Ocean-color model incorporating transspectral processes.
Ocean color is determined by spectral variations in reflectance at the sea surface, which in turn result from both elastic and inelastic processes. We extend an elastic-scattering model of sea surface reflectance to deal with Raman scattering, which is an inelastic process. The analytic solutions are derived for a vertically homogeneous and optically deep water column. The model presented here is based on the quasi-single-scattering approximation of Gordon [Appl. Opt. 12, 2803 (1973)] and is an extension of the model of Sathyendranath and Platt [Appl. Opt. 36, 2620 (1997)]. The Raman-scattering model includes a first-order Raman-scattering term and four second-order terms. Two of the second-order terms result from a combination of an elastic and a Raman-scattering event, whereas the other two second-order terms result from two Raman-scattering events. We show that the contribution to reflectance from these last two terms is typically of the order of 1% of the first-order Raman-scattering term. Therefore these terms and higher-order terms can be neglected for most applications. Issues related to the implementation of the model are discussed, with special reference to remote-sensing applications. Results from the analytic model are compared with Monte Carlo simulations of reflectance at the sea surface.
Sathyendranath
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S
Platt
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