Unravelling the mysteries of turbulent drag at the air-sea interface

地球表面的70%是海-气界面。大量的能量和气体在大气和海洋之间交换；这些交换对地球上的生命至关重要。气候模型、天气和海浪预报依赖于这些交流的过于简化的模型。过于简单化限制了准确性，结果从不准确的气候预测到代价高昂且不必要的船只改道或石油平台疏散。该项目承诺通过在我们的实验室风浪水箱中进行创新的、雄心勃勃的实验，对波浪上方的湍流空气流动有新的认识。与此同时，新的数值模拟将使新的海阻系数模型成为可能，海阻系数是海-气相互作用模式中最关键的组成部分。

70% of the Earth's surface is the air-sea interface. A huge amount of energy and gas is exchanged between the atmosphere and ocean; exchanges that are crucial for life on earth. Climate models, weather and wave forecasts depend on oversimplified models for these exchanges. Oversimplification limits accuracy, with outcomes ranging from inaccurate climate predictions to costly and unnecessary rerouting of ships or evacuations of oil platforms. This project promises new knowledge of the turbulent air flow above waves through innovative, ambitious experiments in our laboratory wind-wave tanks. Concurrently, novel numerical simulations will enable new models for sea drag coefficient, the most critical component in air-sea interaction models.