On Parameterizations Of Air–sea Fluxes

In order to understand and model many physical processes relating to the atmosphere and ocean, it is necessary to consider how the two are coupled. The air–sea fluxes of momentum, heat, and mass are the key quantities linking the two fluids. However, since fluxes over the sea are difficult and costly to measure, especially over the time and space scales required for model input, they have long been parameterized in terms of more readily available mean parameters and bulk exchange coefficients. In this paper we review the present state of the art of parameterizing air–sea turbulent fluxes. A data set of eddy-correlation fluxes compiled during eight field experiments, and representing a wide range of conditions, is used to investigate traditional bulk flux parameterizations (i.e. wind-speed dependent momentum coefficients, constant sensible and latent heat coefficients), as well as several more recent algorithms. Particular emphasis is given to the effect of sea state on the fluxes.