diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 96f654587..5855ec39c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ of current runtime behavior, see [`docs/CURRENT-STATE.md`](docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+- Separate visual effects, presets and animation from Display controls, with explicit stage ownership and teardown.
+
 - Extract Display control bindings with synchronous listener cleanup; preserve existing visual actions and native input behavior.
 
 - Extract application shortcuts and shader-parameter controls into reusable UI
diff --git a/docs/CODE-BOUNDARIES.md b/docs/CODE-BOUNDARIES.md
index 607315d4b..db1e450bc 100644
--- a/docs/CODE-BOUNDARIES.md
+++ b/docs/CODE-BOUNDARIES.md
@@ -250,3 +250,13 @@ facade's asynchronous teardown can yield.
 DOM elements and explicit actions, imports no application or effect singleton,
 and releases every listener on destruction. Settings and rendering remain with
 the caller.
+
+## Visual effects
+
+`ui/effects` exports the effects controller and existing preset definitions.
+It owns shader stages and their clock, with explicit render ownership callbacks.
+Construction installs no stages or frame callbacks. Stop animation before
+releasing UI consumers, then destroy to remove owned stages and restore the
+borrowed bloom state. `ui/effects/bloom` exposes the pure intensity/version helpers
+without loading the renderer. UI presentation and product-action coordination
+remain in their callers.
diff --git a/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md b/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
index 61d996883..2461def9e 100644
--- a/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
+++ b/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 # God's Eye View Current State
 
+## Visual effects ownership
+
+VisualEffects owns style-stage creation, crossfades, animation scheduling, bloom
+and sharpen. Display supplies actions and renders settings; effect execution has
+no DOM dependency. Existing presets and the 500 ms transition remain unchanged.
+Stopping the controller revokes animation before asynchronous UI teardown; final
+destruction removes its stages and restores the borrowed bloom configuration.
+
 ## Display control ownership
 
 Display button, selector and slider listeners have a single destroyable owner.
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index aae850dc0..d6ecae4fb 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -123,6 +123,8 @@
     "./ui/surfaces": "./src/ui/surfaceKeyboard.js",
     "./ui/layout": "./src/ui/panelRails.js",
     "./ui/input": "./src/ui/visualInput.js",
-    "./ui/display": "./src/ui/displayControls.js"
+    "./ui/display": "./src/ui/displayControls.js",
+    "./ui/effects": "./src/ui/effects.js",
+    "./ui/effects/bloom": "./src/bloom.js"
   }
 }
diff --git a/scripts/package-boundaries.json b/scripts/package-boundaries.json
index 91296df96..946066474 100644
--- a/scripts/package-boundaries.json
+++ b/scripts/package-boundaries.json
@@ -299,5 +299,10 @@
     "exports": ["./ui/display"],
     "modules": ["src/ui/displayControls.js"],
     "external": []
+  },
+  "visual-effects": {
+    "exports": ["./ui/effects", "./ui/effects/bloom"],
+    "modules": ["src/ui/effects.js", "src/ui/visualEffects.js", "src/ui/visualPresets.js", "src/bloom.js", "src/styles/retro.js", "src/styles/surveillance.js", "src/styles/thermal.js", "src/styles/anime.js", "src/styles/noir.js", "src/styles/snow.js"],
+    "external": ["cesium"]
   }
 }
diff --git a/scripts/qa-visual-effects.mjs b/scripts/qa-visual-effects.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b2a5fe656
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/qa-visual-effects.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+/** Rendered acceptance for style transitions and effect-state ownership. */
+import fs from 'node:fs';
+import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
+
+const browser = await puppeteer.launch({ headless: true, args: ['--no-sandbox', ...(process.platform === 'darwin' ? ['--use-angle=metal', '--enable-gpu'] : ['--use-gl=angle', '--use-angle=swiftshader'])] });
+const page = await browser.newPage();
+const errors = [];
+page.on('pageerror', (error) => errors.push(error.message));
+let failures = 0;
+function check(name, passed) {
+  console.log(`[${passed ? 'PASS' : 'FAIL'}] ${name}`);
+  if (!passed) failures++;
+}
+try {
+  await page.setViewport({ width: 1440, height: 900 });
+  const url = new URL(process.env.QA_BASE_URL || 'http://127.0.0.1:4173');
+  url.searchParams.set('welcome', '0');
+  await page.goto(url.href, { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
+  await page.waitForFunction(() => window.__godsEyeView?.styleManager?._visualEffects && document.getElementById('loading-screen')?.classList.contains('hidden'), { timeout: 60_000 });
+  await page.evaluate(() => {
+    const viewer = window.__godsEyeView.viewer;
+    viewer.camera.cancelFlight?.();
+    viewer.scene.tweens?.removeAll?.();
+    viewer.camera.setView({
+      destination: viewer.scene.globe.ellipsoid.cartographicToCartesian({ longitude: -97.7431 * Math.PI / 180, latitude: 30.2568 * Math.PI / 180, height: 1200 }),
+      orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -0.85, roll: 0 },
+    });
+    viewer.scene.requestRender();
+  });
+  await page.evaluate(() => new Promise((resolve) => requestAnimationFrame(() => requestAnimationFrame(resolve))));
+  const settled = await page.waitForFunction(() => {
+    const primitives = window.__godsEyeView.viewer.scene.primitives;
+    for (let i = 0; i < primitives.length; i++) {
+      const primitive = primitives.get(i);
+      if (typeof primitive.tilesLoaded === 'boolean' && !primitive.tilesLoaded) return false;
+    }
+    return true;
+  }, { timeout: 60_000 }).then(() => true, () => false);
+  check('visible tile content settles before visual captures', settled);
+  fs.mkdirSync('qa-shots/visual-effects', { recursive: true });
+  for (const style of ['normal', 'retro', 'surveillance', 'thermal', 'anime', 'noir', 'snow', 'normal']) {
+    await page.evaluate((name) => window.__godsEyeView.styleManager.setStyle(name), style);
+    await page.waitForFunction(() => window.__godsEyeView.styleManager.transitions.size === 0, { timeout: 10_000 });
+    const state = await page.evaluate(() => {
+      const manager = window.__godsEyeView.styleManager;
+      const effects = manager._visualEffects;
+      const visible = Object.entries(effects.stages).filter(([, stage]) => stage.enabled).map(([name]) => name);
+      const animated = Object.values(effects.stages).some((stage) => stage.enabled && stage.uniforms.time !== undefined && stage.uniforms.intensity > 0.001);
+      return { active: manager.activeStyle, visible, clock: effects.frameId !== null, animated };
+    });
+    check(`${style}: only the selected style remains visible`, state.active === style && JSON.stringify(state.visible) === JSON.stringify(style === 'normal' ? [] : [style]));
+    check(`${style}: the animation clock follows visible animated stages`, state.clock === state.animated);
+    if (['normal', 'surveillance', 'thermal'].includes(style)) {
+      await page.screenshot({ path: `qa-shots/visual-effects/${style}.png` });
+      if (style === 'surveillance') await page.evaluate(() => window.__godsEyeView.viewer.camera.lookRight(0.2));
+    }
+  }
+  await page.evaluate(() => {
+    const manager = window.__godsEyeView.styleManager;
+    manager.setStyle('noir'); manager.setStyle('retro'); manager.setStyle('normal');
+  });
+  await page.waitForFunction(() => window.__godsEyeView.styleManager.transitions.size === 0, { timeout: 10_000 });
+  check('rapid switches settle to Normal without an old style or clock', await page.evaluate(() => {
+    const effects = window.__godsEyeView.styleManager._visualEffects;
+    return effects.frameId === null && Object.values(effects.stages).every((stage) => !stage.enabled);
+  }));
+  check('bloom actions, effect state and saved snapshot agree', await page.evaluate(() => {
+    const manager = window.__godsEyeView.styleManager;
+    const result = manager.setBloom({ enabled: true, intensityPct: 98 });
+    const snapshot = manager.getVisualState();
+    return result.ok && result.bloom.intensityPct === 98 && snapshot.bloom.intensity === 98 && manager._visualEffects.bloomIntensity === 98 && manager._bloomStage.enabled;
+  }));
+  check('sharpen actions, effect state and saved snapshot agree', await page.evaluate(() => {
+    const manager = window.__godsEyeView.styleManager;
+    const result = manager.setSharpen({ enabled: true, intensityPct: 61 });
+    return result.ok && result.sharpen.intensityPct === 61 && manager.getVisualState().sharpen.intensity === 61 && manager._visualEffects.sharpenIntensity === 0.61 && Math.abs(manager._sharpenStage.uniforms.amount - 1.32) < 1e-9;
+  }));
+  await page.setViewport({ width: 620, height: 900 });
+  await page.evaluate(() => window.__godsEyeView.styleManager.setPanelCollapsed('pp-toggles', false, { persist: false, syncShare: false }));
+  await page.screenshot({ path: 'qa-shots/visual-effects/narrow.png' });
+  const teardown = await page.evaluate(async () => {
+    const manager = window.__godsEyeView.styleManager;
+    const effects = manager._visualEffects;
+    manager.setStyle('retro');
+    const owned = [...Object.values(effects.stages), effects.sharpenStage];
+    const collection = manager.viewer.scene.postProcessStages;
+    const previousBloom = effects.previousBloom;
+    const pending = manager.dispose();
+    const stoppedBeforeAwait = effects.stopped && effects.frameId === null && effects.transitions.size === 0;
+    await pending;
+    return {
+      stoppedBeforeAwait,
+      removed: owned.every((stage) => !collection.contains(stage)),
+      restored: effects.bloomStage.enabled === previousBloom.enabled && Object.entries(previousBloom.uniforms).every(([name, value]) => effects.bloomStage.uniforms[name] === value),
+    };
+  });
+  check('UI teardown stops effect animation before its first await', teardown.stoppedBeforeAwait);
+  check('UI teardown removes owned stages and restores borrowed bloom', teardown.removed && teardown.restored);
+  check('effects do not introduce uncaught browser errors', errors.length === 0);
+  if (errors.length) console.log(JSON.stringify(errors));
+} finally {
+  await browser.close();
+}
+console.log(`RESULT: ${failures} failures`);
+process.exitCode = failures ? 1 : 0;
diff --git a/src/contactsDetectionPolicy.test.mjs b/src/contactsDetectionPolicy.test.mjs
index 0dcb5a6f0..98b2401ef 100644
--- a/src/contactsDetectionPolicy.test.mjs
+++ b/src/contactsDetectionPolicy.test.mjs
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ import {
 } from './data/detection.js';
 import { canonicalizeDensity } from './data/detectionPolicy.js';
 
-const uiSource = fs.readFileSync(new URL('./ui.js', import.meta.url), 'utf8');
+// Follow the UI wiring and its extracted preset definitions.
+const uiSource = fs.readFileSync(new URL('./ui.js', import.meta.url), 'utf8')
+  + '\n' + fs.readFileSync(new URL('./ui/visualPresets.js', import.meta.url), 'utf8');
 
 /**
  * The tactical preset ui.js hands Contacts. Read out of the source so this test
@@ -34,7 +36,7 @@ const uiSource = fs.readFileSync(new URL('./ui.js', import.meta.url), 'utf8');
  */
 const MILITARY_PRESET = (() => {
   const match = uiSource.match(
-    /const MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET = Object\.freeze\(\{ mode: '(\w+)', densityPct: (\d+) \}\)/,
+    /const MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET = Object\.freeze\(\{\s*mode: '(\w+)',\s*densityPct: (\d+),?\s*\}\)/,
   );
   assert.ok(match, 'ui.js must expose one shared military detection preset');
   return { mode: match[1].toUpperCase(), densityPct: Number(match[2]) };
diff --git a/src/data/detectionHost.test.mjs b/src/data/detectionHost.test.mjs
index acacff5ce..b51776ff5 100644
--- a/src/data/detectionHost.test.mjs
+++ b/src/data/detectionHost.test.mjs
@@ -671,7 +671,8 @@ test('pathological detection paint holds alternate frames without freezing share
 
 test('detection cannot resurrect a private canvas, listener, matrix, resize, clear, or UI inventory', () => {
   const source = readFileSync(new URL('./detection.js', import.meta.url), 'utf8');
-  const uiSource = readFileSync(new URL('../ui.js', import.meta.url), 'utf8');
+  const uiSource = readFileSync(new URL('../ui.js', import.meta.url), 'utf8')
+  + '\n' + readFileSync(new URL('../ui/visualPresets.js', import.meta.url), 'utf8');
   assert.doesNotMatch(source, /createElement\(\s*['"]canvas['"]\s*\)/);
   assert.doesNotMatch(source, /postRender\.addEventListener/);
   assert.doesNotMatch(source, /['"]detection-overlay['"]/);
@@ -694,7 +695,7 @@ test('detection cannot resurrect a private canvas, listener, matrix, resize, cle
   // three times" — same guarantee, and the copies can no longer drift.
   assert.match(
     uiSource,
-    /const MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET = Object\.freeze\(\{ mode: 'dense', densityPct: 75 \}\);/,
+    /const MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET = Object\.freeze\(\{\s*mode: 'dense',\s*densityPct: 75,?\s*\}\);/,
     'the tactical detection default is still Dense @ 75%',
   );
   assert.equal(
diff --git a/src/reasonableDefaults.test.mjs b/src/reasonableDefaults.test.mjs
index b007128c8..c8ccff310 100644
--- a/src/reasonableDefaults.test.mjs
+++ b/src/reasonableDefaults.test.mjs
@@ -41,7 +41,9 @@ import {
 } from './scopeMask.js';
 import { ShareLinkManager } from './sharelink.js';
 
-const uiSource = fs.readFileSync(new URL('./ui.js', import.meta.url), 'utf8');
+// Follow the UI wiring and its extracted preset definitions.
+const uiSource = fs.readFileSync(new URL('./ui.js', import.meta.url), 'utf8')
+  + '\n' + fs.readFileSync(new URL('./ui/visualPresets.js', import.meta.url), 'utf8');
 const indexHtml = fs.readFileSync(new URL('../index.html', import.meta.url), 'utf8');
 const shareSource = fs.readFileSync(new URL('./sharelink.js', import.meta.url), 'utf8');
 
@@ -210,7 +212,7 @@ test('first run opens with detection on, in every style, using the one tactical
   // Normal used to start OFF while only CRT/NVG/FLIR auto-applied the preset.
   // It is now the baseline for all of them, reusing the SAME frozen object, so
   // "the tactical look" cannot fork into two definitions.
-  assert.match(uiSource, /const MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET = Object\.freeze\(\{ mode: 'dense', densityPct: 75 \}\);/,
+  assert.match(uiSource, /const MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET = Object\.freeze\(\{\s*mode: 'dense',\s*densityPct: 75,?\s*\}\);/,
     'the tactical look is still Dense @ 75%');
   const baseline = uiBlock('const GLOBAL_POST_DEFAULTS = {', '\n};');
   assert.match(baseline, /detectionMode: MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET\.mode\.toUpperCase\(\),/,
diff --git a/src/sharelink.celestial.test.mjs b/src/sharelink.celestial.test.mjs
index c655401cf..e85ba2211 100644
--- a/src/sharelink.celestial.test.mjs
+++ b/src/sharelink.celestial.test.mjs
@@ -690,6 +690,7 @@ test('visual input listeners are revoked before asynchronous UI teardown', () =>
   assert.ok(firstAwait > 0);
   const synchronous = disposal.slice(0, firstAwait);
   assert.match(synchronous, /this\._applicationShortcuts\?\.destroy\(\)/);
+  assert.match(synchronous, /this\._visualEffects\.stop\(\)/);
   assert.match(synchronous, /this\._displayControls\?\.destroy\(\)/);
   assert.match(synchronous, /this\._styleParameters\?\.destroy\(\)/);
 });
diff --git a/src/ui.js b/src/ui.js
index e614eae70..5315fa4d9 100644
--- a/src/ui.js
+++ b/src/ui.js
@@ -1,18 +1,12 @@
+import { VisualEffects, STYLES, GLOBAL_POST_DEFAULTS, STYLE_PRESET_DEFAULTS, MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET } from './ui/effects.js';
 import { bindDisplayControls } from './ui/displayControls.js';
 import { bindApplicationShortcuts, createStyleParameters } from './ui/visualInput.js';
 import { layoutLeftPanelRail, layoutRightPanelRail } from './ui/panelRails.js';
 import { bindPanelDisclosure, collapsePanelOnEscape, createHoverDisclosure } from './ui/panelDisclosure.js';
 import * as Cesium from 'cesium';
-import { retroShader } from './styles/retro.js';
-import { animeShader } from './styles/anime.js';
-import { noirShader } from './styles/noir.js';
-import { snowShader } from './styles/snow.js';
-import { nightVisionShader } from './styles/surveillance.js';
-import { thermalShader } from './styles/thermal.js';
 import {
   BLOOM_INTENSITY_DEFAULT,
   BLOOM_SCALE_VERSION,
-  bloomStrengthFromIntensity,
   clampBloomIntensity,
   decodeBloomIntensity,
 } from './bloom.js';
@@ -192,10 +186,6 @@ import {
   speedRulerTicks,
 } from './cockpitMath.js';
 
-/** Duration (ms) for shader intensity crossfade between style presets. */
-const TRANSITION_DURATION_MS = 500;
-/** Map of style name to its GLSL shader module for post-process stages. */
-const STYLES = { retro: retroShader, surveillance: nightVisionShader, thermal: thermalShader, anime: animeShader, noir: noirShader, snow: snowShader };
 /** Versioned localStorage namespace prefix to invalidate stale panel layouts. */
 const PANEL_LAYOUT_STORAGE_VERSION = 'v6';
 const SHARE_PANEL_STATE_SPECS = Object.freeze([
@@ -361,135 +351,13 @@ const STYLE_STATUS_LABELS = {
   noir: 'NOIR',
   snow: 'SNOW',
 };
-/**
- * The tactical detection look: Dense at 75%.
- *
- * Owner playtest 2026-08-18: "detection mode… 75% weighted, with the 16% fade
- * and 5% outside, whatever we had. I want that as the default. It should just
- * happen." Fade and outside opacity live in GLOBAL_POST_DEFAULTS, so "whatever
- * we had" still needs nothing here — but they are 7% and 1% now, the outside
- * default having moved 5 → 3 → 1 as the owner locked final tuning after field trials (2026-08-24). What the quote asked for is the
- * baseline of the day, not the two numbers it happened to name.
- *
- * ONE object, shared by the first-load baseline below, by every military style,
- * AND by the Contacts context mode (which OWNS detection while active and
- * restores the prior state on exit — see contactsDetectionPolicy.js). Cockpit
- * deliberately does NOT touch detection: entering it with SPARSE selected leaves
- * SPARSE. Declared ahead of GLOBAL_POST_DEFAULTS because that baseline now reads
- * from it.
- */
-const MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET = Object.freeze({ mode: 'dense', densityPct: 75 });
 
-/** Baseline post-processing settings applied on first load (before share-link restore). */
-const GLOBAL_POST_DEFAULTS = {
-  bloom: { enabled: false, intensity: BLOOM_INTENSITY_DEFAULT },
-  sharpen: { enabled: true, intensity: 49 },
-  hudVariant: 'tactical',
-  hudVisible: true,
-  // Detection is ON for EVERY style on a first run, Normal included (owner
-  // directive 2026-08-22: "detect should also be on by default"). It is the
-  // same preset object the military styles and Contacts already apply, so there
-  // is one tactical look, not several that can drift.
-  //
-  // This is a first-LOAD baseline, not an override: `_applyGlobalPostDefaults`
-  // runs before any share-link restore, so a link's `dm`/`dd` still lands on top
-  // of it. It also deliberately leaves `_detectionUserOverridden` alone — the
-  // flag means the OPERATOR hand-edited detection, and a factory default is not
-  // that. Turning detection off by hand therefore still sets the flag and still
-  // suppresses the military-style auto-enable for the rest of the session.
-  detectionMode: MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET.mode.toUpperCase(),
-  detectionDensity: MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET.densityPct,
-  detectionAllocation: 'ELASTIC',
-  detectionFadePct: 7,
-  detectionOutsideOpacityPct: 1,
-  celestialRing: false,
-};
-
-// Tactical style defaults applied when users select military style presets.
-const STYLE_PRESET_DEFAULTS = {
-  retro: {
-    bloom: { enabled: false, intensity: BLOOM_INTENSITY_DEFAULT },
-    sharpen: { enabled: true, intensity: 49 },
-    styleParams: {
-      retro: {
-        pixelation: 1.0,
-        distortion: 0,
-        instability: 0.42,
-      },
-    },
-    hudVariant: 'tactical',
-    hudVisible: true,
-    detection: MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET,
-  },
-  surveillance: {
-    bloom: { enabled: false, intensity: BLOOM_INTENSITY_DEFAULT },
-    sharpen: { enabled: true, intensity: 49 },
-    styleParams: {
-      surveillance: {
-        gain: 0.18,
-        bloom: 0.22,
-        scanlineStr: 0.96,
-        pixelation: 1.0,
-      },
-    },
-    hudVariant: 'tactical',
-    hudVisible: true,
-    detection: MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET,
-  },
-  thermal: {
-    bloom: { enabled: false, intensity: BLOOM_INTENSITY_DEFAULT },
-    sharpen: { enabled: true, intensity: 49 },
-    styleParams: {
-      thermal: {
-        sensitivity: 0.85,
-        bloom: 0.2,
-        mode: 0.33,
-        pixelation: 1.0,
-      },
-    },
-    hudVariant: 'tactical',
-    hudVisible: true,
-    detection: MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET,
-  },
-};
-
-/**
- * GLSL fragment shader implementing an unsharp-mask sharpening filter.
- * Samples a 3x3 neighborhood, computes box blur, then adds the
- * difference (center - blur) scaled by `amount` for edge enhancement.
- */
-const SHARPEN_SHADER = /* glsl */ `
-  uniform sampler2D colorTexture;
-  uniform vec2 colorTextureDimensions;
-  uniform float amount;
-  in vec2 v_textureCoordinates;
-
-  void main() {
-    vec2 uv = v_textureCoordinates;
-    vec2 texel = 1.0 / colorTextureDimensions;
-    vec4 center = texture(colorTexture, uv);
-    vec4 blur = (
-      texture(colorTexture, uv + vec2(-texel.x, -texel.y)) +
-      texture(colorTexture, uv + vec2( 0.0,     -texel.y)) +
-      texture(colorTexture, uv + vec2( texel.x, -texel.y)) +
-      texture(colorTexture, uv + vec2(-texel.x,  0.0))     +
-      center +
-      texture(colorTexture, uv + vec2( texel.x,  0.0))     +
-      texture(colorTexture, uv + vec2(-texel.x,  texel.y)) +
-      texture(colorTexture, uv + vec2( 0.0,      texel.y)) +
-      texture(colorTexture, uv + vec2( texel.x,  texel.y))
-    ) / 9.0;
-    vec4 sharpened = center + (center - blur) * amount;
-    out_FragColor = vec4(clamp(sharpened.rgb, 0.0, 1.0), center.a);
-  }
-`;
 
 /**
  * Central UI orchestrator for the God's Eye View application.
  *
  * Responsibilities:
- * - CesiumJS PostProcessStage pipeline: registers per-style GLSL stages
- *   (NVG, FLIR, CRT, anime, noir, snow) and manages intensity crossfades.
+ * - Visual controls and presets backed by the VisualEffects controller.
  * - Bloom and sharpen post-processing toggle/intensity control.
  * - Draggable/collapsible panel system with localStorage persistence,
  *   z-order stacking, and viewport-clamped positioning.
@@ -2190,26 +2058,24 @@ export class StyleManager {
     this.viewer = viewer;
     this.mapStackController = mapStackController;
     this.placeSearch = placeSearch;
-    this.stages = {};
+    this._visualEffects = new VisualEffects({
+      viewer,
+      requestRender: governorRequestRender,
+      holdRender: holdContinuousRender,
+      releaseRender: releaseContinuousRender,
+    });
     this.activeStyle = 'normal';
     document.documentElement.dataset.gevStyle = this.activeStyle;
-    this.transitions = new Map();
-    this.startTime = Date.now();
 
     // True once the user manually changes detection (button/key/slider/voice).
     // Gates per-style detection defaults so they never stomp an explicit choice.
     this._detectionUserOverridden = false;
 
     // Bloom/sharpen state
-    this.bloomEnabled = false;
-    this.sharpenEnabled = false;
-    this._bloomStage = null;
-    this._sharpenStage = null;
     this._recordingMode = false;
     this._recordingConfig = { hidePanels: true, hudMode: 'minimal', safeFrame: '16:9' };
     this._preRecordingHudState = null;
     this._panelZCounter = PANEL_Z_BASE + 10;
-    this._animFrameId = null;
     this._lastLoadingFeedbackUpdateAt = 0;
     this._loadingFeedbackState = createLoadingFeedbackState();
     this._loadingFeedbackEvent = null;
@@ -2830,6 +2696,15 @@ export class StyleManager {
     );
   }
 
+  // Compatibility reads for existing controls, scene snapshots and Cockpit.
+  get stages() { return this._visualEffects.stages; }
+  get transitions() { return this._visualEffects.transitions; }
+  get bloomEnabled() { return this._visualEffects.bloomEnabled; }
+  get sharpenEnabled() { return this._visualEffects.sharpenEnabled; }
+  get _bloomStage() { return this._visualEffects.bloomStage; }
+  get _sharpenStage() { return this._visualEffects.sharpenStage; }
+
+
   /** Advance camera authority and settle any older search UI immediately. */
   _stampNavigation({ cancelPendingSelection = true, clearSearchedLocation = true } = {}) {
     this._navigationGeneration += 1;
@@ -3017,42 +2892,7 @@ export class StyleManager {
    * @returns {void}
    */
   _initStages() {
-    for (const [name, shader] of Object.entries(STYLES)) {
-      const uniforms = { intensity: 0.0 };
-
-      // Auto-detect time uniform — animated shaders (CRT scanlines, snow, etc.)
-      // declare `uniform float time` and receive elapsed seconds each frame.
-      if (shader.fragmentShader.includes('uniform float time')) {
-        uniforms.time = 0.0;
-      }
-
-      // Initialize custom uniforms from shader metadata (e.g. gain, pixelation)
-      if (shader.uniforms) {
-        for (const [uName, uMeta] of Object.entries(shader.uniforms)) {
-          uniforms[uName] = uMeta.default;
-        }
-      }
-
-      const stage = new Cesium.PostProcessStage({
-        name: `godsEyeView_${name}`,
-        fragmentShader: shader.fragmentShader,
-        uniforms,
-      });
-
-      // Zero-intensity stages are DISABLED (perf wave 1). History: the
-      // first attempt at this deleted the product's signature scope — the
-      // circular starfield mask was an EMERGENT artifact of these six
-      // stacked "identity" passes, not an implemented feature. The owner
-      // ruled to reimplement the scope explicitly (src/scopeMask.js, a
-      // featherable zero-per-frame canvas), which frees these passes for
-      // real. If the scope ever looks wrong, look there — not here.
-      stage.enabled = false;
-      this.viewer.scene.postProcessStages.add(stage);
-      this.stages[name] = stage;
-    }
-    // Frozen after init — cached so the per-frame animation loop doesn't
-    // rebuild Object.entries arrays every frame.
-    this._stageEntries = Object.entries(this.stages);
+    this._visualEffects.initStyles();
   }
 
   /**
@@ -3065,13 +2905,7 @@ export class StyleManager {
    * @returns {void}
    */
   _setStageIntensity(stage, value) {
-    if (!stage) return;
-    stage.uniforms.intensity = value;
-    stage.enabled = value > 0.001;
-    // An animated shader becoming visible needs the style loop (its clock)
-    // running again; the loop self-stops when nothing visible animates.
-    if (stage.enabled && stage.uniforms.time !== undefined) this._startAnimationLoop();
-    governorRequestRender('style-stage');
+    this._visualEffects.setStageIntensity(stage, value);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -3087,10 +2921,7 @@ export class StyleManager {
    * @returns {void}
    */
   _syncStagesEnabledFromIntensity() {
-    if (!this.stages) return;
-    for (const stage of Object.values(this.stages)) {
-      this._setStageIntensity(stage, stage.uniforms.intensity);
-    }
+    this._visualEffects.syncStagesEnabledFromIntensity();
   }
 
   /**
@@ -3252,37 +3083,15 @@ export class StyleManager {
    * @returns {void}
    */
   _initBloomSharpen() {
-    // Bloom — use Cesium's built-in bloom
-    this._bloomStage = this.viewer.scene.postProcessStages.bloom;
-    this._bloomStage.enabled = false;
-    this._bloomStage.uniforms.glowOnly = false;
-    this._bloomStage.uniforms.contrast = 256.0;
-    this._bloomStage.uniforms.brightness = -0.35;
-    this._bloomStage.uniforms.delta = 0.25;
-    this._bloomStage.uniforms.sigma = 0.35;
-    this._bloomStage.uniforms.stepSize = 1.0;
-
-    // Sharpen — custom unsharp mask PostProcessStage
-    this._sharpenStage = new Cesium.PostProcessStage({
-      name: 'godsEyeView_sharpen',
-      fragmentShader: SHARPEN_SHADER,
-      uniforms: {
-        amount: 1.3,
-      },
-    });
-    this._sharpenStage.enabled = false;
-    this.viewer.scene.postProcessStages.add(this._sharpenStage);
-    if (this._sharpenSlider) {
-      this._applySharpenIntensity(parseInt(this._sharpenSlider.value, 10) / 100);
-    }
+    this._visualEffects.initPostProcess(this._sharpenSlider ? parseInt(this._sharpenSlider.value, 10) / 100 : 0.6);
   }
 
   /**
-   * Reads the current bloom intensity percentage from the UI slider.
+   * Reads the current bloom intensity percentage from the effects controller.
    * @returns {number} Clamped bloom intensity (0-200).
    */
   _getBloomIntensity() {
-    return clampBloomIntensity(parseInt(this._bloomSlider?.value || `${BLOOM_INTENSITY_DEFAULT}`, 10));
+    return this._visualEffects.bloomIntensity;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -3291,9 +3100,7 @@ export class StyleManager {
    * @returns {void}
    */
   _syncBloomStageEnabled() {
-    if (!this._bloomStage) return;
-    const strength = bloomStrengthFromIntensity(this._getBloomIntensity());
-    this._bloomStage.enabled = this.bloomEnabled && strength > 0.06;
+    this._visualEffects.syncBloomEnabled();
   }
 
   /**
@@ -3320,22 +3127,7 @@ export class StyleManager {
    * @returns {void}
    */
   _applyBloomIntensity(intensity) {
-    if (!this._bloomStage) return;
-    const rawStrength = bloomStrengthFromIntensity(intensity);
-    // Dead-zone: strengths below 0.06 are imperceptible, clamp to zero.
-    const strength = rawStrength <= 0.06 ? 0.0 : ((rawStrength - 0.06) / 0.94);
-    // Smoothstep easing for perceptually linear bloom ramp
-    const eased = strength * strength * (3.0 - 2.0 * strength);
-
-    // Mapping tuned for intuitive UX:
-    // 0 => effectively no glow, 200 => strong glow.
-    // Keep threshold strict at low values so only very bright highlights bloom.
-    this._bloomStage.uniforms.contrast = 255.0 - (eased * 168.0);
-    this._bloomStage.uniforms.brightness = -0.5 + (eased * 0.36);
-    this._bloomStage.uniforms.sigma = 0.28 + (eased * 6.3);
-    this._bloomStage.uniforms.delta = 0.2 + (eased * 2.25);
-    this._bloomStage.uniforms.stepSize = 1.0 + (eased * 1.25);
-    this._syncBloomStageEnabled();
+    this._visualEffects.applyBloomIntensity(intensity);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -3345,7 +3137,7 @@ export class StyleManager {
    */
   _setBloomEnabled(enabled) {
     governorRequestRender('bloom');
-    this.bloomEnabled = !!enabled;
+    this._visualEffects.setBloomEnabled(enabled);
     this._syncBloomStageEnabled();
     this._bloomBtn.classList.toggle('active', this.bloomEnabled);
     this._bloomSliderRow.classList.toggle('visible', this.bloomEnabled);
@@ -3363,9 +3155,7 @@ export class StyleManager {
    * @returns {void}
    */
   _applySharpenIntensity(val) {
-    governorRequestRender('sharpen');
-    if (!this._sharpenStage || !this._sharpenStage.uniforms) return;
-    this._sharpenStage.uniforms.amount = 0.1 + val * 2.0;
+    this._visualEffects.applySharpenIntensity(val);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -3375,8 +3165,7 @@ export class StyleManager {
    */
   _setSharpenEnabled(enabled) {
     governorRequestRender('sharpen');
-    this.sharpenEnabled = !!enabled;
-    this._sharpenStage.enabled = this.sharpenEnabled;
+    this._visualEffects.setSharpenEnabled(enabled);
     this._sharpenBtn.classList.toggle('active', this.sharpenEnabled);
     if (this._sharpenSliderRow) {
       this._sharpenSliderRow.classList.toggle('visible', this.sharpenEnabled);
@@ -8624,12 +8413,7 @@ export class StyleManager {
    * @returns {void}
    */
   _startTransition(styleName, fromValue, toValue) {
-    this.transitions.set(styleName, {
-      start: performance.now(),
-      from: fromValue,
-      to: toValue,
-    });
-    this._startAnimationLoop();
+    this._visualEffects.startTransition(styleName, fromValue, toValue);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -8699,53 +8483,7 @@ export class StyleManager {
    * interval (see _startTrafficChipTicker).
    */
   _startAnimationLoop() {
-    if (this._animFrameId) return; // already running
-    const update = () => {
-      const now = performance.now();
-      const elapsedSec = (Date.now() - this.startTime) / 1000.0;
-
-      // Update transitions — interpolate each active crossfade
-      for (const [styleName, transition] of this.transitions) {
-        const elapsed = now - transition.start;
-        const t = Math.min(elapsed / TRANSITION_DURATION_MS, 1.0);
-        // Ease-in-out quadratic: smooth acceleration then deceleration
-        const eased = t < 0.5 ? 2 * t * t : 1 - Math.pow(-2 * t + 2, 2) / 2;
-        const value = transition.from + (transition.to - transition.from) * eased;
-
-        this._setStageIntensity(this.stages[styleName], value);
-
-        if (t >= 1.0) {
-          this._setStageIntensity(this.stages[styleName], transition.to);
-          this.transitions.delete(styleName);
-        }
-      }
-
-      // Update time uniforms for animated shaders. Zero-intensity stages
-      // are disabled (see _initStages — the scope is now the explicit
-      // scopeMask canvas), so enabled === visible here; only these keep
-      // the loop and its continuous-render hold alive.
-      let animatedStageVisible = false;
-      for (const [, stage] of this._stageEntries) {
-        if (stage.enabled && stage.uniforms.time !== undefined) {
-          stage.uniforms.time = elapsedSec;
-          // Chain mode keeps zero-intensity stages ENABLED for pass parity —
-          // only a stage that is actually VISIBLE keeps the loop (and the
-          // continuous-render hold) alive, or a settled CRT session would
-          // hold the loop forever via an invisible snow stage.
-          if (stage.uniforms.intensity > 0.001) animatedStageVisible = true;
-        }
-      }
-
-      const needed = this.transitions.size > 0 || animatedStageVisible;
-      if (needed) holdContinuousRender('style-anim');
-      else releaseContinuousRender('style-anim');
-      if (!needed) {
-        this._animFrameId = null;
-        return; // settled — the next transition/animated stage re-arms us
-      }
-      this._animFrameId = requestAnimationFrame(update);
-    };
-    this._animFrameId = requestAnimationFrame(update);
+    this._visualEffects.startAnimationLoop();
   }
 
   /**
@@ -9663,6 +9401,7 @@ export class StyleManager {
     this._disposed = true;
     this._applicationShortcuts?.destroy();
     this._displayControls?.destroy();
+    this._visualEffects.stop();
     this._styleParameters?.destroy();
     for (const control of this._panelDisclosureControls || []) control.destroy();
     this._panelDisclosureControls = [];
@@ -9777,13 +9516,8 @@ export class StyleManager {
       document.removeEventListener('keydown', this._poiKeydownHandler);
       this._poiKeydownHandler = null;
     }
-    // Cancel the rAF animation loop and release its governor hold; also stop
-    // the traffic-chip ticker the loop no longer carries. (perf wave 2 fix)
-    if (this._animFrameId) {
-      cancelAnimationFrame(this._animFrameId);
-      this._animFrameId = null;
-    }
-    releaseContinuousRender('style-anim');
+    // Stop the independently owned traffic and loading feedback tickers.
+
     if (this._trafficChipTicker) {
       clearInterval(this._trafficChipTicker);
       this._trafficChipTicker = null;
@@ -9847,7 +9581,6 @@ export class StyleManager {
     destroyTrackedReadout();
     destroyDetection();
     destroyWorldOverlay();
-    // Clear transitions
-    this.transitions.clear();
+    this._visualEffects.destroy();
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/ui/effects.js b/src/ui/effects.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d215f3500
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ui/effects.js
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+export { VisualEffects } from './visualEffects.js';
+export { STYLES, GLOBAL_POST_DEFAULTS, STYLE_PRESET_DEFAULTS, MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET } from './visualPresets.js';
diff --git a/src/ui/visualEffects.js b/src/ui/visualEffects.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b0b54ba0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ui/visualEffects.js
@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+import { PostProcessStage } from 'cesium';
+import { bloomStrengthFromIntensity, clampBloomIntensity, BLOOM_INTENSITY_DEFAULT } from '../bloom.js';
+import { STYLES, SHARPEN_SHADER, TRANSITION_DURATION_MS } from './visualPresets.js';
+
+/** Own the post-process stages and their animation, without DOM dependencies. */
+export class VisualEffects {
+  /**
+   * @param {object} options - Viewer, render ownership callbacks and optional clocks.
+   * Construction is inert; initStyles/initPostProcess retain startup ordering.
+   */
+  constructor({ viewer, requestRender, holdRender, releaseRender,
+    requestFrame = (callback) => requestAnimationFrame(callback),
+    cancelFrame = (id) => cancelAnimationFrame(id),
+    now = () => performance.now(), wallNow = () => Date.now(),
+    createStage = (options) => new PostProcessStage(options),
+  }) {
+    this.viewer = viewer;
+    this.requestRender = requestRender;
+    this.holdRender = holdRender;
+    this.releaseRender = releaseRender;
+    this.requestFrame = requestFrame;
+    this.cancelFrame = cancelFrame;
+    this.now = now;
+    this.wallNow = wallNow;
+    this.createStage = createStage;
+    this.stages = {};
+    this.transitions = new Map();
+    this.startTime = wallNow();
+    this.bloomEnabled = false;
+    this.sharpenEnabled = false;
+    this.bloomIntensity = BLOOM_INTENSITY_DEFAULT;
+    this.sharpenIntensity = 0.49;
+    this.bloomStage = null;
+    this.sharpenStage = null;
+    this.frameId = null;
+    this.stopped = false;
+    this.destroyed = false;
+    this.stageEntries = [];
+    this.previousBloom = null;
+  }
+
+  initStyles() {
+    if (this.stopped || this.stageEntries.length) return;
+    for (const [name, shader] of Object.entries(STYLES)) {
+      const uniforms = { intensity: 0.0 };
+      if (shader.fragmentShader.includes('uniform float time')) uniforms.time = 0.0;
+      for (const [name, meta] of Object.entries(shader.uniforms || {})) uniforms[name] = meta.default;
+      const stage = this.createStage({ name: `godsEyeView_${name}`, fragmentShader: shader.fragmentShader, uniforms });
+      stage.enabled = false;
+      this.viewer.scene.postProcessStages.add(stage);
+      this.stages[name] = stage;
+    }
+    this.stageEntries = Object.entries(this.stages);
+  }
+
+  initPostProcess(sharpenIntensity = this.sharpenIntensity) {
+    if (this.stopped || this.sharpenStage) return;
+    this.bloomStage = this.viewer.scene.postProcessStages.bloom;
+    const names = ['glowOnly', 'contrast', 'brightness', 'delta', 'sigma', 'stepSize'];
+    this.previousBloom = { enabled: this.bloomStage.enabled, uniforms: Object.fromEntries(names.map((name) => [name, this.bloomStage.uniforms[name]])) };
+    this.bloomStage.enabled = false;
+    Object.assign(this.bloomStage.uniforms, { glowOnly: false, contrast: 256.0, brightness: -0.35, delta: 0.25, sigma: 0.35, stepSize: 1.0 });
+    this.sharpenStage = this.createStage({ name: 'godsEyeView_sharpen', fragmentShader: SHARPEN_SHADER, uniforms: { amount: 1.3 } });
+    this.sharpenStage.enabled = false;
+    this.viewer.scene.postProcessStages.add(this.sharpenStage);
+    this.applySharpenIntensity(sharpenIntensity);
+  }
+
+  setStageIntensity(stage, value) {
+    if (this.stopped || !stage) return;
+    stage.uniforms.intensity = value;
+    stage.enabled = value > 0.001;
+    if (stage.enabled && stage.uniforms.time !== undefined) this.startAnimationLoop();
+    this.requestRender('style-stage');
+  }
+
+  syncStagesEnabledFromIntensity() {
+    for (const [, stage] of this.stageEntries) this.setStageIntensity(stage, stage.uniforms.intensity);
+  }
+
+  syncBloomEnabled() {
+    if (this.stopped || !this.bloomStage) return;
+    this.bloomStage.enabled = this.bloomEnabled && bloomStrengthFromIntensity(this.bloomIntensity) > 0.06;
+  }
+
+  applyBloomIntensity(intensity) {
+    if (this.stopped) return;
+    this.bloomIntensity = clampBloomIntensity(intensity);
+    this.requestRender('bloom');
+    if (!this.bloomStage) return;
+    const rawStrength = bloomStrengthFromIntensity(this.bloomIntensity);
+    const strength = rawStrength <= 0.06 ? 0.0 : ((rawStrength - 0.06) / 0.94);
+    const eased = strength * strength * (3.0 - 2.0 * strength);
+    this.bloomStage.uniforms.contrast = 255.0 - eased * 168.0;
+    this.bloomStage.uniforms.brightness = -0.5 + eased * 0.36;
+    this.bloomStage.uniforms.sigma = 0.28 + eased * 6.3;
+    this.bloomStage.uniforms.delta = 0.2 + eased * 2.25;
+    this.bloomStage.uniforms.stepSize = 1.0 + eased * 1.25;
+    this.syncBloomEnabled();
+  }
+
+  setBloomEnabled(enabled) {
+    if (this.stopped) return;
+    this.bloomEnabled = !!enabled;
+    this.syncBloomEnabled();
+    this.requestRender('bloom');
+  }
+
+  applySharpenIntensity(value) {
+    if (this.stopped) return;
+    this.sharpenIntensity = value;
+    if (this.sharpenStage) this.sharpenStage.uniforms.amount = 0.1 + value * 2.0;
+    this.requestRender('sharpen');
+  }
+
+  setSharpenEnabled(enabled) {
+    if (this.stopped) return;
+    this.sharpenEnabled = !!enabled;
+    if (this.sharpenStage) this.sharpenStage.enabled = this.sharpenEnabled;
+    this.requestRender('sharpen');
+  }
+
+  startTransition(styleName, from, to) {
+    if (this.stopped) return;
+    this.transitions.set(styleName, { start: this.now(), from, to });
+    this.startAnimationLoop();
+  }
+
+  startAnimationLoop() {
+    if (this.stopped || this.frameId !== null) return;
+    const update = () => {
+      if (this.stopped) return;
+      const now = this.now();
+      const elapsedSec = (this.wallNow() - this.startTime) / 1000.0;
+      for (const [name, transition] of this.transitions) {
+        const t = Math.min((now - transition.start) / TRANSITION_DURATION_MS, 1.0);
+        const eased = t < 0.5 ? 2 * t * t : 1 - Math.pow(-2 * t + 2, 2) / 2;
+        this.setStageIntensity(this.stages[name], transition.from + (transition.to - transition.from) * eased);
+        if (t >= 1.0) {
+          this.setStageIntensity(this.stages[name], transition.to);
+          this.transitions.delete(name);
+        }
+      }
+      let animatedStageVisible = false;
+      for (const [, stage] of this.stageEntries) {
+        if (stage.enabled && stage.uniforms.time !== undefined) {
+          stage.uniforms.time = elapsedSec;
+          if (stage.uniforms.intensity > 0.001) animatedStageVisible = true;
+        }
+      }
+      const needed = this.transitions.size > 0 || animatedStageVisible;
+      if (needed) this.holdRender('style-anim');
+      else this.releaseRender('style-anim');
+      this.frameId = needed ? this.requestFrame(update) : null;
+    };
+    this.frameId = this.requestFrame(update);
+  }
+
+  /** Revoke animation synchronously while callers finish releasing the stages. */
+  stop() {
+    if (this.stopped) return;
+    this.stopped = true;
+    if (this.frameId !== null) this.cancelFrame(this.frameId);
+    this.frameId = null;
+    this.releaseRender('style-anim');
+    this.transitions.clear();
+  }
+
+  /** Remove owned stages and restore the borrowed bloom stage after callers release it. */
+  destroy() {
+    if (this.destroyed) return;
+    this.stop();
+    this.destroyed = true;
+    const stages = this.viewer.scene.postProcessStages;
+    for (const [, stage] of this.stageEntries) stages.remove(stage);
+    if (this.sharpenStage) stages.remove(this.sharpenStage);
+    if (this.bloomStage && this.previousBloom) {
+      Object.assign(this.bloomStage.uniforms, this.previousBloom.uniforms);
+      this.bloomStage.enabled = this.previousBloom.enabled;
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/ui/visualEffects.test.mjs b/src/ui/visualEffects.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f28288e52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ui/visualEffects.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,185 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import test from 'node:test';
+import { VisualEffects } from './visualEffects.js';
+import { GLOBAL_POST_DEFAULTS, STYLE_PRESET_DEFAULTS, MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET } from './visualPresets.js';
+
+function fixture() {
+  let time = 0;
+  let next = 0;
+  const frames = new Map();
+  const stages = new Set();
+  const holds = new Set();
+  const requests = [];
+  const bloom = { enabled: true, uniforms: { glowOnly: true, contrast: 3, brightness: 4, delta: 5, sigma: 6, stepSize: 7 } };
+  const originalBloom = structuredClone(bloom);
+  const pipeline = { bloom, add(stage) { stages.add(stage); }, remove(stage) { return stages.delete(stage); } };
+  const effects = new VisualEffects({
+    viewer: { scene: { postProcessStages: pipeline } },
+    requestRender: (reason) => requests.push(reason),
+    holdRender: (reason) => holds.add(reason), releaseRender: (reason) => holds.delete(reason),
+    requestFrame: (callback) => { const id = next++; frames.set(id, callback); return id; },
+    cancelFrame: (id) => frames.delete(id), now: () => time, wallNow: () => 10_000 + time,
+    createStage: (options) => ({ ...options, enabled: true }),
+  });
+  function tick(value) {
+    time = value;
+    const pending = [...frames.values()];
+    frames.clear();
+    for (const callback of pending) callback();
+  }
+  return { effects, frames, stages, holds, requests, bloom, originalBloom, tick };
+}
+
+test('construction is inert and initialization creates one owned pipeline', () => {
+  const f = fixture();
+  assert.equal(f.stages.size, 0);
+  assert.equal(f.frames.size, 0);
+  f.effects.initStyles();
+  f.effects.initPostProcess();
+  assert.equal(f.stages.size, 7);
+  assert.ok(Object.values(f.effects.stages).every((stage) => !stage.enabled && stage.uniforms.intensity === 0));
+  f.effects.initStyles();
+  f.effects.initPostProcess();
+  assert.equal(f.stages.size, 7);
+  f.effects.destroy();
+});
+
+test('crossfade uses the established 500ms easing and settles without idle frames', () => {
+  const f = fixture();
+  f.effects.initStyles();
+  f.effects.startTransition('noir', 0, 1);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.frameId, 0, 'zero is a valid pending animation id');
+  f.effects.startAnimationLoop();
+  assert.equal(f.frames.size, 1, 'starting twice cannot schedule duplicate frames');
+  f.tick(125);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.stages.noir.uniforms.intensity, 0.125);
+  f.tick(250);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.stages.noir.uniforms.intensity, 0.5);
+  f.tick(500);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.stages.noir.uniforms.intensity, 1);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.transitions.size, 0);
+  // Noir's shader has no animated time uniform.
+  assert.equal(f.frames.size, 0);
+  assert.equal(f.holds.size, 0);
+  f.effects.destroy();
+});
+
+test('a superseding transition starts from the current rendered intensity', () => {
+  const f = fixture();
+  f.effects.initStyles();
+  f.effects.startTransition('noir', 0, 1);
+  f.tick(250);
+  f.effects.startTransition('noir', f.effects.stages.noir.uniforms.intensity, 0);
+  f.tick(500);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.stages.noir.uniforms.intensity, 0.25);
+  f.tick(750);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.stages.noir.uniforms.intensity, 0);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.stages.noir.enabled, false);
+  assert.equal(f.frames.size, 0);
+  f.effects.destroy();
+});
+
+test('only visible animated stages keep the animation clock and render hold alive', () => {
+  const f = fixture();
+  f.effects.initStyles();
+  const animated = f.effects.stages.retro;
+  assert.notEqual(animated.uniforms.time, undefined);
+  f.effects.setStageIntensity(animated, 1);
+  f.tick(1000);
+  assert.equal(animated.uniforms.time, 1);
+  assert.equal(f.frames.size, 1);
+  assert.equal(f.holds.size, 1);
+  f.effects.setStageIntensity(animated, 0);
+  f.tick(1100);
+  assert.equal(f.frames.size, 0);
+  assert.equal(f.holds.size, 0);
+  f.effects.destroy();
+});
+
+test('direct Cockpit intensity writes are reconciled before rendering', () => {
+  const f = fixture();
+  f.effects.initStyles();
+  f.effects.stages.thermal.uniforms.intensity = 1;
+  f.effects.syncStagesEnabledFromIntensity();
+  assert.equal(f.effects.stages.thermal.enabled, true);
+  f.effects.stages.thermal.uniforms.intensity = 0;
+  f.effects.syncStagesEnabledFromIntensity();
+  assert.equal(f.effects.stages.thermal.enabled, false);
+  f.effects.destroy();
+});
+
+test('bloom retains its dead zone, normalized intensity and independent toggle', () => {
+  const f = fixture();
+  f.effects.initPostProcess();
+  f.effects.setBloomEnabled(true);
+  f.effects.applyBloomIntensity(0);
+  assert.equal(f.bloom.enabled, false);
+  f.effects.applyBloomIntensity(200);
+  assert.equal(f.bloom.enabled, true);
+  assert.equal(f.bloom.uniforms.contrast, 87);
+  f.effects.setBloomEnabled(false);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.bloomIntensity, 200);
+  assert.equal(f.bloom.enabled, false);
+  f.effects.applyBloomIntensity(300);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.bloomIntensity, 200);
+  f.effects.destroy();
+});
+
+test('sharpen uses the existing uniform scale and keeps values while disabled', () => {
+  const f = fixture();
+  f.effects.initPostProcess(0.49);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.sharpenStage.uniforms.amount, 1.08);
+  f.effects.applySharpenIntensity(1);
+  f.effects.setSharpenEnabled(true);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.sharpenStage.uniforms.amount, 2.1);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.sharpenStage.enabled, true);
+  f.effects.setSharpenEnabled(false);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.sharpenIntensity, 1);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.sharpenStage.enabled, false);
+  f.effects.destroy();
+});
+
+test('stop revokes pending work immediately but retains stages until final destruction', () => {
+  const f = fixture();
+  f.effects.initStyles();
+  f.effects.initPostProcess();
+  f.effects.startTransition('retro', 0, 1);
+  const staleFrame = [...f.frames.values()][0];
+  f.effects.stop();
+  assert.equal(f.frames.size, 0);
+  assert.equal(f.stages.size, 7, 'Context and Cockpit may still be releasing these stages');
+  const intensity = f.effects.stages.retro.uniforms.intensity;
+  staleFrame();
+  f.effects.startTransition('retro', 0, 1);
+  f.effects.setStageIntensity(f.effects.stages.retro, 1);
+  assert.equal(f.frames.size, 0);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.stages.retro.uniforms.intensity, intensity);
+  f.effects.destroy();
+  assert.equal(f.stages.size, 0);
+  assert.deepEqual(f.bloom, f.originalBloom, 'borrowed bloom configuration is restored');
+  f.effects.destroy();
+});
+
+test('destroying one instance does not remove another pipeline or clock', () => {
+  const a = fixture();
+  const b = fixture();
+  for (const f of [a, b]) { f.effects.initStyles(); f.effects.startTransition('retro', 0, 1); }
+  a.effects.destroy();
+  b.tick(250);
+  assert.equal(a.stages.size, 0);
+  assert.equal(b.stages.size, 6);
+  assert.equal(b.effects.stages.retro.uniforms.intensity, 0.5);
+  b.effects.destroy();
+});
+
+test('existing baseline and military presets keep one detection default', () => {
+  assert.equal(GLOBAL_POST_DEFAULTS.detectionMode, 'DENSE');
+  assert.equal(GLOBAL_POST_DEFAULTS.detectionDensity, 75);
+  assert.equal(GLOBAL_POST_DEFAULTS.sharpen.intensity, 49);
+  assert.equal(GLOBAL_POST_DEFAULTS.detectionFadePct, 7);
+  assert.equal(GLOBAL_POST_DEFAULTS.detectionOutsideOpacityPct, 1);
+  for (const name of ['retro', 'surveillance', 'thermal']) {
+    assert.equal(STYLE_PRESET_DEFAULTS[name].detection, MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET);
+  }
+  assert.equal(STYLE_PRESET_DEFAULTS.normal, undefined);
+});
diff --git a/src/ui/visualPresets.js b/src/ui/visualPresets.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a1415efcc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ui/visualPresets.js
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+import { retroShader } from '../styles/retro.js';
+import { animeShader } from '../styles/anime.js';
+import { noirShader } from '../styles/noir.js';
+import { snowShader } from '../styles/snow.js';
+import { nightVisionShader } from '../styles/surveillance.js';
+import { thermalShader } from '../styles/thermal.js';
+import { BLOOM_INTENSITY_DEFAULT } from '../bloom.js';
+
+/** Duration (ms) for shader intensity crossfade between style presets. */
+export const TRANSITION_DURATION_MS = 500;
+/** Map of style name to its GLSL shader module for post-process stages. */
+export const STYLES = { retro: retroShader, surveillance: nightVisionShader, thermal: thermalShader, anime: animeShader, noir: noirShader, snow: snowShader };
+
+/**
+ * The tactical detection look: Dense at 75%.
+ *
+ * Owner playtest 2026-08-18: "detection mode… 75% weighted, with the 16% fade
+ * and 5% outside, whatever we had. I want that as the default. It should just
+ * happen." Fade and outside opacity live in GLOBAL_POST_DEFAULTS, so "whatever
+ * we had" still needs nothing here — but they are 7% and 1% now, the outside
+ * default having moved 5 → 3 → 1 as the owner locked final tuning after field trials (2026-08-24). What the quote asked for is the
+ * baseline of the day, not the two numbers it happened to name.
+ *
+ * ONE object, shared by the first-load baseline below, by every military style,
+ * AND by the Contacts context mode (which OWNS detection while active and
+ * restores the prior state on exit — see contactsDetectionPolicy.js). Cockpit
+ * deliberately does NOT touch detection: entering it with SPARSE selected leaves
+ * SPARSE. Declared ahead of GLOBAL_POST_DEFAULTS because that baseline now reads
+ * from it.
+ */
+export const MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET = Object.freeze({ mode: 'dense', densityPct: 75 });
+
+/** Baseline post-processing settings applied on first load (before share-link restore). */
+export const GLOBAL_POST_DEFAULTS = {
+  bloom: { enabled: false, intensity: BLOOM_INTENSITY_DEFAULT },
+  sharpen: { enabled: true, intensity: 49 },
+  hudVariant: 'tactical',
+  hudVisible: true,
+  // Detection is ON for EVERY style on a first run, Normal included (owner
+  // directive 2026-08-22: "detect should also be on by default"). It is the
+  // same preset object the military styles and Contacts already apply, so there
+  // is one tactical look, not several that can drift.
+  //
+  // This is a first-LOAD baseline, not an override: `_applyGlobalPostDefaults`
+  // runs before any share-link restore, so a link's `dm`/`dd` still lands on top
+  // of it. It also deliberately leaves `_detectionUserOverridden` alone — the
+  // flag means the OPERATOR hand-edited detection, and a factory default is not
+  // that. Turning detection off by hand therefore still sets the flag and still
+  // suppresses the military-style auto-enable for the rest of the session.
+  detectionMode: MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET.mode.toUpperCase(),
+  detectionDensity: MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET.densityPct,
+  detectionAllocation: 'ELASTIC',
+  detectionFadePct: 7,
+  detectionOutsideOpacityPct: 1,
+  celestialRing: false,
+};
+
+// Tactical style defaults applied when users select military style presets.
+export const STYLE_PRESET_DEFAULTS = {
+  retro: {
+    bloom: { enabled: false, intensity: BLOOM_INTENSITY_DEFAULT },
+    sharpen: { enabled: true, intensity: 49 },
+    styleParams: {
+      retro: {
+        pixelation: 1.0,
+        distortion: 0,
+        instability: 0.42,
+      },
+    },
+    hudVariant: 'tactical',
+    hudVisible: true,
+    detection: MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET,
+  },
+  surveillance: {
+    bloom: { enabled: false, intensity: BLOOM_INTENSITY_DEFAULT },
+    sharpen: { enabled: true, intensity: 49 },
+    styleParams: {
+      surveillance: {
+        gain: 0.18,
+        bloom: 0.22,
+        scanlineStr: 0.96,
+        pixelation: 1.0,
+      },
+    },
+    hudVariant: 'tactical',
+    hudVisible: true,
+    detection: MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET,
+  },
+  thermal: {
+    bloom: { enabled: false, intensity: BLOOM_INTENSITY_DEFAULT },
+    sharpen: { enabled: true, intensity: 49 },
+    styleParams: {
+      thermal: {
+        sensitivity: 0.85,
+        bloom: 0.2,
+        mode: 0.33,
+        pixelation: 1.0,
+      },
+    },
+    hudVariant: 'tactical',
+    hudVisible: true,
+    detection: MILITARY_DETECTION_PRESET,
+  },
+};
+
+/**
+ * GLSL fragment shader implementing an unsharp-mask sharpening filter.
+ * Samples a 3x3 neighborhood, computes box blur, then adds the
+ * difference (center - blur) scaled by `amount` for edge enhancement.
+ */
+export const SHARPEN_SHADER = /* glsl */ `
+  uniform sampler2D colorTexture;
+  uniform vec2 colorTextureDimensions;
+  uniform float amount;
+  in vec2 v_textureCoordinates;
+
+  void main() {
+    vec2 uv = v_textureCoordinates;
+    vec2 texel = 1.0 / colorTextureDimensions;
+    vec4 center = texture(colorTexture, uv);
+    vec4 blur = (
+      texture(colorTexture, uv + vec2(-texel.x, -texel.y)) +
+      texture(colorTexture, uv + vec2( 0.0,     -texel.y)) +
+      texture(colorTexture, uv + vec2( texel.x, -texel.y)) +
+      texture(colorTexture, uv + vec2(-texel.x,  0.0))     +
+      center +
+      texture(colorTexture, uv + vec2( texel.x,  0.0))     +
+      texture(colorTexture, uv + vec2(-texel.x,  texel.y)) +
+      texture(colorTexture, uv + vec2( 0.0,      texel.y)) +
+      texture(colorTexture, uv + vec2( texel.x,  texel.y))
+    ) / 9.0;
+    vec4 sharpened = center + (center - blur) * amount;
+    out_FragColor = vec4(clamp(sharpened.rgb, 0.0, 1.0), center.a);
+  }
+`;