In the modern world, where infrared systems are operated by the world's navies, it is important to understand the effect that large marine aerosols have on the propagation of these signals. This article reviews some of the work that has taken place to describe these aerosols and their scattering and absorption of infrared wavelength radiation. The paper describes those aerosols found in the marine environment which are produced by the whitewater phenomenon over the ocean, such as jet drops from breaking air bubbles at the sea surface and the shearing away of large droplets from cresting waves. These processes are the result of cresting of ocean waves and the breaking of swell and waves on the shore and are referred to as "open ocean phenomena" and "coastal processes". The paper also presents some of the early results of the United States coastal aerosol research project, EOPACE (Electro Optics Propagation Assessment in the Coastal Environment).