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The Aurora Beneath the Waves: a Brief Glimpse at the World of Bioluminescence

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Christiana Hanaman
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« on: October 01, 2011, 05:08:38 pm »

The Aurora Beneath the Waves: a Brief Glimpse at the World of Bioluminescence



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Image: Peter J.S. Franks, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

As the sun is setting, people gather at beaches around the world, waiting for the ocean to come alive with displays of bioluminescence. But while they are drinking in the beauty of this living light, few know of the drama of life and death that unfolds every night at the surface of the ocean…
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Christiana Hanaman
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« Reply #1 on: October 01, 2011, 05:10:57 pm »

Mosquito Bay, Vieques, and its bioluminescent bay:


Photo:
Image via Nautilus

Bioluminescent oceans may look like the water is producing glow-in-the-dark waves, but they are actually the result of tiny, single-cell bioluminescent organisms, most often dinoflagellates. This microscopic phytoplankton proves that even tiny organisms, in huge numbers – often two million cells per one litre of water – can produce astonishing and fascinating results.
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Christiana Hanaman
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« Reply #2 on: October 01, 2011, 05:11:38 pm »

A stunning "red tide" at Carlsbad beach, California:



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Image: Francis Tyers

Dinoflagellates float on or near the ocean’s surface and can be found in all the world’s oceans. However, in some areas, their concentration is higher than in others, for example in the many bioluminescent bays around Puerto Rico that attract many visitors year-round.
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Christiana Hanaman
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« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2011, 05:12:24 pm »

A visitor glowing in the dark at the bioluminescent bay in Vieques, Puerto Rico:



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Image: Doug Myerscough
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Christiana Hanaman
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« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2011, 05:13:22 pm »

Visitors frolicking in the bioluminescent water in Mosquito Bay, Puerto Rico:



Photo:
Images via Isla Vieques (left) and Curious Expeditions

Bioluminescence is nothing but the ability of some organisms, animals or bacteria to create light – a phenomenon we know from watching fireflies. The chemical used is the same in fireflies and the dinoflagellates of the Noctiluca genus, a compound tellingly called luciferin – maybe indicating its diabolical intentions?

In any case, dinoflagellates gathered by the millions are famous for creating spectacular “red tides” or glowing tides, seas of red-brown created by their sheer number. When disturbed, they produce streaks of electric blue light meant to scare away predators. At night, this luminosity highlights breaking waves. Says researcher Michael I. Latz from Scripps Institution of Oceanography:

    “To me the most memorable feature occurred not during the day but at night. ... The red tide phytoplankton use their flashes as a burglar alarm so they won't get eaten; in this case, the "burglar" is the animal trying to eat them. … So if you're not careful around these luminescent plankton, you'll end up in someone's stomach! It's enough to make you lose your appetite, which is exactly its purpose.”

Calling the ocean very aptly a “luminescent minefield,” Latz goes on to explain that dinoflagellate predators have to be careful as any accidental motion can set off an "explosion" of plankton luminescence, therefore exposing the predator to its own hungry marauders. A beautiful display for us, but a potentially deadly trap for those who’d prefer to stay in the dark.
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Christiana Hanaman
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« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2011, 05:14:11 pm »

A wave glowing in the dark at a bioluminescent bay in Puerto Rico:



Photo:
Image via River on Media

Though the cellular signaling pathways that trigger bioluminescence are complex and only partially understood by scientists, lab experiments have shed some light (pun intended) on the role that dinoflagellate bioluminescence plays in marine ecology. Apart from exposing predators to each other, the dinoflagellate flashes also disrupt predators’ feeding behaviour and therefore decrease their grazing rate. Pretty cool, huh? After all, who’d want to have a flashlight shone in their face when having dinner?

Taking pictures of bioluminescent phenomena requires more than pointing and clicking: A very light sensitive digital camera is required or a sensitive film and a fast lens. The longer the exposure, the brighter the glow but images might look fake. When photographing people or objects in the water, they should not move to avoid blurring.

Source: 1, 2, 3

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/aurora-beneath-waves-brief-glimpse-bioluminescence/9775
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Christiana Hanaman
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« Reply #6 on: October 01, 2011, 05:15:19 pm »

Mysterious glowing tide turns Californian coastline into a neon blue alien landscape

By Sara Nelson

Last updated at 3:08 PM on 29th September 2011


It could be the grim denouement from a science fiction film, as the silhouette of a man solemnly watches a glowing sea, with a child perched atop his shoulders.

But this is not cinema trickery - it's a natural phenomena caused by a chemical reaction called bioluminescence, which happens when a naturally-occurring micro-organism in the water is disturbed, causing a chemical reaction which emits light.

The reaction is similar to the ‘glow’ that fireflies use to attract prey or mates. Many undersea organisms ‘glow’, especially creatures that live at depths where light from the surface is less likely to penetrate.

The spellbinding sight was captured at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, California, yesterday. The night-time glow is a side-effect of blooming red algae, known as red tide, which can turn entire beaches scarlet and murky during the day.

The smell of decay, caused by rotting kelp, plankton and fish often accompanies the event as the red algae starves the water of oxygen and light. By night, there is an increase in microscopic plankton called dynoflagellates, which glow in the dark when disturbed by currents or waves.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2043246/Mysterious-glowing-tide-turns-Californian-coastline-neon-blue-alien-landscape.html#ixzz1ZZSg6ERS
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Christiana Hanaman
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« Reply #7 on: October 01, 2011, 05:15:52 pm »



Michael Dermyer and his five-year-old son Colin watch the waves glow neon blue from the red tide at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, California

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2043246/Mysterious-glowing-tide-turns-Californian-coastline-neon-blue-alien-landscape.html#ixzz1ZZT08J3M
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