Absorption of Light by Sea Water

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.