On wind-wave-current interactions during the Shoaling Waves Experiment

This paper presents a case study of wind‐wave‐current interaction during the Shoaling Waves Experiment (SHOWEX). Surface current fields off Duck, North Carolina, were measured by a high‐frequency Ocean Surface Current Radar (OSCR). Wind, wind stress, and directional wave data were obtained from seve...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Geophysical Research. C. Oceans 2009-01, Vol.114 (C1), p.n/a
Main Authors: Zhang, Fei W., Drennan, William M., Haus, Brian K., Graber, Hans C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
air-sea interaction
current-wave interaction
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
Marine
wind stress
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Summary:This paper presents a case study of wind‐wave‐current interaction during the Shoaling Waves Experiment (SHOWEX). Surface current fields off Duck, North Carolina, were measured by a high‐frequency Ocean Surface Current Radar (OSCR). Wind, wind stress, and directional wave data were obtained from several Air Sea Interaction Spar (ASIS) buoys moored in the OSCR scanning domain. At several times during the experiment, significant coastal currents entered the experimental area. High horizontal shears at the current edge resulted in the waves at the peak of wind‐sea spectra (but not those in the higher‐frequency equilibrium range) being shifted away from the mean wind direction. This led to a significant turning of the wind stress vector away from the mean wind direction. The interactions presented here have important applications in radar remote sensing and are discussed in the context of recent radar imaging models of the ocean surface.
ISSN:0148-0227
2156-2202
DOI:10.1029/2008JC004998