The articles discuss the use of Sequoia’s LISST-VSF instrument, a submersible multi-angle polarized light scattering meter measuring the volume scattering function (VSF) in situ. Commercially available since 2012, the LISST-VSF’s capabilities have been demonstrated in extreme environments, such as the North Pole and glacial meltwaters, and have been extensively validated against Mie scattering theory and prototype VSF instruments for a range of applications and studies such as:

• bubble studies in deionized water, aiding in the comparison of simulation results with experimental data to understand light scattering by bubbles in oceanic conditions.
• measuring the scattering phase function, fitting the data with Mie theory to examine scattering behavior across different wavelengths: crucial for accurate radiative transfer simulations.
• depth profile collection of inherent optical properties (IOPs) and scattering phase functions, providing insights into scattering patterns in the absence of wind-generated bubbles.
• simulating the underwater-to-air Optical Wireless Communication (OWC) channel, helping to understand the effects of bubble populations on system performance.
• angle-resolved polarized light scattering measurements of microplastics, crucial for understanding microplastic suspension optical properties.
• developing improved multivariable algorithms for estimating oceanic particulate organic carbon concentration.
• particle mass concentration and size distribution characterizations.
• polystyrene bead suspensions and marine particle studies, with calibration corrections validated through Mie scattering calculations.
• phase function measurements in situ
• multiple scattering effect studies.
• better understanding of the angular distribution of backscattering, essential for deriving bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) corrections and improving remote sensing reflectance accuracy.
• detailed analysis of bulk and submicron particle size fractions, contributing to the calculation of backscattering coefficients.

For a list of LISST-VSF references, please consult our technical library.