Studying on optical properties of black water blooms, is the precondition for using remote sensing technology to monitor and evaluate the black water blooms event. Black water blooms occurred in Taihu Lake in July 2015. A total of 36 water samples were observed in the three water regions of Taihu Lake, the region 1 with black water blooms characteristics, region 2 with cyanobacterial bloom characteristics, and regional 3 with characteristics of clean lake water. The reflectance spectra and absorption coefficient of these three regions were analyzed, and the results show that:1 The absorption coefficients of the total particles, the pigment particles and the non-pigment particlesin black water blooms are 1 to 2 times higher than the other two areas. The absorption coefficient of CDOM between 400-500 nm in region 1 is about 2 times higher than the other two areas, which lead the black water area with a very lower reflectance, and presents as black color. 2 The range of M value in black water blooms is lower than Dianchi Lake and Chaohu Lake, which means the humic acid content of CDOM with black water characteristics is higher. A significant positive correlation is found between chlorophyll a (Chl-a) and the CDOM absorption coefficient at 350 nm, indicating that algae degradation is likely to be the primary source of CDOM in black waters. 3 The contribution of each optically active component indicates that the water absorption of region 1 strongly controlled by CDOM below 380 nm, but by Chla absorption between 380 nm and 700 nm.
Keywords: Taihu Lake; absorption coefficient; black water blooms; remote sensing reflectance; water quality parameter.