We deal with granular intensity fluctuations in the Sun and how they are caused by temperature fluctuations. We calculate temperature response functions RF T (λ, z) in the solar photosphere. We apply the Diagonal Element Lambda Operator (DELO) method to calculate the response functions for the continuum (λλ = 380 nm-2.5 µ). LTE is assumed throughout. It is demonstrated that, within the framework of the linear approximation, the H − continuum absorption plays an important rôle for the formation

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... f the fluctuations in continuum images. It counteracts substantially the intensity fluctuations caused by variations of the Planck function. The temperature response functions are used to calculate, for three models of temperature fluctuations, the continuum intensity contrasts and their formation height for the above wavelength range.