Noah Tyler

Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Toro-Farmer, Gerardo

Area of Concentration

Marine Biology with Chemistry

Abstract

This thesis aims to explore three applications of the field of marine optics. First, some marine optical principles are applied to satellite imagery to generate satellite-derived bathymetry (SDB) charts for Sarasota Bay, FL. SDB charts were successfully created using satellite images from July and August of 2023. Unique terrain features, such as the intercoastal waterway, can be seen in the SDB charts. Next, a multi-spectral light sensor system (MSLSs) was developed so it could be utilized to measure attenuation as a proxy for turbidity using marine optics concepts. The MSLSs were deployed in Sarasota Bay to collect attenuation data. The development was partially successful, with reasonable measurements that align with what would be expected in an estuarine environment. Additional development needs to be done before these sensors can be applied to other studies. Lastly, estimations of the concentration of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) for Sarasota Bay were made by measuring optical absorption with microspectrophotometry. The CDOM measurements are reasonable for the Sarasota Bay estuary environment. These three studies show positive results and useful applications of the marine optics field. 1

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