## 2 Observations
Particulate backscattering ratio \(b_{bp}(532)/b_{p}(532)\) measured by the EcoBB2F (\(b_{bp}(532)\)) and by differencing of particulate attenuation and particulate absorption from the AC-9 (\(b_{p}(532)\)) was a proxy of composition. Increasing values of this ratio are associated with inorganic particles [29; 30]. For very small particles, this ratio is also sensitive to size, increasing for smaller particles. 5. Chlorophyll to attenuation ratio \(Chl/c_{p}(650)\) is another proxy of composition where higher values are associated with higher phytoplankton-based organic content [31]. 6. LISST-based size distribution spanning from 2-250 \(\upmu\)m at 32 size bins and using a spherical kernel. We selected 1-h intervals during each of the different periods identified in Figure 2 when the concentration profiles estimated from attenuation decreased monotonically with elevation above the seabed, and the profiles were relatively well approximated by a linear profile in log-log coordinates (Equation (5)). These profiles were consistent with the steady-state Rouse balance discussed above, suggesting that we might be able to neglect the effects of horizontal gradients and temporal transients. The data represent the average of three consecutive profiles, each of which took 20 min to complete. All properties are displayed as a function of elevation above the bottom in Figures 3-6. Trends in  
Figure 2: Time series of conditions at the 12-m Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory (MVCO) site during the Optics and Acoustics and Stress In Situ (OASIS) deployment in 2011: beam attenuation at 650 nm measured at 1 m above the bottom (gray), tidal current shear velocity sign(\(u\))\(u_{\ast c}\) (blue), and combined wave-current shear velocity \(u_{\ast cw}\) (purple). Notice labels describing specific periods. vertical profiles and representative values (mean and standard deviation) for each time period are summarized in Tables 1 and 2. Figure 3: Profiles of optical parameters at the MVCO site on day 261.1 when waves from Hurricane Maria were coming to shore (see Figure 2). (**a**) Beam attenuation (\(c_{p}\)(650), black), particulate backscattering (\(b_{bp}\)(650), red), and LISST attenuation (gray). (**b**) Deviation from the Rouse-profile fits for the same parameters (i.e., observed minus fit). (**c**) Power-law exponent of \(c_{p}\)(650) (black) and \(b_{bp}\)(650) (red). (**d**) Sauter diameter (red) and inverse particle density (black). (**e**) Ratio of chlorophyll divided by \(c_{p}\)(650) (black) and backscattering ratio (red). (**f**) Spectra of LISST volume concentration as a function of size at nine elevations. In panels (**a**, **c**, **d**, and **e**), standard deviation about the mean values for three consecutive profiles (60 min) are shown with crosses. Dashed lines in panel (**a**) are log-log (Rouse) fits to the data. In panel (**f**), the elevations for each spectrum are indicated by black lines, and the gray vertical scale indicates 10 \(\mu\)L/L. Numbers in the box denote settling velocities based on Rouse fits to backscattering, AC-9 particulate attenuation at 660 nm, and LISST attenuation at 670 nm. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Parameter** & **Maria** & **Spring Tide** & **Ophelia** & **Calm** \\ \hline \(b_{\text{jp}}(650)\) & \(|\) & \(\searrow\) & \(\searrow\) & \(\sim\searrow\) \\ \(c_{p}(650)\) & \(\searrow\) & \(\searrow\) & \(\searrow\) & \(\searrow\) \\ \(\gamma_{\text{h}p}\) & \(\
earrow\) & \(\searrow\) & \(\
earrow\) & \(\sim\
earrow\) & \(\sim\searrow\) \\ \(\rho_{a}{}^{-1}\) & \(\sim\searrow\) & \(\
earrow\) & \(\sim\
earrow\) & \(\
earrow\) & \(\sim\
earrow\) & \(\
earrow\) \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}