Glowing Blue Ocean Waves at Night in the US
A proliferation of seaweed may be the reason why the waves off the coast of Big Sur, California, glow.
“The phytoplankton explosion lit up the night sea under the Bixby Creek Bridge. It was a spectacular sight,” Krieger said. Experts say the bioluminescence is likely caused by algae.
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Blue glowing waves under the Bixby Creek Bridge. Photo:CNN. |
"This is almost certainly due to the proliferation of dinoflagellates. We also saw quite a lot of bioluminescence through the devices in Monterey Bay," explained Steve Haddock, a bioluminescence expert at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Reports of bioluminescent waves off the California coast have spiked since early January, Haddock said. It’s possible that a combination of high nutrient levels and calm ocean conditions has created pockets of high concentrations of dinoflagellates in the water. When the winds start to pick up, the phytoplankton may be dispersed among the waves.
