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Article Type:
Research Article

Wave-Induced Effect on the Reynolds Shear Stress and Heat Flux in the Marine Surface Layer

A. J. ChambersDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Newcastle, N.S.W., 2308, Australia

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R. A. AntoniaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Newcastle, N.S.W., 2308, Australia

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Print Publication:
01 Jan 1981
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0485(1981)011<0116:WIEOTR>2.0.CO;2
Page(s):
116–121
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Abstract

The influence of surface waves on the Reynolds shear stress and the heat flux, measured in the atmospheric surface layer ∼5 m above the ocean, is discussed using the method of Lu and Willmarth (1973). During the observational period, the phase velocity C associated with the dominant wave frequency is 33–80 times larger than the friction velocity u*. When contributions to the momentum flux −uw are sorted out into the four quadrants of the (u,w) plane, the contribution from the interaction quadrants (u>0, w>0; u<0, w<0) increases as C/u* increases. The contributions to the heat flux are not appreciably affected by C/u*. While the probability that sweep and ejection quadrants associated with instantaneous shear-stress and heat-flux fluctuations occur at the same time is large and approximately independent of C/u*, the probability of simultaneous occurrence of interaction events increases as C/u* increases. The period between ejection events also increases with C/u*.

Abstract

The influence of surface waves on the Reynolds shear stress and the heat flux, measured in the atmospheric surface layer ∼5 m above the ocean, is discussed using the method of Lu and Willmarth (1973). During the observational period, the phase velocity C associated with the dominant wave frequency is 33–80 times larger than the friction velocity u*. When contributions to the momentum flux −uw are sorted out into the four quadrants of the (u,w) plane, the contribution from the interaction quadrants (u>0, w>0; u<0, w<0) increases as C/u* increases. The contributions to the heat flux are not appreciably affected by C/u*. While the probability that sweep and ejection quadrants associated with instantaneous shear-stress and heat-flux fluctuations occur at the same time is large and approximately independent of C/u*, the probability of simultaneous occurrence of interaction events increases as C/u* increases. The period between ejection events also increases with C/u*.

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