Abstract
Optical closure is essential for the determination of biogeochemical properties from ocean color remote sensing information. Mie scattering theory, a radiative transfer model, and a semi-analytical inversion algorithm were used to investigate the influence of particles and their properties on optical closure. Closure results were generally poor. Absorption coefficient (a(t)) inversions were more accurate for moderate particle size distribution slopes (3.50 < or = xi < or = 3.75). The degree of success in the derivation of the backscattering coefficient (b(bp)) was highest at moderate indices of refraction (1.15 < or = n(p) < or = 1.20) and high values of xi(> 3.75). Marked improvements in the estimates of b(bp) were enabled by a priori knowledge of bbp at one wavelength. At moderate values of n(p), derivations of a(t) and b(bp) were within 25% of Mie-modeled values when Gershun's relationship was used in combination with the semi-analytical algorithm.
Highlights
Optical closure involves solutions to the forward and inverse problems in ocean optics
We present results from forward and backward approaches to optical closure with emphasis on the effects of particles and their characteristics on backscattering, the backscattering ratio, and ocean color
The influence of particles and their properties on the inherent optical properties (IOPs) and apparent optical properties (AOPs) and on inversion algorithms to derive the IOPs from AOPs was investigated using a semi-analytical remote sensing inversion algorithm
Summary
Optical closure involves solutions to the forward and inverse problems in ocean optics. Optical theory suggests that the optical properties of particles depend on characteristics such as particle size, shape, composition, and index of refraction [3,4]. Mie scattering theory involves the estimation of the IOPs from characteristics for a single particle or a population of mono-dispersed or poly-dispersed particles. Mie theory determines the scattering and extinction efficiency factors (and absorption by difference) for a homogeneous sphere at a given wavelength, index of refraction, and particle diameter. Ensembles of efficiency factors for spheres of different sizes can be applied, using a specified particle size distribution (PSD) and number concentration to derive the respective IOPs, i.e. the absorption, scattering, and attenuation coefficients for a particle population
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