Milky seas effect

As Meeresleuchten light phenomena are referred to in the sea, which are attributed to the bioluminescence. Meeresleuchten can be observed both on the coast and in the open sea.

Biology of marine luminescence

The classic marine luminescence is generated by accumulations of microorganisms and thus belongs to the phenomenon of bioluminescence. Among the organisms that can cause a Meeresleuchten include, among other dinoflagellates such as Noctiluca scintillans and Pyrocystis noctiluca, which are also involved in the so-called Red Tides. Dinoflagellates are unicellular organisms that are counted among the algae.

When Meeresleuchten the sea water seems to luminesce blue to green. In fact, no light is the sea water itself, but the micro-organisms present in seawater will send tactile stimulus more or less long -lasting light signals.

The fact that the lights will be triggered by tactile stimuli, it can be observed on the beach. If in the surf Meeresleuchten is observed, it can also cause the sand of the beach, where you stroke with your hands or feet on the sand. The organisms that touches are visible as small bright dots. Meeresleuchten is only occasionally to be found, because the necessary microorganisms occur by no means always in erfolderlicher concentration in sea water. The exact Rahmenbedingungungen for the occurrence of the microorganisms have not yet been completely clarified.

The working group of the American biologist Michael Latz on California's Marine Research Institute Scripps Institution of Oceanography developed ways to use the bioluminescence of the sea glow to the flow of research, such as the development of verwirbelungsarmen ship hulls.

Artificial marine lights on the principle of chemiluminescence can be generated using luminol.

Meeresleuchten in the fantastic literature

In children's books Jim Button and the Wild 13 by Michael Ende ( published in 1962 ) that sea Lights has a key role: Jim Button must help to repair the marine lights to illuminate the kingdom of mermaids and mermen. In the end, however, the book Meeresleuchten is created by the cooperation of a half- dragon with a Schildnöck in a magnetic mountain with the help of the Guru Musch magnets.