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Scale Closure in Upper Ocean Optical Properties: From Single Particles to Ocean ColorPredictions of chlorophyll concentration from satellite ocean color are an indicator of primary productivity, with implications for foodwebs, fisheries, and the global carbon cycle. Models describing the relationship between optical properties and chlorophyll do not account for much of the optical variability observed in natural waters, because of the presence of seawater constituents that do not covary with phytoplankton pigments. in order to understand variability in these models, the optical contributions of seawater constituents were investigated. A combination of Mie theory and flow cytometry was used to determine the diameter, complex refractive index, and optical cross-sections of individual particles. In New England continental shelf waters, eukaryotic phytoplankton were the main particle contributors to absorption and scaftering. Minerals were the main contributor to backscattering (bb) in the spring, whereas in the summer both minerals and detritus contributed to bb. Synechococcus and heterotrophic bacteria were relatively unimportant optically. Seasonal differences in the spectral shape of remote sensing reflectance, Rrs, were contributed to approximately equally by eukaryotic phytoplankton absorption, dissolved absorption, and non-phytoplankton bb. Differences between measurements of bb and Prs and modeled values based on chlorophyll concentration were caused by higher dissolved absorption and non-phytoplankton bb than were assumed by the model.
Document ID
20030010513
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Thesis/Dissertation
Authors
Green, Rebecca E.
Date Acquired
September 7, 2013
Publication Date
June 1, 2002
Subject Category
Optics
Report/Patent Number
MIT/WHOI-2002-10
AD-A408837
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: N00014-95-1-0333
CONTRACT_GRANT: N00014-96-1-0965
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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