A three‐layered sphere model of the optical properties of phytoplankton

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Abstract
Theoretical scattering computations are performed on a phytoplankton model consisting of three concentric spheres. The outer sphere represents the wall, membrane, or frustule and is assigned a relatively high index of refraction with no absorption. The middle layer represents the chloroplasts and is assigned a relatively low index of refraction with absorption. The core represents the balance of the cytoplasm and is given a low index of refraction with no absorption. The model is applied to an observed size distribution from the Pacific central gyre. This model produced significantly more backscattering and attenuation than a low‐index, homogeneous‐sphere model. Changing the distribution of cell‐wall thickness as a function of particle size produces much variation in the shape of the volume scattering function.

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