Remote Sens. 2013, 5, 4370-4404; doi:10.3390/rs5094370 OPEN ACCESS Remote Sensing ISSN 2072-4292 www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensing Article Characterizing the Absorption Properties for Remote Sensing of Three Small Optically-Diverse South African Reservoirs Mark William Matthews 1;* and Stewart Bernard 1;2 1 Marine Remote Sensing Unit, Department of Oceanography, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701 Cape Town, South Africa 2 Earth Systems Earth Observation, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, 15 Lower Hope Street, Rosebank, 7700 Cape Town, South Africa; E-Mail:
[email protected] * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail:
[email protected]; Tel.: +27-216-505-775. Received: 16 July 2013; in revised form: 30 August 2013 / Accepted: 3 September 2013 / Published: 9 September 2013 Abstract: Characterizing the specific inherent optical properties (SIOPs) of water constituents is fundamental to remote sensing applications. Therefore, this paper presents the absorption properties of phytoplankton, gelbstoff and tripton for three small, optically-diverse South African inland waters. The three reservoirs, Hartbeespoort, Loskop and Theewaterskloof, are challenging for remote sensing, due to differences in phytoplankton assemblage and the considerable range of constituent concentrations. Relationships between the absorption properties and biogeophysical parameters, chlorophyll-a (chl-a), TChl (chl-a plus phaeopigments), seston, minerals and tripton, are established. The value determined for the mass-specific tripton absorption coefficient ∗ 2 −1 at 442 nm, atr(442), ranges from 0.024 to 0.263 m ·g . The value of the TChl-specific ∗ phytoplankton absorption coefficient (aφ) was strongly influenced by phytoplankton species, ∗ 2 −1 size, accessory pigmentation and biomass.