How can temperature fluctuations affect splice loss?

Temperature fluctuations can indeed have a significant impact on splice loss due to the physical properties of optical fibers. When temperatures change, the materials of the fibers can expand and contract. This movement can result in a misalignment at the splice point, where the two fiber ends are joined.

If the splice is not perfectly aligned, the optical signal can suffer from increased loss because the light may not couple effectively between the two fibers. Any slight movement caused by expansion or contraction, even on a microscale, can lead to a greater loss of light as the alignment becomes less optimal with temperature changes. Therefore, understanding the implications of temperature variations and how they influence the integrity of fiber splices is essential in maintaining low splice loss and ensuring reliable fiber optic communication.

In contrast, the other options suggest effects that do not align with physical principles governing fiber optics. Enhanced light transmission does not logically follow from temperature fluctuations, unaltered splice loss contradicts the measurable impact of environmental changes, and discoloration relates more to material degradation than splice efficiency.