Skip to main content

The Nature and Measurement of the Light Environment in the Ocean

  • Chapter

Part of the book series: Environmental Science Research ((ESRH,volume 43))

Abstract

The nature — that is, the characteristics, and the properties — of the light environment in the ocean is determined by two things: first, by the nature of the light flux incident on the surface of the ocean from above, and second, by the optical properties of the oceanic water itself. The underwater light environment is what results from the operation of the latter on the former. In this paper we shall consider (a) the nature of the incident solar flux; (b) the inherent optical properties of the ocean, how they are measured and what components of the aquatic medium they are due to; and (c) how the characteristics of the underwater light field are measured, and what these measurements reveal about the light environment in the ocean.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   259.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Bidigare, R.R., Smith, R.C., Baker, K.S., and Marra, J., 1987, Oceanic primary production estimates from measurements of spectral irradiance and pigment concentrations, Global Biogeochem. Cycles, 1:171.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bricaud, A., Morel, A., and Prieur, L., 1983, Optical efficiency factors of some phytoplankters, Limnol. Oceanogr., 28:816.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davies-Colley, R.J., Pridmore, R.D., and Hewitt, J.E., 1986, Optical properties of some freshwater phytoplanktonic algae, Hydrobiologia, 133:165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fry, E.S., and Kattawar, G.W., 1988, Measurement of the absorption coefficient of ocean water using isotropic illumination, Ocean Optics 9, Proc. SPIE, 925:142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon, H.R., Brown, O.B., and Jacobs, M.M., 1975, Computed relationships between the inherent and apparent optical properties of a flat homogeneous ocean, Appl. Optics, 14:417.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haardt, H., and Maske, H., 1987, Specific in vivo absorption coefficient of chlorophyll a at 675 nm, Limnol. Oceanogr., 32:608.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Iturriaga, R., and Siegel, D.A., 1989, Microphotometric characterization of phytoplankton and detrital absorption properties in the Sargasso Sea, Limnol. Oceanogr., 34:1706.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jerlov, N.G., 1976, “Marine Optics,” Elsevier, Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirk, J.T.O., 1976, Yellow substance (gelbstoff) and its contribution to the attenuation of photosynthetically active radiation in some inland and coastal southeastern Australian waters, Aust. J. Mar. Freshwater Res., 27:61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kirk, J.T.O., 1980, Spectral absorption properties of natural waters: contribution of the soluble and particulate fractions to light absorption in some inland waters of southeastern Australia, Aust. J. Mar. Freshwater Res., 31:287.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kirk, J.T.O., 1981a, A Monte Carlo study of the nature of the underwater light field in, and the relationship between optical properties of, turbid yellow waters, Aust. J. Mar. Freshwater Res., 32:517.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kirk, J.T.O., 1981b, Estimation of the scattering coefficient of natural waters using underwater irradiance measurements, Aust. J. Mar. Freshwater Res., 32:533.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kirk, J.T.O., 1983, “Light and Photosynthesis in Aquatic Ecosystems,” Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirk, J.T.O., 1984, Dependence of relationship between inherent and apparent optical properties of water on solar altitude, Limnol. Oceanogr., 29:350.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kirk, J.T.O., 1988, Effect of scattering and absorption on solar pond efficiency, Solar Energy, 40:107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kirk, J.T.O., 1989, The upwelling light stream in natural waters, Limnol. Oceanogr., 34:1410.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCormick, N.J., and Rinaldi, G.E., 1989, Seawater optical property estimation from in situ irradiance measurements, Appl. Optics, 28, 2605.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mecherikunnel, A., and Duncan, C.H., 1982, Total and spectral solar irradiance measured at ground surface, Appl. Optics, 21:554.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morel, A., 1974, Optical properties of pure water and pure seawater, in “Optical Aspects of Oceanography,” N.G. Jerlov, and E. Steemann Nielsen, eds., Academic Press, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morel, A., and Prieur, L., 1977, Analysis of variations in ocean colour, Limnol. Oceanogr., 22:709.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrow, J.H., Chamberlin, W.S., and Kiefer, D.A., 1989, A two-component description of spectral absorption by marine particles, Limnol. Oceanogr., 34:1500.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oishi, T., 1990, Significant relationship between the backward scattering coefficient of sea water and the scatterance at 120°, Appl. Optics, 29:4658.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, K.F., and Williams, D., 1974, Optical properties of water in the near infrared, J. Opt. Soc. Amer., 64:1107.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pope, R.M., Fry, E.S., Montgomery, R.L., and Sogandares, F., 1990, Integrating cavity absorption meter; measurement results, Ocean Optics 10, Proc. SPIE, 1302:165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Preisendorfer, R.W., 1961, Application of radiative transfer theory to light measurements in the sea, Union Geod. Geophys. Inst. Monogr., 10:11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Preisendorfer, R.W., and Mobley, C.D., 1984, Direct and inverse irradiance models in hydrologic optics, Limnol. Oceanogr., 29:903.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roesler, C.S., Perry, M.J., and Carder, K.L., 1989, Modeling in situ phytoplankton absorption from total absorption spectra in productive inland marine waters, Limnol. Oceanogr., 34:1510.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sathyendranath, S., Lazzara, L., and Prieur, L., 1987, Variations in the spectral values of specific absorption of phytoplankton, Limnol. Oceanogr., 32:403.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shibata, K., 1959, Spectrophotometry of translucent biological materials — opal glass transmission method, Methods Biochem. Anal, 7:77.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R.C., Austin, R.W., and Tyler, J.E., 1970, An oceanographic radiance distribution camera system, Appl. Optics, 9:2015.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R.C., and Baker, K.S., 1981, Optical properties of the clearest natural waters (200–800 nm), Appl. Optics, 20:177.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R.C., Prezelin, B.B., Bidigare, R.R., and Baker, K.S., 1989, Bio-optical modeling of photosynthetic production in coastal waters, Limnol. Oceanogr., 34:1524.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tyler, J.E., and Smith, R.C., 1970, “Measurements of Spectral Irradiance Underwater,” Gordon and Breach, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Voss, K.J., 1989, Use of the radiance distribution to measure the optical absorption coefficient in the ocean, Limnol. Oceanogr., 34:1614.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zaneveld, J.R.V., 1989, An asymptotic closure theory for irradiance in the sea and its inversion to obtain the inherent optical properties, Limnol. Oceanogr., 34:1442.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zaneveld, J.R.V., Bartz, R., and Kitchen, J.C., 1990, A reflective-tube absorption meter, Ocean Optics 10, Proc. SPIE, 1302.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1992 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Kirk, J.T.O. (1992). The Nature and Measurement of the Light Environment in the Ocean. In: Falkowski, P.G., Woodhead, A.D., Vivirito, K. (eds) Primary Productivity and Biogeochemical Cycles in the Sea. Environmental Science Research, vol 43. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0762-2_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0762-2_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-0764-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-0762-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics