Errors in the retrieval of oceanic concentrations of optically active materials from multispectral sensor signals by observations through atmospheric layer

This paper presents an algorithm for retrieving the oceanic concentrations of optically active materials (OAMs)—phytoplankton, particulate matter, and dissolved organics—from signals of a multispectral sensor placed at an arbitrary height above the sea surface. The algorithm takes into account sensor noises (both photon (shot) and dark current). The joint distribution of the upwelling radiance and OAM spectra required for the algorithm is constructed using optical models of water and the oceanic atmosphere. A method based on correlations between inherent optical properties is proposed to improve the retrieval accuracy. The calculations showed that this method significantly increases the accuracy of OAM retrieval.