Mystery of milky seas
Sayahna R V
Milky seas are also called maree which is a luminous phenomenon in the ocean which extend to a large areas of seawater (up to 6,000 sq mi or 16,000 km2) .Milky seas glow translucently (in varying shades of blue).It glows brightly enough to see from satellite.
It was found In the year 2005, scientists announced for the first time, they had obtained photographic evidence of this glow. A private yacht named Ganesha has captured the first pictures of mysterious milky seas for studies.
The milky sea is caused by bioluminescent bacteria, which are billions of trillions of them.These bacterias that live throughout the water column from the surface to the sea floor.
In 1800s ,we had absolutely no idea what is the cause of the effect, but were pretty sure it was something sinister. They described this looks like milk or clouds from horizon to horizon.
The first occurrence of the ‘Milky sea’ phenomenon was documented by Charles Darwin in the 1830s.Darwin witnessed the mesmerising phenomenon off the southern tip of South America. He was really impressed by this view and he mentioned it as the most beautiful spectacle.
But in the year 1492, Christopher Columbus observed glimmers of light in the ocean during his way to Bahamas.
Between 1915 and 1993, we documented the sightings of milky seas were.Most of this phenomenon are centred in the northwestern Indian Ocean and near Indonesia.
In 1985, a researchers took water sample from the Arabian Sea during milky seas. They concluded that the effect was caused by the bacterium Vibrio harveyi.
Mareel is mainly caused by Noctiluca scintillans ( “sea sparkle”), a dinoflagellate which glows when disturbed and is found in oceans.
In July 2015, at Alleppey, Kerala, India, the phenomenon occurred and the National Institute of Oceanography. when Kerala Fisheries Department researched it, their finding is that the glittering waves were the result of Noctiluca scintillans.
Etymology
This term is derived from the North germenic word *mareld, which is also derived from the Old Nordic word mǫrueldr, which is a compound of marr (mere, sea) and eldr (fire).
Check your knowledge
Milky seas are also called maree which is a luminous phenomenon in the ocean which extend to a large areas of seawater (up to 6,000 sq mi or 16,000 km2) .
Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism. Bioluminescent creatures are found throughout marine habitats, from the ocean surface to the deep seafloor.
Darwin witnessed the mesmerising phenomenon off the southern tip of South America. He was really impressed by this view .