| Kd in French Polynesia Maritorena 1996 Diffuse attenuation coefficient for downwelling irradiance measured in situ
|
| PAR in the Western Caribbean Karpouzli and Malthus, 2003 "the results of studies where single measurements of ‘average’ attenuation have been used to depth-correct remotely sensed imagery should be interpreted with a high degree of caution" |
| CDOM in the Bahamas Mobley 2004 Absorption coefficient measured at Lee Stocking Island varies with the tidal cycle  |
==> therefore
Assuming homogeneous waters over the scene is not an option any longer:
these spatial variations of the optical properties of the water
must be accounted for when operating the simplified RTE.
4SLUT
Self-calibrated Supervised Simplified Shallow LUT
Once the optical calibration is achieved, 4SM now operates a simplified LUT,Self-calibrated Supervised Simplified Shallow LUT
attempting to account for the spatial variations of the water's optical properties,
Mapping of the ratio Kblue/Kgreen
of the effective two-ways diffuse attenuation coefficients forirradiance
of the effective two-ways diffuse attenuation coefficients for
This is done in a very basic process by spectral matching, using a lookup table
with the following four input parameters:
with the following four input parameters:
- spectral 2K: derived from the ratio Kblue/Kgreen of the effective two-ways spectral diffuse attenuation coefficients 2K in units of 1/meter,
- using from Jerlov's optical classification of marine waters
- over the range Kblue/Kgreen=0.27 to Kblue/Kgreen=1.94
- spectral LB: BOA bottom reflectance
- spectral Lw: BOA water volume reflectance
- Z: shallow bottom depth over the range 0-30 meters
The simplified RTE where
- LB is the BOA shallow bottom reflectance as if at null depth,
- normalized on a scale of 0-200
- Lw is the BOA water-leaving water volume reflectance over optically deep waters,
- normalized on a scale of 0-200
- 2K is an effective two-ways diffuse attenuation coefficient in units of 1/meter for remote sensing radiance
- Z is the shallow bottom depth in units of meter
The simplified RTE is dimensionless
- L, LB and Lw are dimensionless reflectances/radiances/DN
- 2K*Z is a dimensionless product
==>consequently:
no need for formal atmospheric correction
of the image data into physical units!
no need for formal atmospheric correction
of the image data into physical units!
Analytical methods: LUT for spectral matching
- Note that only models based on Lee's analytical radiative transfer equation (RTE) actually account for the spatial variations of Lw, 2K and LB over the scene.
- This involves inherent optical properties, and requires a detailed/exhaustive look-up table to specify, in physical units, all possible variations
- of the optical parameters of the atmosphere,
- of the optical parameters of the water column, and
- of the bottom substrate reflectance.
- Water column correction then proceeds by spectral matching
- to derive spectral K, spectral LB, and Z (and many more, in physical units) at the current pixel.
4SM simplified LUT for spectral matching
- We have shown (Favoretto and Morel, 2017) that, together with data published by Jerlov (1976) , the image itself contains enough information to calibrate a simplified RTE (Maritorena et al, 1994).
- Consequently, one may derive both spectral LB in relative units and Z in meters by inverting the simplified RTE, without the need for (i.e. ahead of access to) any field data.
- As of 2021, further to the above calibration of the simplified RTE,
- 4SM first builds a simplified LUT to store the variations of LB, Lw, 2K, and Z,
- which possibly combine into the spectral water-leaving bottom reflected spectrum observed in the remote sensing image at the current shallow pixel.
- 4SM then proceeds by matching the observed water-leaving spectrum derived at the current shallow pixel against ~11 millions look-up table spectra:
- greenish, neutral or reddish signature
- 140 values of Kblue/Kgreen, from 0.3 to 1.94
- 310 values of Z from 0 to 310 dm
- 200 values of LB, from 200 to 1
- 4SM first builds a simplified LUT to store the variations of LB, Lw, 2K, and Z,
Derive spectral 2K from the ratio Kblue/Kgreen
- This new feature of 4SM is now fairly well developed, and needs to be tested and possibly confirmed by independent workers for publication.
- In the 4SM calibration, Lw and the ratio Kgreen/Kblue are estimated for the clearest waters observed at the scene.
- Jerlov, 1976 and Kirk, 1994 have shown that the ratio Kgreen/Kblue varies in a predictable way through the complete suite of water types, from Oceanic I to Oceanic III types, then from Coastal 1 to Coastal 9 types:
- 4SM uses this remarkable feature to derive spectral K for the clearest waters observed at the scene.
Kirk: "The reflectance spectra of oceanic waters vary in a roughly systematic way. A family of curves, of progressively changing shape, determined mainly by the phytoplankton concentration, is observed. Thus, for any given oceanic water, specification of the ratio of radiances or radiance reflectances at any two wavelengths, should in effect specify the whole radiance reflectance curve, and therefore the optical character of the water.”
What of the spatial variations of 2K over the scene?
- Until recently, these variations were only accounted for in a very crude manner in 4SM.
- As of 2021, the LUT development now derives the value of the ratio Kblue/Kgreen (stored in the LUT) which allows to achieve the best spectral match for any combination of spectral 2K, Z, spectral Lw, and spectral LB stored in the LUT.
- But there are at least two weak links:
- the spectral Lw.
- the computing time: over 8 millions spectra in the LUT, ~4000 shallow pixels per second on my laptop for the LSI study case: this requires optimization.
Lw: the weak link
from Oceanic I to Coastal 9 water types of Jerlov
- As for Lw, the water volume reflectance is highest -Lw~=12% for the UltraBlue band- for Oceanic I water type (like the upwelling waters of Sargasso Sea).
- We can only assume that the increase of CDOM (yellow substances: decay of biomass production, along with other causes) entails the decrease of the water volume reflectance Lw,
- such that the Lw term should become extinct altogether at some point through this "familly of water types".
- As of february 2021, we seem to be comfortable assuming
- that Lw in the blue-green range decreases regularly through oceanic water types (blue waters),
- so that all Coastal waters exhibit a low-to-null water volume reflectance (green to brown-black waters).
This needs to be investigated using Hydrolight.
 UltraUBlue is extinct |  Blue is slightly depressed |  Green glows strongly |  Panchromatic glows |  Red glows slightly |
| blue_to_white_tones for Oceanic waters over the range 0.3 to 0.8 | white_to_red_tones for Coastal waters over the range 0.8 to 1.9 |
| Lee Stocking Island, The Bahamas  | Nosy Be, Madagascar   |
| Lizard Island, GBR, Australia  | Florida Bay, USA  |
| Clipperton Atoll, France  | Fakarava Atoll, French Polynesia  |
Majuro and Arno atolls, The Marshall Islands  | Zakinthos Island, Greece  |
San Lorenzo Channel, Baja California | La Parguera , Puerto Rico, USA |
