The high flow also reduces population sampling bias by capturing faster swimming organisms, which were able to avoid capture in low flow-rate photometers. The defined excitation of organisms means that the turbulence is hydrodynamically characterized and, ultimately, can be related to the turbulent field around a moving body.
Fiber optics view the entire chamber volume to measure the total stimulable light of the population.
A ring of fibers, near the intake, views a narrow cross-section of the chamber to monitor the number of bioluminescent events or flashes. Finally, eight PMTs view equal cross-sectional volumes along the length of the chamber to determine population flash kinetics. Together, these light measurements help to characterize the responsible bioluminescent organisms.