Ocean Optics and Biogeochemistry Protocols for Satellite Ocean Colour Sensor Validation; Volume 1.0. Inherent Optical Property Measurements and Protocols: Absorption Coefficient.

Abstract

Inherent Optical Properties Measurements and Protocols: Absorption Coefficient (v1.0) is a document that serves as a comprehensive overview of calibration, measurement and analysis protocols for the state-of-the-art technologies that measure the absorption of particles in the water or on a filter pad. Chapter 1 provides a detailed overview of the absorption coefficient of pure water, colored dissolved matter and particles along with the current state-of-the-art pure water absorption coefficients, uncertainties and temperature and salinity corrections. Chapters 2–4 provide detailed protocols for measuring particles in suspension using the reflective tube absorption meter, the integrating cavity absorption meter, and the point-source integrating cavity absorption meter. Lastly, Chapter 5 describes the most up-to-date methods for the measurement of absorbance and the computation of absorption for particles on a filter pad using the transmittance method, transmittance method with fiber optics, the transmittance-reflectance method and inside an integrating sphere. Chapters 1, 2, and 5 represent updated versions of those found in Ocean Optics Protocols for Satellite Ocean Color Sensor Validation Revision 4, Volume IV (Mitchell et al. 2002). Chapters 3 and 4 are new contributions to the protocol.