AGS-PRF: Air-Sea Momentum flux at High Wind Speeds in the North Sea

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This Post-doctoral Research Fellowship (PRF) involves field measurements of atmospheric wind conditions near the surface of the ocean, during high sea conditions from a research platform in the North Sea. These measurements will be taken using a combination of wind measuring instruments (anemometers) and high speed camera system. The goal of this research is to improve our understanding of the interaction between the atmosphere and the ocean at the interface of wind driven waves. This PRF will provide an early career scientist an outstanding opportunity to interact with international collaborators in a challenging research environment working at the forefront of science in this area.This study seeks to deploy a suite of sensors onboard the FINO3 research platform in the North Sea, 80km offshore from Germany, to take direct measurements of momentum flux in high winds and high seas. The specific research objectives include:- obtain direct field measurements of the total air-sea momentum flux in high wind conditions; which combined with surrounding observations of the atmospheric boundary layer, sea state and local wave field, provide better parameterization of of air-sea momentum flux near the atmosphere-ocean interface.- measure the partitioning of the total wind stress between wave, turbulent, and viscous contributions.- assess the drag associated with each spectral component of the complex wave field with multiple wind and sea swell components and in the presence of whitecaps and sea spray, in order to improve coupled atmosphere-ocean models.The project with complement a wind-wave interaction study already in progress on the FINO3 research platform.