The use of In Situ and Airborne Fluorescence Measurements to Determine UV
Absorption Coefficients and DOC Concentrations in Surface Waters
Anthony Vodacek and Frank E. Hoge
Observational Science Branch
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Wallops Flight Facility
Wallops Island, VA 23337
Robert N. Swift and James K. Yungel
EG&G Washington Analytical Services Center
Wallops Flight Facility
Wallops Island, VA 23337
Edward T. Peltzer and Neil V. Blough
Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Department
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institutiton
Woods Hole, MA 02543
Marine Chemistry (1995) 48: 91-108.
Submitted: 5 August 1994.
Accepted: 5 October 1994.
Amended: 22 November 1994.
Published: 2 March 1995.
ABSTRACT
We compared the fluorescence (ex = 355nm, em = 450nm) of
chromophore-containing dissolved organic matter (CDOM) determined in the
laboratory to that determined with a shipboard fluorometer and an airborne
laser fluorosensor off the U.S. mid-Atlantic coast. Fluorescence was highly
correlated with CODM absorption at the excitation wavelength despite the
presence of multiple sources of CODM and a changing contribution of CDOM to
the total dissolved organic C (DOC) pool, both in surface waters and down the
water column. The mean quantum yield (0.8 ± 0.1 %) fell within the
narrow range of yields previously determined for U.S. east coast and south
Florida waters. These results show that CDOM absorption can be reliably
determined from in situ or airborne fluorescence over wide areas of
the ocean and that it may be possible to estimate DOC concentrations from
fluorescence or absorption measurements.
Acknowledgements
We thank the captain and the crew of the R/V Cape Henlopen for the
smooth voyage. We also thank Steve Andrews, Sigi Caron, Mike DeGrandpre,
Mike Giancola, Nancy Hayward, Sarah Herbelin, Joyce Irvine, Bob Nelson, Tim
Pfeiffer and the Wallops Flight Facility Aircraft Project Office personnel
for their assistance.
This is contribution number 8817 from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Support was provided by the Office of Naval Research (NVB), NASA Headquarters (FEH),
and the NASA EOS Interdisciplinary Program (NVB and ETP). This work was done while
AV held an NRC-NASA resident research associateship.
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