'Sea Sparkle' - Simulator of bioluminescent red Noctiluca blooms

Abstract

This record includes English and Spanish versions of the following files: QuickStart - PDF guide to downloading and installing the Powersim Studio Cockpit application (if not already installed on your PC) Sea Sparkle Simulator - This simulator enables you to investigate how blooms of Sea Sparkle develop, ultimately appearing on the surface of the sea where they cause red blooms during daylight hours and bioluminescence displays at night. Sea Sparkle is scientifically called Noctiluca scintillans. These are single-celled predatory planktonic organisms about 0.5 mm in diameter. These cannot swim but can alter their buoyancy, moving up and down in the water column to locate food. You can examine how different conditions can increase or decrease the likelihood of Sea Sparkle blooms.