Ocean Boundary Layer Dynamics and Air-sea Interaction
Ocean Boundary Layer Dynamics and Air-sea Interaction

Author: Jacob O. Wenegrat

Publisher:

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 168

ISBN-13:

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The dynamics of the ocean surface boundary layer are examined using theory, high-resolution moored observations from the equatorial Atlantic ocean, and idealized modeling. An approximate solution is found for the ocean response to wind-forcing in the presence of baroclinic pressure gradients, surface wave shear, and spatially varying turbulent mixing. The manner in which these parameters modify the classic physical model of the wind-forced ocean is discussed, and estimates of their spatial distribution are provided. Next, the role of time-varying shear in determining the near-surface eddy viscosity is assessed using velocity observations from the equatorial Atlantic, and the implications for several simple parameterizations are considered. These observations are then utilized to provide a first in situ observational assessment of the diurnal cycle of shear and stratification in the equatorial Atlantic, demonstrating how mixed-layer dynamics modulate the diurnal cycle of sea surface temperature, coupling the dynamic and thermodynamic responses. Further, these results suggest the existence of a deep-cycle turbulence layer in the equatorial Atlantic, providing a complementary perspective on similar recent work from the Pacific. Finally, the effect of time-varying eddy viscosity on the low-frequency wind-driven flow is assessed using theory and idealized modeling, providing a new conceptual tool for understanding the dynamics of the near-surface ocean, and for guiding the interpretation of observations. A particular focus throughout this thesis is the role of ocean dynamics in determining the near-surface ocean response to surface atmospheric fluxes.

Air-Sea Exchange: Physics, Chemistry and Dynamics
Air-Sea Exchange: Physics, Chemistry and Dynamics

Author: G.L. Geernaert

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-04-17

Total Pages: 573

ISBN-13: 9401592918

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During the 1980's a wealth of information was reported from field and laboratory experiments in order to validate andlor modify various aspects of the surface layer Monin-Obukhov (M-O) similarity theory for use over the sea, and to introduce and test new concepts related to high resolution flux magnitudes and variabilities. For example, data from various field experiments conducted on the North Sea, Lake Ontario, and the Atlantic experiments, among others, yielded information on the dependence of the flux coefficients on wave state. In all field projects, the usual criteria for satisfying M-O similarity were applied. The assumptions of stationarity and homogeneity was assumed to be relevant over both small and large scales. In addition, the properties of the outer layer were assumed to be "correlated" with properties of the surface layer. These assumptions generally required that data were averaged for spatial footprints representing scales greater than 25 km (or typically 30 minutes or longer for typical windspeeds). While more and more data became available over the years, and the technology applied was more reliable, robust, and durable, the flux coefficients and other turbulent parameters still exhibited significant unexplained scatter. Since the scatter did not show sufficient reduction over the years to meet customer needs, in spite of improved technology and heavy financial investments, one could only conclude that perhaps the use of similarity theory contained too many simplifications when applied to environments which were more complicated than previously thought.

Air-Sea Interaction
Air-Sea Interaction

Author: G. T. Csanady

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2001-03-19

Total Pages: 262

ISBN-13: 9780521796804

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Air-Sea Interaction: Laws and Mechanisms provides a comprehensive account of how the atmosphere and the ocean interact to control the global climate, what physical laws govern this interaction, and what are its prominent mechanisms. It is mainly directed towards graduate students and research scientists in meteorology, oceanography, and environmental engineering. The book will be of value on entry level courses in meteorology and oceanography, and also to the broader physics community interested in the treatment of transfer laws, and thermodynamics of the atmosphere and ocean.

The Near-Surface Layer of the Ocean
The Near-Surface Layer of the Ocean

Author: Alexander Soloviev

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2006-03-13

Total Pages: 606

ISBN-13: 9781402040528

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Until the 1980s, a tacit agreement among many physical oceanographers was that nothing deserving attention could be found in the upper few meters of the ocean. The lack of adequete knowledge about the near-surface layer of the ocean was mainly due to the fact that the widely used oceanographic instruments (such as bathythermographs, CTDs, current meters, etc.) were practically useless in the upper few meters of the ocean. Interest in the ne- surface layer of the ocean rapidly increased along with the development of remote sensing techniques. The interpretation of ocean surface signals sensed from satellites demanded thorough knowledge of upper ocean processes and their connection to the ocean interior. Despite its accessibility to the investigator, the near-surface layer of the ocean is not a simple subject of experimental study. Random, sometimes huge, vertical motions of the ocean surface due to surface waves are a serious complication for collecting quality data close to the ocean surface. The supposedly minor problem of avoiding disturbances from ships’ wakes has frustrated several generations of oceanographers attempting to take reliable data from the upper few meters of the ocean. Important practical applications nevertheless demanded action, and as a result several pioneering works in the 1970s and 1980s laid the foundation for the new subject of oceanography – the near-surface layer of the ocean.

Atmosphere-Ocean Interaction
Atmosphere-Ocean Interaction

Author: Eric B. Kraus

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 1994-11-10

Total Pages: 385

ISBN-13: 019536208X

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With both the growing importance of integrating studies of air-sea interaction and the interest in the general problem of global warming, the appearance of the second edition of this popular text is especially welcome. Thoroughly updated and revised, the authors have retained the accessible, comprehensive expository style that distinguished the earlier edition. Topics include the state of matter near the interface, radiation, surface wind waves, turbulent transfer near the interface, the planetary boundary layer, atmospherically-forced perturbations in the oceans, and large-scale forcing by sea surface buoyancy fluxes. This book will be welcomed by students and professionals in meteorology, physical oceanography, physics and ocean engineering.

Ocean Circulation and Air-Sea Interaction in the South China Sea
Ocean Circulation and Air-Sea Interaction in the South China Sea

Author: Dongxiao Wang

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2022-10-28

Total Pages: 448

ISBN-13: 9811962626

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This book summarizes achievements of the study on circulation and air–sea interaction and development of the ocean observation network in the South China Sea in the last 20 years, thus serving as a comprehensive reference book to understand the dynamic environment in the SCS. It consists of seven chapters, briefly reviewing our understanding of the SCS circulation and air–sea interaction in chapter 1, then describing in detail the upper layer circulation from large scale (SCS through flow, SCS western boundary current, etc.), to meso- and submeso-scale in Chapters 2 and 5, dilute river plume and coastal upwelling over the shelf in Chapter 3, deep ocean circulation in Chapter 4, tropical cyclone activities and air–sea flux at the interface in Chapter 6, and the construction of the observation network and database in Chapter 7. Besides the basic features of these physical processes, the book also discusses their variations and fundamental dynamics. Thus, it is written in a way that meets the different information demands from researchers working in various marine related fields.

Atmosphere-ocean Interactions
Atmosphere-ocean Interactions

Author: William Allan Perrie

Publisher: Southampton, Boston : WIT Press

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 334

ISBN-13:

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This volume provides an overview of current developments in theoretical aspects of atmosphere-ocean interactions. These include the fundamental influence of the ocean surface on the atmospheric dynamics and also the impact of atmospheric phenomena on the upper ocean. Both large scale ocean-atmosphere dynamics, including low frequency variability, as well as shorter time-scales, such as the physics of the atmospheric and oceanic boundary layers and their interactions with surface waves and related air-sea processes important in marine storms are considered. The text also includes some recent research results.