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Resolving size distributions of bubbles with radii less than 30 µm with optical and acoustical methods

Resolving size distributions of bubbles with radii less than 30 µm with optical and acoustical methods
Resolving size distributions of bubbles with radii less than 30 µm with optical and acoustical methods
Many studies have investigated bubble size distributions in the ocean, but the measured size range does not normally extend to bubbles with a radius below 20 µm. Bubbles smaller than this are thought to have a significant effect on the optical properties of the ocean, potentially affecting remotely sensed measurements of ocean color and the optical detection of particulates and dissolved matter. Such optical data are becoming the major source of oceanic information about algal blooms, primary productivity, sediment loading and the spread of pollutants. The challenges associated with measuring these bubbles are difficulty of calibrating sensors with independent bubble size measurements and lack of knowledge about the organic coating on the bubbles. This paper describes simultaneous oceanic measurements of these small bubbles using independent optical and acoustical techniques. These measurements agree well, and an investigation of the bubble coating parameters was made. Both the optical and acoustical properties of bubbles are affected by this organic coating, and a comparison of these measurements narrows down the choice of possible coating parameters. Our results suggest that the bubbles measured in this study were likely to have a coating with a thickness of 10 nm and a refractive index of 1.18, and that the coating thickness is the more important parameter for optical inversions. The research described here is the first attempt to constrain these parameters in the ocean using two independent techniques and suggests that further studies of this type could result in significant insight into oceanic bubble coatings.
0148-0227
C00H11-[13pp]
Czerski, H.
7d291075-9bab-46f8-9005-21b31220b96a
Twardowski, M.
40e8071f-b1d3-4f05-9d76-630b984ce67c
Zhang, X.
2a998468-40dc-4bff-b640-5c7bf74b416b
Vagle, S.
a9d55538-3550-460c-941c-0151ab34dd11
Czerski, H.
7d291075-9bab-46f8-9005-21b31220b96a
Twardowski, M.
40e8071f-b1d3-4f05-9d76-630b984ce67c
Zhang, X.
2a998468-40dc-4bff-b640-5c7bf74b416b
Vagle, S.
a9d55538-3550-460c-941c-0151ab34dd11

Czerski, H., Twardowski, M., Zhang, X. and Vagle, S. (2011) Resolving size distributions of bubbles with radii less than 30 µm with optical and acoustical methods. Journal of Geophysical Research, 116, C00H11-[13pp]. (doi:10.1029/2011JC007177).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Many studies have investigated bubble size distributions in the ocean, but the measured size range does not normally extend to bubbles with a radius below 20 µm. Bubbles smaller than this are thought to have a significant effect on the optical properties of the ocean, potentially affecting remotely sensed measurements of ocean color and the optical detection of particulates and dissolved matter. Such optical data are becoming the major source of oceanic information about algal blooms, primary productivity, sediment loading and the spread of pollutants. The challenges associated with measuring these bubbles are difficulty of calibrating sensors with independent bubble size measurements and lack of knowledge about the organic coating on the bubbles. This paper describes simultaneous oceanic measurements of these small bubbles using independent optical and acoustical techniques. These measurements agree well, and an investigation of the bubble coating parameters was made. Both the optical and acoustical properties of bubbles are affected by this organic coating, and a comparison of these measurements narrows down the choice of possible coating parameters. Our results suggest that the bubbles measured in this study were likely to have a coating with a thickness of 10 nm and a refractive index of 1.18, and that the coating thickness is the more important parameter for optical inversions. The research described here is the first attempt to constrain these parameters in the ocean using two independent techniques and suggests that further studies of this type could result in significant insight into oceanic bubble coatings.

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More information

Published date: 11 November 2011
Organisations: Inst. Sound & Vibration Research

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 206277
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/206277
ISSN: 0148-0227
PURE UUID: 019c3fc8-aef7-4d85-bfc1-171d2ac74f0b

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Date deposited: 22 Dec 2011 14:17
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 04:36

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Contributors

Author: H. Czerski
Author: M. Twardowski
Author: X. Zhang
Author: S. Vagle

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