Measuring and Modeling the Spectral Attenuation of Light in the Yellow Sea

Spectral attenuation of light and upwelling radiance were measured in the western coast of Korea on board the R/V Inchon 888 of the Korean National Fisheries Research and Development Institute(NFRDI) during four seasons. The goal of these efforts was to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of the inherent and apparent optical properties of the water, and the factors that control their distribution. Our data indicate that while stratification of the water column, phytoplankton, and wind stress determined the vertical distribution of the optical parameters offshore, it was the tidal current and sediment type that controlled both the vertical and horizontal distribution in the coastal areas. These findings led to the development of a model that estimates the spectral attenuation of light with respect to depth and time for the Yellow Sea. The model integrates water leaving radiance from satellites, sediment types, current vectors, sigma-t, bathymetry, and in situ optical measurements in a learning algorithm capable of extracting optical properties with only knowledge of the environmental conditions of the Yellow Sea. The performance of the model decreases with increase in depth. The mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of the model is 2% for the upper five meters, 8-10% between 6 and 50 meters, and 15% below 51 meters.