No need for artificial light in California: bioluminescent waves shine with their own light and illuminate the nights of San Diego and Newport Beach
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
There is no need for artificial light in California: bioluminescent waves shine with their own light and illuminate the nights by the sea in San Diego and Newport Beach. The phenomenon, made even more fascinating by the silence of the lockdown, enchants the web and those lucky few who can admire it up close.
The show is due to the aggregation of Lingulodinium polyedra, a common plankton in southern California, a species well known for its bioluminescence: each cell, in fact, emits light as a result of chemical reactions that occur as a result of metabolism.
In this period, with very few visitors due to anti COVID-19 restrictions, one can be observed extraordinary red tide due to the presence of organisms on the surface which at night, due to the agitation of the sea or other movements of the water, instead emit a characteristic neon blue.
Ah! I stand corrected: tiny shrimp-like animals spew sparkly fear poofs into the water, but algae keep the poofs inside, like luminous little panic attacks.
Thanks @beroe!
— Open Ocean Exploration (@RebeccaRHelm) April 25, 2020
This glow, in particular, is the result of chemicals produced due to the "fright" that organisms suffer from being dragged, for example by waves. According to what biologist Rebecca Helm revealed on Twitter, it is "small bright panic attacks".
As Michael Latz of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (University of California at San Diego) explains, bioluminescent flashes are best seen on the beach at least two hours after sunset, although visibility is not guaranteed. Anyone visiting the beach should make sure it is open according to the guidelines set by the city and, in this particular period, keep social distances.
The phenomenon, however, is not new, and it appears particularly unpredictable. It also happened along the beach of Puerto Marqués in Acapulco (Mexico) and, off the coast of Newport itself, dolphins had recently been spotted leaving bioluminescent blue lights.
Without pollution, the waves of Acapulco beach shine again for the first time in 60 years
Spotted "bioluminescent" dolphins off the coast of Newport, which shine again thanks to the lockdown
“Our local red tides can last days (for example, May 2018) - reports the scientist - one or two weeks (September 2013, June 2019) or one or more months (October 2011 and 1995). There is no way to predict how long they will last ”.
This started in late March, and we don't know if and when there will be more.
So let's enjoy now, at least from the web, the wonderful show.
Sources of reference: Rebecca Helm / Twitter / Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Read also:
- Bioluminescence: 5 magical places where the sea lights up the night (PHOTO)
- Bioluminescence: the magical show that illuminates New Zealand caves (VIDEO)
