Bioluminescense
I thought I was seeing reflections at twilight under the cliffs, but as the sky got dark, the lights actually got brighter. I can't tell you how excited I was when I realized what we were seeing! According to the Smithsonian website, each dinoflagellate bursts into light when it feels pressure against its cell wall. The light is given off in an instantaneous process; when you add the light bursts of 750,000 dinoflagellates per cubic foot of water together the effect is spectacular!
Almost all marine bioluminescence is (greenish) blue in color because the blue-green light [wavelength around 470 nanometers] transmits furthest in water. Most organisms are sensitive only to blue light, although the luminescence in this case is readily visible to the dark-adapted human eye.
Also, the intensity of luminescence of these photosynthetic creatures depends on the intensity of sunlight the previous day. The brighter the sunlight the brighter the waters will glow that night.
![I thought I was seeing reflections at twilight under the cliffs, but as the sky got dark, the lights actually got brighter. I can't tell you how excited I was when I realized what we were seeing! According to the Smithsonian website, each dinoflagellate bursts into light when it feels pressure against its cell wall. The light is given off in an instantaneous process; when you add the light bursts of 750,000 dinoflagellates per cubic foot of water together the effect is spectacular!<br />
<br />
Almost all marine bioluminescence is (greenish) blue in color because the blue-green light [wavelength around 470 nanometers] transmits furthest in water. Most organisms are sensitive only to blue light, although the luminescence in this case is readily visible to the dark-adapted human eye.<br />
<br />
Also, the intensity of luminescence of these photosynthetic creatures depends on the intensity of sunlight the previous day. The brighter the sunlight the brighter the waters will glow that night.](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get2/I0000bzsOMcH88eo/fit=1000x750/Bioluminescence.jpg)
