    x+y+z=1x+y+z=1