Polychromatic Population of Bioluminescent Organisms in the Deep Pacific Ocean

Li R, Spannfellner C, Holzapfel K, Loipolder S, Gualda CL, Böhmer M, Danninger M, De Leo FC, Fruck C, Gärtner A, Gernhäuser R, Grant D, Haack C, Henningsen F, Johnson H, Kopper C, Krauss CB, Leismüller K, Meighen-Berger SA, Papp L, Pirenne B, Rea IC, Resconi E, Schumacher L, Stacho J (2026)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2026

Journal

Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans American Geophysical Union

Book Volume: 131

Article Number: e2025JC023267

Journal Issue: 7

DOI: 10.1029/2025JC023267

Abstract

We present a comprehensive study of deep-sea bioluminescent organisms in the Cascadia Basin, Northeast Pacific Ocean, based on four years (2020–2023) of in situ measurements using STRings for Absorption length in Water instruments. Analysis of over 1.3 million camera images and continuous photomultiplier tube recordings revealed that bioluminescent activity at depths of 2.0–2.6 km is driven by mechanical stimulation from tidal currents, with emission rates showing strong periodicity across quaddiurnal, semidiurnal, and diurnal scales. Machine-learning-assisted chromatic characterization of emission peaks identified a taxonomic composition primarily consisting of blue-emitting organisms (470–500 nm), likely including glass squid (Leachia lemur) and various planktonic species, alongside a non-negligible population of yellow-green emitters (5̃65 nm) tentatively associated with tomopteris polychaete worms. We quantified an effective organism abundance of (Formula presented.), a value consistent with earlier indirect assessments but here confirmed through long-term, direct observation. These findings establish a baseline for the biological optical background in the Cascadia Basin, providing critical parameters for the design and background-modeling of large-scale neutrino telescopes such as Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment (P-ONE).

Authors with CRIS profile

Christian Haack Lehrstuhl für Experimentelle Astroteilchenphysik Claudio Kopper Lehrstuhl für Experimentelle Astroteilchenphysik Lisa Schumacher Lehrstuhl für Experimentelle Astroteilchenphysik

Involved external institutions

Technische Universität München (TUM) DE Germany (DE) Simon Fraser University CA Canada (CA) University of Alberta CA Canada (CA) University of Victoria (UVic) CA Canada (CA) National Institute for Nuclear Physics / Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) IT Italy (IT) European Southern Observatory (ESO) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Li, R., Spannfellner, C., Holzapfel, K., Loipolder, S., Gualda, C.L., Böhmer, M.,... Stacho, J. (2026). Polychromatic Population of Bioluminescent Organisms in the Deep Pacific Ocean. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 131(7). https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JC023267

MLA:

Li, Ruohan, et al. "Polychromatic Population of Bioluminescent Organisms in the Deep Pacific Ocean." Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 131.7 (2026).

BibTeX: Download