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The effect of bottom substrate on inherent optical properties: Evidence of biogeochemical processes

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Field Value
Title The effect of bottom substrate on inherent optical properties: Evidence of biogeochemical processes
Names Boss, Emmanuel (creator)
Zaneveld, J. Ronald (creator)
Date Issued 2003-01 (iso8601)
Abstract Measurements of inherent optical properties (IOP) were conducted over bottoms with different substrates by use
of a sampling package mounted on and operated by a SCUBA diver. It was found that in areas of low ambient
currents the distribution of IOP varies with bottom type in (1) its value relative to a nearby bottom of different
type, (2) its vertical gradient, and (3) its variability. This implies that radiative transfer modeling in shallow environments
may need to include, besides the bottom characteristics, the bottom effect on in-water IOP. In tidally
flushed shallow banks, vertical and horizontal gradients over scales of O(1, 10 m), respectively, are as large as
temporal gradients over scales of minutes and cannot be separated in our measurements. However, bottom-substrate–
related processes over the banks result in gradients over large horizontal spatial scales and tidal timescales. The
distribution of IOP is consistent with several biogeochemical processes that may be active at a given bottom substrate
and suggest that optical measurements may provide a useful tool to infer and quantify bulk rates of biogeochemical
processes.
Genre Article
Identifier Boss, E., & Zaneveld, J. V. (2003). The effect of bottom substrate on inherent optical properties: Evidence of biogeochemical processes [Electronic version]. Limnology and Oceanography, 48(1), 346-354.

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