COHERENCE OF THE LIGHT FROM THE INDIAN FIREFLY ASYMMETRICATA CIRCUMDATA

Abstract

Numerous investigations conducted on firefly bioluminescence over the past few decades have improved our knowledge of the intriguing phenomenon that produces light. Different studies have also demonstrated the influence of external environmental elements on the light emitting reaction. In this article, interference fringes from the light of the Indian firefly Asymmetricata circumdata produced using a Michelson interferometer are presented. The fringes vanish when the path difference of interfering beams equals or exceeds 30 cm, indicating that the light of this firefly species maintains a stable phase up to a path difference of 30 cm.