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phosphorescence Emission of light without sensible heat, particularly as a result of, but continuing after absorption of, radiation from some other source. An example is the glowing of a radar set's plan position indicator after the sweep has moved to another position. It is this property that results in the chart-like picture which gives the pan position indicator its principal value. Persistence is the length of time during which phosphorescence takes place. The emission of light or other radiant energy as a result of and only during absorption or radiation from some other source is called fluorescence.

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