Observed Oceanic Variability at and near the Air-Sea Interface during Phase III of Project BOMEX

Abstract

The natural variability observed at and near the air-sea interface during Period III of Project BOMEX is examined. The time and space variability in the observed oceanic parameters is large by classical oceanographic standards. Several interesting features were found in this BOMEX data set. Changes in the 10 m wind speed appear to be correlated to the movements of shallow temperature and salinity fronts. A secondary maximum in the mean diurnal sea surface temperature variation consistently appears in the early morning (local time). The diurnal heating patterns in the mixed layer imply a relationship between the vertical density gradient and the intensity of the vertical turbulent mixing. This relationship is further explored in numerical model studies in a companion paper (Jacobs, 1978).