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A new study led by Scripps Institution of Oceanography demonstrates, for the first time, how scientists can use computer simulations to quantify the light emitted by dinoflagellates when they flash in breaking waves and create stunning displays of bioluminescence.

This numerical approach provides key insights into understanding bioluminescence in the ocean and offers a promising tool and model for monitoring dinoflagellates—the organisms known to cause red tides, or harmful algal blooms, which can negatively impact marine life and human health. This research paves the way for estimating their populations through ocean observations.

The was published Oct. 16, 2024 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters and was authored by Xuanting Hao, assistant professor at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.