Julian Sprung's email.

[Craig Bingman]

On Sat, 26 Aug 2000, Robert Murray wrote:

> Also would "still" water enhance UV penetration more evenly over small
> areas.

Yes, it probably would, especially if the sun was nearly overhead.  There
are primarily two ways that UV light is attenuated by seawater, scattering
by suspended/dissolved particles and direct absorption by organic molcules
dissolved in the water.  Compound mechanisms are also possible, as in
small suspended plankton both absorbing and scatering light.  In any event
absorption is going to be related to the path length that light takes to
reach an object in the water.  If the water surface is rough, then the
typical path length for light to reach an object will be longer than it
would be if the water is still.

Craig Bingman

cbingman at panix.com < New Primary E-Mail Address
http://fpage1.ba.best.com/~cbingman