Shipboard Measurements of Surface Flux and Near Surface Profiles and Surface Flux Parameterization

Abstract

The long-term goal of this project is to understand the effects of surface waves on the structure of the marine atmospheric surface layer and surface flux parameterizations under a broad range of wind-wave conditions. The project is part of the High Resolution Wave-Air-Sea Interaction research initiative (HiRes). The objectives of the project are to characterize low-level atmospheric wind and thermodynamic profiles and variations, to understand oceanic and atmospheric large-scale forcing that affects boundary layer properties, and to understand the role of measured wave field in modifying atmospheric surface fluxes. Our work within this project consists of three parts: measurements, the subsequent data analyses, and mesoscale model evaluation/improvements. The ship-based measurement efforts include high-rate sampling of the turbulent field for direct covariance flux measurements; continuous sampling of low-level wind profiles by the ship-based acoustic Sodar; rawinsonde measurements of the troposphere; and a suite of mean variables for quantifying the low-level thermodynamic and dynamic fields, downward radiation, and sea surface temperature measurements. The data analyses will focus on the low-level surface layer properties and surface flux parameterization involving sea state parameters. In addition to evaluating current COAMPS, we will experiment with sea-state dependant surface flux parameterization in COAMPS, possibly in coupled mode.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2009
Accession Number
ADA527233

Entities

People

  • Qing Wang

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Temperature
  • Backscattering
  • Boundaries
  • Boundary Layer
  • Data Analysis
  • Heat Energy
  • Heat Flux
  • High Resolution
  • Humidity
  • Layers
  • Measurement
  • Onboard
  • Sea Surface Temperature
  • Ship Motion
  • Shipboard
  • Surface Temperature
  • Surface Waves

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Modeling, Data Assimilation, and Flux Boundary Layers