Date of this Version Remote sensing algorithms that use red and
NIR bands for the estimation of chlorophyll-a concentration
[Chl] can be more effective in inland and coastal waters than
algorithms that use blue and green bands. We tested such two-
band and three-band red-NIR algorithms using comprehensive
synthetic data sets of reflectance spectra and inherent optical
properties related to various water parameters and a very
consistent in situ data set from several lakes in Nebraska, USA.
The two-band algorithms tested with MERIS bands were
Rrs(708)/Rrs(665) and Rrs(753)/Rrs(665). The three-band
algorithm with MERIS bands was in the form R3 = [Rrs-1(665) -
Rrs-1(708)] × Rrs(753). It is shown that the relationships of
both Rrs(708)/Rrs(665) and R3 with [Chl] do not depend much on
the absorption by CDOM and non-algal particles, or the
backscattering properties of water constituents, and can be
defined in terms of water absorption coefficients at the
respective bands as well as the phytoplankton specific absorpti