Chapter 11
Satellite-Based Ocean Surface Turbulent Fluxes
Long S. Chiu, Si Gao, and Chung-Lin Shie
Abstract Ocean surface turbulent fluxes of momentum, heat, and water vapor
respond to and determine the coupling between the atmosphere and the ocean and
are excellent indicators of air–sea interactions at most temporal and spatial scales.
These fluxes can be determined from bulk properties at the sea surface. By
combining satellite observations of bulk properties such as sea surface temperature,
wind, and humidity, estimates of these fluxes are available globally. The bulk
aerodynamic formulations of these fluxes are first reviewed. Satellite retrieval
techniques of these bulk properties and operational or semi-operational ocean
surface flux products such as the Hamburg Ocean Atmosphere Parameters and
Fluxes from Satellite Observations (HOAPS), the Japanese Oceanic Fluxes with the
Use of Remote Observations (J-OFURO), and the US NASA Goddard Space Flight
Center Satellite-Based Sea Surface Turbulent Fluxes (GSSTF), as well as merged
approach of the Objectively Analyzed Air–Sea Fluxes for the global ocean
(OAFlux) are described, and their error and uncertainties are briefly discussed.
Keywords Bulk formulae • Momentum • Heat and latent heat flues • Air–sea
interactions • HOAPS • J-OFURO • GSSTF • OAFlux
L.S. Chiu (*) • S. Gao
Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences,
College of Science, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
e-mail: lchiu@gmu.edu; sgao2@gmu.edu
C.-L. Shie
Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology, University of Maryland,
Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA
Code 612.0, Mesoscale Atmospheric Processes Laboratory,
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
e-mail: chung-lin.shie-1@nasa.gov
J.J. Qu et al. (eds.), Satellite-based Applications on Climate Change,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-5872-8_11, # Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
165
Satellite-Based Ocean Surface Turbulent Fluxes
Long S. Chiu, Si Gao, and Chung-Lin Shie
Abstract Ocean surface turbulent fluxes of momentum, heat, and water vapor
respond to and determine the coupling between the atmosphere and the ocean and
are excellent indicators of air–sea interactions at most temporal and spatial scales.
These fluxes can be determined from bulk properties at the sea surface. By
combining satellite observations of bulk properties such as sea surface temperature,
wind, and humidity, estimates of these fluxes are available globally. The bulk
aerodynamic formulations of these fluxes are first reviewed. Satellite retrieval
techniques of these bulk properties and operational or semi-operational ocean
surface flux products such as the Hamburg Ocean Atmosphere Parameters and
Fluxes from Satellite Observations (HOAPS), the Japanese Oceanic Fluxes with the
Use of Remote Observations (J-OFURO), and the US NASA Goddard Space Flight
Center Satellite-Based Sea Surface Turbulent Fluxes (GSSTF), as well as merged
approach of the Objectively Analyzed Air–Sea Fluxes for the global ocean
(OAFlux) are described, and their error and uncertainties are briefly discussed.
Keywords Bulk formulae • Momentum • Heat and latent heat flues • Air–sea
interactions • HOAPS • J-OFURO • GSSTF • OAFlux
L.S. Chiu (*) • S. Gao
Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences,
College of Science, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
e-mail: lchiu@gmu.edu; sgao2@gmu.edu
C.-L. Shie
Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology, University of Maryland,
Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA
Code 612.0, Mesoscale Atmospheric Processes Laboratory,
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
e-mail: chung-lin.shie-1@nasa.gov
J.J. Qu et al. (eds.), Satellite-based Applications on Climate Change,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-5872-8_11, # Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
165