EVALUATION OF INHERENT OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF SEAWATER IN JAPANESE OPEN COASTAL SEA BASED ON MODIS SATELLITE DATA

Abstract

 Spatio-temporal variations of the absorption coefficient and backscatter coefficient of seawater in the Japanese open coastal sea were investigated based on the MODIS data. The average backscattering coefficients over the whole period were large in the coastal sea of Hokkaido such as Ishikari Bay and off Tokachi coast, and small in those of off Tottori and Misawa coasts. EOF analysis results have shown that the first mode is dominant (contribution ratio is over 80%) in the southwestern Pacific coastal sea, and the backscatter coefficient mainly increased around the large river estuaries during the flooding period. The relationship between the backscatter coefficient and the absorption coefficient demonstrated different characteristics in Pacific Ocean Southwest, Pacific Ocean East and Hokkaido coastal seas.