Lighthouse - Character of lights

Most lighthouses rhythmically flash or eclipse their lights to provide an identification signal. The particular pattern of flashes or eclipses is known as the character of the light, and the interval at which it repeats itself is called the period. The number of flashes per minute is regulated by the speed of rotation which is governed by the motor turning gears to drive the light around. Each light in a certain area has a unique characteristic. Picture yourself coming in at night on a boat in the early days. From a far you see two lighthouses flashing. You know your approximate position but exactly where are you ? With the knowledge of the characteristic of each lighthouse flash, you could identify the two lights, and also take a bearing on the lights from your position giving you an even better idea of where you were.

Another characteristic was a range. This was a marker light on the light tower, which looked a lot like a port or starboard navigation light, as it only shone in one direction over a range of angle. It was used to identify hazards (red light) or safe passage (green). Ranges usually marked offshore reefs or hazards, or a passage between two offshore reefs or hazards. A couple of other characteristics of lights which were not used for navigation and were not know by the general public were the masking of the light. As the light rotates on a horizontal plane, it should be visible from all 360 degrees of the circle, but some lights were only meant to shine to seaward.

Geographic range and luminous range

The luminous intensity of a light, or its candlepower, is expressed in international units called candelas. Intensities of lighthouse beams can vary from thousands to millions of candelas. The range at which a light can be seen depends upon atmospheric conditions and elevation. Since the geographic horizon is limited by the curvature of Earth, it can be readily calculated for any elevation by standard geometric methods. In lighthouse work the observer is always assumed to be at a height of 15 feet (4.6 metres), although on large ships the observer may be 40 feet (12 metres) above the sea. Assuming a light at a height of 100 feet (30.5 metres), the range to an observer at 15 feet above the horizon will be about 16 nautical miles (29.6 km). This is known as the geographic range of the light. (One nautical mile, the distance on Earth’s surface traversed by one minute of arc latitude, is equivalent to 1.15 statute miles or 1.85 km.)

The luminous range of a light is the limiting range at which the light is visible under prevailing atmospheric conditions and disregarding limitations caused by its height and Earth’s curvature. A very powerful light, low in position, can thus have a clear-weather luminous range greater than that when first seen by the mariner on the horizon. Powerful lights can usually be seen over the horizon because the light is scattered upward by particles of water vapour in the atmosphere; this phenomenon is known as the loom of the light.

Atmospheric conditions have a marked effect on the luminous range of lights. They are defined in terms of a transmission factor, which is expressed as a percentage up to a maximum of 100 percent (representing a perfectly clear atmosphere, never attained in practice). Clear weather in the British Isles corresponds to about 80 percent transmission, but in tropical regions it can rise to 90 percent, increasing the luminous range of a 10,000-candela light from 18 to 28 nautical miles (33 to 52 km). Conversely, in mist or haze at about 60 percent transmission, a light of 1,000,000 candelas would be necessary to maintain a luminous range of 18 nautical miles. 

In dense fog, with visibility down to 100 yards or metres, a light of 10,000,000,000 candelas could scarcely be seen at half a nautical mile (0.9 km). Because average clear-weather conditions vary considerably from one region of the world to another, luminous ranges of all lighthouses by international agreement are quoted in an arbitrary standard clear-weather condition corresponding to a daytime meteorological visibility of 10 nautical miles (19 km), or 74 percent transmission. This is known as the nominal range of a light. Mariners use conversion tables to determine the actual luminous range in the prevailing visibility.

Because lights of very great intensity yield diminishing returns in operational effectiveness, most very high-powered lights have been abandoned. A maximum of 100,000 candelas, with a clear-weather range of 20 nautical miles (37 km), is generally considered adequate. Nevertheless, there are still some very high-powered lights, which for special reasons may have to be visible at a distance in daylight.

Identification

Most lighthouses rhythmically flash or eclipse their lights to provide an identification signal. The particular pattern of flashes or eclipses is known as the character of the light, and the interval at which it repeats itself is called the period. The number of different characters that can be used is restricted by international agreement through the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities in Paris, to which the majority of maritime nations belong. The regulations are too lengthy to quote in full, but essentially a lighthouse may display a single flash, regularly repeated at perhaps 5-, 10-, or 15-second intervals. 

This is known as a flashing light. Alternatively, it may exhibit groups of two, three, or four flashes, with a short eclipse between individual flashes and a long eclipse of several seconds between successive groups. The whole pattern is repeated at regular intervals of 10 or 20 seconds. These are known as group-flashing lights. In another category, “occulting” lights are normally on and momentarily extinguished, with short eclipses interrupting longer periods of light. Analogous to the flashing mode are occulting and group-occulting characters. A special class of light is the isophase, which alternates eclipses and flashes of exactly equal duration.

Steadily burning lights are called fixed lights. For giving mariners accurate directional information in ports, harbours, and estuarial approaches, fixed directional lights display sharply defined red and green sectors. Another sensitive and very accurate method of giving directional instruction is by range lights, which are two fixed lights of different elevation located about half a nautical mile apart. The navigator steers the vessel to keep the two lights aligned one above the other.

Another use for fixed lights is the control of shipping at harbour entrances. A traffic signal consists of a vertical column of high-powered red, green, and yellow projector lights that are visible in daylight.

The daymark requirement of a lighthouse is also important, and lighthouse structures are painted to stand out against the prevailing background. Shore lighthouses are usually painted white for this purpose, but in the open sea or against a light background conspicuous bands of contrasting colours, usually red or black, are used.