CDOM optical properties in the southeastern Bering Sea during summer

Eurico J. D'Sa, Louisiana State University, ejdsa@lsu.edu (Presenter)
Joaquim I. Goes, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, jig@ldeo.columbia.edu
Puneeta Naik, Louisiana State University, pnaik2@lsu.edu
Colleen B. Mouw, University of Wisconsin-Madison, colleen.mouw@ssec.wisc.edu
Helga R. Gomes, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, helga@ldeo.columbia.edu

CDOM optical properties were investigated in conjunction with in-water particulate and scattering properties in the southeastern Bering Sea in the summer of 2008. CDOM absorption acquired along cross- and along-shelf transects suggest both east-west and north-south variability in CDOM distribution with higher values along the coastal domain. CDOM absorption at 355 nm mainly varied in the range 0.1 to 0.8 m-1 and its spectral slope S between 0.014 and 0.018 nm-1. Overall, CDOM absorption was higher in lower salinity and colder waters. Low CDOM levels were observed in the relatively warmer waters of the southern Bering Sea. Although there was a general increase in CDOM with decreasing salinity, a large scatter was observed in the relationship. Increases in CDOM absorption with depth were associated with subsurface peaks in chlorophyll suggesting CDOM sources due to microbial action on algal biomass. CDOM appeared to be the dominant light absorbing constituent in the Bering Sea at lower wavebands and strongly influenced remote sensing reflectance with implications to ocean color algorithms.

Presentation Type:  Poster

Session:  Other   (Wed 10:00 AM)

Associated Project(s): 

• Related Activity

Poster Location ID: 134