Retrieval of chlorophyll absorption spectra from remote sensing reflectance of turbid coastal waters

Abstract

The phytoplankton absorption coefficients of turbid coastal sea water with high sediment and chlorophyll content is retrieved by modeling of the remote sensing reflectance measured at the water surface. Sea-truth water sampling campaigns were carried out from Dec 1996 to Dec 1999 in coastal waters around Singapore. In-situ reflectance spectra and laboratory measurements of the total suspended solid (TSS) and chlorophylla (Chl-a) were made from the water samples. The phytoplankton absorption at 440 nm is retrieved by fitting the reflectance spectra to a theoretical model.