Abstract

Probability densities for interevent time are obtained for a doubly stochastic Poisson point process (DSPP) in the presence of self-excitation. The DSPP is assumed to have a stochastic rate that is a filtered Poisson point process (shot noise). The model of a Poisson process driving another Poisson process produces a pulse-bunching effect. Self-excitation (relative refractoriness) results in a deficit of short time intervals. Both effects are observed in many applications of optical detection. The model is applicable to the detection of fluorescence or scintillation generated by ionizing radiation in a photomultiplier tube. It is also used successfully to fit the maintained discharge interspike-interval histograms recorded by Barlow, Levick, and Yoon [ Vision Res. 11, Suppl. 3, 87– 101 ( 1971)] for a cat’s on-center retinal ganglion cell in darkness.

© 1981 Optical Society of America

Thomas point process in pulse, particle, and photon detection

Kuniaki Matsuo, Malvin Carl Teich, and Bahaa E. A. Saleh
Appl. Opt. 22(12) 1898-1909 (1983)

Refractoriness in the maintained discharge of the cat’s retinal ganglion cell*

Malvin Carl Teich, Leonard Matin, and Barry I. Cantor
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 68(3) 386-402 (1978)

Role of the doubly stochastic Neyman type-A and Thomas counting distributions in photon detection

Malvin Carl Teich
Appl. Opt. 20(14) 2457-2467 (1981)

Fractal character of the neural spike train in the visual system of the cat

Malvin C. Teich, Conor Heneghan, Steven B. Lowen, Tsuyoshi Ozaki, and Ehud Kaplan
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 14(3) 529-546 (1997)

Dead-time-modified photocount mean and variance for chaotic radiation

Giovanni Vannucci and Malvin Carl Teich
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 71(2) 164-170 (1981)