Sea Surface Micro-Structure: Relation to Air-Sea Fluxes, Bubble Transport and Electromagnetic Wave Radiation
Abstract
Emphasis in the period since April has been on observations and analysis of thermal structures associated with microturbulence and air/sea thermal processes at the sea surface. our method of observation is based on an imaging infrared camera that we have adapted to use from a small boat. The camera responds to radiation in the three to five micrometer wavelength range. This is a useful range because the intensity of black body radiation from the water surface in this range is highly sensitive to the temperature of the source. Typically temperature variations of a few hundredths of a degree are detectable. The camera is mounted on a boom extending forward from the bow of the boat about 1 meter above the water. Our first observations at sea were not satisfactory because sky radiation reflected from the wavy water surface obscured the water temperature signal. This difficulty has been removed by surrounding the camera with an aluminum plate shield that acts like a parasol to make an infrared shadow on the sea surface. With this apparatus in operation we have observed the microturbulent structures associated with evaporative cooling of the sea surface. The surface structures show warm pools typically a few centimeters in size, surrounded by narrow lines of cool water. Our interpretation is that the warm pools are broad areas of ascending water and the cool lines are descending. The overall shapes of these structures vary from drawn out figures resembling micro Langmuir cells to more nearly isotropic shapes. The change from isotropic to anisotropic shapes occurs rapidly and so far as we can observe, without relation to driving forces such as waves.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA394961
Entities
People
- C. E. Cox
Organizations
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography