Vertical attenuation coefficient of photosynthetically active radiation asa function of chlorophyll concentration and depth in case 1 waters

Based on empirical relations found in the literature, relatively simple mat hematical models of the average of the total absorption of seawater [(a) ov er bar(T(z,Chl))], the chlorophyll-specific absorption coefficient of phyto plankton [(a) over bar*(ph(z,Chl))], and the backscattering coefficient [(b ) over bar(b(Chl))], weighted by the in situ spectral distribution of photo synthetically active scalar irradiance (PAR), as functions of chlorophyll c oncentration and depth, were developed. The models for (a) over bar(T(z,Chl )) and (b) over bar(b(Chl)) can be used to calculate the coefficient of ver tical attenuation of PAR [(K) over bar(o(z,Chl))] and therefore to estimate the vertical profile of PAR as an input to algorithms for primary producti on. One application of (a) over bar*(ph(z,Chl)) may be in the correction of the initial slope of the photosynthesis-irradiance curve [(a) over bar*((z ))] for the in, situ spectral distribution of PAR and the package effect. A lso, (a) over bar*(ph(z,Chl)) may be used to calculate phi((z)), the in sit u quantum yield of photosynthesis, from phi(max) and irradiance. (C) 2000 O ptical Society of America OCIS codes: 010.0010, 010.4450, 010.7340, 330.537 0.