1. Fig. 1. Location of the study site (23-28 S, 130-140 W)
Fig.1. Location of the study site (23-28 S, W). The background image is the annual water clarity (measured by Euphotic depth, in meters, Lee et al 2007 algorithm) of 2008 (from OBPG).

2. Stations: Rrs-derived a(420) [m-1] a(420) [m-1]
STB4_S1AA_L3a.mat
STB5_S1AA_L3a.mat
STB8_S1AA_L3a.mat
Gyre4_S1AA_L3a.mat
Rrs-derived a(420) [m-1]
gyre5_SAC_L3a.mat
1:1
(a)
a(420) [m-1]
Rrs-derived aph(420) [m-1]
Rrs-derived adg(420) [m-1]
1:1
1:1
(b)
(c)
ap(420) [m-1]
ag(420) [m-1]
Fig.2. Comparison between remote-sensing inversions and values determined independently by other means, all at 420 nm. (a) total absorption; (b) particulate absorption; (c) gelbstoff absorption. Values for X-axis from Table 1 in Morel et al (2007).

3. aph(443) [m-1] adg(443) [m-1] Month-Year Month-Year
(b)
Month-Year
Month-Year
Fig.3. Monthly times series of primary optical properties derived from SeaWiFS observations (1/1998 – 12/2007). (a): phytoplankton absorption coefficient (443 nm); (b) detritus/gelbstoff absorption coefficient (443 nm); (c) “particle” backscattering coefficient (555 nm). Overlaid on (a) and (b) are empirical models (open sysmbol) to highlight the seasonal and interannual dynamics.
bbp(555) [m-1]
(c)
Month-Year

4. aph(443) [m-1] adg(443) [m-1] Month-Year Month-Year
Fig.4. Internannual dynamics of the background and seasonal intensity of aph and adg.

5. aph(443) [m-1] adg(443) [m-1] SST [oC] SST [oC]
R2 = 0.106
R2 = 0.629
aph(443) [m-1]
adg(443) [m-1]
SST [oC]
SST [oC]
Fig.5. Relationship between SST and aph (left), and between SST and adg (right) .

6. Chla [mg/m3]
Chla [mg/m3]
Month-Year
Month-Year
Fig.6. (a) Monthly time series of chlorophyll-a concentration derived from SeaWiFS. Blue symbol and line for Chla derived from the aph results, with the formula from Bricaud et al (2004): aph(443) = Chla (b) As Fig.3, background and intensity of Chla, with Chla from the empirical OC4 algorithm.