Air-Sea Fluxes

Exchange of properties between the atmosphere and the open ocean occurs across a wavy interface. The properties of the surface waves determine the net exchange rates through various mechanisms. The surface wave field modifies the turbulence on both sides of the interface, injects air bubbles into the ocean mixed layer, and projects ocean spray droplets into the atmosphere. How we understand these processes is important for representing them and their impacts in large-scale models.

Bubbles and spray


Photo by Silas Baisch

I have a productive collaboration with Luc Deike’s group (Princeton) to better understand mechanisms and impacts of breaking waves and bubbles for air-sea fluxes.