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The small-scale physics within the first centimetres above the wavy air–sea interface are the gateway for transfers of momentum and scalars between the atmosphere and the ocean. We present an experimental investigation of the surface wind stress over laboratory wind-generated waves. Measurements were performed at the University of Delaware's large wind-wave-current facility using a recently developed state-of-the-art wind-wave imaging system. The system was deployed at a fetch of 22.7 m, with wind speeds from 2.19 to $$16.63\ \textrm {m}\ \textrm {s}^{-1}$$ . Airflow velocity fields were acquired using particle image velocimetry above the wind waves down to $$100\ \mathrm {\mu }\textrm {m}$$ above the surface, and wave profiles were detected using laser-induced fluorescence. The airflow intermittently separates downwind of wave crests, starting at wind speeds as low as $$2.19\ \textrm {m}\ \textrm {s}^{-1}$$ . Such events are accompanied by a dramatic drop in tangential viscous stress past the wave's crest, and a gradual regeneration of the viscous sublayer upon the following (downwind) crest. This contrasts with non-airflow separating waves, where the surface viscous stress drop is less significant. Airflow separation becomes increasingly dominant with increasing wind speed and wave slope $a k$ (where $$a$$ and $$k$$ are peak wave amplitude and wavenumber, respectively). At the highest wind speed ( $$16.63\ \textrm {m}\ \textrm {s}^{-1}$$ ), airflow separation occurs over nearly 100 % of the wave crests. The total air–water momentum flux is partitioned between viscous stress and form drag at the interface. Viscous stress (respectively form drag) dominates at low (respectively high) wave slopes. Tangential viscous forcing makes a minor contribution ( $${\sim }3\,\%$$ ) to wave growth.
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Momentum flux measurements in the airflow over wind-generated surface waves
The air–sea momentum exchanges in the presence of surface waves play an integral role in coupling the atmosphere and the ocean. In the current study, we present a detailed laboratory investigation of the momentum fluxes over wind-generated waves. Experiments were performed in the large wind-wave facility at the Air–Sea Interaction Laboratory of the University of Delaware. Airflow velocity measurements were acquired above wind waves using a combination of particle image velocimetry and laser-induced fluorescence techniques. The momentum budget is examined using a wave-following orthogonal curvilinear coordinate system. In the wave boundary layer, the phase-averaged turbulent stress is intense (weak) and positive downwind (upwind) of the crests. The wave-induced stress is also positive on the windward and leeward sides of wave crests but with asymmetric intensities. These regions of positive wave stress are intertwined with regions of negative wave stress just above wave crests and downwind of wave troughs. Likewise, at the interface, the viscous stress exhibits along-wave phase-locked variations with maxima upwind of the wave crests. As a general trend, the mean profiles of the wave-induced stress decrease to a negative minimum from a near-zero value far from the surface and then increase rapidly to a positive value near the interface where the turbulent stress is reduced. Far away from the surface, however, the turbulent stress is nearly equal to the total stress. Very close to the surface, in the viscous sublayer, the wave and turbulent stresses vanish, and therefore the stress is supported by the viscosity.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1634051
- PAR ID:
- 10208695
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of fluid mechanics
- Volume:
- 895
- Issue:
- A15
- ISSN:
- 1469-7645
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2020.276
