A curated database of milky sea observations from 1600 to present

Milky seas are a rare form of nocturnal oceanic bioluminescence
distinguished by a steady, non-flashing, white/gray/green glow. Scientific
inquiry into milky seas has, for centuries, been held back by the remote
ephemeral nature of this phenomenon. Combining centuries of eyewitness
accounts with modern satellite observations, we present a curated list of
milky sea observations since 1600. This database greatly expands the
ability to study when and where milky seas occur, as well as the commonly
observed features of a milky sea.

乳海（Milky seas）是一类罕见的夜间海洋生物发光现象，其特征为持续无闪烁的白、灰或绿色辉光。数个世纪以来，由于该现象发生区域偏远且持续时间短暂，对乳海的科学研究长期受阻。本研究整合了数百年的目击观测记录与现代卫星观测数据，整理出了自1600年以来的乳海观测精选列表。该数据集极大拓展了我们对乳海发生时间、发生区域以及其常见观测特征的研究能力。