Influence of Wavelength on the Parameterization of Drag Coefficient and Surface Roughness
Abstract
Surface waves are the roughness element of the ocean surface, the air-sea interaction processes are influenced by the wave conditions. The dynamic influence of surface waves decays exponentially with distance from the air-water interface. The relevant length scale characterizing the decay rate is the wavelength. The parameterization of drag coefficient and surface roughness can be significantly improved by using wavelength as the reference length scale of atmospheric measurements. The wavelength scaling of drag coefficient and dynamic roughness also receives support from theoretical studies of wind and wave coupling.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 31, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA428448
Entities
People
- Paul Hwang
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory