Optical backscatter sensors measure the amount of suspended material in the water column, including live phytoplankton, microscopic animals, and detrital (non-living) particles. In coastal regions, suspended inorganic material, such as clays and silt, also would be assessed.
WET Labs Optical Backscatter sensors are deployed on the deep water profilers at Axial Base (DP03A), Slope Base (DP01A), and at the Endurance Array offshore site (DP01B). Due to the depth requirements of the deep profiler moorings, these are separate from the fluorometer instruments measuring chlorophyll and CDOM, which are combined with backscatter sensors at other sites.