Jr. An overarching goal of naval research in bioluminescence is to develop a suite of models that can be used to predict the distribution and variability of light producing organisms in the sea, and quantify the light exiting the water column from a bioluminescence event. The goal of bioluminescence prediction is derived in part from two naval needs. The first is to maximize the detection potential of naval bioluminescence sensors. The second is to minimize the risk of detection during nighttime naval operations. Both of these needs require a quantified characterization of the battlespace environment.
Diagnostic models based on climatologies offer information at the seasonal time scale.
Their advantage stems from their incorporation of long-term time series to yield bioluminescence potential in a region of interest. Their disadvantage includes limited applicability to the actual coastal environment as it exists at the moment of interest. Contemporary diagnostic models require initialization of the current fields of bioluminescence potential in the region of interest. These fields may be directly measured, e.g. AUV, or limited measurements may be coupled with nowcast techniques. Their advantage is that they yield a more accurate determination of the in situ bioluminescence potential.