Modeling the interaction between the atmospheric and oceanic boundary layers, including a surface wave layer.

Abstract

The interaction between the atmospheric and oceanic boundary layers was simulated by solving a closed system of equations of motion, turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), turbulent exchange coefficient (TEC), expressions for air and sea stratification, and processes of air/sea interaction that account for the wave layer. The wave layer is characterized by discontinuities of velocity, TKE, and mean wind energy across the interface. The mechanism of energy transferred across the interface is taken into account by the method of bulk aerodynamic parameterization. Influences of wave effects on the vertical structure of air/sea turbulence and dynamics were studied numerically by variations of the surface wave state, and by variations of atmospheric stability. The results demonstrate that diffusion plays an important part in the TKE budget, at least near the interface, and the wave layer acts as an additional source of KTE for the lower/upper parts of the atmosphere/sea. The computational results show that waves influence both atmospheric and marine characteristics. The results of the model are compared, where possible, with the observational data. (from author's abstract)