Wind and Wave-based Parameterizations of Surface Fluxes Using OOI Data
Seminar Announcement
Department of Estuarine and Ocean Sciences
"Wind and Wave-based Parameterizations of Surface Fluxes Using OOI Data"
James Edson, Senior Scientist WHOI,
Lead PI Ocean Observatories Initiative
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
12:30pm-1:30pm
SMAST E 101-103 and via Zoom
Abstract:
The NSF Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) operates and maintains sophisticated arrays of instruments to collect and distribute research quality data to users. These time series provide insights into the Earth, ocean, and atmosphere for scientists, educators, students, and policy makers charged with the stewardship of our ocean. The time series come from seven arrays operated and maintained in demanding locations (mid-to high-latitudes) for over a decade. The arrays include global arrays in the Irminger Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Argentine Basin and the Southern Ocean, as well as coastal arrays off the US east and west coasts. These arrays are comprised of instrumented surface and subsurface moorings, profilers, instrumented anchors, AUVs, gliders, and a network of cables providing power and two-way communication to instrumented seafloor nodes and profiler moorings.
This talk will provide an update on the OOI and how anyone can access ten-years of data for scientific research. The majority of the talk will focus on turbulent flux data collected with the Direct Covariance Flux Systems (DCFS aka FDCHP) on the OOI global and coast moorings to investigate air-sea exchange under moderate to high wind conditions. These systems remove platform motion from the measured wind components using 3-axis sonic anemometers, angular rate sensors, linear accelerometers and a compass. The DCFS has evolved to include real-time processing of the data, and telemetry of the processed fluxes and associated means to shore. This provides research quality data in near real-time. The DCFS has also been combined with fast-response infrared hygrometers during the NASA's SPURS and the INCOIS field programs to directly measure the latent heat flux.
These measurements are extremely useful in process studies that investigate the exchange of momentum, heat and mass across the coupled boundary layers with a key application being improvement of bulk flux parameterizations. These bulk flux parameterizations find wide use in numerical modeling, oceanic process studies, and globally gridded air-sea flux products that combine bulk parameterizations with in situ and satellite data. The ever increasing number of high-quality near surface flux observations has led to improved understanding of air-sea exchange under high wind and sea-states. Most recently, this has included investigations of the role played by evaporating sea-spray on air-sea exchange, and improvements to wave-based parameterization of momentum exchange at high winds. This talk will describe how these observational advances are being used to improve our understanding of air-sea interaction under a wide-variety of wind and sea-states."
Join Meeting
https://umassd.zoom.us/j/97440069270
Note: Zoom meeting ID and password required. Please email contact to obtain.
SMAST East 101-103
: 836 S. Rodney French Boulevard, New Bedford MA 02744
Callie Rumbut
c.rumbut@umassd.edu
https://umassd.zoom.us/j/97440069270