Blue amber
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Blue amber is amber exhibiting a rare coloration. It most commonly is found in the Dominican Republic and highly valued by collectors.
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[edit] Color
[edit] Causes of coloration
Recently, optical absorption, fluorescence and time-resolved fluorescence measurements in Dominican ambers have been reported. These studies show that the "blue" variety reveals an intense fluorescence emission in the visible wavelength region, between 430 and 530 nm, with spectral features which are typical of aromatic hydrocarbons. On the contrary, the "red" and "yellow" varieties have a much weaker and featureless emission. The data for blue amber, including fluorescence lifetime, allow the identification of perylene as the responsible for its distinctive showy fluorescence.[1]
[edit] Appearance
Under artificial light, the amber appears like ordinary amber, but under sunlight it has an intense fluorescent blue glow. When held against the sun it will appear like ordinary amber, and under ultraviolet light it will glow a bright milky-blue. This effect can be compared to the ocean, which, although transparent, can appear anything from light blue to dark blue to black, depending on depth, mass, salinity, etc.
Blue amber emits a very agreeable smell (aromatic molecules), which is different from regular amber when it is being cut and polished.
[edit] References
- ^ V. Bellani, E. Giulotto, L. Linati and D. Sacchi, "The origin of the blue fluorescence in Dominican amber", J. Appl. Phys. 97, 016101 (2005). doi:10.10.1063/1.1829395.
