Effect of ocean surface currents on wind stress, heat flux, and wind power input to the ocean

Abstract

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.