ANALYTICAL TRANSPORT-THEORY APPLICATIONS IN OPTICAL OCEANOGRAPHY

Classical transport theory methods recently have been used to solve op tical oceanography forward and inverse problems. A summary is given of the application of the singular eigenfunction method to obtain models for the spatial shape of apparent optical properties (AOPs) in well-m ixed waters when the radiance is in the near-asymptotic regime. At asy mptotic depths the AOPs depend, in a complicated way, only on the abso rption and scattering characteristics of the water. With the equations given here the asymptotic AOPs (i.e., inherent optical properties) ca n be used in an iterative manner to determine the absorption and scatt ering coefficients for well-mixed waters.