The Impact of Wave State and Breaking on Air-Sea Fluxes: Measurements from the HiWinGS Campaign

A high level of uncertainty is associated with air-sea interactions during high wind events. This uncertainty affects the ability of models to accurately predict the effect of air-sea gas exchange and aerosol production on the climate. From October 9th to November 13th 2013, the R/V Knorr undertook a research cruise in the Labrador Sea, with the aim of gaining a greater understanding of the dependence of air-sea fluxes on sea state under high wind conditions. Fluxes of momentum, heat, moisture, sea-spray aerosol and several trace gases including CO2, DMS, and methanol were determined using the eddy covariance technique; multiple buoys were deployed to both measure wave spectra, and study wave breaking. The Labrador Sea was chosen due to both its regular, strong low pressure systems, creating plenty of opportunity for high wind events, and its high CO2 concentration gradient at the air-sea interface.

Here we show a comparison between the different wave measurements from waverider and spar buoys, and preliminary results on the effects of swell and wind-sea on the surface fluxes.