Light and Water: Radiative Transfer in Natural Waters

Light and Water offers an extensive treatment of radiative transfer theory in a format tailored to the specific needs of optical oceanography, emphasizing physical comprehension and practical application, rather than mathematical rigor alone. Mobley presents his unique framework for understanding and predicting underwater light fields with care and precision, developing concepts to facilitate understanding of mathematically dense material. Numerical techniquesfor solving various radiative transfer equations are explained in settings that are realistic approximations of nature. Extensive references and problem sets are provided.
Light and Water interweaves two levels of discussion. The first, suitable for all oceanography graduate students, develops the basic theory and reviews the current literature on optical oceanography. The second, which will appeal to researchers inthe field, develops numerical methods for solving radiative transfer equations. Throughout, the text emphasizes applications of radiative transfer theory to practical, relevant, and realistic problems.

Key Features
* Develops radiative transfer equations to include transpectral effects, internal surfaces, and surface effects
* Explains in detail the equations governing the propagation of visible light across air-water surfaces and within water bodies
* Summarizes the optical properties of natural waters in forms suitable for input into radiative transfer predictive models
* Provides numerical methods for solutions of radiative transfer equations in settings that are realistic approximations of nature
* Illustrates the nature of underwater light fields and their dependence on water optical properties and external environmental conditions