Lidar signature from bubbles in the sea.
The lidar signature from a collection of bubbles is proportional to the volume backscatter coefficient at a scattering angle of 180 degrees . This quantity, calculated using a combination of geometric optics and diffraction, is proportional to the void fraction of the bubbles in the water for any bubble size distribution. The constant of proportionality is 233 m(-1) sr(-1)for clean bubbles, slightly less for bubbles coated with a thin layer of organic material, and as large as 1445 m(-1) sr(-1) for a thick coating of protein.
Churnside
James H
JH
Earth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80305, USA. james.h.churnside@noaa.gov