Absorption spectrum of phytoplankton pigments derived from hyperspectral remote-sensing reflectance

For a data set collected around Baja California with chlorophyll-a concentration ((chl-a)) ranging from 0.16 to 11.3 mg/m3, hyperspectral absorption spectra of phytoplankton pigments were independently inverted from hyperspectral remote-sensing reflectance using a newly developed ocean-color algorithm. The derived spectra were then compared with those measured from water samples using the filter-pad technique, and an average difference of 21.4% was obtained. These results demonstrate that the inversion algorithm worked quite well for the coastal waters observed and suggest a potential of using hyperspectral remote sensing to retrieve both chlorophyll-a and other accessory pigments.