chlorophyll fluorescence

Chlorophyll fluorescence is light re-emitted by chlorophyll molecules during return from excited to non-excited states and used as indicator of photosynthetic energy conversion in higher plants, algae and bacteria. Excited chlorophyll dissipates the absorbed light energy by driving photosynthesis (photochemical energy conversion), as heat in non-photochemical quenching or by emission as fluorescence radiation. As these processes are complementary processes analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence is an important tool in plant research with a wide spectra of applications.