Interpretation of remotely sensed data is difficult in coastal regions compared to the open ocean, where optical signals are highly coupled to phytoplankton/chlorophyll. In estuarine and coastal areas, terrigenous colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) does not covary with chlorophyll, and if the water column is optically shallow, bottom reflectance confounds interpretation of remote-sensing reflectance (RTS) signals. In order to more accurately model RTS in nearshore environements, bottom reflectance must be adequately characterized. During research cruises to the Florida Keys region in July, 1994 and March, 1995, reflectance spectra were obtained of various bottom types. RTS measurements, obtained during these cruises, and RTS measurements made with the Airborne Visible and Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) were compared against RTS derived from a hyperspectral model that decoupled water column and bottom contributions to the RTS signal.
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