Velocity and vorticity distribution within the airside boundary layer over the wind-sheared water surface

摘要

One of the challenging tasks in the field of fluid mechanics is the understanding of flow dynamics immediately above and below the air-water interface in the presence of wind and waves. There is a bi-directional coupling between the waves and wind. Waves are generated by the wind and their presence enhances the wind shear layer in the near surface region. The evidence of the existence of this high wind shear layer is however, based on the qualitative observations [1]. Due to the measurement difficulties close to the fluctuating water surface spatially within crest trough region, our current knowledge does not provide quantitative information about this high shear layer. The quantitative analysis of the airflow structure in the close vicinity of the air-water interface is essential to understand the dynamics of this shear layer and the transport processes of momentum, mass and heat between the two fluids. The present study is focused on conducting a detailed quantitative analysis of the airflow structures above wind waves especially within the crest-trough region, to improve our knowledge of the flow dynamics in this region.