12:00–12:15 | ABSTRACT 1379
A UNIFIED APPROACH TO SUSPENDED PARTICULATE MATTER RETRIEVAL FROM RAMAN-NORMALIZED LIDAR BACKSCATTER IN NATURAL WATERS
Measuring suspended particulate matter (SPM) in natural waters is a fundamental task in hydro-optical studies and environmental monitoring. Gravimetric analysis remains the reference method, while optical and satellite approaches provide broader spatial coverage but often exhibit reduced accuracy in optically complex waters. In LiDAR studies, most efforts have focused on retrieval of backscattering coefficients and related optical properties, whereas direct quantitative retrieval of SPM has received comparatively little attention. This study presents an approach based on Raman-normalized elastic backscatter measured by shipborne laser-induced fluorescence LiDAR systems (UFL-7/8/9). The method relies on the ratio of elastic backscatter at 355 nm to the Raman scattering signal at 404 nm, reducing the influence of attenuation and measurement geometry. The analysis is based on more than 15 years of observations, including 20 campaigns conducted in lakes, seas, and oceans, with synchronous water sampling and laboratory determination of SPM. The dataset comprises 393 samples and covers concentrations from approximately 0.1 to more than 100 mg L–1 across a wide range of hydro-optical conditions. Linear relationships between Raman-normalized backscatter and SPM were observed across all studied environments, with coefficients of determination (R²) ranging from 0.70 to 0.98. Higher accuracy is achieved using regional regressions, while the most reliable results require calibration for individual lidar campaigns. The accumulated dataset provides a basis for developing multi-parameter regression models accounting for seasonal and environmental variability.
Aleksandr Molkov, LIFeLiDAR, [email protected]
Vadim Pelevin, LIFeLiDAR, [email protected]
Ekaterina Koltsova, LIFeLiDAR, [email protected]
