Authors: Mark E Baird
Publish Date: 2003/06/12
Volume: 47, Issue: 4, Pages: 325-336
Abstract
The size shape and absorption coefficient of a microalgal cell determines to a first order approximation the rate at which light is absorbed by the cell The rate of absorption determines the maximum amount of energy available for photosynthesis and can be used to calculate the attenuation of light through the water column including the effect of packaging pigments within discrete particles In this paper numerical approximations are made of the mean absorption crosssection of randomly oriented cells overlineaA The shapes investigated are spheroids rectangular prisms with a square base cylinders cones and double cones with aspect ratios of 025 05 1 2 and 4 The results of the numerical simulations are fitted to a modified sigmoid curve and take advantage of three analytical solutions The results are presented in a nondimensionalised format and are independent of size A simple approximation using a rectangular hyperbolic curve is also given and an approach for obtaining the upper and lower bounds of overlineaA for more complex shapes is outlined
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