Evaluating the Variability of Wind Stress over the Ocean Surface by the Combined Use of Eddy Correlation and Inertial Dissipation Methods

Abstract

Field measurements of wind stress over the ocean surface were made by the combined use of theeddy correlation andinertial dissipation methods, which are referred to as “ECM” and “IDM”, respectively. The stresses obtained from bothmethods should agree well under ideal surface layer conditions. Thus, confirming the degrees of agreement between thewind stresses from ECM and IDM makes it possible to reveal how air-sea momentum transfer varies depending on wavefieldconditions. The present data show that the degrees of agreement depend significantly on the wave age and the deflectionof the wind stress vector from the wind direction. The deflection of the vector is caused by the presence of swell.