Analytical transport theory applications in optical oceanography

Classical transport theory methods recently have been used to solve optical oceanography forward and inverse problems. A summary is given of the application of the singular eigenfunction method to obtain models for the spatial shape of apparent optical properties (AOPs) in well-mixed waters when the radiance is in the near-asymptotic regime. At asymptotic depths the AOPs depend, in a complicated way, only on the absorption and scattering characteristics of the water. With the equations given here the asymptotic AOPs (Le., inherent optical properties) can be used in an iterative manner to determine the absorption and scattering coefficients for well-mixed waters