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Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Coastal Zone Surface Stress with Stable Stratification

L. Mahrt1, Edgar L Andreas2, James B. Edson3, Dean Vickers4, Jielun Sun5, and Edward G. Patton5
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  • 1 NorthWest Research Associates Inc., Corvallis, Oregon
  • | 2 NorthWest Research Associates Inc., Lebanon, New Hampshire
  • | 3 Avery Point Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, Groton, Connecticut
  • | 4 NorthWest Research Associates Inc., Corvallis, Oregon
  • | 5 National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado
Print Publication:
01 Jan 2016
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-15-0116.1
Page(s):
95–105
Restricted access

Abstract

Summertime eddy correlation measurements from an offshore tower are analyzed to investigate the dependence of the friction velocity for stable conditions on the mean wind speed V, air–sea difference of virtual potential temperature δθυ, and nonstationary submeso motions. The quantity δθυ sometimes exceeds 3°C, usually because of the advection of warm air from land over cooler water at this site. Thin stable boundary layers result. Unexpectedly, does not depend systematically on the stratification δθυ even for weak winds. For weak winds, increases systematically with increasing submeso variations of the wind. The relationship for a given V is greater in nonstationary conditions. Additionally, this study examines as a function of wind direction. The relationship appears to be affected by swell direction for weak winds and advection from land for short fetches.

Corresponding author address: L. Mahrt, 2171 NW Kari Pl., Corvallis, OR 97330. E-mail: mahrt@nwra.com

Abstract

Summertime eddy correlation measurements from an offshore tower are analyzed to investigate the dependence of the friction velocity for stable conditions on the mean wind speed V, air–sea difference of virtual potential temperature δθυ, and nonstationary submeso motions. The quantity δθυ sometimes exceeds 3°C, usually because of the advection of warm air from land over cooler water at this site. Thin stable boundary layers result. Unexpectedly, does not depend systematically on the stratification δθυ even for weak winds. For weak winds, increases systematically with increasing submeso variations of the wind. The relationship for a given V is greater in nonstationary conditions. Additionally, this study examines as a function of wind direction. The relationship appears to be affected by swell direction for weak winds and advection from land for short fetches.

Corresponding author address: L. Mahrt, 2171 NW Kari Pl., Corvallis, OR 97330. E-mail: mahrt@nwra.com
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