![]() ![]() “Last night the bioluminescence I observed at the Scripps Pier was weak, nothing like the bright bioluminescence we had previously,” he said Wednesday. Prior to that, the last time such a “massive” red tide as this one was back in 1995, he noted.ĭown in San Deigo, the red tide seems to be “waning and breaking down,” he said. ![]() That phytoplankton bloom lasted a month, about the same duration as this one, he said. Latz compares this latest bioluminescent red tide to an event that happened in October 2011. This particular red tide bloom is large, spanning from Baja California to Los Angeles. Scientists do not know how long the current red tide will last, as previous events have lingered anywhere from one week to a month or more. And today, there are several Scripps scientists sampling the red tide we’ve been seeing with the hopes of learning more about the organisms’ genetics and metabolic characteristics. polyedra have been known since the early 1900s, thanks to observations by Scripps scientists. The Scripps Shore Stations Program also collects daily water samples and performs plankton analysis twice a week. There is no red tide monitoring program, but the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System at Scripps Oceanography performs weekly sampling for potential harmful algal toxins. Red tides are unpredictable and not all of them produce bioluminescence. “On sunny days, the organisms swim toward the surface where they concentrate, resulting in the intensified coloration of the water – and the reason for the term ‘red tide.’ At night, when the phytoplankton are agitated by waves or other movement in the water, they emit a dazzling neon blue glow.” A rare phenomenon created “bioluminescence” created an explosion of neon blue in waves crashing onto shore off Orange County. Each microscopic cell contains some ‘sunscreen,’ giving it a reddish-brown color,” he said. ![]() “The red tide is due to aggregations of the dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedra, a species well known for its bioluminescent displays. Scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego are among top experts on the subject. Bioluminescence expert Michael Latz, a scientist at Scripps, gave some info on the science of the phenom: Some areas have been crowded with people trying to get a glimpse at the phenomenon, so make sure you keep your distance and wear a face mask. Some beaches are still shut down, so know what the rules are before you go. But be warned: Recent beach closures and parking restrictions have made it tough to get a glimpse of the ocean. ![]()
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