Analyze of the inherent optical properties of French Guiana coastal waters for remote sensing applications.
Résumé
The development of bio-optical algorithms to assess the spatio-temporal variability of Inherent Optical Properties
(IOPs) and biogeochemical related components from space, is conditioned by our knowledge on these IOPs. The
objective of this study is to characterize the IOPs and their relationships with biogeochemical parameters for the
development of a future algorithm dedicated to the observation of the nearshore and offshore waters of the
French Guiana from usual ocean color remote sensors. For that purpose, a set of IOPs and biogeochemical
parameters was gathered from field measurements performed during a cruise achieved in the coastal waters of
Cayenne in July 2006. The mean values of the mass specific non-algal absorption, (anap(443)/SPM =
0.023±0.018 m2g-1), particulate scattering (bp(650)/SPM = 0.36 ± 0.23 m2g-1) and backscattering (bbp(532)/SPM
= 0.0065 ± 0.0025 m2g 1) coefficients, as well as the anap(λ) spectral behaviors, are in good agreement with the
fact the investigated waters are dominated by mineral particles. The relatively low particulate backscattering to
scattering ratio value for such waters (0.014 ± 0.004) could be explained by the presence of relatively large
particles or aggregates with lower refractive index than pure mineral particles. This