The effect of ocean surface currents on bulk algorithm calculations of wind stress and heat flux in a 1/5° resolution model of the North Pacific is investigated. Two year-long model runs are performed, one with wind speed modified by ocean surface velocities and one without. Basin averaged heat flux and wind stress differences between the models were only 1-2%, but localized flux reductions of ∼10% were found in the tropics and in the Kuroshio current system. Basin average power input by the wind to the general circulation was reduced by 27% when the effect of surface currents was included. Tropical surface currents were reduced by 10%, tropical surface temperature warmed by 0.1°C, and equatorial upwelling was reduced by 15% due to the changed velocity field. Copyright 2006 by the American Geophysical Union.
CITATION STYLE
Dawe, J. T., & Thompson, L. A. (2006). Effect of ocean surface currents on wind stress, heat flux, and wind power input to the ocean. Geophysical Research Letters, 33(9). https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL025784
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