Study of the spectral variation of absorption and scattering in some Australian coastal waters.

Abstract

The spectral variation of absorption and scattering of sea water in Jervis Bay on the east coast of Australia has been studied over the wavelength range from 400 to 700 nm. The absorption and scattering coefficients were derived from measurements of the beam attenuation coefficient and the vertical attenuation coefficient for downward irradiance using an empirical relationship based on Monte Carlo calculations. The results indicate that scattering is essentially independent of wavelength whereas absorption due to suspended and dissolved matter increases rapidly at short wavelengths. The relative contribution of absorption to total attenuation is smaller for Jervis Bay waters than for the waters of Gulf St Vincent, South Australia.