Variations in the light absorption coefficients of phytoplankton, nonalgal particles, and dissolved organic matter in coastal waters around Europe

We measured the absorption properties of phytoplankton, nonalgal particles (NAP), and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) at about 350 stations in various coastal waters around Europe including the English Channel, Adriatic Sea, Baltic Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea. For comparison, we also collected data in the open ocean waters of North Atlantic. The exponential slope of the CDOM absorption spectrum varied within a narrow range around 0.0176 nm −1 (SD = 0.0020 nm −1 ). When data from all the regions were considered altogether, the relationship between phytoplankton absorption and chlorophyll concentration was generally similar to the one previously established for open oceanic waters. Our coastal…

• ES
  European Space Agency
• EC
  European Commission
• IN
  Institut national des sciences de l'Univers
• OO
  Office of Naval Research