A few rotten wood samples were collected to check the effect on chatoyance.

This Kiwi sample (the upper half is rotten) seems to be substantially unaffected:

On the other hand, this Acacia Melanoxylon sample reveals a much higher chatoyance in sound wood:

This Acacia Melanoxylon log had a dead core:

Samples from this log gives the same results:

Obviously, the dead core looks very different from the sound section (both samples are from the same log chunk):

These sumac samples changed from golden to brown color in the rotten sections, but apparently their chatoyance was not affected; each sample is shown as animated gif followed by a chatoyance map where brighter means more chatoyant:

Sample 1:

Sample 2:

Sample 3:

Sample 4:

Sample 5: