Using Latex Spheres to Simulate Naturally Turbid Waters

Abstract

Laboratory research on problems of underwater vision and display optimization for underwater systems has been hampered by the difficulty of representing the light-scattering effects of naturally turbid waters. In the present study, latex spheres of uniform diameter were used to simulate the physical turbidity characteristics of two categories of natural waters: nearshore coastal oceans and inshore harbors and bays. The optical densities of the prepared water samples were measured and compared to samples taken from Chesapeake Bay and Baltimore Harbor. Results recommend the use of latex spheres to represent particle size distributions and concentrations of naturally turbid waters for use as laboratory viewing media in underwater vision and display research.

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