Eerily beautiful nighttime footage shows bright blue dolphins swimming in bioluminescent waters off the California coast.
- A small pod of dolphins has been spotted glowing in bright blue water off the coast of Southern California due to bioluminescent algae.
- Bioluminescence is a relatively common phenomenon in California, due to the presence of dinoflagellate algae.
- Red tides and bioluminescent waves have been observed all along the Southern California coast over the past month.
A small pod of dolphins was filmed whipping up bright blue bioluminescent waves off the coast of Newport Beach, CaliforniaMonday evening.
The images of the ethereal dolphins were captured by Newport Coastal Adventure photographer Mark Girardeau, who was on a boat in the evening to film the bioluminescence escaping around their engine.
At least three dolphins were captured circling the boat, cruising freely in the water and lighting it with electric blue lines.
The luminous glow is caused by dinoflagellate algae, which turns ocean water red during the day but glows blue at night.
Red tides and bioluminescent waves have been observed all along the Southern California coast over the past month.
A small pod of dolphins was filmed whipping up bright blue bioluminescent waves off the coast of Newport Beach, California, on Monday evening.
The luminous glow is caused by dinoflagellate algae, which turns ocean water red during the day but glows blue at night.
A bioluminescent glow in Newport Beach, California on September 12
Boat passengers overlook Bioluminescence on the California coast
Photosynthetic dinoflagellates are technically tiny organisms that drink in the ocean – sometimes called phytoplankton.
Dr. Drew Lucas, associate professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, said: “They are like plants in the sense that they carry out photosynthesis, but they are different from most plants in that they that they move in groups. They can swim.’
The organisms’ blue glow only appears at night, when they are physically disturbed by actions such as crashing waves, boats, and splashing dolphins.
“That flash of light for each individual cell isn’t very bright, but when there are a lot of them in the water, that’s when they can really light up the waves and produce quite a glow brilliant,” Lucas said.
The lighting effect, often called “the fire of the sea”, results in a characteristic blue flash that lasts only 100 milliseconds.
Algae may be beautiful to look at, but red tides also produce toxins that can be harmful to humans. Most side effects related to breathing red tide are minor and temporary and include coughing, sneezing, and watery eyes.
However, the toxins are much more potent for certain fish and shellfish which, if consumed by humans, can cause illness.
Last week, a a photographer captured bioluminescent plankton lighting up a California beach with a bright blue glow as bodyboarders ride the waves.
Photographer Patrick Coyne captured a group of surfers who grabbed their bodyboards at Huntington Beach and headed out into the open waters to experience the glow of the Pacific for themselves.
“The biography continues to give us an incredible spectacle and we captured more footage at Salt Creek Beach! We initially stopped at Crescent Bay, where there were a few bright waves, but they weren’t very bright and that’s why we started checking other beaches,” Coyne wrote on Instagram.
A group of surfers grabbed their bodyboards at Huntington Beach and headed out into the open waters to experience the glow of the Pacific for themselves.
What is bioluminescence? And what makes the sea shine?
Bioluminescence is the production or emission of light by a living creature that can cause an incredible glow coming from the sea.
The phenomenon is the result of a chemical reaction that occurs when chemical energy is converted into light energy. For this to happen, the creature must carry a molecule called luciferin.
When luciferin reacts with oxygen, it creates light energy that we perceive as a glow.
Bright: Photographer Tom Bow said: “It has been spotted in different locations along the South Wales coast over the last week, although it has been slightly unpredictable. »
While only a few land creatures, such as fireflies, can create their own light, about ninety percent of deep-sea marine life can produce bioluminescence – often the light they emit is blue or green , so it can easily transmit through seawater. However, some emit red and infrared light in order to hunt in deep, almost black seas.
The shine of the sea – or – Noctiluca scintillans – usually occurs in warmer climates.
WWeather conditions can cause a rapid increase in the rate of growth and reproduction of plankton.
Once there are more than 100,000 algae cells in just one liter of water (which usually only happens when it’s very hot and dry), the plankton “charges” and creates a glow .
This only happens when it’s dark. During the day, plankton usually appears a rusty brown color.
Natural phenomenon: Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism. Light is created by a complex chemical reaction
