Award: OCE-1829657

When the wind blows over an initially calm water body, small centimeter-scale waves are initially generated, then the flow in the water becomes turbulent. The turbulence in water redistributes nutrients, transports bubbles, and generally influences the fluxes between the ocean and the atmosphere. In turn, these fluxes are crucial to understanding and predicting weather conditions, including extreme events such as tropical storms and hurricanes.

In this work, we studied the evolution of the flow simultaneously in the air and the water during the initial stage of wave generation by doing laboratory experiments. The laboratory allowed us to control the intensity of the wind and the size of the waves. We also used the data collected in the laboratory to validate computer models, which can then be used for large-scale events and long-term predictions.

The experiments allowed us to narrow down which physical processes are at play when waves and turbulence are generated near the ocean surface. Arm with this understanding and information, a computer model was generated in which the relevant physical processes were included. The computer model results were found to reproduce the observations, which gives us confidence in our ability to extend the use of the computer model to “real life” situations beyond the laboratory.

Overall, the knowledge acquired during this project helps us understand weather and wind-and-wave-relevant physical processes at the ocean surface. And in turn, this knowledge allows us to develop computer models that can predict conditions at the surface of the ocean with practical operational applications including extreme event predictions.

 

Last Modified: 02/05/2025
Modified by: Fabrice Veron