Relationship between thermally forced surface wind and sea surface temperature gradient
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Authors
Chu, Peter C.
Subjects
Air-sea interaction, atmospheric stratification, Coriolis effect, marine atmospheric boundary layer, sea surface temperature gradient, thermally forced surface wind.
Advisors
Date of Issue
1989
Date
1989
Publisher
Language
Abstract
An important part of the influence of the oceans on the atmosphere is through direct radiation, sensible heath flux, and release of latent heat of evaporation, whereby all of these processes are directly related to the surface temperature of the oceans. A main effect of the atmosphere on the oceans is through momentum exchange at the air-ocean interface, and this process is directly related to the surface wind stress. The sea surface temperature (SST) and the surface wind stress are the two important components in the air-ocean system. If SST is given, a thermally forced boundary layer atmospheric circulation can be simulated. On the other hand, if the surface wind stress is given, the wind-driven ocean waves and ocean current can be computed. The relationship between SST and surface wind is a coupling of the atmosphere and oceans. It changes a one-way effect (ocean mechanically driven by atmosphere, or atmosphere thermally forced by oceans) into two-way air-sea interactions. Through this coupling the SST distribution, being an output from an ocean model, leads to the thermally forced surface winds, which feeds back into the ocean model as an additional forcing...
Type
Article
Description
Pure and Applied Geophysics, 130, 31-45.
Series/Report No
Department
Oceanography
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NPS Report Number
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Funding
Format
Citation
Chu, P.C., 1989: Relationship between thermally forced surface wind and sea surface temperature gradient (paper download). Pure and Applied Geophysics, 130, 31-45.
Distribution Statement
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.