Eerily beautiful nighttime footage shows bright blue dolphins swimming through bioluminescent waters off the coast of California

A small pod of dolphins were filmed whipping through bright blue bioluminescent waves off the coast of Newport Beach. CaliforniaMonday night.

The shots of the ethereal dolphins were taken by Newport Coastal Adventure photographer Mark Girardeau, who was on a boat in the evening and filmed the bioluminescence moving around their engine.

At least three dolphins were caught circling the boat, darting freely through the water and lighting it up with bright blue lines.

The brilliant glow is caused by dinoflagellate algae, which turns seawater red during the day but glows blue at night.

Last month, red tides and bioluminescent waves were observed all along the Southern California coast.

A small pod of dolphins were filmed whipping through bright blue bioluminescent waves off the coast of Newport Beach, California, on Monday evening

The brilliant glow is caused by dinoflagellate algae, which turns seawater red during the day but glows blue at night

A bioluminescent glow in Newport Beach, California, on September 12th

Boat passengers survey the bioluminescence on the California coast

The photosynthetic dinoflagellates are technically tiny organisms that drink in the ocean – sometimes called phytoplankton.

Drew Lucas, an associate professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, said: “They are similar to plants in the sense that they photosynthesize, but they differ from most plants in that they move in groups.” They can swim.’

The organisms’ blue glow only becomes visible at night, when they are physically disturbed by breaking waves, boats and splashing dolphins.

“This flash of light for each individual cell is not very bright, but when there are a lot of them in the water, they can really light up the waves and result in a pretty bright glow,” Lucas said.

The glowing effect, often referred to as “fire of the sea,” results in a distinctive blue flash that lasts just 100 milliseconds.

The algae may be beautiful to look at, but the red tides also produce toxins that can be harmful to humans. Most side effects from inhaling red tide are minor and temporary and include coughing, sneezing, and watery eyes.

However, for some fish and shellfish, the toxins are far more potent and can cause illness when consumed by humans.

Last week, a The photographer captured bioluminescent plankton that illuminates you California Beach with a bright blue glow as boogie boarders surfed the waves.

Photographer Patrick Coyne captured a group of surfers who grabbed their boogie boards in Huntington Beach and headed out into the open water to experience the glow of the Pacific for themselves.

“Biography continues to give us a great show and we shot more footage at Salt Creek Beach!” “We originally stopped at Crescent Bay where there were some glowing waves but they weren’t very bright and that’s why we started “To explore other beaches,” Coyne wrote on Instagram.

A group of surfers grabbed their boogie boards in Huntington Beach and headed out into the open water to experience the glow of the Pacific for themselves

What is bioluminescence? And what makes the sea sparkle?

Bioluminescence is the production or emission of light by a living creature that can produce an incredible glow in the sea.

The phenomenon is the result of a chemical reaction that occurs when chemical energy is converted into light energy. For this to happen, the living creature must carry a molecule called luciferin.

When luciferin reacts with oxygen, it produces light energy, which we perceive as glowing.

Bright: Photographer Tom Bow said: “It has been spotted at various locations along the South Wales coast over the past week, although it is somewhat unpredictable.”

While few land creatures, such as fireflies, can produce their own light, about ninety percent of deep sea marine life can produce bioluminescence – often the light they emit is blue or green, so it can be easily transmitted through seawater. However, some emit red and infrared light to hunt in the almost pitch-black deep sea.

Sea sparkle – or – Noctiluca scintillans – usually found in hotter climates.

WPoor weather can cause a rapid increase in plankton growth and reproduction rates.

Once there are more than 100,000 algae cells in just one liter of water (which is usually only the case when it is very hot and dry), the plankton “charges” and produces a glow.

This only happens when it gets dark; during the day the plankton usually appears a rusty brown color.

Natural phenomenon: Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism. The light is created through a complex chemical reaction