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A Parameter Describing Overall Conditions of Wave Breaking, Whitecapping, Sea-Spray Production and Wind Stress

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Oceanic Whitecaps

Part of the book series: Oceanographic Sciences Library ((OCSL,volume 2))

Abstract

The dim ensionless parameter u 2* /vσ can be used widely as a parameter to describe the overall conditions of air-sea boundary processes, where u* is the friction velocity of air, v is the kinematic viscosity of air and s is the spectral peak frequency of the wind waves. A critical value of this parameter for the appreciable commencement of breaking of wind waves is 103. Beyond this value, the percentage of waves passing a fixed point that are breaking, α, and the percentage of whitecap coverage, P, are both approximately proportional to this parameter. The number concentration of sea-salt particles containing salt in the vicinity of 10−10 g at the 6-m level is also proportional to this parameter. The dimensionless roughness length associated with the air flow over water, u*Z0 /V, also correlates better with this parameter than with a parameter which does not contain the spectral peak frequency. This gives an approximate relation of z0 σ/u* = 0.025, and a corresponding formula for the drag coefficient is proposed. The dimensional and physical interpretation of the parameteru */2/vσ is presented.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geophysics, Faculty of Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980, Japan

    Yoshiaki Toba

  2. Department of Geophysics, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060, Japan

    Momoki Koga

Authors
  1. Yoshiaki Toba
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  2. Momoki Koga
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Marine Sciences Institute, University of Connecticut, Avery Point, USA

    Edward C. Monahan

  2. University College, Galway, Ireland

    Gearóid Mac Niocaill

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© 1986 D. Reidel Publishing Company

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Toba, Y., Koga, M. (1986). A Parameter Describing Overall Conditions of Wave Breaking, Whitecapping, Sea-Spray Production and Wind Stress. In: Monahan, E.C., Niocaill, G.M. (eds) Oceanic Whitecaps. Oceanographic Sciences Library, vol 2. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4668-2_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4668-2_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8575-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-4668-2

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