Spatial Variability of Water Optical Characteristics in the Southern Mediterranean Sea in Spring (May, 1998)

Purpose. The aim of the paper is to study spatial variability of the Mediterranean Sea water optical features as well as to supply the database with additional information on the water optical characteristics required for constructing the regional hydrooptical models. Methods and Results. The data on optical characteristics of the southern Mediterranean Sea waters resulted from the passing measurements in the 2 cruise of R/V Gorizont in May, 1998 are used in the study. In the water samples from the sea surface layers, the spectral coefficients of beam attenuation and light scattering phase function were measured. Spatial variability of the seawater hydrooptical characteristics from the Strait of Gibraltar to the Dardanelles is considered and analyzed. The equation for the relationship between the asymmetry coefficient of the scattering phase function and the scattering coefficient in the Mediterranean Sea waters is obtained. Conclusions. The data characterizing spatial variability of the southern Mediterranean Sea water optical features in spring are obtained. The coefficients of beam attenuation and scattering in the surface waters decrease gradually from the western Mediterranean Sea to its eastern part. In the Aegean Sea near the Dardanelles, the Marmara Sea waters differing by their high coefficients of beam attenuation and scattering were observed. As for the basic parameters, the scattering phase functions in the Mediterranean Sea waters are similar to those in the Atlantic tropical waters. In the Mediterranean Sea waters as well as in the other water basins, the relationship between the asymmetry coefficient of the light scattering phase function and the scattering coefficient is observed; it is manifested in increase of the phase function asymmetry coefficient with the scattering coefficient.