A simple optical model to estimate diffuse attenuation coefficient of photosynthetically active radiation in an extremely turbid lake from surface reflectance

Accurate estimation of the diffuse attenuation coefficient is critical for our understanding and modelling of key physical, chemical, and biological processes in water bodies. For extremely turbid, shallow, Lake Taihu in China, we synchronously monitored the diffuse attenuation coefficient of photosynthetically active radiation (Kd(PAR)) and the remote sensing reflectance at 134 sites. Kd(PAR)) varied greatly among different sites from 1.62 to 14.68 m(-1) with a mean value of 5.62 ± 2.99 m(-1). A simple optical model from near-infrared remote sensing reflectance of MODIS channels 2 (859 nm) and 15 (748 nm) was calibrated, and validated, to estimate Kd(PAR). With the simple optical model, the root mean square error and mean relative error were 0.95 m(-1) and 17.0% respectively at 748 nm, and 0.98 m(-1) and 17.6% at 859 nm, based on an independent validation data set. Our results showed a good precision of estimation for Kd(PAR) using the new simple optical model, contrasting with the poor estimations derived from existing empirical and semi-analytical models developed in clear, open ocean waters or slightly turbid coastal waters. Although at 748 nm the model had slightly higher precision than at 859 nm, the spatial resolution at 859 nm was four times that at 748 nm. Therefore, we propose a new model based on the MODIS-derived normalized water-leaving radiances at a wavelength of 859 nm, for accurate retrieval of Kd(PAR) in extremely turbid, shallow lakes with Kd(PAR) larger than 1.5 m(-1).