Assessment of Seawater Color by Digital Photographic Imaging

Abstract

The purpose of this study was the development of a digital water color measurement system using a CCD optical device. Photographs of the standard medium of Forel and Ule water color scales in the laboratory, and one of sea surface above a Secchi disc (Z=SD/2) immersed in seawater were taken. The colors of these pictures were estimated with the value of CIE L*a*b*. Water color assessment was conducted with a digital photo-image. In the case of the Forel scale (No. 1-11), the b* value was so high that the water color number was large. In the Ule scale , the a* value became high, which is why the number on the water color scale was large. The color of these pictures showed that the a* value in the Forel scale and the b* value in the Ule scale increase with the increase of the F value. The a* value of seawater color was always lower than the one on the Forel and Ule water color scales. This indicates that the color of the scales differs from actual seawater color. It was concluded that water color number can more effectively be assessed by estimating the ΔEab* color difference between the water scales and actual seawater color.