The use of the inertial dissipation technique for shipboard wind stress determination

Abstract

The results from four anemometers - Solent sonic and Kaijo Denki sonic anemometers, and R.M. Young propeller-vane and bivane anemometers - mounted on the foremast of a research ship were compared. The mean bias between the four anemometers in the friction velocity estimates was less than 3% (rms scatter 6%-12%). In contrast the bias and scatter for the drag coefficient was 17%-27% due to flow distortion-induced errors in estimating the true wind speed. It is concluded that, with a reasonably well-exposed anemometer, wind stress can be determined to 5% or better by the dissipation method whereas errors in the bulk aerodynamic method are likely to be between 20% and 30%. -from Authors