scintillation
Light's rapid twinkling
Scintillation is the emission of quick flashes of light—sparkling or twinkling.
Stars scintillate as their light passes through turbulent atmosphere.
The word extends to sparkling conversation or wit: The dinner party lacked scintillation.
In physics, scintillation refers to flashes produced when radiation strikes certain materials, used in detection instruments.
Emit flashing light
- glitterDecorative metallic flecks
- shimmerTremulous, wavering light
- glimmerFaint, wavering light
- gleamFaint reflected light
flash · flicker · glint · shine · coruscation · dazzle · glow · luminosity
Rapid, intermittent shining
- starlightLuminance from distant suns
- seeingPerceiving by sight
- turbulenceChaotic flow patterns
- refractionWave bending between media
distortion · wavering · shimmer · flicker · astronomy · telescope · aperture · observation
Exceptional intelligence or luster
- sparkleEmit flashing light
- dazzleImpress through radiance
- livelinessAnimated, energetic quality
- vivacityAnimated spirit or energy
cleverness · repartee · esprit · verve · animation · effervescence · flair
Highest-energy electromagnetic wave
- crystalOrdered-atom solid
- particleMinute piece of matter
- radiationEnergy propagation through space
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
alpha · beta · neutrino · isotope · nucleus · proton · muon · counting
Prohibited athletic drug use
- siliconMetalloid in electronics
- dopantSemiconductor-altering impurity
- phosphorLight-emitting coating substance
- impuritySubstance degrading another's quality
activation · carrier · mobility · p-type · n-type · donor · acceptor · conductivity
Repeated back-and-forth movement
- variationChange from a norm
- pulsationRhythmic expansion and contraction
- modulationVarying signals to transmit
- waveringShowing unsteady resolve
flickering · intermittence · instability · variability · undulation · irregularity
sparkle
Emit flashing light
gleam · flash · flicker · glint · shine · coruscation · dazzle · glow · luminosity · brilliance
twinkling
Rapid, intermittent shining
- starlightLuminance from distant suns
- seeingPerceiving by sight
- turbulenceChaotic flow patterns
refraction · distortion · wavering · shimmer · flicker · astronomy · telescope · aperture · observation · stellar
brilliance
Exceptional intelligence or luster
- sparkleEmit flashing light
- dazzleImpress through radiance
- livelinessAnimated, energetic quality
vivacity · cleverness · repartee · esprit · verve · animation · effervescence · flair
gamma-ray
Highest-energy electromagnetic wave
spectroscopy · alpha · beta · neutrino · isotope · nucleus · proton · muon · counting · pulse
doping
Prohibited athletic drug use
- siliconMetalloid in electronics
- dopantSemiconductor-altering impurity
- phosphorLight-emitting coating substance
impurity · activation · carrier · mobility · p-type · n-type · donor · acceptor · conductivity
oscillation
Repeated back-and-forth movement
- variationChange from a norm
- pulsationRhythmic expansion and contraction
- modulationVarying signals to transmit
wavering · flickering · intermittence · instability · variability · undulation · irregularity
- Diamondsdiamonds, carats, facets, polished diamonds, rough diamonds
- light effectsshine, glow, gleam, shimmer, glitter
- brilliancesparkle, shine, glow, radiance, luminosity
- gemstone appearancessparkle, brilliance, luster, clarity, translucent
- particle physicsquark, quarks, lepton, leptons, boson
- crystal propertieshardness, luster, cleavage, fracture, streak