Bidirectional reflectance function for oceanic waters with varying chlorophyll concentrations: Measurements versus predictions

Abstract

The bidirectional reflectance of the ocean is an important parameter in ocean color remote sensing. Model predictions for case-1 waters were compared with measurements over a large range of chlorophyll concentrations (0.1-10 mg m-3 Chl, where Chl represents the sum of chlorophyll a and phaeophytin a), but with restricted solar zenith angles. We used the measured chlorophyll concentration and a model to predict the shape of the upwelling spectral radiance distribution. We found that the model predicted the radiance in the view direction, normalized by the nadir radiance, to within 7%. We also found that Q(Eu/Lu) was predicted within 7%. © 2005, by the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, Inc.