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- Author or Editor: A. Weill x
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Abstract
The present paper describes a new type of floating platform that was specifically designed for estimating air–sea fluxes, investigating turbulence characteristics in the atmospheric surface boundary layer, and studying wind–wave interactions. With its design, it can be deployed in the open ocean or in shallow-water areas. The system is designed to be used from a research vessel. It can operate for ~10 h as a drifting wave rider and 3 h under power. Turbulence and meteorological instrument packages are placed at a low altitude (1–1.5 m). It was deployed for validation purposes during the Front de Marée, Variabilité (FROMVAR), 2011 experiment off the west coast of Brittany, France. Wind friction velocity and surface turbulent buoyancy flux were estimated using eddy covariance, spectral, bulk, and profile methods. The comparisons of the four methods show a reasonable agreement except for the spectral buoyancy flux. This suggests that the platform design is correct. Also, the wind measured at a fixed height above the sea shows spectral coherence with wave heights, such that wind and swell are in phase, with the largest wind values on top of swell crests. This result in qualitative agreement with current model predictions supports the capability of the Ocean Coupled to Atmosphere, Research at the Interface with a Novel Autonomous platform (OCARINA) to investigate wind–swell interactions.
Abstract
The present paper describes a new type of floating platform that was specifically designed for estimating air–sea fluxes, investigating turbulence characteristics in the atmospheric surface boundary layer, and studying wind–wave interactions. With its design, it can be deployed in the open ocean or in shallow-water areas. The system is designed to be used from a research vessel. It can operate for ~10 h as a drifting wave rider and 3 h under power. Turbulence and meteorological instrument packages are placed at a low altitude (1–1.5 m). It was deployed for validation purposes during the Front de Marée, Variabilité (FROMVAR), 2011 experiment off the west coast of Brittany, France. Wind friction velocity and surface turbulent buoyancy flux were estimated using eddy covariance, spectral, bulk, and profile methods. The comparisons of the four methods show a reasonable agreement except for the spectral buoyancy flux. This suggests that the platform design is correct. Also, the wind measured at a fixed height above the sea shows spectral coherence with wave heights, such that wind and swell are in phase, with the largest wind values on top of swell crests. This result in qualitative agreement with current model predictions supports the capability of the Ocean Coupled to Atmosphere, Research at the Interface with a Novel Autonomous platform (OCARINA) to investigate wind–swell interactions.
Abstract
After a brief description of humidity measurement and a short presentation of methods of microwave refractometry for evaporation flux, a new X-band refractometer system is presented. Based on a new design and a new material for the microwave cavity, it does not need calibration for refractive index variations because of its reduced thermal time constant.
The new device has been combined with a sonic anemometer and traditional mean meteorological measurements on a 12-m shipborne mast. It has been found to be very efficient for obtaining humidity fluctuations and fluxes in the CATCH 97 (Couplage avec l’ATmosphère en Conditions Hivernales) and FETCH 98 (Flux, Etat de la mer et Télédétection en condition de fetCH variable) experiments under various wind and stability conditions. The inertial subrange is of very high quality. To first order, the evaporation flux and refractive index flux are very similar. In extreme meteorological conditions, such as those encountered during CATCH, the sensible heat flux contribution must be determined independently.
A great advantage of the system is that the contamination by salt, as is typical for other devices at sea, has been found to be negligible for the conditions encountered.
Abstract
After a brief description of humidity measurement and a short presentation of methods of microwave refractometry for evaporation flux, a new X-band refractometer system is presented. Based on a new design and a new material for the microwave cavity, it does not need calibration for refractive index variations because of its reduced thermal time constant.
The new device has been combined with a sonic anemometer and traditional mean meteorological measurements on a 12-m shipborne mast. It has been found to be very efficient for obtaining humidity fluctuations and fluxes in the CATCH 97 (Couplage avec l’ATmosphère en Conditions Hivernales) and FETCH 98 (Flux, Etat de la mer et Télédétection en condition de fetCH variable) experiments under various wind and stability conditions. The inertial subrange is of very high quality. To first order, the evaporation flux and refractive index flux are very similar. In extreme meteorological conditions, such as those encountered during CATCH, the sensible heat flux contribution must be determined independently.
A great advantage of the system is that the contamination by salt, as is typical for other devices at sea, has been found to be negligible for the conditions encountered.
