Lidar measurements of the diffuse attenuation coefficient in Yellowstone Lake.

Airborne lidar study of lake ecosystems is still a relatively unexplored field. In this paper we present measurements of the diffuse attenuation coefficient of downwelling irradiance () obtained using a 532 nm airborne lidar in flights during 2004 and 2016 over Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA. We compare the lidar measurements with MODIS data, discuss the impact that local weather and river inflows/outflows may have had on the data, compare to previous models of the diffuse attenuation coefficient, and examine several published relationships converting to Secchi disk depth.

Lidar remote sensing of the aquatic environment: invited.

This paper is a review of lidar remote sensing of the aquatic environment. The optical properties of seawater relevant to lidar remote sensing are described. The three main theoretical approaches to understanding the performance of lidar are considered (the time-dependent radiative transfer equation, Monte Carlo simulations, and the quasi-single-scattering assumption).

Calibration of an airborne oceanographic lidar using ocean backscattering measurements from space.

We used satellite measurements of the optical backscattering coefficient to calibrate the signal from an airborne oceanographic lidar. This technique provided the radiometric calibration for the lidar signal and a local estimate of the ratio of the particulate backscattering coefficient, bbp, to the volume scattering function at the scattering angle of 180°, βp(180). Results using an ordinary regression, a reduced major axis regression, and a least squares bisector suggest that either of the latter two provided a better result than an ordinary regression.

Airborne lidar detection and mapping of invasive lake trout in Yellowstone Lake.

The use of airborne lidar to survey fisheries has not yet been extensively applied in freshwater environments. In this study, we investigated the applicability of this technology to identify invasive lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park, USA. Results of experimental trials conducted in 2004 and in 2015-16 provided lidar data that identified groups of fish coherent with current knowledge and models of lake trout spawning sites, and one identified site was later confirmed to have lake trout.

Inversion of oceanographic profiling lidars by a perturbation to a linear regression.

We present a simple, robust inversion for airborne oceanographic lidar profiles. A linear regression to the logarithm of the return is followed by a perturbation to obtain a backscatter estimate. For typical thin plankton layer examples, errors are expected to be <10% over 90% of the ocean.

Lidar extinction-to-backscatter ratio of the ocean.

Bio-optical models are used to develop a model of the lidar extinction-to-backscatter ratio applicable to oceanographic lidar. The model is based on chlorophyll concentration, and is expected to be valid for Case 1 waters. The limiting cases of narrow- and wide-beam lidars are presented and compared with estimates based on in situ optical measurements.

Oceanographic lidar profiles compared with estimates from in situ optical measurements.

Oceanographic lidar profiles measured in an aerial survey were compared with in situ measurements of water optical properties made from a surface vessel. Experimental data were collected over a two-week period in May 2010 in East Sound, Washington. Measured absorption and backscatter coefficients were used with the volume-scattering function in a quasi-single-scattering model to simulate an idealized lidar return, and this was convolved with the measured instrument response to accurately reproduce the measured temporal behavior.

GhostNet marine debris survey in the Gulf of Alaska--satellite guidance and aircraft observations.

Marine debris, particularly debris that is composed of lost or abandoned fishing gear, is recognized as a serious threat to marine life, vessels, and coral reefs. The goal of the GhostNet project is the detection of derelict nets at sea through the use of weather and ocean models, drifting buoys and satellite imagery to locate convergent areas where nets are likely to collect, followed by airborne surveys with trained observers and remote sensing instruments to spot individual derelict nets. These components of GhostNet were first tested together in the field during a 14-day marine debris survey of the Gulf of Alaska in July and August 2003.

Airborne sensors for detecting large marine debris at sea.

The human eye is an excellent, general-purpose airborne sensor for detecting marine debris larger than 10 cm on or near the surface of the water. Coupled with the human brain, it can adjust for light conditions and sea-surface roughness, track persistence, differentiate color and texture, detect change in movement, and combine all of the available information to detect and identify marine debris. Matching this performance with computers and sensors is difficult at best.

Lidar signature from bubbles in the sea.

The lidar signature from a collection of bubbles is proportional to the volume backscatter coefficient at a scattering angle of 180 degrees . This quantity, calculated using a combination of geometric optics and diffraction, is proportional to the void fraction of the bubbles in the water for any bubble size distribution. The constant of proportionality is 233 m(-1) sr(-1)for clean bubbles, slightly less for bubbles coated with a thin layer of organic material, and as large as 1445 m(-1) sr(-1) for a thick coating of protein.

Polarization effects on oceanographic lidar.

A simplified radiative transfer equation yields a simple analytic expression for the co- and cross-polarized return in a linearly polarized oceanographic lidar. This equation agrees well with the lidar data over a wide range of oceanographic conditions. The relationship between depolarization and lidar attenuation shows three distinct relationships corresponding to water within the Columbia River plume, near-shore water outside of the plume, and off-shore water.

Ocean Color Inferred from Radiometers on Low-Flying Aircraft.

The color of sunlight reflected from the ocean to orbiting visible radiometers hasprovided a great deal of information about the global ocean, after suitable corrections aremade for atmospheric effects. Similar ocean-color measurements can be made from a lowflyingaircraft to get higher spatial resolution and to obtain measurements under clouds.A different set of corrections is required in this case, and we describe algorithms to correctfor clouds and sea-surface effects.

Marine debris collects within the North Pacific Subtropical Convergence Zone.

Floating marine debris, particularly derelict fishing gear, is a hazard to fish, marine mammals, turtles, sea birds, coral reefs, and even human activities. To ameliorate the economic and environmental impact of marine debris, we need to efficiently locate and retrieve dangerous debris at sea. Guided by satellite-derived information, we made four flights north of Hawaii in March and April 2005.

Power spectrum and fractal dimension of laser backscattering from the ocean.

We flew an airborne lidar perpendicular to the coastline along straight-line transects that varied in length between 230 and 280 km. The sample spacing was approximately 3 m, so we sampled almost five decades of spatial scales. Except for the return from right at the surface, the power spectra of backscattered power had a power-law dependence on spatial frequency, with a slope of approximately 1.

Comparison of airborne lidar measurements with 420 kHz echo-sounder measurements of zooplankton.

Airborne lidar has the potential to survey large areas quickly and at a low cost per kilometer along a survey line. For this reason, we investigated the performance of an airborne lidar for surveys of zooplankton. In particular, we compared the lidar returns with echo-sounder measurements of zooplankton in Prince William Sound, Alaska.

Airborne lidar imaging of salmon.

Lidar images of adult salmon are presented. The lidar system is built around a pulsed green laser and a gated intensified CCD camera. The camera gating is timed to collect light scattered from the turbid water below the fish to produce shadows in the images.