Suspended Matter, Chl-a, CDOM, Grain Sizes, and Optical Properties in the Arctic Fjord-Type Estuary, Kangerlussuaq, West Greenland During Summer

TY - JOUR

T1 - Suspended Matter, Chl-a, CDOM, Grain Sizes, and Optical Properties in the Arctic Fjord-Type Estuary, Kangerlussuaq, West Greenland During Summer

AU - Lund-Hansen, Lars Chresten

AU - Andersen, Thorbjørn Joest

AU - Nielsen, Morten Holtegaard

AU - Pejrup, Morten

PY - 2010

Y1 - 2010

N2 - Optical constituents as suspended particulatematter (SPM), chlorophyll (Chl-a), colored dissolvedorganic matter (CDOM), and grain sizes were obtained ona transect in the arctic fjord-type estuary Kangerlussuaq(66°) in August 2007 along with optical properties. Thesecomprised diffuse attenuation coefficient of downwellingPAR (Kd(PAR)), upwelling PAR (Ku(PAR)), particle beamattenuation coefficient (cp), and irradiance reflectance R(-0, PAR). PAR is white light between 400 and 700 nm.The estuary receives melt water from the Greenland InlandIce and stations covered a transect from the very highturbid melt water outlet to clear marine waters. Resultsshowed a strong spatial variation with high values a s forsuspended matter concentrations, CDOM, diffuse attenuationcoefficient Kd(PAR), particle beam attenuationcoefficients (cp), and reflectance R(-0, PAR) at the meltwater outlet. Values of optical constituents and propertiesdecreased with distance from the melt water outlet to amore or less constant level in central and outer part of theestuary. There was a strong correlation between inorganicsuspended matter (SPMI) and diffuse attenuation coefficientKd(PAR) (r2=0.92) and also for particle beamattenuation coefficient (cp; r2=0.93). The obtained SPMIspecific attenuation—Kd*(PAR)=0.13 m2g-1 SPMI—andthe SPMI specific particle beam attenuation—cp*=0.72 m2g-1—coefficients were about two times higherthan average literature values. Irradiance reflectance R(-0,PAR) was comparatively high (0.09-0.20) and showed ahigh (r2=0.80) correlation with Ku(PAR). Scatteringdominated relative to absorption—b(PAR)/a(PAR)=12.3.Results strongly indicated that the high values in theoptical properties were related to the very fine particlesizes (mean=2–6 µm) of the suspended sediment. Dataand results are discussed and compared to similar studiesfrom both temperate and tropical estuaries.

AB - Optical constituents as suspended particulatematter (SPM), chlorophyll (Chl-a), colored dissolvedorganic matter (CDOM), and grain sizes were obtained ona transect in the arctic fjord-type estuary Kangerlussuaq(66°) in August 2007 along with optical properties. Thesecomprised diffuse attenuation coefficient of downwellingPAR (Kd(PAR)), upwelling PAR (Ku(PAR)), particle beamattenuation coefficient (cp), and irradiance reflectance R(-0, PAR). PAR is white light between 400 and 700 nm.The estuary receives melt water from the Greenland InlandIce and stations covered a transect from the very highturbid melt water outlet to clear marine waters. Resultsshowed a strong spatial variation with high values a s forsuspended matter concentrations, CDOM, diffuse attenuationcoefficient Kd(PAR), particle beam attenuationcoefficients (cp), and reflectance R(-0, PAR) at the meltwater outlet. Values of optical constituents and propertiesdecreased with distance from the melt water outlet to amore or less constant level in central and outer part of theestuary. There was a strong correlation between inorganicsuspended matter (SPMI) and diffuse attenuation coefficientKd(PAR) (r2=0.92) and also for particle beamattenuation coefficient (cp; r2=0.93). The obtained SPMIspecific attenuation—Kd*(PAR)=0.13 m2g-1 SPMI—andthe SPMI specific particle beam attenuation—cp*=0.72 m2g-1—coefficients were about two times higherthan average literature values. Irradiance reflectance R(-0,PAR) was comparatively high (0.09-0.20) and showed ahigh (r2=0.80) correlation with Ku(PAR). Scatteringdominated relative to absorption—b(PAR)/a(PAR)=12.3.Results strongly indicated that the high values in theoptical properties were related to the very fine particlesizes (mean=2–6 µm) of the suspended sediment. Dataand results are discussed and compared to similar studiesfrom both temperate and tropical estuaries.

U2 - 10.1007/s12237-010-9300-7

DO - 10.1007/s12237-010-9300-7

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1559-2723

VL - 33

SP - 1442

EP - 1451

JO - Estuaries and Coasts

JF - Estuaries and Coasts

IS - 6

ER -