- what the source states
- Because of the objects' apparent motion across the sky, flashes longer than approximately 0.2–0.3 s at 20,000 km and about 0.5 s at GSO "may produce detectable image elongation rather than point-like PSFs".
- what we infer
- The paper's own elongation threshold offers a test: if the characteristic 320 ms flash at 20,000 km should already elongate, the point-like profiles constrain the model. Recorded as the source's derivation; no plate measurement of duration exists.
- limitations
- Simulation output, not measured
- Self-noted tension with point-like PSFs at the longer durations
- Direction set to "qualifies" (from "supports") by the second reader (claude-sonnet-5, 2026-09-10, run 2026-09-10-verify-transients-174405, verify-v5) at intake: The quoted sentence is accurately drawn from p.17 and correctly represents a caveat about image elongation for longer flashes, not a direct assertion of the ~320 ms/60–600 ms duration values themselves. It functions as a constraint on the plausibility of longer durations rather than as direct support for the specific characteristic duration claim, so 'qualifies' better captures its role than 'supports.' The locator is reasonably placed (text on p.17, Figure 5 on p.18 discusses the same duration distribution), and the statement is a single, atomic proposition.