Radiation characteristics and optical properties of filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena cylindrica.

This study presents experimental measurements of the absorption and scattering cross sections and the spectral complex index of refraction of filamentous cyanobacteria. Filamentous heterocystous cyanobacterium Anabaena cylindrica was chosen as a model organism. Its filaments consisted of long chains of polydisperse cells. Their average mass scattering and absorption cross sections were measured from 400 to 750 nm at four different times during their batch growth in medium BG-11(-N) under 3000 lux of white fluorescent light. The effective real (or refraction index) and imaginary (or absorption index) parts of the complex index of refraction were retrieved using an inverse method based on a genetic algorithm. The microorganisms were modeled as infinitely long and randomly oriented volume-equivalent cylinders. The absorption index featured peaks corresponding to chlorophyll a (Chl a) at 436 and 676 nm and phycocyanin (PCCN) at 630 nm and a shoulder around 480 nm, corresponding to photoprotective carotenoids. The absorption peaks of Chl a and PCCN concentrations increased and the shoulder due to carotenoids decreased in response to photolimitation caused by biomass growth. Subsequent nitrogen limitation caused the PCCN absorption peak to decrease significantly due to degradation of PCCN as an endogenous source of nitrogen for nitrogenase maintenance and synthesis, as confirmed by increasing heterocyst differentiation. The results can be used for predicting and optimizing light transfer in photobioreactors for wastewater treatment and ammonia or biofuel production.

Radiation and optical properties of Nannochloropsis oculata grown under different irradiances and spectra.

This paper reports accurate measurements of the radiation characteristics and optical properties of Nannochloropsis oculata in the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) region. These marine microalgae were grown in 2 cm thick culture bottles with vented caps exposed, on one side, to either white fluorescent light bulbs or red LEDs emitting at 630 nm. The illuminance varied from 2000 to 10,000 lux. The microalgae average equivalent diameter ranged from 2.52 to 2.63 µm. Their radiation characteristics and optical properties were statistically identical over most of the PAR region. Other N. oculata grown with 2 vol.% CO2 injection in 1cm thick flat bottles exposed to light from both sides reached a significantly larger mass concentration and featured lower pigment concentration and smaller absorption cross-sections. This was due to nutrient limited growth conditions. The refraction index was independent of illuminance, spectrum, and growth conditions and featured resonance at wavelengths corresponding to absorption peaks.

Efficiency factors and radiation characteristics of spherical scatterers in an absorbing medium.

The radiative properties of bubbles or particles embedded in an absorbing medium are investigated. We aim first to determine the conditions under which absorption by the surrounding medium must be accounted for in the calculation of the efficiency factors by comparing results from Mie theory and the far-field and near-field approximations. Then, we relate these approximations for a single particle to the effective radiation characteristics required for solving the radiative transfer in an ensemble of scatterers embedded in an absorbing medium. The results indicate that the efficiency factors for a spherical particle can differ significantly from one model to another, in particular for large particle size parameter and matrix absorption index. Moreover, the effective scattering coefficient should be expressed based on the far-field approximation. Also, the choice of the absorption efficiency factor depends on the model used for estimating the effective absorption coefficient. However, for small void fractions, absorption by the matrix dominates, and models for the absorption coefficient and efficiency factor are unimportant. Finally, for bubbles in water, the conventional Mie theory can be used between 0.2 and 200 mum except at some wavelengths at which absorption by water must be accounted for.

Modeling radiation characteristics of semitransparent media containing bubbles or particles.

Modeling of radiation characteristics of semitransparent media containing particles or bubbles in the independent scattering limit is examined. The existing radiative properties models of a single particle in an absorbing medium using the approaches based on (1) the classical Mie theory neglecting absorption by the matrix, (2) the far field approximation, and (3) the near field approximation are reviewed. Comparison between models and experimental measurements are carried out not only for the radiation characteristics but also for hemispherical transmittance and reflectance of porous fused quartz. Large differences are found among the three models predicting the bubble radiative properties when the matrix is strongly absorbing and/or the bubbles are optically large. However, these disagreements are masked by the matrix absorption during calculation of radiation characteristics of the participating medium. It is shown that all three approaches can be used for radiative transfer calculations in an absorbing matrix containing bubbles.

Measurements of radiation characteristics of fused quartz containing bubbles.

We report experimental measurement of radiation characteristics of fused quartz containing bubbles over the spectral region from 1.67 to 3.5 microm. The radiation characteristics were retrieved by an inverse method that minimizes the quadratic difference between the measured and the calculated spectral bidirectional transmittance and reflectance for different sample thicknesses. The theoretical spectral transmittances and reflectances were computed by solving the one-dimensional radiative transfer equation by the discrete-ordinates method for a nonemitting, homogeneous, and scattering medium. The results of the inversion were shown to be independent of the sample thickness for samples thicker than 3 mm and clearly demonstrate that bubbles have an effect on the radiation characteristics of fused quartz.