Remote sensing of subsurface layers of turbid seawater with the help of an optical lidar system

Vertical profiles of optical parameters in stratified sea water are known to demonstrate the presence of thin (units of meters) layers characterized by enhanced backscattering. Such layers may be formed by high concentration of large (tens of microns in diameter) suspended particles, alga cells (diatoms,m etc.) in particular. The intensity of light backscattered from within the layers makes it possible to identify them by the shape of lidar signals. On the base of developed theory of lidar echo-signal formation the analysis is presented of the scattering layers discriminability (Sakitt's D-index) and recommendations for lidar parameters optimization are formulated. The optimal characteristics of lidar system for subsurface layers detection are shown to differ significantly from such characteristics for traditional bathymetrical airborne lidars.