Tropical Coastal Optical Properties with Tidal and Spatial Variability

Spectral absorption and scattering coefficients were measured across the Fitzroy Estuary and Keppel Bay system during the dry season. Geoscience Australia Data collected these measurements of phytoplankton, nonalgal particles, and colored dissolved organic matter in near-surface waters. The data reveals particle scattering decreased by 2 orders of magnitude from estuary to bay, with strong variability influenced by semidiurnal tides.

Use Cases

• Calibrating remote sensing algorithms for turbid coastal waters based on measured inherent optical properties.
• Modeling the transport of suspended matter and dissolved organic carbon based on spatial and tidal variability.
• Analyzing phytoplankton community dynamics based on discrete measurements of chlorophyll-specific absorption.
• Investigating the impact of macrotides on water constituent distribution based on sampling across tidal phases.

Strengths

• Includes continuous spectral measurements of absorption, scattering, and backscattering coefficients.
• Captures variability across a strong environmental gradient, with particle scattering decreasing by 2 orders of magnitude.
• Sampling design accounts for both spatial distribution and semidiurnal tidal phase effects.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data collection is limited to the dry season, which may not represent annual variability.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Field sampling of biogeochemical and inherent optical properties in the near-surface layer.

Time Range

Dry season (specific years unknown).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-25 19:12:28.996944; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Fitzroy Estuary and Keppel Bay, tropical Australia.