Visual contrast ($C=(L-L_0)/L_0$)

For the toy models here, visual contrast means brightness relative to a positive uniform background $L_0$: $C(x,y)=(L(x,y)-L_0)/L_0$. Positive values mean brighter than background, negative values darker, and zero unchanged. This convention separates spatial structure from the background level. A sinusoid $C=a\cos (\cdots )$ with $0\le a\le 1$ keeps $L=L_0(1+C)$ nonnegative. Different experimental conventions for visual contrast require their own definitions; the toy values below do not specify a historical stimulus intensity.