Oceanic Lidar Measurement Techniques

Oceanic lidar employs active light pulses to probe the upper water column, retrieving depth‐resolved optical properties that are inaccessible to passive sensors. Emitted typically at visible wavelengths, lidar systems measure backscattered and attenuated signals to infer parameters such as water‐column fluorescence, particulate backscattering and diffuse attenuation. Variants include elastic backscatter lidar, which detects return light at the transmitted wavelength, and high‐spectral‐resolution lidar (HSRL), which separates molecular and particulate returns via spectral filtering. Multi‐field‐of‐view and dual‐wavelength configurations enhance sensitivity to particle size distributions and improve penetration in both clear and turbid waters. Shipborne and airborne platforms enable targeted surveys of coastal and shelf regions, while spaceborne lidars promise synoptic, global coverage of phytoplankton stocks, carbon export and bathymetry. Retrieval algorithms range from analytical solutions of the radiative transfer equation to Monte Carlo simulations and iterative inversion schemes that correct for multiple scattering. Integration with in situ profiling and ocean‐colour observations underpins validation and expands the utility of lidar for monitoring biogeochemical cycles, assessing climate impacts on marine ecosystems and informing resource management.

Research from Nature Portfolio

No recent Nature Portfolio content available.

Oceanic Lidar Measurement Techniques publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in oceanic lidar measurement techniques across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Lidar: Active remote‐sensing technique that emits laser pulses and measures backscattered light to profile water properties with depth resolution.

High‐Spectral‐Resolution Lidar (HSRL): Lidar variant using spectral discrimination to separate molecular and particulate scattering, improving retrieval accuracy.

Elastic Backscatter Lidar: Lidar system that detects return light at the same wavelength as the emitted pulse, sensitive to multiple scattering effects.

Diffuse Attenuation Coefficient (Kd): Rate at which downwelling light diminishes with depth, indicative of water clarity and constituent concentrations.

Particulate Backscattering Coefficient (bbp): Fraction of incident light backscattered by suspended particles, used to infer particle concentration and size distribution.

References

1. Comprehensive, Continuous, and Vertical Measurements of Seawater Constituents with Triple-Field-of-View High-Spectral-Resolution Lidar. Research (2023).
2. Satellite Lidar Measurements as a Critical New Global Ocean Climate Record. Remote Sensing (2023).
3. Shipborne oceanic high-spectral-resolution lidar for accurate estimation of seawater depth-resolved optical properties. Light: Science & Applications (2022).