Air-sea interaction in the tropical Pacific Ocean
Air-sea surface temperature anomalies in eastern tropical Pacific Ocean
Allison, L. J.↗
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The brightness temperature of the air-sea interface at microwave frequencies
Available results of observation have shown that at nadir the brightness temperature of the sea surface at 19.35 GHz increases linearly with increasing wind speed. The computational results of the modified theoretical model presented are in good agreement with the measurement results both at nadir and other angles. The model depicts that, for a fully developed sea driven by the wind with speed above 5 m/sec, the air in the transitional zone immediately above the air-sea interface is mixed with sea water droplets from bursting air bubbles. The droplet concentration has a profile tapering off to zero at a certain height. The dielectric constant of the inhomogeneous droplet profile is thus both a function of the height above the interface and the wind speed. Both the inhomogeneity effect and the possible attenuation effect of the droplet concentration have been considered.
Tang, C. C. H.↗
The effect of droplets in the air-sea transition zone on the sea brightness temperature
A model is presented which shows that, for a fully developed sea driven by the wind with speeds above 5 m/sec the air in the transition zone immediately above the air-sea interface is mixed with sea water droplets from bursting air bubbles. The absorptive droplet concentration in the zone is assumed to have a profile tapering off from the interface to zero at a certain height. The dielectric constant of the absorptive inhomogeneous droplet profile is thus both a function of the wind speed and the height above the interface. Both the inhomogeneity effect and the absorption-emission effect of the droplet concentration have been considered. Theoretical calculations show that the presence of the absorptive inhomogeneous droplet transition zone significantly increases the sea brightness temperature as wind speed rises. Combined effects of both the droplet areas and the foam areas on sea surface have also been considered.
Tang, C. C. H.↗
Air-sea interactions
Measuring heat flow to ocean surface using infrared two-wavelength radiometer
Mc Alister, E. D.↗
Air-sea interaction in the Pacific Ocean
Daily Tiros and ESSA satellite television nephanalysis over the Pacific Ocean were collected, and monthly cloud charts drawn to study the interaction of tropical oceans with the atmosphere. The data were correlated with climatological data for rainfall and surface temperatures.
Allison, L. J.↗
Air-sea interaction in the tropical Pacific Ocean
Charts of 3-month sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean were produced for the period 1949 to 1970. The anomalies along the United States and South American west coasts and in the eastern tropical Pacific appeared to be oscillating in phase during this period. Similarly, the satellite-derived cloudiness for each of four quadrants of the Pacific Ocean (130 deg E to 100 deg W, 30 deg N to 25 deg S) appeared to be oscillating in phase. In addition, a global tropical cloudiness oscillation from 30 deg N to 30 deg S was noted from 1965 to 1970, by using monthly satellite television nephanalyses. The SST anomalies were found to have a good degree of correlation both positive and negative with the following monthly geophysical parameters: (1) satellite-derived cloudiness, (2) strength of the North and South Pacific semipermanent anticyclones, (3) tropical Pacific island rainfall, and (4) Darwin surface pressure. Several strong direct local and crossequatorial relationships were noted. In particular, the high degree of correlation between the tropical island rainfall and the SST anomalies (r = +0.93) permitted the derivation of SST's for the tropical Pacific back to 1905. The close occurrence of cold tropical SST and North Pacific 700-mb positive height anomalies with central United States drought conditions was noted.
Allison, L. J.↗
Highly-visible air-sea rescue marker
Sea marker is made from sheets of polyolefin material. Material, attached to inflatable polyethylene tube, is coated with bright dye and is effective even in choppy water.
Radnofsky, M. I.↗
Guidelines for the air-sea interaction special study: An element of the NASA climate research program, JPL/SIO workshop report
A program in the area of air sea interactions is introduced. A space capability is discussed for global observations of climate parameters which will contribute to the understanding of the processes which influence climate and its predictability. The following recommendations are some of the suggestions made for air sea interaction studies: (1) a major effort needs to be devoted to the preparation of space based climatic data sets; (2) NASA should create a group or center for climatic data analysis due to the substantial long term effort that is needed in research and development; (3) funding for the analyses of existing data sets should be augmented and continued beyond the termination of present programs; (4) NASA should fund studies in universities, research institutions and governments' centers; and (5) the planning for an air sea interaction mission should be an early task.
Source record↗
Atmospheric variability and air-sea interaction
The topics studied include: (1) processing of Northern Hemispheric precipitation data, in order to fill in the transition seasons to provide a continuous 40 year data base on the variability of continental precipitation; (2) comparison of seasonally averaged fields of sea surface temperature obtained from ship observations in the North Atlantic and North Pacific in 1970 with the corresponding fields inferred from satellite observations; (3) estimation of seasonal average of total precipitable water at those admittedly few oceanic stations where repeated vertical soundings were made in 1970 and comparison with corresponding values inferred from satellite measurements; (4) comparison of seasonally averaged evaporation fields determined from ground based observations in 1970 with the field of divergence of the seasonal total horizontal water vapor flux inferred from satellite total water measurements and NMC wind data for the lower troposphere; (5) examination of meaning of convection-inversion index.
Middleton, J. W.↗
Comments on 'Bulk parameterization of air-sea exchanges of heat and water vapor including the molecular constraints at the interface'
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Wesely, M. L.↗
Ground-effects investigation of a STOL air- sea transport model with blowing over the canard and wing flaps
Ground effects investigation of STOL air-sea transport model with blowing over canard and wing flaps
Vogler, R. D.↗
Florida State University's participation in BOMEX
Atmospheric models for observing air-sea, air-land interactions of Lesser Antilles
Source record↗
Biomass in the upwelling areas along the northwest coast of Africa as viewed with ERTS-1
Light penetration in water is affected by plankton, algae, and dissolved and suspended matter. As a consequence, the composition of backscattered light from below the air-sea interface is determined by the nature of the constituents in the water column. In contrast to the absorption spectrum of chemically pure chlorophyll in solution, algae suspensions absorb and scatter light more uniformly throughout the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Because of their spectral absorption and scattering properties plankton concentration can be estimated by measuring the spectral backscattered radiance over water. Experiments using this approach were performed in upwelling regions along the northwest coast of Africa.
Szekielda, K.↗
High resolution system for upper air (troposphere) wind and temperature profile measurements
The Jimsphere/Jimsonde system is described and some possible applications of the system for air-sea interface measurements are presented. As space vehicles became larger and more sophisticated, an improved method for obtaining wind profile data had to be found. To satisfy this need the FPS-16 radar/Jimsphere system was developed. The Jimsphere is an aluminized mylar spherical balloon, two meters in diameter. The balloon is under superpressure, and is tracked with a high precision radar system. The development of this detailed wind profile system was started in 1963, and the present design was established in 1964. To improve the system, a program was initiated in 1965 to obtain high resolution temperature data simultaneously with the wind profile data.
Camp, D. W.↗
Satellite radar scatterometry
Questions of air-sea interaction are considered along with the theoretical results of an analysis of radar backscatter from the ocean and experimental measurements of radar backscatter. Scatterometer design specifications have been established based on user requirements of accuracy, swath width, resolution cell size, and a 100 km grid spacing of the measurements. The instrument errors associated with the fan beam mode of operation are shown in a graph.
Swift, C. T.↗
Satellite measurements of ocean waves
Satellite measurements of the directional spectrum of ocean waves are beneficial to theoretical wave research, ocean engineering, and marine activities. Wave measurements from satellites by active microwave systems also help to analyze those processes that govern the transfer of heat, water vapor, and momentum across the air-sea interface.
Stewart, R. H.↗
On surface drift currents in the ocean
It is pointed out that the motion of the surface water over the world's oceans is a critical factor in controlling the large-scale transport processes of mass, momentum, and energy. It is also the key to solving the global air-sea interaction problem. The formulation used in the reported analysis is based on that of Leibovich (1977) with the essential modification of adding the Coriolis term so that the Ekman drift can be included. This modification does not invalidate the results of Craik and Leibovich (1976) and Leibovich (1977), which are primarily for the small-scale motions, but rather extends their work to cover large-scale mean motion. The results of the model indicate that the sea state could have strong influence on surface drift currents in the ocean. A classification scheme is proposed to explain the highly variable conditions of the surface drift currents.
Huang, N. E.↗
The role of satellite altimetry in climate studies
The results of three generations of satellite-borne radar altimetry experiments are summarized. The diverse measurements possible from this instrument are shown to be directly applicable to studies of the importance of the oceans in climate. The radar altimeter has unique value for investigations seeking knowledge of the interconnections between ocean dynamics, heat and momentum transfer across the air-sea interface, sea ice extent, and polar ice sheet thickness.
Parsons, C. L.↗