A Study of Wind Stress and Heat Flux over the Open Ocean by the Inertial-Dissipation Method

Abstract

A bow-mounted propeller anemometer and fast-response temperature sensors were operated during several cruises of CSS Dawson. Spectra of wind speed and temperature fluctuations were measured over the open ocean for a wind speed range of 6 to 21 m s?1 and a sea-air temperature difference range of ±6°C. Wind stress on the sea surface and sensible heat fluxes were determined by the inertial-dissipation method over a wide range of wind speeds for both stable and unstable atmospheric conditions. Neutral drag and sensible beat flux coefficients as functions of the wind speed at a 10-m reference height are in excellent agreement with the only existing eddy fluxes measured over the ocean from a stable platform and also with open sea inertial-dissipation measurements from a ship.