Wind Stress over the Ocean

Hardback  326 pages 121 line diagrams 8 half-tones 4 tables  ISBN 9780521662437      £75.00

Paperback  326pp  ISBN 9780521090490)      £30.00

Understanding wind stress (drag) over the ocean is central to many facets of air-sea interaction, which in turn is vital for models of weather prediction and climate modeling. Wind Stress over the Ocean brings together thirty of the world€s leading experts in air-sea interaction, under the auspices of the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research. Wind Stress over the Ocean provides a thorough re-examination of the physical processes that transfer momentum between the atmosphere and the ocean. As well as describing the established fundamentals, the book also explores active areas of research and controversy. The book will form a comprehensive guide and reference for researchers and graduate students in physical oceanography, meteorology, fluid dynamics, and coastal engineering.

Contents

Preface; 1. Overview; Part I: 2. Historical drag expression; 3. Atmospheric and oceanic boundary layer physics; 4. Ocean wave spectra and integral properties; 5. Drag generation mechanisms; 6. Coupling mechanisms; 7. The measurement of surface stress; Part II: 8. The influence of swell on the drag; 9. The influence of unsteadiness; 10. The dependence on wave age; 11. The influence on mesoscale atmospheric processes; 12. Wind, stress and wave directions; 13. The influence of surface tension; 14. The influence of spatial inhomogeneity; 15. Basin boundaries; References, Index.