On wind-wave-current interactions during the Shoaling WavesExperiment

摘要

This paper presents a case study of wind-wave-current interaction during the ShoalingWaves Experiment (SHOWEX). Surface current fields off Duck, North Carolina, weremeasured by a high-frequency Ocean Surface Current Radar (OSCR). Wind, wind stress,and directional wave data were obtained from several Air Sea Interaction Spar (ASIS)buoys moored in the OSCR scantling domain. At several times during the experiment,significant coastal currents entered the experimental area. High horizontal shears at thecurrent edge resulted in the waves at the peak of wind-sea spectra (but not those in thehigher-frequency equilibrium range) being shifted away from the mean wind direction. Thisled to a significant turning of the wind stress vector away from the mean wind direction. Theinteractions presented here have important applications in radar remote sensing and arediscussed in the context of recent radar imaging models of the ocean surface.