Modeling water surface reflectance signatures and in-water irradiance profiles in shallow tropical waters influenced by bottom reflectance

The two flow equations have been solved using Cauchy type boundary conditions so as to form a pair of coupled equations for use in a coupled atmosphere-water-bottom reflectance optical model to simulate the surface or subsurface reflectance, in-water irradiance profiles and in-water reflectance profiles in optically shallow or deep waters with or without a wind roughened surface. The model results presented utilize clear water absorption and backscatter coefficients, and bottom reflectance as a function of wavelength. The bottom reflectance is characteristic of a tropical sea grass, sand and silt and Elkhorn coral, and a dead reef system in order to evaluate the nature of the underwater light climatology. The analytical model results are compared to a hyper-spectral Monte-Carlo model. The Monte Carlo model also suggests a subsurface maximum in the intensity of light in optically shallow waters which is predicted by the analytical model