Variability of light absorption by aquatic particles in the near-infrared spectral region

We have measured the light absorption of a set of particle suspensions of varying nature (pure minerals, particulate standards, aquatic particles) using a double-beam spectrophotometer with a 15-cm-diameter integrating sphere. The sample was located inside the sphere so as to minimize the effect of light scattering by the particles. The results obtained showed highly variable absorption in the near-IR region of the wavelength spectrum. The same particle samples were deposited on glass-fiber filters, and their absorption was measured by the transmittance-reflectance method, based on a theoretical model that corrects for the effect of light scattering. The good agreement found between the results of the measurements carried out inside the sphere and by the transmittance-reflectance method confirms the validity of the scattering correction included in the above method. (C) 2003 Optical Society of America.