Collaborative Research: A Laboratory Experiment to Quantify the Impact of Whitecap Foam on Air-Sea Momentum Transfer

该项目的动机是需要改进海空动量通量的参数化。这项研究可望深入了解白盖泡沫对海-气界面动量传递的影响。将利用迈阿密大学的海-气相互作用咸水箱(ASIST)在实验室环境中研究白盖泡沫对海-气动量通量的影响。这一结果将改进海-气界面动量传输的参数化，这对于海洋和气候模拟、飓风预报以及影响海岸侵蚀和近海能量的海浪的模拟都是重要的。该项目将利用迈阿密大学的海-气相互作用咸水箱(ASIST)来量化白帽泡沫对海-气动量传输的影响。泡沫是通过透气管道吹走空气，模拟波浪破裂后残留在表面的泡沫而产生的。然后，风将吹过泡沫补丁和在顺风向两个位置测量的湍流动量通量，以与干净的、无泡沫的水进行比较。实验将使用一定范围的风速和泡沫区进行。将同时使用淡水和天然海水，并将通过改变表面活性剂浓度来调整气泡大小和稳定性。这项研究的结果将是通过改变各种条件下的表面粗糙度来量化白色泡沫对海-气动量输送的影响。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project is motivated by the need to improve parameterization of air-to-sea momentum fluxes. This research is expected to result in an in-depth understanding of the impact whitecap foam has on momentum transfer at the air-sea interface. The impact of whitecap foam on air-sea momentum flux will be studied in the laboratory environment using the Air-Sea Interaction Saltwater Tank (ASIST) at the University of Miami. The results will lead to improved parameterization of the momentum transfer at the air-sea interface which is important for ocean and climate modeling, hurricane forecasting, and modeling waves which effect coastal erosion and offshore energy.This project will quantify the impact of whitecap foam on air-sea momentum transfer using the Air-Sea Interaction Saltwater Tank (ASIST) at the University of Miami. Foam will be generated by purging air through gas permeable tubing to imitate residual foam which lingers on the surface after a wave has broken. Wind will then be blown over the foam patch and turbulent momentum flux measured at two locations downwind for comparison to clean, foam-free water. The experiment will be conducted using a range of wind speeds and foam areas. Both fresh water and natural sea water will be used and bubble size and stability will be adjusted by altering surfactant concentrations. The outcome of this research will be a quantification of the impact whitecap foam has on air-sea momentum transfer by altering the surface roughness over a variety of conditions.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.