The formulation and simulation of an elementary model of the air-sea boundary layer

Abstract

A numerical model of the air-sea friction layer has been formulated for the further understanding of the dynamical interaction of the atmosphere and the sea. The model is divided into three sections: an atmospheric boundary layer section which extends from 1000 m height to 10 m, a surface layer section from 10 m to the depth of 1/4 m, and an oceanic boundary layer section from 1/4 to 40 m depth. Each of these sections is characterized by a distinctive system of equations. Solutions of this model, which simulates winds, temperatures, and vapor pressures in the atmosphere and water velocities, temperatures, and salinities in the ocean, are obtained with a general purpose analog computer. These solution are physically realistic and agree reasonable well with the few available observations.