title: Platform effects on optical variability and prediction of underwater visibility.
abstract: We present hydrographic and optical data collected concurrently from two different platforms, the R/P FLoating Instrument Platform and the R/V Kilo Moana, located about 2km apart in the Santa Barbara Channel in California. We show that optical variability between the two platforms was due primarily to platform effects, specifically the breakdown of stratification from mixing by the hull of R/P FLIP. Modeled underwater radiance distribution differed by as much as 50% between the two platforms during stratified conditions. We determine that the observed optical variability resulted in up to 57% differences in predicted horizontal visibility of a black target.
authors.affiliation: Sea Engineering, Incorporated, 200 Washington Street, Suite 210, Santa Cruz, California 95060, USA. gchang@seaengineering.com
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Twardowski
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moline
authors.forename: Peng-Wang
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Slivkoff
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nencioli
authors.forename: George W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Kattawar