Turbulent heat flux measurements over the Greenland, Norwegian and Barents Seas

Abstract

Turbulent heat fluxes in the Greenland, Norwegian and Barents Seas during March 1988, February and March 1989, November 1991 and January and March 1992 have been calculated with the bulk method using shipboard-based measurements of wind speed, air and sea surface temperatures, relative humidity and atmospheric pressure. The largest mean total turbulent heat flux, near 250 W/m2, was in the Greenland Sea in March 1989. The Norwegian Sea had mean turbulent heat fluxes of 130 W/m2, whereas the Barents Sea had the smallest mean turbulent heat fluxes. These results compared satisfactorily with climatological studies of the region. However, this study shows the turbulent heat fluxes to be much smaller than those of a recent study, especially in the northern Greenland and Barents Seas. Additionally, comparison of turbulent heat flux values based on 10 minute averages with fluxes calculated from the averages of the bulk variables for an entire ship's cruise (10 - 22 days) shows the values to differ by only approx. 5%.