Bio-optical observations were made during August 2000 in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. Chlorophyll a concentration (Chl) ranged from 0.068 to 18.5 mg chl m-3. Both total particulate and phytoplankton absorption at 443 nm were closely correlated with chlorophyll concentration. Linear spectral relationships were observed for phytoplankton absorption. The chlorophyll-specific absorption of phytoplankton at 443 nm was nearly constant at 0.013 m2 (mg chl)-1, but particulate absorption due to nonpigmented particulates at 443 nm was highly variable. There was no strong correlation between chlorophyll concentration and absorption by soluble materials or nonpigmented particulates. Absorption, scattering, and attenuation all show strong first-order spectral relationships. Robust relationships between backscattering and chlorophyll and backscattering and remote sensing reflectance were evident. These relationships can be used to construct absorption-based algorithms to retrieve various optical constituents.