Abstract

The absorption coefficient of sea water for sunlight was measured by means of a portable photometer in the conning tower of a submarine at depths down to 65 feet in the open seas off Panama, Southern California and Hawaii during April to July 1933. From the formula I=I₀10^−γD where I is in footcandles and D is in feet, γ was found to have an average value of 0.008±0.001 for clear open sea water. In Panama Bay, where the water is rich in animal and vegetable life, the absorption coefficient was 0.030. No evidence of polarization of the scattered light was observable by rotation of a simple nicol prism.

© 1934 Optical Society of America

The Polarization of Light at Sea

E. O. Hulburt
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 24(2) 35-42 (1934)

The Absorption of Ultraviolet and Visible Light by Water

L. H. Dawson and E. O. Hulburt
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 24(7) 175-177 (1934)

Laboratory Analysis of the Selective Absorption of Light by Sea Water*

George L. Clarke and Harry R. James
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 29(2) 43-55 (1939)

The Penetration of Ultraviolet Light into Pure Water and Sea Water*

E. O. Hulburt
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 17(1) 15-22 (1928)

An Eyepiece for Measuring the Percentage Plane-Polarization in a Beam of Light

F. E. Wright
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 24(8) 206-216 (1934)