Analysis of variations in ocean color

Spectral measurements of downwelling and upwelling daylight were made in waters different with rcspcct to turbidity and pigment content and from these data the spectral val-ues of the reflectance ratio just below the sea surface, R ( x), were calculated. The experi-mental results are interpreted by comparison with the theoretical R(h) values computed from the absorption and back-scattering coefficients. The importance of molecular scattering in the light back-scattering process is emphasized. The R(X) values observed for blue waters are in full agreement with computed values in which new and realistic values of the absorp-tion coefficient for pure water are used and presented. For the various green waters, the chlorophyll concentrations and the scattering coefficients, as measured, are used in compu-tations which account for the observed R(X) values. The inverse process, i.e. to infer the content of the water from R ( x) measurements at selected wavelengths, is discussed in view of remote sensing applications. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of dissolved and particulate matter from re-mote sensing values of the color of the ocea