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Reflectance

Reflectance can be related to attenuation, Secchi disk depth, or total suspended solids. In Florida Bay, nominally, 10% reflectance corresponds to sediment concentration of 30 mg/l, light attenuation of 2.0 1/m, or a Secchi disk depth of 0.5 m. These relationships can be approximated as linear (5% would correspond to 15 mg/l, attenuation of 1.0 1/m, and Secchi depth of 1 m).
In areas of clear water over highly reflective bottom, estimates of light attenuation, etc. are not appropriate. Clear water is most common from June through September; during these times the signal represents both the water column and the bottom albedo. We are investigating separation of the bottom signal from the water column reflectance.

Recent image archive

Detailed questions about the imagery may be directed to Richard P. Stumpf at

avhrr@boris.er.usgs.gov

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U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, St. Peterburg Science Center
This page is: http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/flbay/ref.html
Contact: avhrr@boris.er.usgs.gov
Last updated: 20 October, 2009 @ 04:16 PM (HSH)