scintillation

/ˌsɪntɪˈleɪʃən/
noun
  1. A flash or sparkle of light; a twinkling or sparkling effect.
    • The fireflies created a gentle scintillation in the dark garden.
    • Diamonds are known for their brilliant scintillation in the light.
    • The scintillation of the stars on a clear night is a beautiful sight.
  2. A flash of light produced in a material when it absorbs a particle of radiation, used in scientific detectors.
    • Each scintillation in the detector was recorded by a sensitive photomultiplier tube.
    • The scientist measured the scintillation caused by each gamma ray hitting the crystal.
    • Scintillation detectors are used in medical imaging to find tumors.
  3. The rapid variation in brightness of a celestial object (like a star) due to Earth's atmosphere; twinkling.
    • The scintillation of the star was more noticeable near the horizon.
    • Astronomers study scintillation to learn about turbulence in the atmosphere.
    • Radio waves from satellites can also experience scintillation.
Antonyms
What does "scintillation" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean