TURBULENT WATER FLOW PATTERNS RESULTING FROM WIND STRESS ON THE OCEAN,
Abstract
The distribution of aluminum powder on the sea surface as a result of flow arising from wind stress indicates an increasing orderliness of distribution with time. Most of the powder tends to collect into well defined streaks oriented in the direction of the wind. Characteristic spacings observed were about 15 feet, though indications of larger spacings were also observed. The behavior of the powder points toward a turbulent system in which cell dimensions are randomly distributed except for a particular spatial frequency which seems to be selectively stabilized. On the basis of these results, additional experiments are being planned to clarify the relationships between the observed patterns, wind velocity, variation of mean water velocity and direction with depth and windrow spacings. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0623225
Entities
People
- Kingsley G. Williams
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory