Bayesian approach to a generalized inherent optical property model

Abstract

Relationships between the absorption and backscattering coefficients of marine optical constituents and ocean color, or remote sensing reflectances R rs (λ), can be used to predict the concentrations of these constituents in the upper water column. Standard inverse modeling techniques that minimize error between the modeled and observed R rs (λ) break down when the number of products retrieved becomes similar to, or greater than, the number of different ocean color wavelengths measured. Furthermore, most conventional ocean reflectance inversion approaches, such as the default configuration of NASA’s Generalized Inherent Optical Properties algorithm framework (GIOP-DC), require a priori definitions of absorption and backscattering spectral shapes. A Bayesian approach to GIOP is implemented here to address these limitations, where the retrieval algorithm minimizes both the error in retrieved ocean color and the deviation from prior knowledge, calculated using output from a mixture of empirically-derived and best-fit values. The Bayesian approach offers potential to produce an expanded range of parameters related to the spectral shape of absorption and backscattering spectra.