POWRE: Forward and inverse analysis of hydrologic optics to measure aspects of marine phytoplankton The research focuses on the close coupling that exists between phytoplankton and light in the upper ocean. Marine phytoplankton, the one-celled plants responsible for 99% of marine carbon fixation, play a dominant role in determining the optical characteristics of most ocean waters. As photosynthetic plants, phytoplankton selectively absorb specific wavelengths of light and, as single-celled organisms, they efficiently scatter light. Wavelength-dependent absorption and scattering by phytoplankton directly modify the in-water light field, as well as modify the light that emanates from the sea surface and that can be detected by remote sensing. Accurate determination of the absorption of light by phytoplankton is essential for understanding rates of photosynthesis (the `forward` component in the interaction of phytoplankton and light). Two key elements necessary for modeling photosynthesis are the spectral phytoplankton absorption coefficient and the spectral irradiance. A new series of in-water instruments recently have been developed for measuring the optical properties of seawater. This research will take advantage of the high spectral resolution and the rapid data acquisition rate of these new instruments to study in-situ variability in the optical properties of marine phytoplankton. The POWRE award is critical to my re-entry into academia after a prolonged illness. POWRE's Visiting Researcher program will provide release time from teaching to allow me to re-establish my research program and allow me to be, once again, fully competitive for funding. In addition, this research opportunity will directly improve my future teaching capability and will strengthen my case for promotion to full professor.
