Effects of the suspended particle size distribution on water remote-sensing reflectance

Abstract

The concentration of total suspended sediments (TSS) has often been empirically related to the above-surface remote-sensing reflectance, R rs(λ). However, since a wide range of particle types exists in natural waters, a given TSS can often be the result of different particle size distributions (PSD). Directly relating TSS to Rrs(λ) disregards the effects of the PSD and may introduce inaccuracies in estimating TSS from Rrs(λ) measurements. This paper describes how the effects of the PSD on Rrs(λ) can be quantified for waters of various TSS, through numerical simulations. Results indicate that depending on the water types under investigation, these inaccuracies may be significant, exceeding 30% in the 500-600nm range in cleaner waters. © 2013 IEEE.