Response of Particulate Optical Properties to Coastal Mixing Processes: Analysis and Interpretation of Particle Light Scattering as Measured by Flow Cytometry
Author | : |
Publisher | : |
Total Pages | : 6 |
Release | : 1999 |
ISBN-10 | : OCLC:946688723 |
ISBN-13 | : |
Rating | : 4/5 (23 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: During the period of this AASERT award we successfully participated in the Coastal Mixing and Optics Research initiative with the award supporting training of Rebecca Green, a PhD candidate in the MIT/WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography and Oceanographic Engineering. Rebecca made substantial progress towards receiving her degree, participated in three program research cruises and made valuable contributions to our research objectives. These objectives included quantifying relationships between particles, bulk water optical properties (both inherent and apparent) and physical processes that are important on the continental shelf of the U.S. east coast Rebecca's primary contribution has been to develop methods for the derivation of bulk optical properties from individual particle measurements based on flow cytometric analysis. This has included separation of the particle pool into different functional classes and characterization of the size-dependent contributions to light absorption and scattering. Since particles, and especially phytoplankton, are the greatest sources of optical variability in many oceanic and coastal systems, this type of investigation is important for understanding spatial and temporal changes in bulk properties such as ocean color and visibility.