SNR as plankton proxy?

Hi there, I have asked a question on this forum recently and as I said I am studying the causation of aggregation of whale sharks around the seychelles relative to ADCP data. 

I am currently trying to use SNR as a qualitative plankton proxy (I dont need biomass, just to show trends), where I'm suggesting that as plankton levels increase signal to noise ratio also increases as the signal strength will be higher if there are more particles in the water column (I don't have plankton data). I have come across some papers that use signal strength as a qualitative proxy for plankton levels, but I don't have signal strength values (I didn't personally collect the data and I don't have access to the origninal data files, only the excel output).

I've tried to find out, but I cant get my head around how signal to noise ratio is related to signal strength and if I can use SNR as a qualitative proxy. I'm sorry if my inexperience with ADCP and general physics shows!

Many, many thanks

Jenny

Hi Jenny,

SNR is related to the return signal strength. Can you tell me what instrument was used to collect the data?

Kind of regardless of this, SNR is going to follow the same trends as the return signal strength so for a qualitative assessment it's going to be fine. Realize it is probably on a log scale with units of dB however.

I would recommend taking a look at our Sediments technical note available in the Knowledge Center for a bit more info on the return signal strength and SNR and using them as a proxy for scatterer concentration.

P.J.

Hi Peter,

Thankyou for your quick reply! The ADCP was a nortek aquadrop profiler, I'm not sure of any more than that...  I have had a look at the Sediments technical note and that has helped a lot.

Thanktou again for your help!

Jenny