中文摘要：

用于描述水体中光散射方向性的体散射函数是模拟或计算海面热平衡、海洋浮游植物生产力、光反应化合物的化学传输的基础性固有光学特性参数，在水色遥感、水下目标光学探测以及生态要素检测等海洋学领域具有重要的意义。体散射函数的检测是一项重要而又棘手的国际难题，目前依然处于一个不断探索完善的阶段。文章从原理出发，归纳总结了国际国内有关水体散射特性，特别是体散射函数的测量方法以及基于上述方法的海水散射特性研究进展，并对今后水体体散射函数测量方法的总体研究趋势进行了展望。

英文摘要：

The optical volume scattering function （VSF）, which describes the angular distribution of light scattered form an incident beam, is a fundamental inherent optical property used in studying upper-ocean heat balance, the photosynthetic productivity of the ocean, and the chemical transformation of photoreactive compounds. It is also a key to current applications concerning the diagnosis of upper-ocean constituents from the inversion of the spectral distribution of upwelling radiance measured from satellite platform. The direct measurement of the VSF is an important but intractable problem, and until now it is still in the exploration and improvement stage. Based on the fundamental principles, this paper summarizes different methods for measuring scattering properties, especially the VSF of the ocean, and the recent progress in the research of scattering properties of sea water and its components based on these different measurement methods at home and abroad. Future research perspective in studying the measurement method of the VSF is discussed in the last part of the paper.