moving fast. The water did not contain organisms visible 

 to the eye. The intensity of the luminescence was sufficient 

 to read by. It seemed the rapidly moving waves of light were 

 accompanied by an unclear sound reminiscent of boiling water." 



Another sighting of a luminescent display was reported in an article 

 entitled "Huge Luminescent Mass Sighted in the Sea of Okhotsk" published 

 in the Sapporo Edition of the "Asahi Shimbun" in August 1^6h. The arti- 

 cle stated that just southeast of Cape 'Terpeniya, Captain W. Takada of 

 the patrol ship TESHIO noted in August a spot of bright light which 

 measured a few meters in diameter at first and then expanded q_uickly to 

 400 meters in diameter; it then contracted to 3O meters in diameter and 

 disappeared into the sea in a whirling manner. The luminescence was as 

 strong as an electric lamp but not the same as would occ^x^ when a ship 

 broke seawater containing Noctiluca , for example. 



Along the Pacific coast of Japan Noctiluca is particularly abundant 

 in spring, when it occurs in such great quantities at times that the 

 water, in addition to being discolored, becomes almost viscous in con- 

 sistency. This extraordinary abundance has been observed in Aomori Bay 

 and along the coasts of northeast Honshu and northeast Hokkaido. Spark- 

 type displays occur very freq.uently in late summer and early autiimn in 

 the coastal regions as well as at some distance from the coast. These 

 displays predominate in the more northern waters of Japan, whereas 

 sheet-type and, to a lesser degree, glowing-ball-type bioluminescence 

 appear most frequently farther south. Very dark brown or blood-red 

 water caused by dinoflagellates has been observed in Tokyo Bay from 

 January through March, and the sheet-type bioluminescence produced is 

 brilliant at night. Many displays, often bright, have been observed in 

 the Gulf of Sagami where warm water organisms of the Kuroshio and cold 

 water organisms of the Oyashio are brought together. 



Spectacular bioliuninescence also has been observed during earthquakes. 

 "Fiery" colixmns of light were observed in the Gulf of Sagami during the 

 severe earthq.uake of 1923 . The light was believed to have come from bio- 

 luminescent organisms violently stimulated by the strong shocks trans- 

 mitted through the water. Neax Sanriku, Honshu the sea receded during a 

 tsunami. The exposed bottom was strongly luminescent with a bluish white 

 light of such strength that land objects were visible as if in daylight. 

 This display was attributed to the stimiilation of the luminescent organ- 

 isms coating the bottom. 



On the Pacific side of the Kuril Islands and to the north along the 

 east coast of Kamchatka, bioliimine scent displays have been observed 

 throughout the year wherever the water is free of ice cover. The lumin- 

 escence is mostly sheet type and usually is seen in coastal waters in 

 the spring; spark-type bioluminescence also has been observed in the 

 spring, but generally some distance from the coast where large concen- 

 trations of luminescent euphausiids occur. Spark-type bioluminescence 

 is the most common type observed during the autumn and winter months. 



27 



