Chapter 16
Quantification and Analysis of the Spectral
Composition of Subsurface Solar Radiation
Diffuse Reflectance in Cases of Deep
and Shallow Water Bodies
Abstract Practice 15 in Chapter 16 is preceded by a concise theoretical description
of light transfer in natural media, as well as inherent and apparent optical properties
permitting to quantify the optical impact on the sunlight downward and upward
propagation through the water column containing coexisting absorbing, scattering
and fluorescing agents. A number of tables are provided to be used for numerically
assess the above inherent and apparent optical properties as well as the water
constituents optical properties that affect prevailingly the water colour variations
in optically complex either inland marine coastal waters (so called case II waters as
opposed to optically “simple” offshore oceanic waters coined case I waters). Also,
the bottom optical properties are exemplified in form of tables permitting to take
into account the optical bottom impact of the light emerging from below the water
surface.
Based on these supplementary materials, the spectral values of subsurface
diffuse reflectance, R(-0, l) can be simulated for the options of input parameters
suggested in the tables. Qualitative analyses of simulated sets of the spectral
envelope of R(-0, l) suggested to be conducted at the finalizing stage of Practice
15 performance is intended to give an insight into the composition and radiometric
intensity of the light emerging from the surveyed water body and eventually
captured by a remote sensor. This step is a predecessor to attaining the main goal
of water remote sensing, viz, determination of water quality parameters.
16.1 Concise Theory
It is well-known that the World’s Oceans play the key role in controlling both
global cycles of a wide number of chemicals and their compounds and the bioproductional balance in the land-atmosphere system. In terms of biogeochemical
cycles, the ocean presents a gigantic reservoir of nutrients. The salient chains of this
reservoir functioning are the exchange of matter between lower and upper ocean
layers as well as between the ocean and the atmosphere. Due to their gigantic
I. Melnikova et al., Remote Sensing of the Environment and Radiation Transfer,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-14899-6_16, # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012
155
Quantification and Analysis of the Spectral
Composition of Subsurface Solar Radiation
Diffuse Reflectance in Cases of Deep
and Shallow Water Bodies
Abstract Practice 15 in Chapter 16 is preceded by a concise theoretical description
of light transfer in natural media, as well as inherent and apparent optical properties
permitting to quantify the optical impact on the sunlight downward and upward
propagation through the water column containing coexisting absorbing, scattering
and fluorescing agents. A number of tables are provided to be used for numerically
assess the above inherent and apparent optical properties as well as the water
constituents optical properties that affect prevailingly the water colour variations
in optically complex either inland marine coastal waters (so called case II waters as
opposed to optically “simple” offshore oceanic waters coined case I waters). Also,
the bottom optical properties are exemplified in form of tables permitting to take
into account the optical bottom impact of the light emerging from below the water
surface.
Based on these supplementary materials, the spectral values of subsurface
diffuse reflectance, R(-0, l) can be simulated for the options of input parameters
suggested in the tables. Qualitative analyses of simulated sets of the spectral
envelope of R(-0, l) suggested to be conducted at the finalizing stage of Practice
15 performance is intended to give an insight into the composition and radiometric
intensity of the light emerging from the surveyed water body and eventually
captured by a remote sensor. This step is a predecessor to attaining the main goal
of water remote sensing, viz, determination of water quality parameters.
16.1 Concise Theory
It is well-known that the World’s Oceans play the key role in controlling both
global cycles of a wide number of chemicals and their compounds and the bioproductional balance in the land-atmosphere system. In terms of biogeochemical
cycles, the ocean presents a gigantic reservoir of nutrients. The salient chains of this
reservoir functioning are the exchange of matter between lower and upper ocean
layers as well as between the ocean and the atmosphere. Due to their gigantic
I. Melnikova et al., Remote Sensing of the Environment and Radiation Transfer,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-14899-6_16, # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012
155