xii
THE NEAR-SURFACE LAYER OF THE OCEAN
coherent organized motions having surface manifestations, and the high
wind-speed regime. Although this selection of topics depends somewhat on
the specific research interests of the authors, the monograph attempts to
systematically develop its subjects from physical and thermodynamic
principles. The accent on the analysis of the results from recent major air-sea
interaction experiments (including the data collected by the authors) is our
effort to ensure that the book comprises the most comprehensive and reliable
sum of knowledge that has been obtained in this area of research. For the
subjects that are related to the physics of the near-surface layer of the ocean
but not covered in the book in sufficient detail (or not covered at all), the
reader is referred to useful literature. Among these subjects are the
biochemistry of surface films (The Sea Surface and Global Change, edited
by P.S. Liss and R.A. Duce, 1997), surface wave dynamics (Donelan and
Hui, 1990), atmospheric boundary-layer dynamics (Stull, 1988), mixed layer
modeling (Kantha and Clayson, 2000), air-sea fluxes (Businger and Kraus,
1994; Csanady, 2001), and coupled ocean-atmosphere systems (Godfrey et
al., 1998).
Chapter 1 introduces the reader to the main theme of the book—the
near-surface layer of the ocean as an element of the ocean-atmosphere
system. A general discussion of upper ocean dynamics and thermodynamics
sets the stage for the content of Chapters 2–7. This discussion introduces the
different processes that mix and restratify the upper ocean.
Very close to the air-sea interface, turbulent mixing is suppressed and
molecular diffusion appears to dominate the vertical property transport.
Viscous, thermal, and diffusive sublayers close to the ocean surface exist as
characteristic features of the air-sea momentum, heat, and mass transport.
Their dynamics, discussed in Chapter 2, can be quite complex due to the
presence of surface waves, capillary effects, penetrating solar radiation, and
rainfall.
Chapter 3 provides insight into dynamics of the upper ocean turbulent
boundary layer. The turbulence regime is the key to understanding many
other processes in the near-surface layer of the ocean. Because
methodological issues of turbulence measurements near the ocean surface
are still not resolved, we start Chapter 3 with analysis of the existing
experimental approaches. (The measurement of wave-enhanced turbulence is
a very important but specialized topic.) Analyses of turbulence observations
reveal different (sometimes contradictory) points of view on the role of
surface waves. Recent observations obtained under a wide range of
environmental conditions allows us to explain and, in some cases, to
reconcile different points of view.
The wave-induced turbulence does not depend directly on stratification
effects, and it is therefore reasonable to analyze the stratification effects
separately. The analysis of stratification effects on turbulence in Chapter 3 is
THE NEAR-SURFACE LAYER OF THE OCEAN
coherent organized motions having surface manifestations, and the high
wind-speed regime. Although this selection of topics depends somewhat on
the specific research interests of the authors, the monograph attempts to
systematically develop its subjects from physical and thermodynamic
principles. The accent on the analysis of the results from recent major air-sea
interaction experiments (including the data collected by the authors) is our
effort to ensure that the book comprises the most comprehensive and reliable
sum of knowledge that has been obtained in this area of research. For the
subjects that are related to the physics of the near-surface layer of the ocean
but not covered in the book in sufficient detail (or not covered at all), the
reader is referred to useful literature. Among these subjects are the
biochemistry of surface films (The Sea Surface and Global Change, edited
by P.S. Liss and R.A. Duce, 1997), surface wave dynamics (Donelan and
Hui, 1990), atmospheric boundary-layer dynamics (Stull, 1988), mixed layer
modeling (Kantha and Clayson, 2000), air-sea fluxes (Businger and Kraus,
1994; Csanady, 2001), and coupled ocean-atmosphere systems (Godfrey et
al., 1998).
Chapter 1 introduces the reader to the main theme of the book—the
near-surface layer of the ocean as an element of the ocean-atmosphere
system. A general discussion of upper ocean dynamics and thermodynamics
sets the stage for the content of Chapters 2–7. This discussion introduces the
different processes that mix and restratify the upper ocean.
Very close to the air-sea interface, turbulent mixing is suppressed and
molecular diffusion appears to dominate the vertical property transport.
Viscous, thermal, and diffusive sublayers close to the ocean surface exist as
characteristic features of the air-sea momentum, heat, and mass transport.
Their dynamics, discussed in Chapter 2, can be quite complex due to the
presence of surface waves, capillary effects, penetrating solar radiation, and
rainfall.
Chapter 3 provides insight into dynamics of the upper ocean turbulent
boundary layer. The turbulence regime is the key to understanding many
other processes in the near-surface layer of the ocean. Because
methodological issues of turbulence measurements near the ocean surface
are still not resolved, we start Chapter 3 with analysis of the existing
experimental approaches. (The measurement of wave-enhanced turbulence is
a very important but specialized topic.) Analyses of turbulence observations
reveal different (sometimes contradictory) points of view on the role of
surface waves. Recent observations obtained under a wide range of
environmental conditions allows us to explain and, in some cases, to
reconcile different points of view.
The wave-induced turbulence does not depend directly on stratification
effects, and it is therefore reasonable to analyze the stratification effects
separately. The analysis of stratification effects on turbulence in Chapter 3 is